I Ditched My iPhone for Sony’s RX1R III—and I’m Not Looking Back

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It’s a bit of a cliche among photographers, but the best camera is the one you have with you. For most people, their iPhone is the answer and it’s perfectly fine for feeding an Instagram account or texting Nana snaps from your kid’s soccer game. But I have so many pictures from my iPhone that I wish I’d taken on a dedicated, high resolution camera. So, I’ve been on the hunt for a new EDC camera for a while. My dream is to have something fast, portable, full frame, with enough pixels to make big prints and after a few weeks with the Sony RX1R III, I think I’ve found the one for me.

What It Is   

Sony’s RX1R III is the long awaited update to the RX1R II. Nearly nine years later, the 496 gram minimalist body hasn’t changed much and the fixed 35mm F2 Zeiss leaf-shutter lens is the same as it ever was. But the new version houses an upgraded, 60.2-megapixel BSI CMOS, full-frame sensor (the same as in the brand’s a7R V and a7CR, and Leica Q3 models), as well as updated software and enhanced autofocus.

Sony juiced AF performance with their cutting-edge Bionz XR chip with AI processing. The result is lightyears ahead of the previous generation. The 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder is now fixed and integrated into the body, rather than as a pop up on the previous generation, which felt rather fragile. 

Sony added a new crystal-clear, 2.36-million-dot resolution touch-screen display to the back but deleted the tilting mechanism, making it static. When activated, the touch functionality can be used to access the menu or change the focus point while shooting.  

The top of the camera features the on/off switch, shutter, a custom function button, a hot shoe for flash, and two rotary switches—one for the shooting mode and another for exposure compensation. Aperture is still controlled via a ring on the lens and the shutter speed is set with a wheel near the thumb grip. A joypad and six other buttons dot the back of the body for navigating the menu options and adding custom functions. 

Sony removed a switch on the front of the camera that toggled between focus modes. The camera writes to a single UHS-II SD card slot and uses an upgraded W-series Sony battery, which should last about 30 percent longer than the power source in the previous generation. A USB-C port is used for charging, though a cable is not included. 

The RX1R III can record video in 4K video up to 30p with 10-bit 4:2:2 options, Log and S-Cinetone. But there is no external mic jack. So, few will use this to grab much more than b-roll. 

Sony RX1R III Overall Impressions

The internet was big mad when Sony released the RX1R III earlier this fall. The Youtube commentariat found the lack of weather sealing, image stabilization, an articulating screen, or a built-in neutral density filter problematic. But the biggest gripe seemed to be the $5,100 price. 

To be sure five grand is quite a bit of money, but a 60 MP, full frame camera with a Zeiss F2 lens was never going to be cheap. Given the uncertainty of tariffs and inflation as well as the fact the RX1R II cost $3,300 nine years ago, the price seems reasonable, especially for a camera of this quality.   

The RX1R II was a fantastic camera and earlier this year, before the Mark III launched, I took one to Europe for a road trip from Milan to Paris via the Riviera. After nine years it proved itself as a powerful image making machine. But the newly updated version has moved well beyond the next level. The 60.2 MP BSI CMOS sensor is dreamy and images straight out of camera are fantastic. Of course, that quality means massive file sizes. On the highest quality setting, jpegs are hitting my computer at between 35 to 40 MB while the RAW images push over 140 MB. So anyone who buys one will need a robust digital storage solution.

The autofocus upgrade seems light years beyond the Mark II. It snaps into focus quickly, or as fast as the Zeiss lens’ motor can, and maintains a decent lock on a moving subject, though it was far from perfect. Sony’s latest subject detection software works pretty well, but does seem to show a bias for humans, even when you're trying to snag a shot of a car or inanimate object. 

As it’s unchanged, the Zeiss 35mm Sonnar F2 lens is a known quantity. Wide open, it’s sharp in the middle though the edges can be a touch soft. The bokeh is smooth and creamy, perfect for portraits or throwing the background of a chaotic street scene out of focus. There are some persistent, minor chromatic aberrations, but we like to call that "character." The camera also pairs with a Sony’s Creators’ app, so you can move images to your smartphone and share images on social media, or just bombard the private group chat.

No camera is perfect and as discussed, the RX1R III lacks In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS,) weather sealing, a built-in neutral density filter, and a rear tilt display. But honestly the only of those features I actually care about is the weather sealing. I almost exclusively shoot with my eye to the finder. I can hand-hold at 1/30 or 1/4 of a second with minimal shake. For those who like shooting at the camera’s F2 aperture in bright sunlight, as I do, an external Zeiss neutral density filter can be easily screwed on or off for $70.

The integrated viewfinder is a bit of a disappointment as it offers the same 2.36-million-dots as the previous version. That number pales in comparison to Leica’s 5.76-million dot EVF in their Q3 models.

Battery power is up, but photographers who love to hear the shutter click would do well to pick up a spare as one charge is good for about 300 to 330 shots. Also, the camera is very small and the ergonomics need a little help for those with big hands. So I’d snag a screw in handle or a thumb grip accessory.

Having used the Mark II quite a bit, the RX1R III functioned just almost just as I thought it would. The integrated viewfinder, upgraded autofocus, and 60 MP files represent a huge leap forward for this tiny powerhouse. Though the lack of weather sealing, middling viewfinder resolution, and the arcane lens motor do seem like obvious oversights.   

Pros

• 60 megapixel sensor
• Amazing color reproduction 
• Well constructed  
• Great optics

Cons

• Autofocus motor in the lens could be faster
• Mediocre ergonomics
• No weather sealing
• Viewfinder resolution
• High price

Photos Taken With the Sony RX1R III

Final Verdict

Despite the RX1R III’s flaws, I bought one. The image quality, size, and shooting experience made it a no-brainer.  The Sony is substantially cheaper than the Q3 and while the Leica’s lens is crisper, the 28mm that behaves more like a 26mm is just a little too wide to suit my eye. On the other hand the RX1R III’s 35mm Zeiss is my ideal focal length for a fixed lens camera. Plus it’s sharp, compact, and robust enough to complement the full frame sensor’s performance. The files are ample for cropping if need be and I can make detailed 30 x 20 prints, which is what I’m after. So along with a bigger Google Photos account, I’m gonna need to find more wall space.

Why You Should Trust Me

While my career now focuses on the written word, as a photojournalist my work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, Newsweek, and US News and World Report. During that arc, I garnered awards from The National Press Photographers Association and Pictures of the Year International. Over the last 25 years, I’ve owned many, many cameras across formats. My first was an ancient Canon AE-1 film camera, and my most recent camera purchase, before the Sony, was a Fuji Instax. I’ve spent more hours in darkrooms than I care to admit. I mostly work with digital now, but I miss the smell of fixer.