Sony's surprise announcement of the RX1R III did that genuinely unusual thing and caught the industry on the hop. Widespread delight is matched with raised eyebrows at the price.
The industry doesn't get surprised that often. Camera manufacturers spring leaks on a regular basis and there are whole sites dedicated to tracking rogue information down and spreading it as far and as fast as possible. But, while there are plenty of rumours swirling about new Sony cameras coming this summer, you would be hard pushed to find anyone talking about a successor to the RX1R II.
Yet here we are. Sony has announced the RX1R III; the eagerly anticipated third generation of its RX1R series, featuring a 61-megapixel1 35 mm full-frame Exmor R CMOS image sensor, the latest BIONZ XR image processing engine, and a fixed ZEISS Sonnar T* 35 mm F2 lens.
Oh, and it costs $5099.
RX1R III in detail
Let's start with that price, as amidst all the delighted surprise at the RX1R III's launch, this seems to have added a hint of unwelcome surprise sourness to proceedings. Yes, it is considerably more than the $3300 the RX1R II was released at in 2015, but a lot of that rise is simply inflation. That takes the price to $4500 and then, y'know, tariffs. In the UK it's coming in at £4200, which is roughly the same inflation plus 12% or thereabouts. Euro pricing is €4900.
Crucially, it puts it in the same rough ball park as its fixed lens high-end competition; the medium format Fujifilm GFX100RF and the full frame Leica Q3. So, to be honest, Sony has probably got that about right.
So, what do you get for your money? The sensor's the same as a decade ago, albeit with a massive bump from 42.4 megapixels to 61. But you also get the very latest BIONZ image processing and autofocus capabilities ported over from the high end of the Alpha line. That includes a dedicated AI processing unit processing information from up to 693 densely arranged phase-detection AF points that cover approximately 78% of the still image capture’s area.
The limitations of the fixed lens are addressed by a new Step Crop Shooting function, which allows users to switch between focal lengths equivalent to 35 mm, 50 mm, and 70 mm via assigned buttons or dials (stills only). Additionally, when shooting in RAW format, users can reselect the focal length during post-production. A macro ring on the lens enables instant switching to macro mode, allowing users to get as close as 20 cm / 7.9 inches to an object (maximum magnification: 0.26x).
Twelve built-in Creative Looks can be further customised with user adjustments to hue, saturation, brightness, contrast, and sharpness. These can be applied not only to still images but also to videos which it can shoot in up to 4K 30p 10-Bit as well as FHD 120p.
The RX1R III is equipped with an electronic viewfinder featuring an approximately 2.36 million-dot XGA OLED with high resolution and high contrast. As with the lens, this is fixed, all of which helps to keep the camera's weight down to a fully laden 498 grams / 1 lb 1.6 oz. Dimensions are 113.3 x 67.9 x 87.5 mm / 4.5 x 2.75 x 3.5".
Optional accessories include the TG-2 dedicated thumb grip that attaches to the Multi Interface (MI) Shoe to provide stable holding and operability; the LCS-RXL compact body case; and the specially designed LHP-1 lens hood.
Pricing and availability
The RX1R III will be available in July 2025 for approximately $5099. The TG-2 will launch in August for approximately $299, as will the LCS-RXL for around $249, and the LHP-1 for approximately $199.
tl;dr
- Sony's RX1R III features a 61-megapixel full-frame sensor and the BIONZ XR image processing engine, priced at $5099, significantly higher than its predecessor.
- The camera introduces a Step Crop Shooting function, allowing stills users to switch between 35 mm, 50 mm, and 70 mm focal lengths, with the possibility of reselecting focal lengths during post-production when shooting in RAW.
- It includes a macro mode with a minimum focus distance of 20 cm and supports various creative looks that can be customized for both stills and 4K video recording.
- The RX1R III has a high-resolution electronic viewfinder, weighs 498 grams, and will be available in July 2025, alongside optional accessories like the TG-2 thumb grip and LCS-RXL body case.