It’s not everyday I get to write two articles, but Sony just announced the RX1R III. It came out of nowhere. There were no rumors, no leaked photos or specs, just a few voices online wanting a successor for the RX1R II that was launched in (checks notes) October 2015!
So what has Sony bestowed upon the third generation? In a few bullet points:
- 61MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI Sensor
- ZEISS Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 Lens
- BIONZ XR & AI Processing Unit
- 693-Point PDAF & Real-Time Tracking AF
- 4K 60p 10-Bit & FHD 120p Video
- 2.36m-Dot 0.7x OLED EVF
- 3.0″ 2.36m-Dot Touchscreen LCD
- Step Crop Modes and Creative Looks
- Updated Design, Improved Battery Life
- SD UHS-II Slot; USB-C, HDMI, Mic Ports
The cost for all of this? A smidge under $5100.
Apart from the specs, Sony has released a few videos that showcase the RX1R III’s capabilities. They want to aim it at street photographers, that’s why they use words like the ones I put in the title.
First impressions? It uses the old NP-FW50 battery (the one I have in my a6300). With all that AI magic and 10-bit video recording, I wouldn’t expect great results. The camera can be powered via USB-C, so there’s a fix for potential poor battery life. The second thing I noticed is it’s lost the tilting display the RX1R II had. That was quite a useful feature.
