Are waiting for 10 years to undergo

RX1R III is an amazing camera, capable of capturing amazing photos. However, for something that Sony took almost a decade to update and charged $ 5,100, she feels like a missed opportunity. First, RX1R III is almost $ 2,000 more expensive than its predecessor. In addition, a handful of functions that the company really needed to involve to have its own against other compact high-end cameras, including Fujifilm’s X100VI and GFX100RFLike Leica K3 family. I love RX1R III, but I wish it was easier to recommend.

Image quality and automatic focusing

New to RKS1R III is 61 Megapixel Soni Sony Full Frame Sony first introduced next to A6R IV Return in 2019. It could be an old component, but there is so much resolution in the camera I could wear everywhere as if he was cheating.

What has not changed is a glass of RKS1R III. The camera still has the same fixed area of ​​35 mm f / 2.0 zeiss lens that debuted on the original RKS1R in 2012. With past models, automatic focus was often a problem, but it turns out Zeiss lens is not guilty. These were focusing algorithms on older cameras.

As A7R VRKS1R III comes with Sony’s image image BIONZ KSR and a dedicated exjective chip to detect AI. Initially, I was skeptical on the ability to automatically focus RKS1R III, because the camera does not come with the joystick to facilitate manually setting the focus point. How it turned out, I don’t need him. Automatic focus on RKS1R III feels magical, thanks to tracking items. Seven different ways of recognizing RX1R III covers most things I like to shoot – including people, pets and birds – and that the camera locks on the topic was simple. All I have had to push and hold a new “AF-on” button. The camera can be configured to priorities to certain objects, but I found it was not necessary; I could delegate fully focus in the camera.

All that brings me back to the RX1R III’s Zeiss Stuction. I know some people will be disappointed by Sony has not added a new lens, but I am a decision fan. For me, the character of that lens has always been part of a series complaint and it is my favorite aspect of the new model.

With Sony’s 61mp behind it, Zeiss optics can take photos with a large amount of detail without ever feeling clinically or overly sharp as with many Master lenses of G. The best way I can describe the display is that it is Leica – beautiful, creamy Bokeh. With the right light, the RX1R III can produce images that look almost painting and viewing photos I am reconsidering, they are among some of the best I captured in 10 years.

At the same time, I think Sony deserves a loan greatly to improve color science about his JPEGS. The company has long offered excellent raw support, but I get older, I am more appreciated by a camera that can produce great images with minimal editing. With RX1R III, Sony delivered it. The camera offers a total of 12 JPEG profiles with six custom slots. Two default profiles, movie 2 and film 3, are borrowed from FX3And offer calming, muted tones that are cute contrast towards vivid colors, usually known.

As for the videos, there is not much to say. RKS1R III can record 4K recording to 60 frames per second and 1080p clips to 120 fps. It’s said, how I will come in a moment, Sonia’s new model lacks some characteristics that would make you a competent video camera. As things stand, I think it’s just only for shooting home videos you don’t plan to share with the world.

Design and handling

The first time I looked through the requested RKS1R III, I thought Sony sent me a defective unit. The redesigned EVF is now installed in the upper left of the camera, but it seems that the company has pulled out the screen with parts of the bucket, because it offers only 2.36 million resolution points. For the context, A7R V has oled in OLED 9.44 million, while the older A7R IV has a 2.76 million Dot screen. It was Jarring out of the new LCD of the last panel and sought after. She also feels cheap. A $ 5,100 camera should contain a superior EVF.

The viewfinder is not the only part of the RX1R III that left me confused for what Sony thought. There is the last screen I just mentioned, which is both better and worse than the one before. On the one hand, it offers almost doubling the resolution, thanks to its 2.36 million Dot Panel. On the other hand, it is no longer articulating, which feels like the main step, because they shoot sincere shots from hooks much harder. And forget about waloging or take selfish.

In particular, Sony did not seal III. Again, it’s a feature I’d like to see on such a costly camera. Fortunately, the battery was improved, with RX1R III that supports Sony’s larger batteries NP-FV50. I could comfortably get the day of shooting from the last model if I was good about the camera power when I didn’t use it.

I could overlook all the appeals I mentioned if Sony had just added a picture stabilization in the body image (IBIS). When I Was reviewed by Fujifilm X100vi last yearThat feature was felt transformation itself. More than just improving the image quality, they stated X100VI in the camera that could shoot at almost any light. I understand that Sony probably wanted to keep III small and light, but again, $ 5,100 is much for payment that they have no characteristic that many offer a lot of offer high-end camera.

Wrapping

I mentioned several RKS1R III competitors in the passage, but now I think it makes sense to consider where Sony’s new camera fits on the market. Most people who purchased a premium compact camera will probably start a search with the X100VI. If you can find one in stock, it is significantly cheaper than RX1R III, which comes to $ 1,800. Of course, you are a formal sensor for full frame for a smaller APS-C sensor. But for most people, I think it is fair trade, especially when the KS100va offers Ibis, articulating screen, optical viewfinder and excellent color simulations FUJIFILM.

If you want the biggest possible sensor, I would argue Fujifilm’s GFX100RF, which has an intermediate format of 100MP sensor, has more sense – even with all its mistakes and a Price increase We come at the end of the month. There are also Leica K3 and K3 43 to consider. At 6,735 and $ 7,380, both are more expensive than RKS1R III, but come with prettier displays, IBIS and Leica glass.

As I initially said, I wish RX1R III was easier to recommend, but occupies a strange space in which it was not necessarily better or other than its rivals enough. Inflation and Trump tariffs probably tied Sony’s hands in a degree, but the company could still make a new model to venture avoiding some of their questioning decisions about design.