SONY RX1R III Review | My Honest Impressions After Actually Buying One

In this article, I — someone who actually purchased the SONY RX1R III — share my honest thoughts on why I bought it and what it's been like to use.

I recently bought the RX1R III for 530,000 yen.
Even I think I was a little crazy when I see that number. (laughs)
But a few days in, I have no regrets.

Why did I buy the RX1R III? That's what I want to talk about today.

I Had Frustrations with the α7cII

I had been using the α7cII as my main camera since its release day (October 2023). Honestly, the α7c2 is a really great camera.
Excellent image quality. Feature-rich. Compact size.
But there were two things that bothered me.

Those were the weight and the shutter feel.

The α7cII falls into the compact and lightweight category, but the body alone weighs 514g — add a lens (SEL40F25G) and you're at 687g.
You could argue that's just the nature of mirrorless, but I wanted something lighter to hang around my neck.

And the shutter feel... this is entirely a matter of personal preference, but it just never felt right to me.
Every time I pressed it, I thought, "No, this isn't quite it" (I'm not sure if that makes sense to anyone else).

I also own the α7IV and I love its feel.
It might sound harsh, but the α7cII shutter felt a bit cheap to me — it just didn't click.

I Also Tried the X-E5 and GR III

In my search for a lighter camera, I also tried the X-E5 and GR III. Both are excellent cameras that live up to their reputations.
But neither was the right fit for me.

X-E5

I really loved the look and feel of the X-E5.

However, the joystick usability, preview screen refresh speed, film simulation dial, and autofocus accuracy and speed — none of these felt comfortable to me.
And the film simulations that so many people rave about didn't match my personal taste either; I just couldn't make them work for me.

These are entirely my own personal issues.

GR III

A pocketable body you can take absolutely anywhere.
An APS-C sensor in that tiny frame.
All controls operable with one hand.

In terms of usability, I had nothing to complain about.
I actually carried it in my jacket pocket all winter and think it's a truly one-of-a-kind camera.

Using this camera made me realize how much I value the shooting experience you get from an optical viewfinder and mechanical shutter.

That said, there were moments — like shooting my kids indoors — where noise from the smaller sensor size and autofocus performance became a concern.

What I Want from a Camera

Based on all these experiences, here's what I decided I needed:

• Full-frame sensor
• Built-in viewfinder
• Lighter system than α7cII + SEL40F25G (under 687g)
• Fast and accurate autofocus
• Shutter feel that suits my preference

From all of this, I arrived at one conclusion: "The RX1R III is the only camera that fits, isn't it?"

A Foreign YouTuber's "Car Analogy" Gave Me the Final Push

Even so, it's 530,000 yen. I hesitated.
What finally made up my mind was a video by a foreign YouTuber.

"Choosing a camera is just like choosing a car."

Highway stability, cruise control, great handling, cargo space, quiet and comfortable ride — a perfect car doesn't exist. Everyone compromises on something when choosing a car. If that's acceptable for cars, why is it that cameras get criticized for having flaws?

That analogy really resonated with me.

The RX1R III is missing a lot of things.
Optical image stabilization. Tilting LCD. Large battery. A bright, easy-to-see viewfinder.

But when I think of all those as deliberate trade-offs made to fit everything into a body under 500g, I can accept them — and even appreciate them.
If it had every feature packed in, it wouldn't be the sharp, distinctive product it is, and would've ended up being little different from the α7cII.

If the RX1R III weren't so distinctive, I wouldn't have even considered switching from the α7cII.

I Tried It at the Sony Store

Before buying, I tried it out at a Sony Store.

No matter how many photos or spec sheets you look at, the feeling of actually holding a camera in your hands is something else entirely. The size, weight balance, how it fits in your grip.
When I actually held it, I thought, "Yeah, this is good."

I recommend everyone try handling a camera in person before buying.

What's It Been Like After Buying?

A few days in, and I am extremely satisfied.
Since I had done a lot of research beforehand, I have no major complaints about the image quality, feel, or usability.

That said, I'd be lying if I said there were zero complaints, so let me note a few minor issues and some unexpectedly pleasant surprises.

Unexpected downside: Battery life is poor

I knew this going in, but in practice the battery drains faster than I expected.
It's fine for a casual day out, but for heavy sightseeing it might be a bit worrying.
I'd recommend carrying a portable battery charger for longer trips.

Unexpectedly great: The 35mm focal length

And this was a completely unexpected and welcome surprise.

My main focal length up to now had been 40mm. Honestly, I had never really liked 35mm — it felt slightly distorted and stretched to me.
But using this camera, I think I might be falling in love with 35mm.

It captures not just the subject, but the whole atmosphere of the moment.
Not just my child's smile, but the messy living room behind them, the light streaming through the window, everything around them.
I thought all that extra context might make the images hard to compose, but I've found myself actually loving photos that are full of life.

And with crop mode, you get 50mm and 70mm equivalent fields of view.
That's only possible thanks to the 61MP sensor.

Being able to cover 35–70mm with a single camera is one of the RX1R III's biggest appeals for me.

Sample Shots

These are a mix of straight-out-of-camera JPEGs and edited RAW files.

Conclusion

The reason I bought a 530,000-yen camera wasn't just about specs.

The experience of continuing to use cameras that didn't suit me.
The realization that a perfect camera simply doesn't exist.
The instant I held it and thought, "This is the one."

You don't need to justify buying a camera with specs. You don't need to care what others think.
I bought the camera I love.