GEAR SONY RX1R III
Sony’s pricey RX1R III has a 61-megapixel sensor in a body small enough to slip into your coat pocket WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH EVERYDAY CARRY THE COMPACT FOR DEEPER POCKETS W hen you’re a filmmaker or content creator, the gear you reach for often comes down to compromise. Do imaging pipeline it carries into a form factor designed for blending in. With AI-powered autofocus covering nearly 80% of the frame and subject tracking that locks onto eyes, faces and even
you want a camera with the largest sensor, the widest lens options and the most sophisticated video codecs? Or do you want something discreet, compact and quick to set up – a tool you’ll carry every day that won’t bring attention to you when using it? Phones are at one end with rapidity and stealth, while cinema cameras are at the other with sheer firepower. But what about a middle ground? That’s where Sony’s new RX1R III makes an unexpected return. It isn’t just a high-res, photo-first compact. The RX1R III is a full-frame filmmaking device built around the same 61-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor and Bionz XR processor as the A7R V. Except in the RX model, those components live inside a body small enough to slip into a coat pocket. That much image quality in a camera that looks closer to a point- and-shoot, plus the colour tools and autofocus intelligence Sony’s hybrids are known for, is compelling for those who value subtlety and spontaneity. The most striking thing about the RX1R III is how much of Sony’s latest
objects with uncanny accuracy, it’s one of the best focusing systems on any compact camera, ever. For filmmakers shooting run-and-gun, that matters. It means your attention can stay on framing and movement rather than worrying about sharpness. Video performance isn’t quite on par with Sony’s dedicated cinema or hybrid cameras, but it’s far from an afterthought. The RX1R III records oversampled 4K at up to 30p in 10-bit, complete with S-Cinetone for instant cinematic colour and support for user LUTs. There’s also 120fps Full HD recording for smooth slow motion, albeit limited to 8-bit. It’s not going to satisfy those hunting for 8 or 4K/60p, but for creators prioritising mobility, 10-bit 4K in such a tiny device is still a significant factor. And crucially, it has a microphone input, allowing you to pair it with an external mic for content that feels polished without building a full rig. One of the reasons the RX1R III feels so filmic is thanks to its fixed lens. A Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 sits
SPECIFICATIONS
Price: £4199/$5098 Sensor: 35.7x23.8mm full-frame Exmor R CMOS, 61 megapixels Stills formats: JPEG, HEIF, Raw in 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 16:9, 14-bit Video formats: XAVC S and S-I, 4:2:0 8-bit/4:2:2 10-bit, DCI 4K at 30fps, FHD to 120fps. 4:2:2 8/10-bit output via HDMI ISO range: 100-32,000 in manual, 100-12,800 auto Shutter speeds: 30secs to 1/8000sec electronic plus B Lens: 35mm Zeiss Sonnar f/2, 8 elements in 7 groups Filter size: 49mm Aperture range: f/2-22 Minimum focus: 30cm, 20cm in Macro Autofocus: 693 phase-detection points covering 78% of the sensor Metering: Multi-zone, average, spot, centre-weighted, highlight weights Max frame rate: 5fps LCD: 2.95in touchscreen, 2.36 million dots Viewfinder: Electronic OLED, 0.7x magnification Storage : Single SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II card slot Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, micro HDMI Type D, USB-C, 3.5mm audio in
TOP- NOTCH The 61-megapixel sensor resolves incredible detail but the fixed lens can compromise your creativity
Dimensions (wxhxd): 113.3x67.9x87.5mm/ 4.5x2.7x3.5in Weight: 454g/1lb
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