First impressions of the Sony RX1Riii

Erwin Hartenberg
8 minutes ago
5 min read

The moment Sony launched the RX1Riii, I knew I was in trouble. The good kind of trouble. I had given up on ever seeing a successor to one of my favorite cameras of all time, the RX1Rii. I loved that camera and actually owned the original RX1R as well. It really was the take-everywhere camera for me for a long time. But my nature got the better of me and I eventually sold it, telling myself I needed something else, as I tend to do. (Remind me of this sentence in six months to see if I still have the RX1Riii, though I do believe I will.) I thought about re-buying the RX1Rii many times, but I kept ending up with other options instead, like various iterations of the Leica Q.

I love the Q series. These are amazing cameras. I owned a Q3 43 when the RX1Riii was launched and for a while I tried to look away. I really wanted to ignore it. I had a Leica Q3 43 that I liked, even though it has its niggles (what camera doesn't?). But I could not resist the call of this tiny beast. My curiosity got the better of me. The main question was simple: would the RX1Riii spark as much joy for me as its predecessors did?

Somewhere on the North Sea [Sony RX1Riii]

Many people have complained on the internet about the price of the RX1Riii. And yes, it is expensive. I am a little confused about what people were expecting to be honest. I think the price is fair, but I decided to buy second hand anyway which made it a pretty good deal, as it tends to be with newer cameras sold after a few months. A barely used RX1Riii popped up a few months after launch and I jumped on it. I bought it while I still had my Leica Q3 43 (spoiler alert: I don't anymore) because I wanted to be sure. I will write a more detailed comparison post about the Q3 43 versus the RX1Riii at some point. For now, this post is about my first impressions.

Balmoral Castle, Scotland [Sony RX1Riii]

Let's start with the main attraction of the camera: the size. Boy, this thing is small. It exists in a different size category from the Leica Q series. Much smaller. Even smaller than a Fujifilm X100VI. In the category of high-quality compact cameras there is only one king when it comes to size and that remains the Ricoh GR series, though that camera has other tradeoffs. The main point is that the RX1Riii is truly small and light compared to other options. You can carry this all day and not even notice it. I use a small bag but you might as well toss it over your shoulder on a strap without worry of neck or back ache. Now, let me remind you that I am a 50+ year old man and my back is not the best, so what is optimal weight for me may be different for you.

The other comparison often made when looking at the RX1Riii is another camera from Sony's stable: the A7C with a small compact lens. I own an A7Cii, and an A7CR as well, and I can tell you this is not a comparison at all. The RX1Riii is in a different league in terms of size, and that extends beyond just dimensions. I read a lot of reviews that talked about the RX1Riii build quality being disappointing. I honestly do not get that. I have used both the Q3 43 and the RX1Riii with my own hands and both are really well made. They are just made for different purposes. The RX1Riii is made to be as small as is physically possible for a full-frame 60 megapixel sensor with a 35mm F2 lens on it. The Q3 43 has been built with less focus on size alone, which has allowed dials and controls to feel more robust when they actually aren't. The RX1Riii is very well built. It is a step above the A7C.

About that lens. This was another thing the internet complained about. How could Sony use the same lens as the original RX1R? I've read similar comments on Leica and Sony user forums, and these might be the same people who write love letters to 30-year-old Mandler-designed lenses. Don't get me wrong, I love Mandler lenses, like the 50mm Noctilux F1.0 I once owned. The point about the Zeiss 35mm F2 on the RX1Riii is that it simply is a stunning lens. Why change that? It is more than good enough for the 60 megapixel sensor. Sharp when stopped down, but at F2 there is that soft edge to the sharpness I loved so much in all RX1R cameras. I was happy that Sony stuck to the same lens and did not introduce a newer, more modern lens design. It is part of the appeal of this camera.

This is just a first impressions post, but there is one more aspect to mention that makes the RX1Riii potentially a keeper for me: its role in a two-camera setup. This was one of the main challenges with my Leica Q3 43. It was just not wide enough to be my wide option in a two camera/lens setup. That meant carrying the Q3 43 with a Sony A7CR with an 85mm, but on top of that also a 28mm for a wider view than the 43mm the Leica gives. That meant switching lenses which slows me down. This is clearly a first world problem, but it is a problem nevertheless. The RX1Riii allows for a lighter setup in this dilemma, and the reason extends beyond the camera itself being lighter. I can just about get away with 35mm being my wide option next to a second camera with an 85mm lens. In case you are wondering, my weapon of choice for 85mm is the lovely Zeiss Batis.

Random Amsterdam architecture [Sony RX1Riii]

There are more benefits to that combination. First, the back of the RX1Riii is almost the same as the Sony A7C series, which means I can switch seamlessly between cameras in terms of operating them. My recent commitment to taking control of how I meter for light has me switching metering modes all the time, and being able to do this in the same way across both cameras is a benefit. The other benefit is that both lenses in my lightest two-camera setup are Zeiss Sonnar lenses and I do like the consistency in how they render.

To conclude, I more than like the RX1Riii. Enough to sell my Leica Q3 43, a beautiful and amazing camera with just a few small issues that led me to part from it. In its place I now use the RX1Riii as my main camera. This time, I hope it stays this way for a while.