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Photo: Serhii Prystupa / Moment via Getty Images

It's no secret that photography gear is expensive. For most of us, whether professionals or hobbyists, purchasing cameras, lenses, tripods and other equipment is a significant investment. Repairing or replacing damaged or stolen gear could be cost-prohibitive, leaving you without gear you need. But a camera isn't much good if you never take it out because of worry over what could happen to it.

That's where insurance comes in. Just as you might get insurance for your expensive guitar or jewelry, a plan for your camera gear can help protect your investment in case something happens. If you're curious about insurance for your camera, here's what you need to know.

Homeowners or renters insurance may not be enough

Homeowners and renters insurance typically are limited in what they cover for camera gear.

Photo: witsarut sakorn / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

If you rent or own a home, you likely have insurance for that. Such policies cover your personal belongings, but they often have limitations that could render the policy insufficient for your needs. For example, many policies don't cover accidental damage, such as if you drop your camera. Additionally, a claim may be denied if you use your camera for any amount of professional use, even if it's just an occasional paid shoot or selling prints.

Even more of an issue is that many plans have strict caps on the value and number of items covered. The value caps could even be as low as $1000. That may be enough if you're a casual hobbyist with a beginner-level camera and a single lens, but any more than that could fall outside of coverage, leaving you to foot the bill.

There are policies for your equipment

Homeowners and renters insurance typically doesn't cover accidental damage, so a policy for your gear is a smart investment.

Photo: Boy_Anupong / Moment via Getty Images

If your renters or homeowners insurance is too limiting, you may want to consider a dedicated plan or add-on (called a rider) for your gear. The names of such plans vary depending on the insurance company, but it could be something like a "Personal Articles Policy" or "Valuable Personal Property Insurance."

Cost of coverage varies based on your location, insurance company and the value of your items.

The cost of coverage varies based on your location, insurance company and the value of your items. The more you need covered and the more expensive those items are, the higher the annual cost. However, it is generally relatively affordable even with an extensive, professional kit. Plus, considering what it could save you if something happened, it is well worth the expense.

Even better, many plans don't have a deductible, unlike homeowners or renters insurance, which often have relatively steep deductibles. For example, a $1000 deductible on a $1400 camera often isn’t helpful. Plus, filing a claim is often easier than dealing with homeowners' insurance.

Who should have insurance for camera gear? Photo: Jeff Keller

Dedicated insurance for your camera equipment is likely a good decision if you spent (or plan on spending) a good amount of money on cameras, lenses and other accessories. It's especially worthwhile for those who travel or spend time outside with their camera, where it could get dropped, stolen or damaged from the elements. Even if you only have a single fixed-lens camera, a specific policy for your camera may be smart if your homeowners or renters policy is limited in what it will cover.

A protection plan makes even more sense if you're a professional photographer, since homeowners' and renters' insurance won't cover your gear in such cases. It's also critical if you have many pieces of high-end gear. After all, your livelihood, or at least part of it, is dependent on your equipment. If something happens and you have to pay for a new camera out of pocket, it could mean the difference between continuing your business or folding.

It's important to know that general personal article policies typically don't cover professional use. If you make money from your photography, you may need to get a plan specifically for a small business. Look carefully at the plan details beforehand so that you don't end up with a denied claim because of professional activity. It's also worth noting that, while not gear-related, certain states, cities or venues may require photographers to carry liability insurance. However, that type of plan is often separate from gear coverage.

How do you get coverage? Photo: Pattanaphong Khuankaew / iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

If you decide to take out insurance for your photography equipment, you'll want to get some things in order. Each insurance company has specific information they require, but most will ask for a list of all your gear with the serial numbers (when applicable), value, description and proof of ownership (such as a receipt) for each item. They won't be able to give you a quote for your annual premium until they have that information. Plus, that list is also helpful for your records, even if you don't want to get it insured. Some companies may also require photographs of each item for their records.

You can insure far more than just your camera and lenses.

Keep in mind that you can insure far more than your camera and lenses. Tripods, camera bags, laptops, lights and other accessories can all be quite expensive, so it makes sense to insure those, too.

When it comes to choosing an insurance company, most large insurers will offer some variety of personal property insurance. In the United States, State Farm, Progressive, USAA, Allstate and more offer such plans. Most also have plans suitable for professionals, though many working pros prefer specialized insurers because of better claim handling and scope of coverage. For example, organizations like Professional Photographers of America (PPA), the National Photographic Society (NPS) and The Guild of Photographers offer insurance for members.

Other notes on insurance Photo: Peter Cade / Stone via Getty Images

If something happens to your gear, there are a few things to remember. First, if it is stolen, file a police report immediately. Insurers will require a police report if you're filing a claim for theft, and you want that on the record as soon as possible. If you're traveling out of the country, make sure you do so before you leave, because getting a police report once you're home is next to impossible.

For broken gear, write an account of what happened while it's fresh in your mind, and take photos or even videos of the damaged item(s). Then, contact your insurance as soon as possible. Many companies have deadlines for claim submissions, and if you wait too long, they may not accept your claim.

Talk to an insurance agent

The cost and benefits of insurance coverage will ultimately vary depending on your location, gear and specific needs. If you're on the fence or confused about needing a specific policy or want to know the cost, contact an insurance agent for more specific advice. Additionally, some of the information in this article is specific to the US. While insurance is broadly similar in other countries, it's best to check locally to ensure you have the most accurate information for your area.

Here at DPReview, we don’t usually write news articles about ourselves, but today I’m making an exception to share an exciting update. We’ve added a full-time person to our team dedicated to managing our online forums. This represents a significant investment in the future of DPReview and, more importantly, in you, our community.

The enduring value of our forums

DPReview’s forums have been a central part of our site since the very beginning, with millions of posts dating back as far as 1999. These forums are a vault of information dating to the early days of digital photography and are one of the most frequently cited forums on the internet by Google. To say they’ve had a massive impact on the digital photography community would be an understatement.

For the past 25 years, our forums have run more or less autonomously, thanks to an incredible team of dedicated volunteer moderators. Their commitment has been essential in preserving the expert-driven discussions that make our forums a reliable resource. The addition of a full-time Community Manager is not a replacement for these moderators, but an expansion of our commitment to the forums, allowing us to support our volunteers more effectively.

Meet our Community Manager

On that note, I’m thrilled to introduce our new Community Manager, Mathew Anderson, who joins us with over 15 years of experience managing large online communities. More importantly, Mathew is a DPReview reader and has used our camera reviews to guide his own purchases. In other words, he’s one of us, and he’s excited to engage with our community.

DPReview's new Community Manager, Mathew Anderson, at his desk preparing for an online community roundtable event.

Photo courtesy of Mathew Anderson

Mathew’s primary job at DPReview is to represent you – our readers and forum members. Consider him your advocate and key communications link to our team; don’t hesitate to send him a message if you need assistance or just want to say hello.

What this means for our forums

Adding a full-time person focused on community will allow us to bring you a better forum experience.

In the near term, this means we’ll be able to provide you with better support, more quickly. When you have a question or need assistance, we’ll be able to resolve it sooner. It will also allow us to deliver more consistent moderation. Our volunteer moderators are a dedicated bunch, but they need our guidance and support. Mathew is already working to provide them with better tools, improved communication channels, and direct support for challenging moderation decisions.

With about 85 different sub-forums, the DPReview forums are a busy place.

However, it’s when we look further out that things get really exciting. We’re planning to launch a number of new community initiatives, which may include things like staff-sponsored discussion threads, member spotlights, or even community events. This dedicated focus will help us do a better job surfacing interesting and informative content from users and finding ways to share it with you.

Finally, our team is working on some big changes behind the scenes that will kick our forum experience up a notch and will allow us to do things we haven’t done in the past. I won't give anything away right now, but you can consider this an official teaser that something is coming.

A commitment to our community

Our community is at the core of what we do. DPReview’s homepage may get the headlines, but it’s in our forums where people share knowledge, forge personal connections, and develop communities based on shared interests.

By adding a Community Manager to our team, we’re making an active investment not only in the future of our forums but in DPReview as a brand, and we’re excited to have you all along for the ride.

Finally, if you have a moment, please welcome Mathew to the DPReview team in this dedicated forum thread.

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.

Canon EOS R5 II | Canon RF 20mm F1.4 L VCM | F1.4 | 1/800 sec | ISO 100

Processed in Capture One
Photo: Mitchell Clark

Earlier this year, Canon announced the RF 20mm F1.4 L VCM, a fast ultra-wide entry to its lineup meant to be good for shooting stills and video. There were promptly a ton of other camera and lens announcements, but we've finally had the time to shoot with one in a variety of situations to get a feel for how it performs.

As is standard with our lens samples, the images in the gallery have been processed using Capture One, though you're free to download the Raws to poke around at them for yourself.

See the sample gallery

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing; we do so in good faith, so please don't abuse it.

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When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. Sample galleryThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Please open this article's permalink in a browser to view this content. Product photos by Richard Butler 88%Overall scoreJump to conclusion

The Sony DSC-RX1R III is the company's fourth full-frame compact camera with the same Zeiss-branded 35mm F2 lens. The latest version uses a 60.2MP sensor and Sony's latest processors.

Key specifications

• 60.2MP BSI CMOS sensor
• 35mm F2 Zeiss-branded lens
• 2.36M dot (1024 x 768px) EVF with 0.7x magnification
• 2.36M dot (1024 x 768px) fixed LCD touchscreen
• NP-FW50 battery, rated to 300 shots per charge
• 4K video up to 30p with 10-bit 4:2:2 options, Log and S-Cinetone
• Range of color modes including 3 'Film' modes

The RX1R III is available now, at a recommended price of $5099, £4200, €4900. There are also a series of rather expensive accessories available, including an add-on thumb rest, a lens hood and a leather half-case.

The US price is notably higher, in comparison to the European and UK prices, than is typical for Sony products. We have to assume the approximately 10% higher pricing is a result of the tariffs imposed by the US government.

Index:

• What's new
• How does it compare?
• Body and handling
• Image quality
• Autofocus
• Video
• Conclusion
• Sample gallery
• Specifications

Buy now:

Buy at AdoramaBuy at B&H Photo What's new

The RX1R III is a surprisingly subtle update of the Mark II, given the near 10 years gap between models, but the changes that have been made are significant.

The most obvious is the move to the 60.2MP BSI CMOS sensor from the a7R V and a7CR, and also the Leica Q3 models that most directly compete with the Sony. The lens remains unchanged, but that turns out to be less of an issue than many people predicted. Gone is the unique 'cancellable' anti-aliasing filter, with the higher resolution sensor needing it less, especially behind a lens that's a touch soft at wide apertures.

Another big upgrade is the addition of Sony's latest 'Bionz XR' processor with accompanying 'AI Processing Unit,' a dedicated processor for crunching the complex, chewy algorithms produced by machine learning. Collectively, these promise much improved AF tracking both for recognized and unrecognized subjects.

Beyond that there's a fixed viewfinder, rather than the RX1R II's pop-up unit. It's the highest-resolution 2.36M dot (1024 x 768px) unit that's available in the smallest panel size, but this means the spec and the 0.7x magnification optics are shared with the much less expensive Sony a7CR. The rear screen is now fixed, which feels like a step backward: taken to keep the body size down.

Finally, the camera gains a new battery. The NP-FW50 isn't especially large (it was one of our least favorite features of most of Sony's APS-C mirrorless cameras), but it's a big step forward from the old camera, both in terms of capacity and voltage. Sony has managed to fit it into a body that isn't much wider than the battery itself, and it addresses one of the biggest criticisms of the existing models.

Crop mode Crop factor Pixel count Effective sensor size 35mm 1.00 60.2MP 36 x 24mm 50mm equiv 1.43 29.4MP 25.2 x 16.8mm 70mm equiv 2.00 15.1MP 18 x 12mm

With the boost in resolution, Sony has added a "step crop" feature that lets you crop in to a 50mm or 70mm equivalent region of the sensor. If you're shooting Raw, it continues to record the full image but includes crop metadata that your software may or may not choose to honor. As with the GFX100RF these modes can be handy but be aware you're effectively paying a high price for a smaller sensor camera when you use them.

How does it compare?

Like most prime lens compacts, the Sony is priced higher than the otherwise similarly specced Mirrorless model elsewhere in the range. We include the a7CR for reference, but its most direct competitors are the Leica Q3 43, which is conceptually most similar, and Fujifilm's X100VI, which is essentially an APS-C attempt at the same prime-lens photographers' compact concept.

Sony DSC RX1R III Leica Q3 43 Fujifilm X100VI Sony a7CR MSRP (2025) $5099 / £4200 / €4900 $7380 / £5900 / €6750 $1599 / £1599 / €1799 $3200 / £4200 / €4900 Sensor size Full-frame
(864mm²) Full-frame
(864mm²) APS-C
(369mm²) Full-frame
(864mm²) Pixel count 60.2MP 60.3MP 39.8MP 60.2MP Lens 35mm F2 43mm F2 23mm F2
(35mm F3 equiv) ILC Stabilization No Lens Sensor Sensor Burst rate 5 fps 4fps with AF 15fps 12-bit with S-AF 6 fps (Mech)
13 fps (Elec)

8 fps (Mech)

Max shutter speed 1/2000 at F2.0
1/3200 from F4.0
1/4000 from F5.6 1/2000 sec 1/4000 sec 1/8000 sec Flash sync speed Max shutter speed Max shutter speed Max shutter speed 1/160 sec Viewfinder
Res / Mag 2.36M dots / 0.7x 5.76M dots / 0.76x 3.69M dots /
0.66x hybrid optical / EVF 2.36M dots / 0.7x Rear screen
Size / Res / movement 3.0" / 2.36M dots /
fixed 3.0" / 1.84M dots /tilt up/down 3.0" / 1.62M dots / tilt up/down 3.0" / 1.04M dots / fully articulated Storage 1x SD (UHS-II) 1x SD (UHS-II) 1x SD (UHS-I) 1 x SD (UHS-II) Battery life
Shots/charge 300 LCD
270 EVF 350 LCD 450 LCD
310 EVF 530 LCD
490 EVF Video max res/rate UHD 4K/30 DCI 8K/30 6.2K/30
UHD 4K/60 UHD 4K/60 Dimensions 113 x 68 x 88mm (inc eyecup) 130 x 80 x 98mm 128 x 75 x 55mm 124 x 71 x 63 mm (w/o lens) Weight 498g 772g 512g 515g (w/o lens)

The lack of stabilization and the low-res viewfinder are the most glaring omissions from the RX1R III. Its video specs are also relatively modest but this isn't a camera we'd particularly look to for video shooting. For the RX1R III, the key specs (and two we don't give best/worst ratings for) are the size and weight. Despite its larger sensor and the lens that comes with that, it's the lightest camera here and also the smallest full-frame camera currently on the market. If that isn't right near the top of your list of priorities, there are plenty of less expensive alternatives out there.

Body and handling

The RX1R III is small and feels very solidly built. It does a good job of minimizing weight without feeling too light and a good job of being small without negatively impacting handling.

The camera puts the aperture ring exactly where your left hand is likely to hold the camera, the exposure comp dial under your thumb, with the rear command dial and AF-On buttons a short movement away. A custom button next to the shutter button is easy to reach and there's another hiding on the right flank, where the [REC] button used to be on the RX1R II.

The viewfinder cup screws into place on the top left of the camera, adding to the size of the body but significantly increasing comfort and usability, both compared with using the camera without one, and with the pop-up finder on the predecessor.

Despite the camera's features being fairly stripped back (the lack of stabilization means it lacks the a7R models' multi-shot high res mode), the RX1R III's menus are pretty dense and complex. They definitely feel like a hollowed-out version of a still-more complex menu structure: the contrast with the ruthless focus of Leica's current menus is stark. Quite a high proportion of the menu options appear to be for limiting the number of options available, elsewhere, whether that be in terms of AF area modes, subjects to detect or drive modes.

In keeping with recent Sony models, the RX1R III has a settings display page, one level deep in the menus, between the user-definable My Menu section and the main body of the menus themselves. Here more than ever, its presence and function is hard to fathom: it feels like a quick menu that's got accidentally misplaced in the midst of a menu structure: not customizable, easy to inadvertently navigate away from, and with a menu system that defaults to opening on an empty page adjacent to it.

Thankfully, with its dedicated aperture ring, exposure comp dial, top-plate thumb dial and (if you need it), fiddly rear-plate dial, you have most of the camera's key functions to hand, with eight custom buttons available to gain more.

By the time you've slimmed-down all the options you might want to use, and maybe amended some of the Fn menu options, it's hard to see why you'd need to visit the menus at all.

The one instance that might require menu diving is if you want to shoot HLG HDR images, as you not only have to engage HEIF shooting and select the HDR mode but also disengage Raw shooting. So it requires some fairly involved button smashing to switch to and from HDR stills capture.

Image quality

Image quality offers no great surprises: we've seen this sensor often enough to know it's excellent for stills.

Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes to see the effect of different lighting conditions.

Image ComparisonThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.

We'll take a closer look at the lens in a separate test, but you can see the RX1R III's sensor performs as you'd expect. It can't quite match the Leica Q3 43 for detail but it's capturing finer detail than the Mark II, with its 42MP sensor, could. Noise is comparable with the two other cameras with which it shares a sensor and with its predecessor, when compared at a common output size.

The JPEG engine does a good job of pulling out fine detail, and retains it to a reasonable degree at high ISO. Color rendition seems to be a match for recent Sony cameras, with perhaps slightly less bluey greens and greenish yellows than the RX1R II had.

Shooting the lens at a variety of apertures shows that it doesn't sharpen up to yield the full resolution of the camera until something like F5.6. But portraits shot at the sorts of distances and apertures you might want to use look really good, without being excessively revealing, while more stopped-down images bristle with detail.

The combination of a large sensor, bright lens and good autofocus in a small package is more flexible than it might at first appear.

Sony DSC-RX1R III | F4.0 | 1/125 sec | ISO 6400
Cropped and selectively warmed with Adobe Camera Raw
Photo: Richard Butler

It feels odd to sound like we're in the realms of 'good enough' in a camera costing this much money, but it's more a case that it delivers what you might want it to, where needed. It doesn't match the Leica Q3 43's lens, in a test-chart shootout, but when you're out shooting, you may find the difference matters less than test charts might make it might appear.

That said, it's worth noting that as a means of ensuring maximum detail from the sensor, Sony has configured the Auto ISO's default setting to maintain a minimum shutter speed of 1/125 sec (roughly 1/ four-times-focal-length). This means shooting in anything other than bright light may see the camera need to raise ISO earlier than expected, with the reduced exposure hitting image quality. Some degree of stabilization would have allowed higher IQ in these circumstances, for relatively static subjects.

Autofocus

The RX1R III's autofocus system is essentially a match for recent Sony models, and it's striking how much these things have improved since the last RX1R model.

The camera has something like twelve shapes and sizes of AF area, tracking versions of which become available in AF-C mode. There's also an array of subject recognition modes, some of which can be selected as part of an 'Auto' subject detection mode. The camera only focuses on a recognized subject on or near your chosen AF area.

There are countless options for customizing and fine-tuning the AF system. You can set it to jump to a different preset location when you rotate the camera, or register an AF position and mode to be recalled at the press of a button. You can limit which subjects are listed in the recognition list and define, per-subject, how strictly the camera should honor your chosen AF point, when it recognizes a subject elsewhere.

The high resolution of the camera highlights when eye-detection puts focus closer to the eye-lashes, rather than the surface of the iris, but overall the system is impressively responsive and dependable.

Sony RX1R III | F4 | 1/125 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Richard Butler

But for the most part, you don't need to: we found we could set the camera to AF-C and a medium-sized tracking target, engage human detection and just shoot. It would focus on a human if we directed it to, or focus on something else if we chose not to.

You can set an AF point by tapping the rear screen or (if you engage the Touchpad function) by tapping or swiping on the screen while the camera is held up to your eye. The Touchpad area and behavior can be specified to avoid inadvertent operation.

The focus itself works unexpectedly well: improved algorithms (and, we suspect, an improvement in focus motor speed) make the RX1R III one of the fastest focusing large-sensor, prime lens cameras on the market. Eye detection doesn't always put focus precisely on the iris, but it's close enough, often enough, quickly enough that you'll get the shot you're going for.

Video

The RX1R III can shoot video, with the settings topping out at 4K/30 in 10-bit 4:2:2 precision with All-I encoding. But, to a large extent, that's only because the software already exists. In the same way that the a7CR missed out on 8K capture for concerns of temperature, the RX1R III misses out on 4K/60, too.

But, while the RX1R can shoot video, it gives a series of hints that it's not expected to be used much. So although the camera has the same option to upload LUTs for preview, embedding or application to footage, it's worth noting that the camera has no headphone socket for monitoring audio. It has no movable screen, to allow operation in a steady fashion. And it's lost its dedicated video record button.

The footage itself is subsampled, giving a decent balance between detail capture and rolling shutter (18.3ms). The only stabilization option is an 'Enhanced' electronic stabilization mode which applies a 1.3x crop and significantly lowers detail levels.

Then there's the fact that camera will run through its battery in no time at all, once you start rolling. It's not a camera we'd recommend if you're expecting to shoot a lot of video, but it can do it if you just need some clips, here and there.

Conclusion

By Richard Butler

Pros: Cons:

• Excellent image quality
• Smallest full-frame camera available
• Impressively lightweight
• Best-in-class autofocus performance and operation
• Battery life much improved
• Attractive JPEGs and excellent Raws
• Very good photo-focused controls and layout
• High build quality

• Image stabilization would be a benefit
• Fixed rear screen will be limiting
• Lens isn't critically sharp at close distances and wide apertures
• Battery life still not great
• 'Film' color modes are quite extreme
• Dense, complex menus

The RX1R III is an expensive camera that succeeds an expensive camera, following a decade with periods of relatively high inflation and, in the US, the imposition of arbitrary tariffs. It also arrives not too long after the launch of the a7CR, with which is shares many of its core components, and whose feature set it fails to match. All of which make it seem more extravagant than ever.

But, although the RX1R III is expensive (especially in the US), it's usual to pay a premium for the niche appeal of a prime lens photographers' camera. All the more so when they're the smallest full-frame digital camera you can buy, which is what the RX1R III currently is.

If you like a small, prime-lens compact and you like the 35mm focal length, the RX1R III is an excellent camera. The autofocus is vastly improved, to the point that it's probably the fastest and most usable camera of its type.

A key part of the RX1R III's appeal is its size and weight. If that isn't one of your top priorities, then the camera as a whole won't make sense. But for those people who need a small, well-built and highly photo-focused camera, it's an excellent, albeit expensive, option.

Lots of 35mm shooters don't find tilting screens or image stabilization to be essential, but it's hard to argue that their inclusion wouldn't have significantly benefited the RX1R III. Of course, you have the option to buy the Leica Q3 (/43) if you consider them necessary for your shooting, but there's a cost to be paid for that, both in terms of size and at the till.

Click here to read our experience of shooting with the Sony RX1R III

There are plenty of people that don't see the appeal of Fujifilm's X100 series, and yet they've continually found an audience among keen photographers. The RX1R III is a rarefied version of that same concept: a compact, photography-focused 35mm equiv camera, but boosted by the image quality benefits of a larger sensor. If you're fed up of waiting for an X100VI, this is what a Super-X100 looks like.

The lens is a little softer at close distances and wide apertures. It's up to you whether you think this is going to be a problem for your photography.

Sony RX1R III | F2 | 1/800 sec | ISO 100
Photo: Richard Butler

While it is an excellent camera in its own right, the pincer-movement of the higher-specced a7CR below it and the larger, but image stabilized, Leica twins above, can't help but further narrow its already niche appeal. But if you are the kind of photographer who wants top-notch image quality in a tiny package...

Ultimately, we can only review the camera that's been released, not the one we think could or should have been made. With the RX1R III, Sony has addressed the focus and battery life concerns we have about the previous camera, and made what might be a future classic in the process. While the criticism that Sony could have done more seems reasonable, and the pricing (especially in the US) doesn't, if you're lucky enough to get the RX1R III in your hands, you'll immediately recognize that it's incredibly good at what it sets out to do.

Scoring

Scoring is relative only to the other cameras in the same category. Click here to learn about what these numbers mean.

Sony DSC-RX1R IIICategory: Enthusiast Large Sensor Compact CameraBuild qualityErgonomics & handlingFeaturesMetering & focus accuracyImage quality (raw)Image quality (jpeg)Low light / high ISO performanceViewfinder / screen ratingOpticsPerformanceMovie / video modeConnectivityValuePoorExcellentConclusionThe RX1R III is the smallest full-frame camera on the market. It features a 35mm F2 lens that can be a touch soft at wide apertures but delivers the full resolution when stopped down. Its autofocus is best in class, in terms of speed and dependability. It's an expensive camera and there are cheaper models with more features, but it's hard to think of a photographers' compact that takes better images so readily.Good forX100 users who want even more. Photographers for whom size and portability are paramount.Not so good forAnyone needing flexibility. Photographers shooting lots of video.88%Overall scoreRegularScoreCompareWidget({"mainElementId":"scoringWidget","mainProduct":"sony_dscrx1riii","scoringSchema":{"id":"SLRs","variables":[{"id":"BuildQuality"},{"id":"ErgonomicsAndHandling"},{"id":"Features"},{"id":"MeteringAndFocusAccuracy"},{"id":"QualityRaw"},{"id":"QualityJpeg"},{"id":"LowLightHighISO"},{"id":"ViewfinderScreenRating"},{"id":"Optics"},{"id":"Performance"},{"id":"Movie"},{"id":"Connectivity"},{"id":"Value"}],"categories":[{"id":"EntryLevel","label":"Entry Level Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Entry Level"},{"id":"MidRange","label":"Mid Range Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Mid Level"},{"id":"EntryLevelFullFrame","label":"Entry Level Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Entry Level Full Frame"},{"id":"MidRangeFullFrame","label":"Mid Range Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Mid Range Full Frame"},{"id":"SemiProfessional","label":"Semi-professional Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Semi-professional"},{"id":"SemiProfessionalFullFrame","label":"Semi-professional Full Frame Camera","shortLabel":"Semi-professional Full Frame"},{"id":"Professional","label":" Professional Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR","shortLabel":"Professional"},{"id":"LargeSensorCompactEntry","label":"Entry Level Large Sensor Compact Camera","shortLabel":"Entry Level Large Sensor Compact"},{"id":"LargeSensorCompactEnthusiast","label":"Enthusiast Large Sensor Compact Camera","shortLabel":"Enthusiast Large Sensor Compact"},{"id":"VideoCamera","label":"Video Camera","shortLabel":"Video Camera"}]},"helpText":"Choose one or more cameras from the drop-down menu, then roll your mouse over the names to see how their scores compare to the camera on review."}) Compared to its peers

Leica offers the Q3 and Q3 43 models, if you prefer a focal length slightly wider or narrower than 35mm. Both cameras share a sensor with the Sony and have excellent, bright lenses. The Sony has the edge in terms of autofocus reliability and usability, but the Leicas add both tilting screens and image stabilization. You'll have to pay around a 30% premium for the German brand's cameras, but you are getting something beyond just the name, for that upcharge. The Sony is appreciably smaller, but it's never going to say Leica on the front, if that's something that speaks to you.

The Fujifilm X100VI is, in many respects, the most similar camera to the Sony on the market. It's a very photo-focused compact, built around a large sensor and a fixed 35mm equivalent lens. The distinction is the Fujifilm rocks a classic aesthetic and dedicated dials (along with programmable command dials) and its innovative hybrid optical/electronic viewfinder, whereas the Sony is more utilitarian. The most significant difference, though is the sensor size, with the RX1R III commanding a premium for having a sensor 2.3x larger, and the stop-and-a-bit IQ benefit this can bring. This, combined with the Sony's faster, more reliable focus is what makes us see it as a 'super-X100,' but you've really got to want that extra capability to make the step up worthwhile.

The Sony a7CR is a very different camera. It's undeniably better specced, with image stabilization, a bigger battery, flip-out screen and more extensive video capabilities, before you even get to the flexibility of being able to change lenses. But it'll never be as small or focused as the RX1R III (which is most of the camera's raison d'etre). In practice, even with the smallest lenses, you can't fully recreate the RX1R III experience with a Mirrorless camera, so it comes down to a question of whether size and focus or spec and utility matter most to you: both conclusions are equally valid.

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