The Sony RX1R III is the premium compact camera that could be the everyday Leica alternative - and it's now in stock

Sony has finally delivered the long-anticipated RX1R III to the US market, marking its official arrival in stock at major outlets after a season of anticipation. For photographers who've carried the memory of the RX1R II’s excellence for nearly a decade, this pocket-sized powerhouse promises a new chapter.

At its heart lies a 61-megapixel full-frame back-illuminated sensor - lifted straight from Sony’s highest-end mirrorless models, paired with the BIONZ XR processor and a dedicated AI processing unit. The result is stunning resolution, remarkable dynamic range, and autofocus performance that feels lifted from the Alpha flagship line, including human-body and eye-tracking that keeps shots tack-sharp.

Sony also smartly retained the fast, revered Zeiss Sonnar T* 35 mm f/2 lens from earlier RX1R models - a lightning-fast workhorse endlessly suited to street, documentary, and all-around everyday shooting. Yet Sony didn’t stop there: they gave it Step Crop Shooting for on-the-fly shifts to 50 mm or 70 mm equivalents, plus a macro mode that reaches in as close as 20cm, all courtesy of smart sensor cropping and a twist-into-macro ring.

As the camera hits shelves in the US at $5,098 at B&H or Adorama, one may wonder if this is a Leica killer or just a compelling alternative. Leica’s Q3 series has dominated the premium fixed-lens compact segment, offering tiltable touchscreens, in-body stabilization, 8K/10-bit video, and that unmistakably “Leica” aura. Sony’s RX1R III doesn’t match all those bells and whistles - it lacks OIS, has a fixed rear screen, a modest EVF, and may skimp on ergonomic niceties.

But perhaps that’s entirely the point. This is not a camera flushed with features; it’s a camera defined by brevity, discretion, and photographic purity. For photographers whose everyday tool must vanish into routine, yet deliver uncompromised image quality, the RX1R III feels promisingly suited.

The RX1R III isn’t just a crowded pixel bag; it’s a subtle, intensely capable photographic tool. Sure, its pricing invites a double-take, especially when the RX1R II launched at a far lower figure a decade ago. But if you’ve been longing for an everyday camera whose presence you feel only in your pocket and whose performance you recognize in every frame, Sony may just have made your perfect companion.

So yes, the RX1R III is in stock in the US. But beyond that, it could very well be the Sony camera you carry every day - one that not only fits in your hand and pocket, but might just fit into Leica’s compact crown as well, offered to those who value subtle performance, sharpness, and discretion over flash and flourish.

Shop the Sony RX1R III

If you’ve been waiting for a compact that balances portability with professional performance, the Sony RX1R III is worth a closer look. Now available in the US, it delivers full-frame quality in a discreet body that slips into a coat pocket - the perfect everyday companion without compromise.