Sony’s full-frame compact camera is nearly a decade old. Will we ever see a Sony RX1R III?

Before Sony shifted focus to mirrorless, the company had a long list of compact cameras – and the Sony RXR II sat at the very top of that list. But today, Sony’s list of compact cameras is dominated by older out-of-stock notifications and sparsely populated with the few remaining options, like the vlog-focused ZV-1 II and the aging RX10 IV. As compact cameras rebound in popularity, 2025 could be the perfect time to update the aging full-frame compact. But, after nearly ten years, is it too late to expect a Sony RXR III?

The original Sony RX1 made headlines in 2012 as the first compact camera with a full-frame sensor, just months after the first in the RX100 series shook the industry with its larger-than-average one inch sensor. The RX1, with its fixed lens and high price tag, was more of a niche product, yet the series saw an update after three years with the Sony RX1R II launching in late 2015. And then, crickets.

While the RX1 may have been the first full-frame compact camera, it came just a year before Sony would once again shake the industry with the first full-frame mirrorless, the original Sony A7. As Sony shifted towards its mirrorless as demand for compact cameras dropped, smaller fixed lens cameras were brushed to the side. The RX100 VII is now nearly six years old and the RX1R II nearing the decade mark.

Is Sony finished with the RX1R series? Sony Alpha Rumors points to statements from multiple leaders in the company suggesting that the RX series isn’t finished. But, the RX series also has the RX100 line, the RX10 series, and the strange little boxy camera everyone seems to have forgotten, the RX0. The six-year-old RX100 VI seems a likely candidate for an update as it's less of a niche option. But I certainly wouldn’t be disappointed to see a revival of the RX1R line.

For a ten-year-old camera, the Sony RX1R II has aged well, with a 42.2-megapixel sensor that’s still a solid resolution – though no longer best-in-class. But other features haven’t aged so well. The 5 fps burst speed is no longer worthy of a camera with such a high list price, and video is stuck in the FullHD of the past.

The Sony RX1R III could use Sony’s subject-detection autofocus, faster burst speeds, and an updated processor to bring the series into 2025. And the recent demand for compact cameras could give Sony a nudge to update the compact, though admittedly, if the price remains above $3,000 (£2,500 / AU$5,300), even an update would likely remain a niche product. But, there’s little competition for full-frame compacts outside of Leica, with popular options like the Fujifilm X100VI and the Ricoh GR III all containing smaller APS-C sensors.

Based on the earlier models, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sony borrowed from its other cameras if a RX1R III ever came to market. The RX1R II had the same sensor later launched in the Sony a7R III. I don’t think it’s too off base to speculate a list of specifications similar to the Sony a7R IV.

But given the age of the RX1R, I also wouldn’t be shocked if Sony decided to do something totally different. Compact cameras are trending, yes, but the models that are selling well are less than half the cost of the RX1R II. Leica is a luxury brand that often feels as if it sits in a class of its own. The Sony RX1R II is oddly placed between the two.

If Sony adapted tech from an older or less flagship model, perhaps it could find the sweet spot between models like the X100VI and the Leica Q3. Sony’s a7C II, for example, is a compact rangefinder-style camera with a size and price point that may work better adapted to a compact camera than taking the innards of beefier cameras like the A7R III. I’d be more tempted to buy a rangefinder style compact personally, but, of course, this is all just wishful speculation.

One of the reasons that cameras like the RX1R II have remained rather niche is that, if you really want a large sensor in a compact size, you could put a compact prime lens on a mirrorless. It’s not quite as small, but often doesn’t cost as much. The Sony A7C II with the 20mm f/1.8 would be a bit bulkier, but if you sacrificed full frame, the Sony A6700 with the tiny 20mm f/2.8 lens would feel very similar to a compact camera.

Is it too late to expect a Sony RX1R III? Perhaps. But my hope is the compact camera trend drives Sony to update at least one of its RX series cameras in 2025.

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