Upgrade Guide
Sony RX1R II→Sony Cyber-shot RX10 III
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The Cyber-shot RX10 III improves across 4 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most RX1R II owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the Cyber-shot RX10 III
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Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
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Burst rate14fps (5fps with AF) vs 5fps (2.5fps with AF-S per frame)
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Battery life~420 shots (CIPA) vs ~220 shots (CIPA)
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Generation1 year newer (2016 vs 2015)
Unchanged or similar
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Resolution20MP (down from 42MP — optimised for low light)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | RX1R II | Cyber-shot RX10 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -1.2 | ||
| Street | -3.7 | ||
| Travel | -1.7 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -1.1 | ||
| Documentary | +0.5 | ||
| Landscape | -0.7 | ||
| Casual | -1.6 | ||
| Food | -1.9 | ||
| Macro | -1.3 | ||
| Architecture | -1.1 | ||
| Astrophotography | -1.7 | ||
| Filmmaking | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wildlife | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | RX1R II | Cyber-shot RX10 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £623 used | £559 used | |
| Released | 2015 | 2016 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 42.4MP full-frame CMOS | 20.1MP 1-inch CMOS | |
| Resolution | 42MP | 20MP | ↓ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/60 (XAVC S) | 4K/30p (XAVC S), 1080p HFR up to 960fps, S-Log2 | |
| Autofocus | 399-point phase-detect + 25-point contrast hybrid AF, Eye AF | 25-point contrast-detect AF, Eye AF | |
| Stabilisation | Optical SteadyShot (in the lens), no IBIS | Optical SteadyShot (in the lens), no IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 5fps (2.5fps with AF-S per frame) | 14fps (5fps with AF) | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~220 shots (CIPA) | ~420 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 507g (with battery and card) | 1095g (with battery and card) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | Pop-up OLED EVF, 2.36M dots | OLED EVF, 2.36M dots | |
| Screen | 3.0" LCD, 1.23M dots, tilts 109° up / 41° down | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots | |
| Mount | Fixed Zeiss Sonnar T* 35mm f/2 | Fixed Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* 24-600mm f/2.4-4 | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD / Memory Stick slot | Single SD / Memory Stick slot |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See RX1R II and Cyber-shot RX10 III next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the Cyber-shot RX10 III against your specific genres — not just specs.
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