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Sony RX1R vs Canon G1 X III

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Sony RX1R

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony RX1R
$2,399.99
14%
off
Change

Canon G1 X III

24 MP | APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon G1 X III
$1,099.00
15%
off
Sony RX1R vs Canon G1 X III Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Large Sensor Compact cameras. Both cameras have 24.0MP sensors but Sony RX1R's sensor is Full frame sized whereas Canon G1 X III has a APS-C sensor. We can expect this to be a close match up because both models are ranked amongst the best in Large Sensor Compact cameras. Out of 46 cameras in this class, Sony RX1R is ranked #9 with an overall score of 75 and Canon G1 X III is ranked #3 with an overall score of 79.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sony RX1R and Canon G1 X III before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony RX1R Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-26
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens
  • 3″ Fixed Type Screen
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 482g. 113 x 65 x 70 mm

Canon G1 X III Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2017-10-25
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 24-72 mm F2.8-5.6 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3″ Fully Articulated Screen
  • 2360k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 9.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 399g. 115 x 78 x 51 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II Compare
Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R over Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
LCD Screen Resolution 1.229k dots vs 1.040k dots 18% higher resolution screen
Max Shutter Speed 1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster shutter speed
Battery Life 270 shots vs 200 shots 70 more frames with a single charge
Microphone Port Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Wide 2.00 vs 2.80 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele 2.00 vs 5.60 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area 35.65µm2 vs 13.84µm2 157% larger pixel area
Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Wireless Connection Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected Better connectivity
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Articulating Screen Yes vs No Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Number of Focus Points 49 vs 25 24 more focus points
Continuous Shooting 9.0fps vs 5.0fps 4 fps faster
Weight 399 g vs 482 g 83 g lighter
Environmental Sealing Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide 24mm vs 35mm 11 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele 72mm vs 35mm 37 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom 3x vs 1× more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage 9.0m vs 6.0m 3m longer range
Price $1,099 vs $2,400 $1,301 cheaper
Built-in ND Filter Yes vs No Use larger aperture under strong light
NFC Connection Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Bluetooth Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Smartphone_remote control Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Strengths of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R and Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
Built-in Flash Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution 24 MP vs 24 MP Bigger prints and more details
Manual Focusing Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure Yes vs Yes better exposure control
AE Bracketing Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R and Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
Sony RX1R vs Canon G1 X III: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony RX1R and Canon G1 X III. Sony RX1R is 2mm narrower and 13mm shorter than Canon G1 X III but it is also 19mm thicker.

Sony RX1R vs Canon G1 X III Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony RX1R and Canon G1 X III.
Sony RX1R vs Canon G1 X III Camera Size Comparison - Top View

Sony RX1R vs Canon G1 X III Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon G1 X III is significantly lighter (83g ) than the Sony RX1R which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX1R
G1 X III
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX1R
G1 X III
Min
Average
Max
Sony RX1R vs Canon G1 X III: Sensor Comparison

Both Sony RX1R and Canon G1 X III have 24.0 MP resolution sensors but Sony RX1R's sensor is Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) and Canon G1 X III's sensor is APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ).

Since Sony RX1R's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Canon G1 X III.

Another difference between these two cameras is that Sony RX1R's sensor lacks anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the RX1R and G1 X III sensor size comparison.

Sony RX1R vs Canon G1 X III Sensor Size Comparison


As seen above, Sony RX1R has a 2.6x Larger sensor area than Canon G1 X III. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Sony RX1R vs Canon G1 X III Lens Specs Comparison

Sony RX1R features a 35 mm F2.0 Prime lens whereas Canon G1 X III features a 24-72 mm F2.8-5.6 3x zoom lens.

It is not easy to compare a prime lens with a zoom lens. Canon G1 X III's zoom lens provides a great flexibility compared to Sony RX1R's 35mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, RX1R's prime lens makes it a specialized camera. You compromise the flexibility of a zoom in order to enjoy the high image quality and unique rendering of this fast lens. On the tele end, Canon G1 X III has 37mm longer telezoom reach than the Sony RX1R. However, with a max aperture of f2.00, Sony RX1R is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX1R
G1 X III
Widest - Canon G1 X III
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX1R
G1 X III
Longest - Panasonic ZS100
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX1R
G1 X III
Fastest - Leica Q
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX1R
G1 X III
Fastest - Panasonic LX10
Average
What types of Photography are Sony RX1R and Canon G1 X III Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Sony RX1R and Canon G1 X III for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony RX1R for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Canon G1 X III for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony RX1R for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon G1 X III for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Sony RX1R for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Canon G1 X III for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.0fps
Environmental Sealings
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
72 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Sony RX1R for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon G1 X III for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
482g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
Environmental Sealings
4X Optical Zoom
399g
Body Thickness 51mm
Read the details

Sony RX1R for Landscape Photography

GOOD

Canon G1 X III for Landscape Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Environmental Sealings
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details


Sony RX1R vs Canon G1 X III: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony RX1R and Canon G1 X III, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony RX1R and Canon G1 X III scores compare:

Sony RX1R
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #8 out of 44 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #119 out of 1131 in all Cameras
Canon G1 X III
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #3 out of 44 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #79 out of 1131 in all Cameras

Canon G1 X III has a higher Overall Score than the Sony RX1R. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that G1 X III trails behind the RX1R: Imaging
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Sony RX1R. If not, we recommend the Canon G1 X III.

Sony RX1R
Sony RX1R
$2,399.99
14%
off

Canon G1 X III
Canon G1 X III
$1,099.00
15%
off

Canon G1 X III vs Sony RX1R Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III
Brand Sony Canon
Announced 2013-06-26 2017-10-25
Body Type Large sensor compact Large sensor compact
Price $2,399.99 $1,099.00
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame APS-C
Dimensions 35.8 x 23.9 mm 22.3 x 14.9 mm
Area 855.62mm2 332.27mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 25,600 ISO 25,600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 25 49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 35 mm (1×) 24-72 mm (3x)
Max Aperture F2.0 F2.8-5.6
Macro Focus Range n/a 10cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully Articulated
Size 3″ 3″
Resolution 1,229k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic and Optical (optional) Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 2,360k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed 1/4000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m 9.00 m (at Auto ISO)
Max Flash Sync 1/4000s n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 5.0 fps 9.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Eye-Fi Connected Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 482g 399g
Dimensions 113 x 65 x 70mm 115 x 78 x 51mm
Battery Life 270 shots 200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 91 not tested
DxO Color Depth 25.0 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 13.6 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 2537 not tested
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