Typically, when a product is launched by one of the big manufacturers, a slew of YouTubers receive units a couple of weeks beforehand so that there are reviews ready to start generating presale orders. For Sony’s brand-new RX1R III, that didn’t happen. Why?
In this spicy video, photographer and YouTuber Jared Polin doesn’t pull any punches when making his criticisms of Sony’s new “flagship full frame premium compact camera with a fixed lens,” leveling a barrage at both the camera and Sony’s decisions in bringing it to market.
Other than the price tag, the insanely expensive accessories, and the feature list, there’s something else that stands out: Sony did not give this so any influencers ahead of its launch to generate buzz. Polin has his theory as to why, so be sure to check out the video in full to find out.
I think Polin makes some persuasive points in this short video, but I have my own take on how this curious compact has ended up so ludicrously expensive. Firstly, it’s not a camera; secondly, it’s not for you; and thirdly, we should be grateful that such cameras even exist, however daft they might seem. If that gets you a bit riled, go here to read the full article where I explain my reasoning.
Has Sony made a massive mistake? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
17 Comments
Could this be the beginning of the end for “influencers”?
It would be good to know - especially if it was Jared Polin.
Matt Day, please save us from this nonsense.
I truly wish more people would share their perspectives on photography and photographic tools the way Matt Day does. He is just one example of someone I would love to see more often. He is insightful, humble, curious, and always mindful of the historical context of the cameras he reviews. Not to mention, he is an accomplished photographer who is actually paid for his work in the real world.
Instead, we’re left with a group of self-important, dramatic self-promoters who act like offended high school students whenever they encounter a product they don’t understand or personally dislike. I feel sorry for young and aspiring photographers who end up trapped in the YouTube echo chamber these people create—a world obsessed with tech specs but lacking in photos with any real artistic value.
The idea that Sony was afraid to send out review samples to influencers before this launch is just ridiculous.
For the record, Sony did exactly the same thing in 2015 when they unexpectedly launched the RX1R II—nobody knew about it before they revealed. Worked out just fine.
Influencers cater to the mass market, where people gladly listen to how their affordable cameras are better than someone else’s expensive ones.
So what can you say about this camera to keep your ratings and popularity high? Only bad things.
And the buyers? They’ll find the product quietly, without any fuss.
Money likes silence :)
Considering how little R&D went into it, they'll break even after 3 sales anyway, so sure. Why not.
I do not trust influencers, never have, never will. Only you know what is best for you.
I tell you like this some of the influencers I appreciate because before I made a major major purchase I was listening to the influence on what I should grab. We going to sit here and cry about the influencer but we're not going to cry about the camera come on grow up you got some grown men crying about another grown. He did nothing wrong but told the truth this is 2025. Dish camera is worser than the BF. There is no creativity in this camera at all not only that. In this day and age we need things for creators that camera is not for creators what with 61 megapixel there's a trader for all that megapixel. And they talk about Canon cameras and how cannon refurbishes some of their sensors and refurbished some of their cameras with a new technology but at the same time this camera works is in the BF The BF didn't make sense neither. But we not going to talk about the camera we going to talk about the influencer this is terrible. It's okay I'm going to leave you grown me in the cry I'm sticking to Canon EOS 90D.
I know of influencers who did receive it. Some of them fairly critical. So, perhaps it depends on the "influencer."
I mean most of the time I'm listening to the guy so it's no big deal to me I mean we going to talk about him versus the camera I mean the camera is actually trash I'm sticking to my 90d and I don't care who to influence that I listen to a bunch of them from Canada to the United States to Tony and Chelsea That's how I got on in the first place from Tony and Chelsea telling me about adorama That's exactly how I got on. So when it comes to reviews I'm not going to be critical of the person who reviewing the camera cuz personally I don't get that opportunity to do it. But to sit here and cry about his review why don't you purchase the camera review it for yourself.
I'm going to take a stab at interpreting your incoherent run-on sentence filled comment. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that English is, perhaps, your second language.
You say that I was crying about his review. Where did you get that from? I said nothing about the reviewer. I simply said that I know of "influencers" who did receive this camera and reviewed it. This is in response to the claim that Sony didn't send it to reviewers. This claim is, apparently, incorrect.
Don't waste your time cuz I wouldn't waste my time on you
Don't waste your time nothing you going to say going to bother me influence me any other way you just another person online remember that I don't care about your opinions or your thoughts
Then why would you reply with nonsense in the first place? Lol.
How will I know what I want unless an influencer tells me?
Well sometimes I'm not able to purchase what I want so I do reviews on the idea of me wanting it and I did a lot of reviews on my Canon EOS 90D whether I wanted it or not because I was stuck with the 80 d and I liked it the 80D and it's not a demand as a news journalist for me to shoot 4K I just want it to shoot 4K. Just like you may have a mirrorless camera that shoots 6K do you really need 6K how how will this camera improve your quality of clients.
I mean I refuse to be critical of anyone who's giving me a plain review and not sponsoring it because I believe if you sponsoring it you're going to tell me everything good about it. And because you're not sponsoring it you're going to tell me everything you don't like about it it's not going to sway me any other way because I'm satisfied what I purchased. But when it comes to the fro pack y'all got a bag up off the fro Stick to talking about the camera just like the BF they both are trash.
I believe Sony that they just wanted to keep it off the rumor sites. I don't totally understand why the rumors sites are so bad for them; it seems like they help to generate hype and anticipation. The only time it seems to be a problem is when the rumored specs are far better than the real specs (like the Canon R1).
To all the people saying they don't need "influencers" to help you make camera decisions... ok, but without the "influencers" you're literally just listening to specs, advertising, and marketing materials. SO OFTEN the "influencers" find real problems with gear that marketing materials don't surface - and that can save consumers thousands of dollars and lots of frustration.