First Camera / Beginner Photography — EOS R100 (2023): The R100 does the basics well at the lowest possible price point. Its main value is as a gateway into the Canon RF ecosystem — the lenses you buy now will work on any Canon body you upgrade to later. Modest ambitions, reliably met.
Hybrid Video & Action — Z6 III (2024): Partial-stacked FF sensor for near-zero blackout, 6K RAW video, and 60fps burst — Nikon's most capable hybrid.
All-Round Photography & Video — A7 III (2018): Still one of the best all-round cameras money can buy — particularly strong used. The A7 III proved that full-frame doesn't have to mean compromises, and nothing at this price point has meaningfully beaten it.
Who should buy what
EOS R100 (2023)
Z6 III (2024)
A7 III (2018)
Quick take: The z6 iii has the highest resolution at 24mp; the eos r100 is the most affordable; only the z6 iii, a7 iii are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R100 (2023) | Z6 III (2024) | A7 III (2018) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £529 | £2,199 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP APS-C CMOS | 24.5MP Full-frame Partial-stacked CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 24.5MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (slight crop), 1080p/60p | 6K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, 4K/60p oversampled, N-Log, 10-bit | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, face detection, subject tracking | Phase-detect, 273 points, subject detection (human/animal/vehicle/aircraft) | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 6.0 stops | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 6.5fps mechanical | 20fps mechanical, 60fps electronic | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ~380 shots (CIPA) | ~710 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 356g (body, battery, card) | 760g body only | 565g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 116.3 × 85.5 × 68.8mm | 138.5 × 101.5 × 74.0mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification | EVF, 5.76M dots, 0.90× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Canon RF-mount | Nikon Z-mount (full-frame) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II | Dual slots: CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II | Dual SD (UHS-II slot 1, UHS-I slot 2) |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C (USB 3.2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
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