Canon EOS R3vs Canon EOS R5 Mark IIvs EOS R8

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Canon Canon EOS R3 Canon Canon EOS R3 (2021) From £5999 Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals View Canon EOS R3
VS
Canon Canon EOS R5 Mark II Canon Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024) From £4299 Best for Hybrid shooters & professionals View Canon EOS R5 Mark II
VS
Canon EOS R8 Canon EOS R8 (2023) From £1099 Best for Full-frame entry View EOS R8

Which should you buy?

Sports & Photojournalism Professionals — Canon EOS R3 (2021): The pinnacle of Canon's mirrorless lineup for speed — Eye Control AF and 30fps burst in the most rugged body Canon has ever produced.

Hybrid Shooters & Professionals — Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024): The most complete hybrid camera Canon has ever made — 45MP stacked BSI, 30fps burst, 8K/60p RAW, and Canon's legendary Dual Pixel AF in one body.

Full-Frame Entry — EOS R8 (2023): Canon's most affordable full-frame mirrorless — 4K/60p 10-bit and class-leading Dual Pixel AF at an accessible entry price.

↓ Full specifications below

Canon EOS R3 (2021)

  • You shoot sport, motorsport, wildlife, or news at a professional level
  • You need Canon's most reliable and fastest autofocus available
  • You need extreme weather sealing for demanding shooting conditions

Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024)

  • You're a working photographer or filmmaker who needs high-resolution stills and professional video
  • You shoot commercial, editorial, or high-end portrait work
  • You want the absolute best Canon mirrorless has to offer

EOS R8 (2023)

  • You want full-frame image quality on a tight budget
  • You shoot mainly in good light and can live without built-in stabilisation
  • You primarily shoot stills with occasional video

Quick take: The canon eos r5 mark ii has the highest resolution at 45mp; the eos r8 is the most affordable; only the canon eos r3, canon eos r5 mark ii are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Canon EOS R3 (2021)Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024)EOS R8 (2023)
Price £5,999 £4,299 £1,099
Sensor 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 45MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS
Resolution 24.1MP 45.0MP 24.2MP
Video 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p 8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, Cinema RAW Light 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, AI subject tracking Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking
Stabilisation 8-stop IBIS 8-stop IBIS (coordinated with IS lenses) None (no IBIS)
Burst Rate 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic
Battery Life 620 shots (CIPA) 570 shots (CIPA) ~220 shots (CIPA)
Weight 1015g body only 746g body only 461g body only
Dimensions 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm 138.5 × 101.2 × 93.5mm 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm
Weather Sealed Yes Yes No
Viewfinder 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps 0.64" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59×
Screen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount Canon RF Canon RF Canon RF mount (full-frame)
Memory Cards Dual CFexpress Type B CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II Single SD UHS-II slot
Connectivity USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
⚡ Compare specs side by side Canon EOS R3 prices → Canon EOS R5 Mark II prices → EOS R8 prices →

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