Canon EOS R3vs EOS R7vs A7 IV

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 EOS R7 Canon EOS R7 (2022) From £1399 Best for Wildlife, sports & action View EOS R7
VS
Sony A7 IV Sony A7 IV (2021) From £2299 Best for Portrait & wedding photography View A7 IV

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.

Wildlife, Sports & Action — EOS R7 (2022): The EOS R7 is one of the most complete APS-C cameras ever made. It combines a class-leading resolution sensor with best-in-class IBIS, 4K/60p video, weather sealing and 15fps burst. For wildlife, sports and action photographers on an APS-C budget, nothing else comes close.

Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.

↓ 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

EOS R7 (2022)

  • Wildlife photographers who need reach, weather sealing and fast burst
  • Sports shooters upgrading from entry-level APS-C bodies
  • Video creators who need uncropped 4K/60p without a full-frame budget
  • Canon DSLR users looking to move to RF mount

A7 IV (2021)

  • You want a high-resolution full-frame all-rounder for portraits, weddings, or travel
  • You're stepping up from APS-C or a DSLR and want the best all-round full-frame body under £3,000
  • You shoot a mix of stills and video and need a single body that handles both seriously
  • You want access to the widest lens ecosystem in the mirrorless market

Quick take: The a7 iv has the highest resolution at 33mp; the eos r7 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Canon EOS R3 (2021)EOS R7 (2022)A7 IV (2021)
Price £5,999 £1,399 £2,299
Sensor 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 32.5MP APS-C CMOS 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS
Resolution 24.1MP 32.5MP 33.0MP
Video 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p 4K/60p (uncropped), 4K/30p (oversampled from 7K), 1080p/120p 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 651 AF zones, subject recognition (people, animals, vehicles) 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition
Stabilisation 8-stop IBIS 7-stop IBIS (8 stops with compatible IS lenses) 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops
Burst Rate 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical 15fps mechanical, 30fps electronic (with blackout) 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic
Battery Life 620 shots (CIPA) ~770 shots (CIPA) ~580 shots (CIPA)
Weight 1015g body only 612g (body, battery, card) 659g body only
Dimensions 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm 132.0 × 90.4 × 91.7mm 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm
Weather Sealed Yes Yes Yes
Viewfinder 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.72× magnification EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification
Screen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.62M dots 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen
Mount Canon RF Canon RF-mount Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards Dual CFexpress Type B Dual SD UHS-II Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II
Connectivity USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
⚡ Compare specs side by side Canon EOS R3 prices → EOS R7 prices → A7 IV prices →

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