Canon EOS R3vs EOS R8vs A7 IV
Canon
Canon EOS R3 (2021)
From £5999
Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals
View Canon EOS R3
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.
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.
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.
Who should buy what
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 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
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 r8 is the most affordable; only the canon eos r3, a7 iv are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Canon EOS R3 (2021) | EOS R8 (2023) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £1,099 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 24.2MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p | 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, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | None (no IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | 620 shots (CIPA) | ~220 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1015g body only | 461g body only | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF | Canon RF mount (full-frame) | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
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