Canon EOS R3vs EOS R8vs A7C
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.
Compact Travel & Content Creation — A7C (2020): The A7C proves full-frame doesn't have to be bulky. Excellent battery life, reliable Eye AF and a vari-angle screen in a pocketable body is a compelling combination for travel and content creators. The A7C II improved on it, but the original remains a strong value buy.
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
A7C (2020)
- Travel photographers who want full-frame in the smallest possible body
- Content creators who need a flip screen and reliable Eye AF
- Photographers upgrading from APS-C who want to keep a compact kit
- Vloggers who need 4K and great battery life on the road
Quick take: The eos r8 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the eos r8 is the most affordable; only the canon eos r3 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Canon EOS R3 (2021) | EOS R8 (2023) | A7C (2020) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £1,099 | £1,299 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p | 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion, S-Log2/S-Log3 |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | None (no IBIS) | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | 620 shots (CIPA) | ~220 shots (CIPA) | ~740 shots (CIPA) — outstanding for a Sony mirrorless |
| Weight | 1015g body only | 461g body only | 509g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm | 124.0 × 71.1 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No | No |
| Viewfinder | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× | None built-in — use rear screen or accessory EVF |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Canon RF | Canon RF mount (full-frame) | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | Single SD UHS-II slot | Single SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
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