Canon EOS R3vs Leica M11vs A7S III

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
Leica Leica M11 Leica Leica M11 (2022) From £7999 Best for Rangefinder enthusiasts & collectors View Leica M11
VS
Sony A7S III Sony A7S III (2020) From £2999 Best for Professional video & low-light filmmaking View A7S III

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.

Rangefinder Enthusiasts & Collectors — Leica M11 (2022): 60MP of full-frame resolution in the thinnest digital M ever made — the M11 is the definitive expression of Leica's rangefinder tradition.

Professional Video & Low-Light Filmmaking — A7S III (2020): If video is your primary discipline, the A7S III is the camera. 4K/120p at 10-bit in a weather-sealed body with a 9.44M dot EVF is an extraordinary package. The 12MP sensor isn't limiting for video — and it's usable at ISO 409,600 in a pinch.

↓ 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

Leica M11 (2022)

  • You shoot street, documentary, or reportage and prefer manual focus discipline
  • You value a discreet, minimal camera that doesn't draw attention in public
  • You're willing to invest time in the rangefinder learning curve for a uniquely rewarding experience

A7S III (2020)

  • Filmmakers and videographers who need 4K/120p at 10-bit
  • Event videographers who shoot in dark venues regularly
  • Documentary filmmakers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
  • Hybrid shooters where video is primary and stills are secondary

Quick take: The leica m11 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the a7s iii is the most affordable; only the canon eos r3, a7s iii are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Canon EOS R3 (2021)Leica M11 (2022)A7S III (2020)
Price £5,999 £7,999 £2,999
Sensor 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS (Tri-resolution: 60/36/18MP) 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated)
Resolution 24.1MP 60.0MP 12.1MP
Video 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p None 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF Manual focus only (rangefinder coupled) Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition
Stabilisation 8-stop IBIS None 5.5-stop IBIS
Burst Rate 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical 4.5fps 10fps mechanical
Battery Life 620 shots (CIPA) 700 shots (CIPA) ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording
Weight 1015g body only 530g body only 699g (body, battery, card)
Dimensions 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm
Weather Sealed Yes No Yes
Viewfinder 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps Optical rangefinder (0.73× magnification) OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made
Screen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen 2.3" fixed TFT LCD 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots
Mount Canon RF Leica M-mount Sony E-mount
Memory Cards Dual CFexpress Type B Single SD UHS-II + 64GB internal storage Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots)
Connectivity USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth
⚡ Compare specs side by side Canon EOS R3 prices → Leica M11 prices → A7S III prices →

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