Canon EOS R3vs Leica M11vs Sony A9 III
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.
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.
Sports & Action Professionals — Sony A9 III (2023): A paradigm-shifting camera — the global shutter eliminates every rolling shutter limitation that has constrained action photography for years.
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
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
Sony A9 III (2023)
- You shoot professional sport, motorsport, or action and need zero rolling shutter distortion
- You need reliable high-speed flash sync for studio or on-location action work
- You want the absolute pinnacle of Sony's action and sports camera technology
Quick take: The leica m11 has the highest resolution at 60mp; the canon eos r3 is the most affordable; only the canon eos r3, sony a9 iii are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Canon EOS R3 (2021) | Leica M11 (2022) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £7,999 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 60MP full-frame BSI CMOS (Tri-resolution: 60/36/18MP) | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 60.0MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | None | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF | Manual focus only (rangefinder coupled) | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | None | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 4.5fps | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | 620 shots (CIPA) | 700 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1015g body only | 530g body only | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 138.6 × 80.0 × 38.5mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | Optical rangefinder (0.73× magnification) | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 2.3" fixed TFT LCD | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF | Leica M-mount | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | Single SD UHS-II + 64GB internal storage | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
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