Canon EOS R3vs Nikon D7500vs Nikon Z8

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
Nikon Nikon D7500 Nikon Nikon D7500 (2017) From £899 Best for Sports, travel & DSLR shooters View Nikon D7500
VS
Nikon Nikon Z8 Nikon Nikon Z8 (2023) From £3999 Best for Sports, wildlife & hybrid professionals View Nikon Z8

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.

Sports, Travel & Dslr Shooters — Nikon D7500 (2017): The D500's BSI sensor in a compact, weather-sealed body — excellent high-ISO performance and DSLR reliability at a great price.

Sports, Wildlife & Hybrid Professionals — Nikon Z8 (2023): Z9 performance in a compact body — 45MP, 8K/60p RAW, and 20fps burst without the bulk or price of the flagship.

↓ 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

Nikon D7500 (2017)

  • You're deeply invested in Nikon F-mount glass and aren't ready to switch systems
  • You shoot wildlife or sport and still prefer an optical viewfinder response
  • Note: consider the Z5 II or Z6 III if you're open to mirrorless for a future-proof investment

Nikon Z8 (2023)

  • You need Z9-level performance in a more travel-friendly and portable body
  • You shoot wildlife, weddings, or sport and need exceptional resolution with speed
  • You want the best Nikon mirrorless body available without carrying the full Z9

Quick take: The nikon z8 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the nikon d7500 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Canon EOS R3 (2021)Nikon D7500 (2017)Nikon Z8 (2023)
Price £5,999 £899 £3,999
Sensor 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 20.9MP APS-C BSI CMOS (D500 sensor) 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS
Resolution 24.1MP 20.9MP 45.7MP
Video 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p 4K/30p (slight crop), FHD/60p 8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF Multi-CAM 3500FX II, 51 points (15 cross-type) Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect
Stabilisation 8-stop IBIS None (no IBIS) 6-stop IBIS
Burst Rate 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical 8fps mechanical 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG
Battery Life 620 shots (CIPA) ~950 shots (CIPA with OVF) 330 shots (CIPA)
Weight 1015g body only 640g body only 910g body only
Dimensions 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm 135.5 × 104.0 × 72.5mm 144.0 × 118.5 × 83.0mm
Weather Sealed Yes Yes Yes
Viewfinder 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 0.94× magnification 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps
Screen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen 3.2" tilting touchscreen 3.2" tilting touchscreen
Mount Canon RF Nikon F-mount (DX) Nikon Z-mount
Memory Cards Dual CFexpress Type B Single SD UHS-II slot Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD
Connectivity USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN USB Micro-B, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth
⚡ Compare specs side by side Canon EOS R3 prices → Nikon D7500 prices → Nikon Z8 prices →

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