Canon EOS R3vs Nikon Z8vs A7 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.
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.
All-Round Photography & Video — A7 III (2018): Still one of the best all-round cameras money can buy — particularly strong used. The A7 III proved that full-frame doesn't have to mean compromises, and nothing at this price point has meaningfully beaten it.
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
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
A7 III (2018)
- Enthusiast photographers upgrading from APS-C for the first time
- Working photographers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Anyone who shoots in low light regularly
- Hybrid shooters needing both stills and video performance
Quick take: The nikon z8 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the a7 iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Canon EOS R3 (2021) | Nikon Z8 (2023) | A7 III (2018) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £3,999 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 45.7MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | 8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | 6-stop IBIS | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | 620 shots (CIPA) | 330 shots (CIPA) | ~710 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1015g body only | 910g body only | 565g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 144.0 × 118.5 × 83.0mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Canon RF | Nikon Z-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Dual SD (UHS-II slot 1, UHS-I slot 2) |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth | USB-C (USB 3.2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
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