Canon EOS R3vs Nikon Z9

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 Z9 Nikon Nikon Z9 (2021) From £5499 Best for Professional sports & wildlife View Nikon Z9

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.

Professional Sports & Wildlife — Nikon Z9 (2021): The Z9 redefined what professional mirrorless could be — no mechanical shutter, 45MP stacked BSI, and 8K RAW in the most rugged Z body.

↓ 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 Z9 (2021)

  • You shoot professionally and need a camera body that handles everything without compromise
  • You're a sports, wildlife, or commercial photographer who demands the absolute best
  • You want a camera body that will remain state-of-the-art for the next decade

Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the nikon z9 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Canon EOS R3 (2021)Nikon Z9 (2021)
Price £5,999 £5,499
Sensor 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS
Resolution 24.1MP 45.7MP
Video 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect
Stabilisation 8-stop IBIS 6-stop IBIS
Burst Rate 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG
Battery Life 620 shots (CIPA) 740 shots (CIPA)
Weight 1015g body only 1340g body only
Dimensions 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm
Weather Sealed Yes Yes
Viewfinder 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps
Screen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen 3.2" tilting touchscreen
Mount Canon RF Nikon Z-mount
Memory Cards Dual CFexpress Type B Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD
Connectivity USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN
⚡ Compare specs side by side Canon EOS R3 prices → Nikon Z9 prices →

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