Beginners & Family — EOS R50 (2023): Canon's most beginner-friendly RF body — Dual Pixel AF and beautiful colour science in an approachable package.
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.
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
EOS R50 (2023)
A7S III (2020)
Sony A9 III (2023)
Quick take: The sony a9 iii has the highest resolution at 25mp; the eos r50 is the most affordable; only the a7s iii, sony a9 iii are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R50 (2023) | A7S III (2020) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £599 | £2,999 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 12.1MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS (12-bit, back-illuminated) | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 12.1MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (uncropped 4K/24p), FHD/60p | 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/60p 10-bit S-Cinetone/S-Log3, 1080p/240p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, face/eye/subject tracking | Phase-detect, 759 points, real-time Eye AF (human & animal), subject recognition | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 5.5-stop IBIS | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical, 15fps electronic | 10fps mechanical | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | ~380 shots (CIPA) | ~600 shots (CIPA) / ~70min continuous 4K recording | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 375g body only | 699g (body, battery, card) | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 116.3 × 85.5 × 68.8mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots | OLED EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification — best EVF Sony has made | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.44M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF-S / RF | Sony E-mount | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II (both slots) | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), full-size HDMI, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
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