EOS RPvs Nikon Z9vs Sony A9 III
Which should you buy?
Entry Full-Frame Stills Photography — EOS RP (2019): An affordable gateway into the RF system. The RP makes sense as a stepping stone camera — if you're committed to Canon RF glass, this is the cheapest full-frame body to buy those lenses for. Just manage expectations on video and battery life.
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.
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 RP (2019)
- Canon users who want to start investing in RF glass affordably
- Stills photographers who shoot primarily in good light
- Anyone coming from a Canon DSLR wanting the RF system at low cost
- Travel photographers who prioritise compactness over video specs
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
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 nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the eos rp is the most affordable; only the nikon z9, sony a9 iii are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS RP (2019) | Nikon Z9 (2021) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £5,499 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 26.2MP | 45.7MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | 4K/24p (with 1.7× crop), 1080p/60p | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 manually selectable positions | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 6-stop IBIS | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 5fps mechanical | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | ~250 shots (CIPA) — very limited | 740 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 485g (body, battery, card) | 1340g body only | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 132.5 × 85.0 × 70.0mm | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF-mount | Nikon Z-mount | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
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