EOS Rvs Canon EOS R3vs EOS R5

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Canon EOS R (2018) Starting from £799 new Best for Entry to full-frame mirrorless & RF lens exploration View EOS R

Canon Canon EOS R3 (2021) Starting from £5999 new Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals View Canon EOS R3

Canon EOS R5 (2020) Starting from £2499 new Best for Professional hybrid shooters, portrait & wildlife View EOS R5

GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?

Entry To Full-Frame Mirrorless & Rf Lens Exploration — EOS R (2018): The RF mount's founding camera — 30MP, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, and the proof-of-concept that launched Canon's mirrorless era.

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 Hybrid Shooters, Portrait & Wildlife — EOS R5 (2020): A landmark camera — 8K video and 45MP in one body set the standard for what mirrorless could be.

↓ Full specifications below

Who should buy what

EOS R (2018)

Canon DSLR users wanting to enter the RF ecosystem at the lowest full-frame price
EF lens collectors who want an affordable RF body to use with the EF-RF adapter
Photographers stepping up from APS-C who want full-frame quality on a budget
RF system fans who want a second body without full EOS R6 pricing

Canon EOS R3 (2021)

Professional sports and photojournalism photographers
Canon users who need the fastest burst and most reliable AF in the system
R5 users who want a pro-grade grip and faster shooting speed
Event photographers who need eye-controlled AF and dual card slots

EOS R5 (2020)

Professional photographers who need both resolution and video in one body
Wildlife and sports photographers who want top AF with 20fps burst
Hybrid shooters who need 8K or 4K/120p alongside high-resolution stills
R5 Mark II buyers on a budget — the R5 still delivers exceptional results

Quick take: The eos r5 has the highest resolution at 45mp; the eos r is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification	EOS R (2018)	Canon EOS R3 (2021)	EOS R5 (2020)
Price	£799	£5,999	£2,499
Sensor	30.3MP full-frame CMOS	24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS	45MP Full-Frame CMOS
Resolution	30.3MP	24.1MP	45.0MP
Video	4K/30p (1.7× crop), 1080p/60p	6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p	8K RAW/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus	Dual Pixel CMOS AF — 5655 AF areas, Eye AF	Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF	Dual Pixel CMOS AF II — 1053 AF zones, subject/animal detection
Stabilisation	None	8-stop IBIS	IBIS — up to 8 stops combined with IS lenses
Burst Rate	8fps continuous (5fps with AF/AE)	30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical	12fps mechanical, 20fps electronic
Battery Life	~350 shots (CIPA)	620 shots (CIPA)	~320 shots (CIPA)
Weight	660g body only	1015g body only	650g (with battery)
Dimensions	135.8 × 98.3 × 84.4mm	150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm	138.5 × 97.5 × 88mm
Weather Sealed	Yes	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.71× magnification	0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps	EVF, 5.76M dots, 0.76× magnification
Screen	3.0" touchscreen, tilting	3.2" fully articulating touchscreen	3.15" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount	Canon RF mount (full-frame)	Canon RF	Canon RF mount
Memory Cards	Single SD UHS-II slot	Dual CFexpress Type B	CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II
Connectivity	USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack	USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN	USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI

Suitability by genre

Genre	EOS R	Canon EOS R3	EOS R5
Portrait	9.0	—	9.0
Landscape	9.0	—	9.0
Travel	7.0	4.0	—
Wedding	7.0	—	9.0
Vlogging & Video	4.0	7.0	9.0
Sports	4.0	—	9.0
Sports & Action	—	9.0	—
Wildlife	—	9.0	9.0
Photojournalism	—	9.0	—
Wedding & Events	—	7.0	—

GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →

⚡ Compare specs side by side EOS R prices → Canon EOS R3 prices → EOS R5 prices →

Compare pairs from this group

Camera family history