Canon
EOS R 2018
Best for Entry to full-frame mirrorless & RF lens exploration
£799
list price · used from £400 at eBay
Decision tools · Compare
EOS R vs EOS R3
Quick take: The EOS R has the highest resolution at 30MP; the EOS R is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
Canon
EOS R3 2021
Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals
£4999
new today at Clifton Cameras
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Verdictwhich should you buy?
EOS R — Entry To Full-Frame Mirrorless & Rf Lens Exploration: The RF mount's founding camera — 30MP, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, and the proof-of-concept that launched Canon's mirrorless era.
EOS R3 — Sports & Photojournalism Professionals: The pinnacle of Canon's mirrorless lineup for speed — Eye Control AF and 30fps burst in the most rugged body Canon has ever produced.
Who should buy what
EOS R (2018)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
EOS R3 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | EOS RCanon · 2018 | EOS R3Canon · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £799Best | £4,999 |
| Sensor | 30.3MP full-frame CMOS | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 30.3MPBest | 24.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (1.7× crop), 1080p/60p | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF — 5655 AF areas, Eye AF | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 8fps continuous (5fps with AF/AE) | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanicalBest |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA) | 620 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 660g (body only)Best | 1015g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 135.8 × 98.3 × 84.4mm | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.71× magnification | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps |
| Screen | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF mount (full-frame) | Canon RF |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual CFexpress Type B |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
EOS R
EOS R3
Portrait
7.0/10
8.1/10
Street
5.8/10
5.8/10
Travel
5.5/10
5.6/10
Wedding & Events
5.7/10
8.2/10
Vlogging & Video
4.8/10
5.3/10
Filmmaking
5.7/10
8.1/10
Documentary
6.0/10
7.8/10
Sports & Action
6.3/10
8.9/10
Landscape
6.2/10
6.3/10
Wildlife
6.8/10
8.7/10
Casual
4.3/10
4.6/10
Food
6.5/10
7.4/10
Macro
5.3/10
7.2/10
Architecture
6.2/10
6.5/10
Astrophotography
6.1/10
6.7/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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