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 R8
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.
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 R8 — Full-Frame Entry: Canon's most affordable full-frame mirrorless — 4K/60p 10-bit and class-leading Dual Pixel AF at an accessible entry price.
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 R8 (2023)
is the right camera for you if…
- Photographers wanting full-frame image quality at the lowest RF price
- EOS RP owners upgrading to better autofocus and modern video specs
- Beginners who want to start on full-frame without overspending
- Travel photographers who want a lightweight full-frame RF body
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | EOS RCanon · 2018 | EOS R8Canon · 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £799Best | £1,629 |
| Sensor | 30.3MP full-frame CMOS | 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 30.3MPBest | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (1.7× crop), 1080p/60p | 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF — 5655 AF areas, Eye AF | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | No stabilisation |
| Burst Rate | 8fps continuous (5fps with AF/AE)Best | 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~350 shots (CIPA)Best | ~220 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 660g (body only) | 461g (body only)Best |
| Dimensions | 135.8 × 98.3 × 84.4mm | 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.71× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× |
| Screen | 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF mount (full-frame) | Canon RF mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Single SD UHS-II slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
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 R8
Portrait
7.0/10
7.5/10
Street
5.8/10
6.8/10
Travel
5.5/10
6.4/10
Wedding & Events
5.7/10
6.4/10
Vlogging & Video
4.8/10
6.1/10
Filmmaking
5.7/10
6.5/10
Documentary
6.0/10
7.1/10
Sports & Action
6.3/10
7.9/10
Landscape
6.2/10
6.2/10
Wildlife
6.8/10
7.9/10
Casual
4.3/10
5.5/10
Food
6.5/10
6.9/10
Macro
5.3/10
7.3/10
Architecture
6.2/10
6.2/10
Astrophotography
6.1/10
6.3/10
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 →
Next
More comparisons with EOS R
Camera family history