Decision tools · Compare

EOS R1 vs Z8

Quick take: The Z8 has the highest resolution at 46MP; the Z8 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 R1 — Professional Sports, Wildlife & Photojournalism: Canon's ultimate professional camera — 40fps, a class-leading EVF, and AI AF that simply doesn't miss.

Z8 — Sports, Wildlife & Hybrid Professionals: Z9 performance in a compact body — 45MP, 8K/60p RAW, and 20fps burst without the bulk or price of the flagship.

Who should buy what
EOS R1 (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Professional sports and news photographers who cannot miss a shot
  • Wildlife photographers needing the fastest AF and burst available
  • Photojournalists requiring reliable pro-grade build and connectivity
  • Canon R3 owners or 1D X Mark III users upgrading to mirrorless flagship
Z8 (2023)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Professional photographers who want Z9 capability in a smaller body
  • Wildlife and sports shooters who want 8K RAW and 120fps burst
  • Z6 III or Z7 II owners upgrading to pro-grade performance
  • Hybrid professionals who need the best Nikon video and stills in one body
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
Specification EOS R1Canon · 2024Z8Nikon · 2023
Price £6,399£3,499Best
Sensor 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked CMOS45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS
Resolution 24.2MP45.7MPBest
Video 6K RAW/60p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF III — 100% coverage, deep learning subject detectionSubject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect
Stabilisation IBIS — up to 8 stops combined6-stop IBIS
Burst Rate 40fps electronic, 12fps mechanicalBest20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG
Battery Life ~530 shots (CIPA)Best330 shots (CIPA)
Weight 920g (body only)910g (body only)Best
Dimensions 159.5 × 143.9 × 87.3mm144.0 × 118.5 × 83.0mm
Weather Sealed YesYes
Viewfinder EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps
Screen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen3.2" tilting touchscreen
Mount Canon RF mountNikon Z-mount
Memory Cards Dual CFexpress Type BCFexpress Type B / XQD + SD UHS-II
Connectivity USB-C (10Gbps), Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMIUSB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth

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 R1
Z8
Portrait
8.3/10
8.4/10
Street
5.7/10
5.8/10
Travel
5.4/10
5.5/10
Wedding & Events
8.5/10
8.2/10
Vlogging & Video
5.4/10
—
Filmmaking
8.3/10
7.8/10
Documentary
8.0/10
7.7/10
Sports & Action
9.1/10
9.2/10
Landscape
6.3/10
7.4/10
Wildlife
8.9/10
8.9/10
Casual
4.6/10
4.7/10
Food
7.6/10
7.4/10
Macro
8.3/10
7.0/10
Architecture
6.6/10
7.7/10
Astrophotography
6.7/10
6.8/10

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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