EOS R1vs Pentax K-3 Mark III
Canon
EOS R1 (2024)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & photojournalism
View EOS R1
Pentax
Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)
Starting from £1699 new
Best for DSLR enthusiasts & outdoor photographers
View Pentax K-3 Mark III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Professional Sports, Wildlife & Photojournalism — EOS R1 (2024): Canon's ultimate professional camera — 40fps, a class-leading EVF, and AI AF that simply doesn't miss.
Dslr Enthusiasts & Outdoor Photographers — Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021): The finest APS-C DSLR ever made — class-leading weather sealing, optical viewfinder, 5-axis IBIS, and extraordinary build for photographers committed to DSLR.
Who should buy what
EOS R1 (2024)
- 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
Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)
- DSLR photographers who want the finest APS-C optical viewfinder experience
- Outdoor and weather photographers who need robust all-weather sealing
- Pentax lens owners who want to use their existing K-mount glass
- Photographers who prefer optical viewfinders and refuse to switch to mirrorless
Quick take: The pentax k-3 mark iii has the highest resolution at 26mp; the pentax k-3 mark iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R1 (2024) | Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked CMOS | 25.7MP APS-C BSI CMOS (AA-filterless) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 25.7MP |
| Video | 6K RAW/60p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF III — 100% coverage, deep learning subject detection | SAFOX 13 phase-detect, 101-point (25 cross-type) |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 8 stops combined | 5.5-stop 5-axis IBIS (Shake Reduction III) |
| Burst Rate | 40fps electronic, 12fps mechanical | 12fps |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA) | 800 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1470g (with battery) | 820g body only |
| Dimensions | 159.5 × 143.9 × 87.3mm | 134.5 × 103.5 × 73.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 1.05× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF mount | Pentax KF-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | Dual SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C (10Gbps), Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS R1 | Pentax K-3 Mark III |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wedding | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Travel | — |
More comparisons with EOS R1
Camera family history