EOS R1vs A1
VS
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.
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
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
A1 (2021)
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Quick take: The a1 has the highest resolution at 50mp. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R1 (2024) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked CMOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 6K RAW/60p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF III — 100% coverage, deep learning subject detection | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | IBIS — up to 8 stops combined | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 40fps electronic, 12fps mechanical | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | ~530 shots (CIPA) | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1470g (with battery) | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 159.5 × 143.9 × 87.3mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C (10Gbps), Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS R1 | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wedding | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — |
More comparisons with EOS R1
Camera family history