EOS R100vs A1
Canon
EOS R100 (2023)
Starting from £529 new
Best for First camera / beginner photography
View EOS R100
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
First Camera / Beginner Photography — EOS R100 (2023): The R100 does the basics well at the lowest possible price point. Its main value is as a gateway into the Canon RF ecosystem — the lenses you buy now will work on any Canon body you upgrade to later. Modest ambitions, reliably met.
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 R100 (2023)
- First-time camera buyers stepping up from a smartphone
- Students and hobbyists wanting an affordable starting point
- Anyone who wants to start investing in Canon RF glass on a budget
- Casual photographers who don't need advanced video or speed
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; the eos r100 is the most affordable; only the a1 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R100 (2023) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £529 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP APS-C CMOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (slight crop), 1080p/60p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, face detection, subject tracking | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 6.5fps mechanical | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 356g (body, battery, card) | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 116.3 × 85.5 × 68.8mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS R100 | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with EOS R100
Camera family history