EOS R100vs A9
Canon
EOS R100 (2023)
Starting from £529 new
Best for First camera / beginner photography
View EOS R100
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
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 Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.
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
A9 (2017)
- Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
- Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
- Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
- Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry
Quick take: The a9 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the eos r100 is the most affordable; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R100 (2023) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £529 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (slight crop), 1080p/60p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, face detection, subject tracking | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 6.5fps mechanical | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 356g (body, battery, card) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 116.3 × 85.5 × 68.8mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS R100 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with EOS R100
Camera family history