Canon EOS R3vs EOS R5

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Canon Canon EOS R3 Canon Canon EOS R3 (2021) From £5999 Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals View Canon EOS R3
VS
Canon EOS R5 Canon EOS R5 (2020) From £2499 Best for Professional hybrid shooters, portrait & wildlife View EOS R5

Which should you buy?

Sports & Photojournalism Professionals — Canon EOS R3 (2021): The pinnacle of Canon's mirrorless lineup for speed — Eye Control AF and 30fps burst in the most rugged body Canon has ever produced.

Professional Hybrid Shooters, Portrait & Wildlife — EOS R5 (2020): A landmark camera — 8K video and 45MP in one body set the standard for what mirrorless could be.

↓ Full specifications below

Canon EOS R3 (2021)

  • Professional sports and photojournalism photographers
  • Canon users who need the fastest burst and most reliable AF in the system
  • R5 users who want a pro-grade grip and faster shooting speed
  • Event photographers who need eye-controlled AF and dual card slots

EOS R5 (2020)

  • Professional photographers who need both resolution and video in one body
  • Wildlife and sports photographers who want top AF with 20fps burst
  • Hybrid shooters who need 8K or 4K/120p alongside high-resolution stills
  • R5 Mark II buyers on a budget — the R5 still delivers exceptional results

Quick take: The eos r5 has the highest resolution at 45mp; the eos r5 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification Canon EOS R3 (2021)EOS R5 (2020)
Price £5,999 £2,499
Sensor 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 45MP Full-Frame CMOS
Resolution 24.1MP 45.0MP
Video 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p 8K RAW/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF Dual Pixel CMOS AF II — 1053 AF zones, subject/animal detection
Stabilisation 8-stop IBIS IBIS — up to 8 stops combined with IS lenses
Burst Rate 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical 12fps mechanical, 20fps electronic
Battery Life 620 shots (CIPA) ~320 shots (CIPA)
Weight 1015g body only 650g (with battery)
Dimensions 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm 138.5 × 97.5 × 88mm
Weather Sealed Yes Yes
Viewfinder 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps EVF, 5.76M dots, 0.76× magnification
Screen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen 3.15" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount Canon RF Canon RF mount
Memory Cards Dual CFexpress Type B CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II
Connectivity USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI
Genre Canon EOS R3EOS R5
Sports & Action
9.0
Wildlife
9.0
9.0
Photojournalism
9.0
Vlogging & Video
7.0
9.0
Wedding & Events
7.0
Travel
4.0
Portrait
9.0
Sports
9.0
Landscape
9.0
Wedding
9.0
⚡ Compare specs side by side Canon EOS R3 prices → EOS R5 prices →

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