Canon EOS R3vs EOS R5 C

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Canon Canon EOS R3 Canon Canon EOS R3 (2021) Starting from £5999 new Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals View Canon EOS R3
VS
Canon EOS R5 C Canon EOS R5 C (2022) Starting from £3799 new Best for Professional video, documentary & hybrid commercial work View EOS R5 C

GearScore™ Verdict — 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 Video, Documentary & Hybrid Commercial Work — EOS R5 C (2022): Canon's R5 reborn for cinema — 8K RAW unlimited, Cinema EOS colour science, and 45MP stills in a weather-sealed body.

↓ 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 C (2022)

  • Videographers and cinematographers who want Canon Cinema EOS quality in a compact, run-and-gun body
  • Hybrid photographers who shoot high-end stills and need 8K RAW video capability in the same body
  • Documentary filmmakers who want unlimited recording with a built-in fan
  • RF lens owners who want to add a dedicated cinema body to their Canon system

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

Full specifications

Specification Canon EOS R3 (2021)EOS R5 C (2022)
Price £5,999 £3,799
Sensor 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS 45MP full-frame CMOS — Cinema EOS colour science
Resolution 24.1MP 45.0MP
Video 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p 8K RAW internal, 8K/30p, 4K/120p — Cinema RAW Light, C-Log2, C-Log3
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF Dual Pixel CMOS AF II — subject tracking with Intelligent AF
Stabilisation 8-stop IBIS 5-axis IBIS — 8 stops (with IS lens)
Burst Rate 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical 12fps mechanical, 20fps electronic
Battery Life 620 shots (CIPA) ~220 shots stills / unlimited video with fan
Weight 1015g body only 680g body only
Dimensions 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm 138.5 × 98.0 × 88.0mm
Weather Sealed Yes Yes
Viewfinder 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps EVF 0.76× 5.76M-dot OLED
Screen 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots
Mount Canon RF Canon RF mount (full-frame)
Memory Cards Dual CFexpress Type B Dual CFexpress Type B slots
Connectivity USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN USB-C, 12G-SDI, HDMI full-size, 3.5mm XLR via adapter, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Genre Canon EOS R3EOS R5 C
Sports & Action
9.0
Wildlife
9.0
Photojournalism
9.0
Vlogging & Video
7.0
9.0
Wedding & Events
7.0
Travel
4.0
4.0
Portrait
9.0
Landscape
9.0
Wedding
9.0
Sports
7.0
⚡ Compare specs side by side Canon EOS R3 prices → EOS R5 C prices →

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