Canon EOS R3vs EOS R5vs EOS R5 C
Canon
Canon EOS R3 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals
View Canon EOS R3
Canon
EOS R5 (2020)
Starting from £2499 new
Best for Professional hybrid shooters, portrait & wildlife
View EOS R5
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 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.
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.
Who should buy what
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
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 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) | EOS R5 C (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £2,499 | £3,799 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 45MP Full-Frame CMOS | 45MP full-frame CMOS — Cinema EOS colour science |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 45.0MP | 45.0MP |
| Video | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | 8K RAW/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/120p | 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 — 1053 AF zones, subject/animal detection | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II — subject tracking with Intelligent AF |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | IBIS — up to 8 stops combined with IS lenses | 5-axis IBIS — 8 stops (with IS lens) |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 12fps mechanical, 20fps electronic | 12fps mechanical, 20fps electronic |
| Battery Life | 620 shots (CIPA) | ~320 shots (CIPA) | ~220 shots stills / unlimited video with fan |
| Weight | 1015g body only | 650g (with battery) | 680g body only |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 138.5 × 97.5 × 88mm | 138.5 × 98.0 × 88.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | EVF, 5.76M dots, 0.76× magnification | EVF 0.76× 5.76M-dot OLED |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.15" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Canon RF | Canon RF mount | Canon RF mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type B slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI | USB-C, 12G-SDI, HDMI full-size, 3.5mm XLR via adapter, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Canon EOS R3 | EOS R5 | EOS R5 C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | — | — | |
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Photojournalism | — | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | |||
| Wedding & Events | — | — | |
| Travel | — | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Sports | — | ||
| Landscape | — | ||
| Wedding | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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