Canon
EOS R3 2021
Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals
£4999
new today at Clifton Cameras
Decision tools · Compare
EOS R3 vs A1
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP.
16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
Sony
A1 2021
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
£4199
new today at Wex Photo Video
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Verdictwhich should you buy?
EOS R3 — Sports & Photojournalism Professionals: The pinnacle of Canon's mirrorless lineup for speed — Eye Control AF and 30fps burst in the most rugged body Canon has ever produced.
A1 — Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting: 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
EOS R3 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
A1 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | EOS R3Canon · 2021 | A1Sony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £4,999 | £4,199Best |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | 620 shots (CIPA)Best | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1015g (body only) | 737g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
EOS R3
A1
Portrait
8.1/10
8.2/10
Street
5.8/10
6.1/10
Travel
5.7/10
6.0/10
Wedding & Events
8.2/10
7.9/10
Vlogging & Video
5.4/10
—
Filmmaking
8.1/10
7.8/10
Documentary
7.8/10
7.6/10
Sports & Action
8.9/10
8.8/10
Landscape
6.3/10
7.6/10
Wildlife
8.7/10
8.7/10
Casual
4.6/10
4.8/10
Food
7.4/10
7.4/10
Macro
7.2/10
7.3/10
Architecture
6.5/10
7.9/10
Astrophotography
6.7/10
6.8/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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