Canon EOS R3vs A5100
Canon
Canon EOS R3 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals
View Canon EOS R3
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.
Casual & Travel — A5100 (2014): The A5100 is one of the smallest APS-C mirrorless cameras ever made. Its 24MP sensor, phase-detect AF, and selfie-friendly flip screen pack remarkable capability into a shirt-pocket-sized body. No EVF or hot shoe limits it for serious use, but as a compact travel camera or beginner's first mirrorless, it punches well above its price on the used market.
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
A5100 (2014)
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Quick take: The a5100 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a5100 is the most affordable; only the canon eos r3 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Canon EOS R3 (2021) | A5100 (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £200 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | None |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 6fps |
| Battery Life | 620 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1015g body only | 224g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | None |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Canon EOS R3 | A5100 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Landscape | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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