Canon EOS R3vs A7 IV
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.
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid 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
A7 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
Quick take: The a7 iv has the highest resolution at 33mp; the a7 iv is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Canon EOS R3 (2021) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | 620 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1015g body only | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Canon EOS R3 | A7 IV |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Landscape | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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