Canon EOS R3vs A9
Canon
Canon EOS R3 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals
View Canon EOS R3
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
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 Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.
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
A9 (2017)
- Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
- Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
- Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
- Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry
Quick take: The a9 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the a9 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Canon EOS R3 (2021) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £5,999 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | 8-stop IBIS | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | 620 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1015g body only | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Canon EOS R3 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history