Decision tools · Compare

EOS R5 vs Z8

Quick take: The Z8 has the highest resolution at 46MP; the EOS R5 is the most affordable.

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.

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 R5 — Professional Hybrid Shooters, Portrait & Wildlife: A landmark camera — 8K video and 45MP in one body set the standard for what mirrorless could be.

Z8 — Sports, Wildlife & Hybrid Professionals: Z9 performance in a compact body — 45MP, 8K/60p RAW, and 20fps burst without the bulk or price of the flagship.

Who should buy what
EOS R5 (2020)
is the right camera for you if…
  • 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
Z8 (2023)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Professional photographers who want Z9 capability in a smaller body
  • Wildlife and sports shooters who want 8K RAW and 120fps burst
  • Z6 III or Z7 II owners upgrading to pro-grade performance
  • Hybrid professionals who need the best Nikon video and stills in one body
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
Specification EOS R5Canon · 2020Z8Nikon · 2023
Price £2,449Best£3,499
Sensor 45MP Full-Frame CMOS45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS
Resolution 45.0MP45.7MPBest
Video 8K RAW/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/120p8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF II — 1053 AF zones, subject/animal detectionSubject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect
Stabilisation IBIS — up to 8 stops combined with IS lenses6-stop IBIS
Burst Rate 12fps mechanical, 20fps electronic20fps RAW / 120fps JPEGBest
Battery Life ~320 shots (CIPA)330 shots (CIPA)Best
Weight 650g (body only)Best910g (body only)
Dimensions 138.5 × 97.5 × 88mm144.0 × 118.5 × 83.0mm
Weather Sealed YesYes
Viewfinder EVF, 5.76M dots, 0.76× magnification0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps
Screen 3.15" fully articulating touchscreen3.2" tilting touchscreen
Mount Canon RF mountNikon Z-mount
Memory Cards CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-IICFexpress Type B / XQD + SD UHS-II
Connectivity USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMIUSB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth

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 R5
Z8
Portrait
8.2/10
8.4/10
Street
6.2/10
5.8/10
Travel
5.9/10
5.5/10
Wedding & Events
7.6/10
8.2/10
Vlogging & Video
5.7/10
—
Filmmaking
7.2/10
7.8/10
Documentary
7.3/10
7.7/10
Sports & Action
7.5/10
9.2/10
Landscape
7.5/10
7.4/10
Wildlife
7.8/10
8.9/10
Casual
5.0/10
4.7/10
Food
7.8/10
7.4/10
Macro
7.6/10
7.0/10
Architecture
8.0/10
7.7/10
Astrophotography
6.0/10
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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