EOS R50vs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Beginners & Family — EOS R50 (2023): Canon's most beginner-friendly RF body — Dual Pixel AF and beautiful colour science in an approachable package.
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
EOS R50 (2023)
- Beginners buying their first interchangeable-lens camera
- Family photographers who want reliable subject tracking in a compact body
- R100 buyers who want a step up with better video and subject detection
- Casual content creators who want a simple, capable RF camera on a budget
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 eos r50 is the most affordable; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R50 (2023) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £599 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (uncropped 4K/24p), FHD/60p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, face/eye/subject tracking | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 12fps mechanical, 15fps electronic | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~380 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 375g body only | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 116.3 × 85.5 × 68.8mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF-S / RF | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS R50 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Family & Everyday | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Street | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Travel | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with EOS R50
Camera family history