EOS R6 Mark IIIvs A9
Canon
EOS R6 Mark III (2025)
Starting from £2799 new
Best for Hybrid photo & video professionals, sports and wildlife shooters
View EOS R6 Mark III
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Hybrid Photo & Video Professionals, Sports And Wildlife Shooters — EOS R6 Mark III (2025): The EOS R6 Mark III takes everything that made the Mark II a hybrid favourite and pushes it further — a faster stacked sensor, smarter autofocus, and genuinely professional video specs. It's the most complete all-rounder in Canon's RF full-frame lineup, sitting just below the R5 II in resolution while matching it for speed.
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 R6 Mark III (2025)
- Working photographers who need a single body for both stills and serious video work
- Sports and wildlife shooters who need 40fps burst shooting with reliable subject tracking
- Hybrid content creators producing 4K and 6K footage alongside high-resolution stills
- Enthusiasts upgrading from the EOS R6 Mark II who want faster AF and more resolution
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 r6 mark iii has the highest resolution at 32mp; the a9 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R6 Mark III (2025) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,799 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 32.5MP full-frame stacked CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 32.5MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K 60fps oversampled from 7K, 6K RAW internal | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II — deep-learning subject detection for people, animals and vehicles, up to 40fps tracking | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | In-body 5-axis IS, up to 8.5 stops | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 40fps (electronic shutter), 12fps (mechanical) | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~580 shots (CIPA, LP-E6P) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 670g (body with battery and card) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 138.4 × 98.4 × 88.4mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 5.76M-dot, up to 120fps | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.2-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 2.1M-dot | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD / SDHC / SDXC (UHS-II) | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 2.5GbE | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS R6 Mark III | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with EOS R6 Mark III
Camera family history