EOS R8vs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Full-Frame Entry — EOS R8 (2023): Canon's most affordable full-frame mirrorless — 4K/60p 10-bit and class-leading Dual Pixel AF at an accessible entry price.
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 R8 (2023)
- Photographers wanting full-frame image quality at the lowest RF price
- EOS RP owners upgrading to better autofocus and modern video specs
- Beginners who want to start on full-frame without overspending
- Travel photographers who want a lightweight full-frame RF body
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 r8 is the most affordable; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R8 (2023) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,099 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/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 | 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~220 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 461g body only | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF mount (full-frame) | 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 R8 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Street | — | |
| Wedding & Events | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Travel | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with EOS R8
Camera family history