Decision tools · Compare
EOS RP vs A1
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the EOS RP is the most affordable; only the A1 is weather sealed.
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.
Sony
A1 2021
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
£4199
new today at Wex Photo Video
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Verdictwhich should you buy?
EOS RP — Entry Full-Frame Stills Photography: An affordable gateway into the RF system. The RP makes sense as a stepping stone camera — if you're committed to Canon RF glass, this is the cheapest full-frame body to buy those lenses for. Just manage expectations on video and battery life.
A1 — Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting: 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
EOS RP (2019)
is the right camera for you if…
- Canon users who want to start investing in RF glass affordably
- Stills photographers who shoot primarily in good light
- Anyone coming from a Canon DSLR wanting the RF system at low cost
- Travel photographers who prioritise compactness over video specs
A1 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | EOS RPCanon · 2019 | A1Sony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,049Best | £4,199 |
| Sensor | 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 26.2MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | 4K/24p (with 1.7× crop), 1080p/60p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 manually selectable positions | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | No stabilisation | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 5fps mechanical | 30fps electronic with full AF/AEBest |
| Battery Life | ~250 shots (CIPA) — very limited | ~430 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 440g (body only)Best | 737g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 132.5 × 85.0 × 70.0mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
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 RP
A1
Portrait
7.0/10
8.2/10
Street
6.4/10
6.1/10
Travel
5.8/10
6.0/10
Wedding & Events
5.1/10
7.9/10
Vlogging & Video
5.9/10
—
Filmmaking
5.5/10
7.8/10
Documentary
5.3/10
7.6/10
Sports & Action
5.4/10
8.8/10
Landscape
5.4/10
7.6/10
Wildlife
5.9/10
8.7/10
Casual
5.4/10
4.8/10
Food
6.6/10
7.4/10
Macro
6.2/10
7.3/10
Architecture
6.1/10
7.9/10
Astrophotography
6.1/10
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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