EOS RPvs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Entry Full-Frame Stills Photography — EOS RP (2019): 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.
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 RP (2019)
- 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
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 rp has the highest resolution at 26mp; the eos rp is the most affordable; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS RP (2019) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £799 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 26.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/24p (with 1.7× crop), 1080p/60p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 manually selectable positions | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 5fps mechanical | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~250 shots (CIPA) — very limited | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 485g (body, battery, card) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 132.5 × 85.0 × 70.0mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF-mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS RP | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| Portrait | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history