Canon R1 vs Sony A7 III

The Canon EOS R1 and the Sony Alpha A7 III are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in July 2024 and February 2018. Both the R1 and the A7 III are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon R1		Sony A7 III
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon RF mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
6K/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 409,600)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1330 shots per battery charge		610 shots per battery charge
158 x 150 x 87 mm, 1115 g		127 x 96 x 74 mm, 650 g

Check R1 price at
amazon.com
Check A7 III price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R1 and the Sony Alpha A7 III? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon R1 and the Sony A7 III. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7 III is considerably smaller (49 percent) than the Canon R1. Moreover, the A7 III is substantially lighter (42 percent) than the R1. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the R1 gets 1330 shots out of its Canon LP-E19 battery, while the A7 III can take 610 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the R1 has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the A7 III, Sony provides the VG-C3EM vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay). The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R1	158 mm	150 mm	87 mm	1115 g	1330	Y	Jul 2024	EUR 7 499	amazon.com
2.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	EUR 2 299	amazon.com
3.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	746 g	340	Y	Jul 2024	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
5.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	EUR 2 699	amazon.com
6.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	EUR 2 899	amazon.com
7.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	152 mm	117 mm	99 mm	1030 g	540	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 7 999	amazon.com
8.		Leica SL3-S	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	852 g	315	Y	Jan 2025	EUR 5 199	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	EUR 2 449	ebay.com
10.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic G9 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	658 g	390	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	EUR 2 099	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	EUR 3 499	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7R IV	129 mm	96 mm	78 mm	665 g	670	Y	Jul 2019	EUR 3 999	ebay.com
15.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	EUR 5 299	ebay.com
16.		Sony A9 III	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	702 g	530	Y	Nov 2023	EUR 6 999	amazon.com
17.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The A7 III was launched at a markedly lower price (by 68 percent) than the R1, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A7 III is 2 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the R1 has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the R1 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 5.94μm for the A7 III), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the R1 is much more recent (by 6 years and 4 months) than the A7 III, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Canon EOS R1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 50-409600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7 III are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the R1 is build around a Stacked BSI-CMOS sensor, while the A7 III uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
2.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
3.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
5.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
6.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
7.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	Medium Format	101.8	11648	8736	8K/30p	25.9	15.0	3651	101
8.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
9.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
10.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
11.		Panasonic G9 II	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.5	1710	78
12.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
13.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
14.		Sony A7R IV	Full Frame	60.2	9504	6336	4K/30p	26.0	14.8	3344	99
15.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
16.		Sony A9 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/120p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
17.		Sony A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the R1 provides a higher video resolution than the A7 III. It can shoot video footage at 6K/60p, while the Sony is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the R1 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the A7 III (9440k vs 2359k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R1 and Sony A7 III in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon R1	9440	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
2.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
5.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	9440	Y	3.2 / 2360	full-flex	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
8.		Leica SL3-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
9.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
10.		Nikon Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic G9 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7R IV	5760	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A9 III	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/80000s	120.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the R1, but is missing on the A7 III is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R1 and the Sony A7 III both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The R1 writes its imaging data to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards, while the A7 III uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both the R1 and the A7 III support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s (the second slot of the A7 III only offers slower UHS-I transfer rates, though).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS R1 and Sony Alpha A7 III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon R1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Leica SL3-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic G9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
14.		Sony A7R IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A9 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon R1 (unlike the A7 III) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the R1 and the A7 III are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The A7 III replaced the earlier Sony A7 II, while the R1 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Sony websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon R1 better than the Sony A7 III or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R1:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6K/60p vs 4K/30p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (9440k vs 2359k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.9x vs 0.78x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 922k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1330 versus 610) on a single battery charge.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More modern: Reflects 6 years and 4 months of technical progress since the A7 III launch.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A7 III:

• More compact: Is smaller (127x96mm vs 158x150mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 465g or 42 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (68 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2018).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R1 is the clear winner of the match-up (15 : 5 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon R1 and the Sony A7 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the R1 and the A7 III in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	EUR 7 499	amazon.com
2.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 2 299	amazon.com
3.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	..	..	..	93/100	..	..	Jul 2024	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
5.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	EUR 2 699	amazon.com
6.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	EUR 2 899	amazon.com
7.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	5/5	+	5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 7 999	amazon.com
8.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	EUR 5 199	amazon.com
9.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	EUR 2 449	ebay.com
10.		Nikon Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic G9 II	5/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
12.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	EUR 2 099	ebay.com
13.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	EUR 3 499	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7R IV	5/5	+	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2019	EUR 3 999	ebay.com
15.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	EUR 5 299	ebay.com
16.		Sony A9 III	4.5/5	..	..	91/100	..	..	Nov 2023	EUR 6 999	amazon.com
17.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check R1 price at
amazon.com
Check A7 III price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

~

Check R1 price at
amazon.com
Check A7 III price at
amazon.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.