Canon EOS R vs Sony a1 Specifications
| Camera Feature | Canon EOS R | Sony a1 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | September 2018 | January 2021 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | Stacked CMOS |
| Image Processor | DIGIC 8 | BIONZ XR |
| Resolution | 30.3 MP | 50.1 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 6720×4480 | 8640×5760 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 36.0 x 24.0 mm (Full Frame) | 35.9 x 24.0 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 5.36µ | 4.16µ |
| Low Pass Filter | Yes | No |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | No | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 40,000 | ISO 32,000 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 50-102,400 | ISO 50-102,400 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | No | Yes |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | No | No |
| Pre-Shoot Burst Mode | No | No |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/8000 | 1/32000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 8 FPS | 10 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 8 FPS | 30 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | No autofocus at 8 FPS (autofocus at 5 FPS) | Compressed raw at 30 FPS (uncompressed and lossless compressed raw at 20 FPS) |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 47 frames (8 FPS) | 155 frames (30 FPS), 238 frames (20 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF | Hybrid PDAF |
| Autofocus Points | 143 | 759 |
| Maximum Low-Light AF Sensitivity (Standardized to f/2, ISO 100) | -4.5 EV | -4 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/200 | 1/400 |
| Curtain to Protect Sensor at Shutdown | Yes | Yes |
Video Features | ||
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 8 bits | 10 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 10 bits | 12 bits |
| Raw Video | No | Yes, externally |
| 8K Maximum Framerate | N/A | 30 FPS |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 30 FPS | 120 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 60 FPS | 240 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | 1.74x crop at 4K | No |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:0, 4:2:2 (External) | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 30 min | 780 min |
Physical and Other Features | ||
| Card Slots | 1 | 2 |
| Slot 1 Type | SD (UHS-II) | CFExpress Type A, or SD (UHS-II) |
| Slot 2 Type | N/A | CFExpress Type A, or SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.2 in | 3.0 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 2.1 million dots | 1.44 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Yes | Single Axis |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.76x | 0.90x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 3.69 million dots | 9.44 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | No | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type C 3.1 | Type C 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Battery Type | LP-E6N | NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 350 frames | 430 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 370 frames | 530 frames |
| Battery Life (Eco Mode) | 560 frames | N/A |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 660 g (1.46 lbs.) | 737 g (1.62 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 136 x 98 x 84 mm (5.3 x 3.9 x 3.3″) | 129 x 97 x 81 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 3.3″) |
Price Comparison | ||
| MSRP, Body Only | $1800 (Check Current Price) | $6500 (Check Current Price) |
| Used Prices | Canon EOS R Used Prices | Sony a1 Used Prices |
Summary and Recommendations
What does the Canon EOS R offer over the Sony a1?
- Higher resolution rear display, with about 1.5x more dots, making image review in the field easier
- Lighter weight (77g lighter)
- Much lower price, costing $4700 less—you could take a trip with this savings!
What does the Sony a1 offer over the Canon EOS R?
- 1.65 times more megapixels (30.3MP vs 50.1MP)
- In-body image stabilization, allowing for easier handheld photography even with non-stabilized lenses
- Two card slots, which is better for redundancy and backup
- Higher resolution electronic viewfinder, with about 2.6x more dots, making shooting more enjoyable
- Better battery life when using the viewfinder, with approximately 80 more shots according to CIPA measurements
- Substantially better videography features
- Substantially better high-speed photography features, including high-FPS photography, buffer size, and autofocus system
Questions? Go to our forum, where you can start a conversation and talk to photographers about these two cameras!
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