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Tech head-to-head

Canon EOS RPvsSony a7 III

Sony a7 III edges Canon EOS RP, 8.1 to 7.8. The 5 axes split 3-2, widest on Performance at 1.6.

Canon EOS RP

Canon

7.8

The lightest way into full frame. Canon colors and easy menus, held back by battery life and video.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens current listings on eBay. eBay listings come from individual sellers: condition, battery health, and what's in the box differ from one to the next, so read the listing and the return terms before you buy.

Sony a7 III

Sony

8.1

The full-frame body most people start with used: great sensor, huge lens pool, cramped grip and menus.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens current listings on eBay. eBay listings come from individual sellers: condition, battery health, and what's in the box differ from one to the next, so read the listing and the return terms before you buy.

Where they diverge

The widest gap is Performance, Sony a7 III ahead 8.8 to 7.2. They come closest on Durability, 7.8 to 7.4. Left of center is Canon EOS RP, right is Sony a7 III.

Canon EOS RP versus Sony a7 III — axis scores out of 10Horizontal bar chart of editorial scores out of 10 across 5 axes. Bars for Canon EOS RP run left from the axis labels, bars for Sony a7 III run right. Canon EOS RP: Performance 7.2, Value 8.4, Durability 7.4, Ease of use 8.2, Design 7.8. Sony a7 III: Performance 8.8, Value 9.0, Durability 7.8, Ease of use 7.6, Design 7.2.Canon EOS RP (left)Sony a7 III (right)PerformanceCanon EOS RP — Performance 7.2 out of 107.2Sony a7 III — Performance 8.8 out of 108.8ValueCanon EOS RP — Value 8.4 out of 108.4Sony a7 III — Value 9.0 out of 109.0DurabilityCanon EOS RP — Durability 7.4 out of 107.4Sony a7 III — Durability 7.8 out of 107.8Ease of useCanon EOS RP — Ease of use 8.2 out of 108.2Sony a7 III — Ease of use 7.6 out of 107.6DesignCanon EOS RP — Design 7.8 out of 107.8Sony a7 III — Design 7.2 out of 107.2Editorial score out of 10 — higher is better

Which one to pick

Take the Canon EOS RP

Leads on Ease of use and Design.

  • You have Canon EF lenses and want full frame without changing systems
  • Weight decides whether the camera comes along at all
  • You're coming from a phone or a Canon Rebel and want menus that make sense

Take the Sony a7 III

Leads on Performance, Value and Durability.

  • You want full frame with stabilization for the least outlay
  • You want the widest choice of used and third-party lenses (Sigma, Tamron, Samyang, Viltrox)
  • Battery life matters, since the NP-FZ100 lasts well past a day of casual shooting

What each one gets wrong

Canon EOS RP

  • You shoot video, since 4K carries a heavy crop and loses Dual Pixel autofocus
  • You'd go through a battery before lunch and hate carrying spares

Sony a7 III

  • Your hands are large and a shallow grip will annoy you every day
  • You need 4K at 60p or 10-bit video

Specs, side by side

SpecCanon EOS RPSony a7 III
Sensor26.2MP full-frame CMOS24.2MP full-frame BSI CMOS
StabilizationNone in body5-axis in-body
BurstUp to 5 fpsUp to 10 fps
Video4K up to 24p (1.6x crop)4K up to 30p
Card slotsSingle SD UHS-IIDual SD (one UHS-II)
BatteryLP-E17, about 250 shots (CIPA)NP-FZ100, about 610 shots (CIPA, viewfinder)
MountCanon RFSony E

Rankings they both appear in

Questions

Canon EOS RP or Sony a7 III — which should I buy?
Sony a7 III leads on Performance, Value and Durability. If Ease of use and Design matter more to you, take the Canon EOS RP instead.
Is 0.3 a real difference?
Barely. Canon EOS RP averages 7.8 and Sony a7 III averages 8.1, and the total is the plain average of 5 axes, so 0.3 is what one axis moving 1.5 looks like after averaging. The axis split, 3-2, tells you more.
Which one ranks higher in "Used mirrorless bodies that still earn their keep"?
Sony a7 III sits at #3 in "Used mirrorless bodies that still earn their keep", Canon EOS RP at #4.