Canon R10 vs Sony A7R II

The Canon EOS R10 and the Sony Alpha A7R II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in May 2022 and June 2015. Both the R10 and the A7R II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (R10) and a full frame (A7R II) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 42.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R10		Sony A7R II
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		42.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
4k/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1229k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
15 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
450 shots per battery charge		290 shots per battery charge
123 x 88 x 83 mm, 429 g		127 x 96 x 60 mm, 625 g

Check R10 price at
amazon.com
Check A7R II offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R10 and the Sony Alpha A7R II? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon R10 and the Sony A7R II is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions 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 A7R II is notably larger (13 percent) than the Canon R10. Moreover, the A7R II is substantially heavier (46 percent) than the R10. It is noteworthy in this context that the A7R II is splash and dust-proof, while the R10 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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 R10 gets 450 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the A7R II can take 290 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	979	amazon.com
2.		Sony A7R II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	625 g	290	Y	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
4.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
5.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	1,499	amazon.com
6.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
7.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	479	amazon.com
8.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm X-E4	121 mm	73 mm	33 mm	364 g	380	n	Jan 2021	849	amazon.com
10.		Fujifilm X-T30	118 mm	83 mm	47 mm	383 g	380	n	Feb 2019	899	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	118 mm	83 mm	47 mm	383 g	380	n	Sep 2021	899	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Z fc	135 mm	94 mm	44 mm	445 g	300	n	Jun 2021	959	amazon.com
13.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A7R IIIA	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
17.		Sony A7S II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	627 g	370	Y	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.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 obviously take relative prices into account. 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 R10 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 69 percent) than the A7R II, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon R10 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A7R II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A7R II is 162 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 42.2MP, the A7R II offers a higher resolution than the R10 (24MP), but the A7R II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.52μm versus 3.70μm for the R10) due to its larger sensor. However, the R10 is a much more recent model (by 6 years and 11 months) than the A7R II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A7R II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7R II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7R II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 39.8 x 26.5 inches or 101 x 67.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 31.8 x 21.2 inches or 80.8 x 53.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 26.5 x 17.7 inches or 67.3 x 44.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon R10 are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS R10 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A7R II are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the R10 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A7R II 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). 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 R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
2.		Sony A7R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	13.9	3434	98
3.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
4.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
5.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
6.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
7.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
8.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
9.		Fujifilm X-E4	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2085	85
10.		Fujifilm X-T30	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.5	1895	83
11.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2144	85
12.		Nikon Z fc	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2131	85
13.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
14.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
15.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
16.		Sony A7R IIIA	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
17.		Sony A7S II	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	4K/30p	23.6	13.3	2993	85
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the R10 provides a higher frame rate than the A7R II. It can shoot video footage at 4k/60p, while the Sony is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A7R II offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the R10 (2400k vs 2360k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon R10 and Sony A7R II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A7R II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
8.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
9.		Fujifilm X-E4	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
10.		Fujifilm X-T30	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
11.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon Z fc	2360	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
13.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
15.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7R IIIA	3686	n	3.0 / 2340	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A7S II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The R10 has one, while the A7R II does not. While the built-in flash of the R10 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 R10 has 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 R10 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A7R II uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The R10 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the A7R II can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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 R10 and Sony Alpha A7R II 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 R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A7R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Fujifilm X-E4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Fujifilm X-T30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon Z fc	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A7R IIIA	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A7S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the A7R II has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The R10 lacks such a headphone port.

The R10 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the A7R II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the A7R II was succeeded by the Sony A7R III. Further information on the features and operation of the R10 and A7R II can be found, respectively, in the Canon R10 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7R II Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon R10 or the Sony A7R II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R10:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4k/60p versus 4K/30p).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (15 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (123x88mm vs 127x96mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 196g or 31 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (450 versus 290) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (69 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 6 years and 11 months of technical progress since the A7R II launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7R II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (42.2 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 33%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.58x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1229k vs 1040k dots).
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2015).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R10 is the clear winner of the match-up (15 : 9 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 R10 and the Sony A7R II 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the R10 or the A7R II. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	979	amazon.com
2.		Sony A7R II	5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Jun 2015	3,199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
4.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
5.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	1,499	amazon.com
6.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	679	amazon.com
7.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	479	amazon.com
8.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm X-E4	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2021	849	amazon.com
10.		Fujifilm X-T30	5/5	+ +	5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	899	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	5/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	899	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Z fc	4/5	..	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2021	959	amazon.com
13.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A7R IIIA	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2021	3,199	amazon.com
17.		Sony A7S II	5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2015	2,999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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