Canon R50 vs Sony A9 III
The Canon EOS R50 and the Sony Alpha A9 III are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2023 and November 2023. Both the R50 and the A9 III are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (R50) and a full frame (A9 III) 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.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R50 and the Sony Alpha A9 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 R50 and the Sony A9 III. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.
The R50 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the A9 III is only available in black.
If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A9 III is notably larger (32 percent) than the Canon R50. Moreover, the A9 III is substantially heavier (87 percent) than the R50. It is noteworthy in this context that the A9 III is splash and dust-proof, while the R50 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 R50 gets 230 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the A9 III can take 530 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 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.
Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon R50 | 116 mm | 86 mm | 69 mm | 375 g | 230 | n | Feb 2023 | US$ 679 | amazon.com | |
2. | Sony A9 III | 136 mm | 97 mm | 83 mm | 702 g | 530 | Y | Nov 2023 | US$ 5 999 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon M3 | 111 mm | 68 mm | 44 mm | 366 g | 250 | n | Feb 2015 | US$ 679 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon M5 | 116 mm | 89 mm | 61 mm | 427 g | 295 | n | Sep 2016 | US$ 979 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon M6 | 112 mm | 68 mm | 45 mm | 390 g | 295 | n | Feb 2017 | US$ 779 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon M50 | 116 mm | 88 mm | 59 mm | 390 g | 235 | n | Feb 2018 | US$ 779 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon M50 Mark II | 116 mm | 88 mm | 59 mm | 387 g | 305 | n | Oct 2020 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon R10 | 123 mm | 88 mm | 83 mm | 429 g | 450 | n | May 2022 | US$ 979 | amazon.com | |
9. | Canon R100 | 116 mm | 86 mm | 69 mm | 356 g | 400 | n | May 2023 | US$ 479 | amazon.com | |
10. | Canon SL2 | 122 mm | 93 mm | 70 mm | 453 g | 650 | n | Jun 2017 | US$ 549 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon SL3 | 122 mm | 93 mm | 70 mm | 449 g | 1070 | n | Apr 2019 | US$ 599 | amazon.com | |
12. | Canon T7i | 131 mm | 100 mm | 76 mm | 532 g | 600 | n | Feb 2017 | US$ 749 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony A1 | 129 mm | 97 mm | 81 mm | 737 g | 530 | Y | Jan 2021 | US$ 6 499 | amazon.com | |
14. | Sony A7 II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 599 g | 350 | Y | Nov 2014 | US$ 1 999 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7 III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 610 | Y | Feb 2018 | US$ 1 999 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A9 | 127 mm | 96 mm | 63 mm | 673 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2017 | US$ 4 499 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A9 II | 129 mm | 96 mm | 76 mm | 678 g | 690 | Y | Oct 2019 | US$ 4 499 | amazon.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The R50 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 89 percent) than the A9 III, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
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 tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon R50 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A9 III a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A9 III is 155 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.
Even though the A9 III has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the A9 III has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.72μm for the R50), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the A9 III is a somewhat more recent model (by 8 months) than the R50, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.
The Canon EOS R50 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 A9 III are ISO 250 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 125-51200.
In terms of underlying technology, the R50 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A9 III uses a Stacked 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 assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon R50 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.1 | 13.9 | 2168 | 84 | |
2. | Sony A9 III | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/120p | 25.4 | 14.7 | 3243 | 96 | |
3. | Canon M3 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 11.8 | 1169 | 72 | |
4. | Canon M5 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.4 | 12.4 | 1262 | 77 | |
5. | Canon M6 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.4 | 12.6 | 1317 | 78 | |
6. | Canon M50 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/24p | 23.8 | 13.3 | 1684 | 81 | |
7. | Canon M50 Mark II | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/24p | 24.0 | 13.6 | 1939 | 83 | |
8. | Canon R10 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4k/60p | 24.1 | 13.8 | 2085 | 84 | |
9. | Canon R100 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4k/24p | 24.1 | 13.9 | 2197 | 84 | |
10. | Canon SL2 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.6 | 13.4 | 1041 | 79 | |
11. | Canon SL3 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/25p | 23.9 | 13.4 | 1791 | 82 | |
12. | Canon T7i | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.7 | 13.1 | 1586 | 80 | |
13. | Sony A1 | Full Frame | 49.8 | 8640 | 5760 | 8k/30p | 25.9 | 14.5 | 3163 | 98 | |
14. | Sony A7 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.9 | 13.6 | 2449 | 90 | |
15. | Sony A7 III | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 3730 | 96 | |
16. | Sony A9 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.9 | 13.3 | 3517 | 92 | |
17. | Sony A9 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.0 | 3434 | 93 | |
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age. |
Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A9 III provides a faster frame rate than the R50. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/120p, while the Canon is limited to 4K/30p.
Feature comparison
Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A9 III offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the R50 (9440k vs 2360k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R50 and Sony A9 III in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
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 R50 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1620 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 12.0/s | Y | n | |
2. | Sony A9 III | 9440 | n | 3.2 / 2100 | full-flex | Y | 1/80000s | 120.0/s | n | Y | |
3. | Canon M3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 4.2/s | Y | n | |
4. | Canon M5 | 2360 | n | 3.2 / 1620 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 9.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Canon M6 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 9.0/s | Y | n | |
6. | Canon M50 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | Y | n | |
7. | Canon M50 Mark II | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 10.0/s | Y | n | |
8. | Canon R10 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 15.0/s | Y | n | |
9. | Canon R100 | 2360 | n | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 6.5/s | Y | n | |
10. | Canon SL2 | optical | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Canon SL3 | optical | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 5.0/s | Y | n | |
12. | Canon T7i | optical | n | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
13. | Sony A1 | 9437 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Sony A7 II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1230 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
15. | Sony A7 III | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Sony A9 | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
17. | Sony A9 II | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/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 R50 has one, while the A9 III does not. While the built-in flash of the R50 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.
Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.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 R50 and the Sony A9 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 R50 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A9 III uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. The A9 III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the R50 only has one slot. The A9 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the R50 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 R50 and Sony Alpha A9 III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon R50 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
2. | Sony A9 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
3. | Canon M3 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
4. | Canon M5 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
5. | Canon M6 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
6. | Canon M50 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
7. | Canon M50 Mark II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
8. | Canon R10 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
9. | Canon R100 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
10. | Canon SL2 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
11. | Canon SL3 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | Y | |
12. | Canon T7i | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
13. | Sony A1 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
14. | Sony A7 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
15. | Sony A7 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony A9 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
17. | Sony A9 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y |
It is notable that the A9 III has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The R50 lacks such a headphone port.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A9 III (unlike the R50) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the R50 and the A9 III are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The A9 III replaced the earlier Sony A9 II, while the R50 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the R50 and A9 III can be found, respectively, in the Canon R50 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A9 III Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon R50 and the Sony A9 III? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.
Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R50:
- More compact: Is smaller (116x86mm vs 136x97mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
- Less heavy: Is lighter (by 327g or 47 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
- Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (89 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2023).
Advantages of the Sony Alpha A9 III:
- Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
- Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
- More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
- Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
- Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/120p versus 4K/30p).
- Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
- More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (9440k vs 2360k dots).
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.9x vs 0.58x).
- 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 1620k dots).
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/80000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (120 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Longer lasting: Gets more shots (530 versus 230) out of a single battery charge.
- 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.
- 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.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
- More modern: Was introduced somewhat (8 months) more recently.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A9 III is the clear winner of the contest (20 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 R50 and the Sony A9 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 the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the R50 or the A9 III perform in practice. 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 where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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.
Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price |
Street Price |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Canon R50 | 4/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 84/100 | .. | 4.5/5 | Feb 2023 | US$ 679 | amazon.com | |
2. | Sony A9 III | 4.5/5 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | Nov 2023 | US$ 5 999 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon M3 | 4/5 | o | .. | 75/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2015 | US$ 679 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon M5 | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Sep 2016 | US$ 979 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon M6 | .. | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2017 | US$ 779 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon M50 | .. | + | 4/5 | 79/100 | .. | 3.5/5 | Feb 2018 | US$ 779 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon M50 Mark II | 4/5 | .. | 4/5 | .. | 4.5/5 | 3.5/5 | Oct 2020 | US$ 599 | ebay.com | |
8. | Canon R10 | 4/5 | .. | 4.5/5 | 87/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | May 2022 | US$ 979 | amazon.com | |
9. | Canon R100 | 3/5 | o | 4.5/5 | 79/100 | .. | 3.5/5 | May 2023 | US$ 479 | amazon.com | |
10. | Canon SL2 | 4/5 | + + | 4/5 | 78/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Jun 2017 | US$ 549 | ebay.com | |
11. | Canon SL3 | 4/5 | o | 4.5/5 | 79/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Apr 2019 | US$ 599 | amazon.com | |
12. | Canon T7i | 4.5/5 | .. | 3.5/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2017 | US$ 749 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony A1 | 5/5 | o | 4.5/5 | 93/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2021 | US$ 6 499 | amazon.com | |
14. | Sony A7 II | 5/5 | + | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Nov 2014 | US$ 1 999 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7 III | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2018 | US$ 1 999 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A9 | 5/5 | + + | 4.8/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2017 | US$ 4 499 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A9 II | .. | .. | 5/5 | 90/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Oct 2019 | US$ 4 499 | amazon.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time 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.
Other camera comparisons
Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
- Canon 1200D vs Canon R50
- Canon 4000D vs Sony A9 III
- Canon G5 X vs Sony A9 III
- Canon R50 vs Canon T4i
- Canon R50 vs Panasonic G10
- Canon R50 vs Panasonic G95
- Canon R50 vs Sony A7R IV
- Canon R50 vs Sony RX10 IV
- Fujifilm X-A2 vs Sony A9 III
- Fujifilm X100T vs Sony A9 III
- Leica TL2 vs Sony A9 III
- Olympus E-1 vs Sony A9 III
Specifications: Canon R50 vs Sony A9 III
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Canon R50 | Sony A9 III |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Canon RF mount lenses | Sony E mount lenses |
Launch Date | February 2023 | November 2023 |
Launch Price | USD 679 | USD 5,999 |
Sensor Specs | Canon R50 | Sony A9 III |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | Stacked CMOS |
Sensor Format | APS-C Sensor | Full Frame Sensor |
Sensor Size | 22.3 x 14.9 mm | 35.6 x 23.8 mm |
Sensor Area | 332.27 mm2 | 847.28 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 26.8 mm | 42.8 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.6x | 1.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | 24 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 3.72 μm | 5.94 μm |
Pixel Density | 7.22 MP/cm2 | 2.83 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | 4K/120p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 32,000 ISO | 250 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 100 - 51,200 ISO | 125 - 51,200 ISO |
Image Processor | DIGIC X | Dual BIONZ XR |
Screen Specs | Canon R50 | Sony A9 III |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.58x | 0.9x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 2360k dots | 9440k dots |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.2inch |
LCD Resolution | 1620k dots | 2100k dots |
LCD Attachment | Swivel screen | Fully flexible screen |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Canon R50 | Sony A9 III |
Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/80000s |
Continuous Shooting | 12 shutter flaps/s | 120 shutter flaps/s |
Electronic Shutter | up to 1/8000s | up to 1/80000s |
Time-Lapse Photography | Intervalometer built-in | Intervalometer built-in |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | Built-in Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | CFexA or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Dual card slots |
UHS card support | UHS-I | UHS-II |
Connectivity Specs | Canon R50 | Sony A9 III |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | no PC Sync | PC Sync socket |
USB Connector | USB 3.2 | USB 3.2 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | full HDMI |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | no Headphone port | Headphone port |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | Bluetooth built-in |
Body Specs | Canon R50 | Sony A9 III |
Environmental Sealing | not weather sealed | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Canon LP-E17 | Sony NP-FZ100 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 230 shots per charge | 530 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
116 x 86 x 69 mm (4.6 x 3.4 x 2.7 in) |
136 x 97 x 83 mm (5.4 x 3.8 x 3.3 in) |
Camera Weight | 375 g (13.2 oz) | 702 g (24.8 oz) |
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