I’m comparing Canon R5 VS Canon R3 so, if you are one of that who wants to try some shots with those brand cameras I’m giving you my side-by-side comparison with quality and everything.
All the specs of these things how they perform when you’re shooting portraits, in low light, you’re shooting video, and how the ibis performs. Think should you buy the EOS R5 or the EOS R3 and think about which is the right camera for your needs.
if you’re going to compare those cameras look at the files and how they edit right the EOS R3 is great in low light camera when it comes to high iso performance, when it comes to the EVF you can find those capabilities in the EOS R5.
Some of the things I love about the EOS R5 is 45-megapixel sensor being able to crop in quickly goes to the crop aspect ratio mode and to a 1,6 crop.
So, I don’t think that is not an argument for the overall quality and difference between those cameras because 24.1 megapixels is great, the EOS R6 has around that size and it’s perfectly fine for weddings.
the brand new EOS R3, EOS R5, and also the EOS R6 these cameras are probably some of the best-selling mirrorless cameras from the canon range at the moment.
Maybe they are similar in body and specs but they are very different target audiences. After testing the speed, shot portraits, and testing low light shots of these cameras you want to know which one is best for you definitely you are along the ride.
Table of Contents
What Are Similarities Between Canon R5 vs Canon R3?
So, speaking of bodies both the cameras are tough and have magnesium alloy bodies, both cameras offer the same shutter speed, both have 5.76 million dots EVF, both deliver high quality images in jpeg raw C-RAW and HEIF format depending on the resolution, both have dual card slots one for the SD series and one for cfexpress, both have eye phase and head detection, both have same in-body stabilization.
The autofocus just like the R5 the R3 features the upgraded dual-pixel CMOS autofocus that is quicker and more accurate delivering good autofocus performance credit also goes to the incredible 1053 automatic autofocus zones present in both cameras.
Body
the Canon R5 is smaller and lighter than the R3 so as far as weight and size go the R5 is going to win you’re going to be able to hand hold it easier, you’re going to be able to carry it around and pack it into smaller places much easier.
but you also have to take into fact that the R3 is built a lot better not that the R5 isn’t built super but the R3 is just built better and it has that built-in battery grip on the bottom.
Autofocus Specs
So, when we talk about autofocus specs on the Canon R6 and Canon R5 is 12 mechanical and 20 electronic but in comparison with the Canon R3 is way faster it’s 12 mechanical and 30 fps in electronic.
In terms of the burst shooting it’s actually very similar between 30fps and 20fps so, 20 frames a second is really fast and 30 is just a little bit faster. So if you are an amateur wildlife photographer you can’t see the difference but that type of speed shooting would be a pretty solid performance.
the autofocus on those cameras is spectacular the eye tracking the animal autofocus all those things work phenomenally well. In theory, the autofocus system is the same throughout these cameras but the R3 is a step further when it comes to the autofocus tracking capabilities.
Both cameras are extremely fast and extremely accurate when it comes to autofocus definitely two of the very best cameras on the market in regards to autofocus.
Sensor Capabilities
When it comes to sensor capabilities EOS R5 is 45 MP Full Frame CMOS, and EOS R3 is coming with even less than 24 megapixels a Back Illuminated Stacked Sensor, and more megapixels give you a cleaner image.
So, obviously, with 24MP you’re gonna have a smaller file size which is nice but besides that, the R5 allows so much more flexibility for cropping and captures so much more detail.
What is Difference Between Stacked and CMOS Sensors?
the R3 does have a stacked sensor which is very nice and is something that the R5 doesn’t have, and with this stacked sensor you get much faster readout speeds and less rolling shutter distortion in fast moving images.
Why Should Choose 45MP Over 24MP?
If you choose 45 megapixels over 24MP it provides more flexibility and having 45 megapixels to capture so much detail and crop in its a better feature than having a stacked sensor.
Image Quality
If we look at the image quality the EOS R5 is going to be sharper its captures way more detail and its great camera landscapes and portraits.
Stabilization
In terms of image stabilization both cameras have the exact same in-body stabilization that allows for 8 stops of image stabilization and is pretty darn amazing on both of them but it is the exact same system in both so you can’t really compare these and it’s the same.
Low-Light Performance
the low-light performance of these cameras the differences between lowlight performance on the EOS 5 in that scenario struggling a little bit I found the EOS R3 performs better in a low light scenario.
So, in fact, the EOS R5 because of its higher megapixel it’s not going to be the greatest low light solution. If you look at the EOS R6 I must mention this camera and the EOS R3 expanded ISO it’s actually doubled than the EOS R5. So, you can push R3 and R6 in low light way more than you can with the R5.
IBIS Performance
Let’s talk about IBIS which is the stabilization inside of the body so the EOS R3 and EOS R5 are probably the best if I put in comparison to the EOS R6 the EOS R3 and the EOS R5 stabilization is a little bit better.
ISO
Taking a look at the noise in ISO 8000 file on the EOS R5 honestly the R5 has handled noise very well it’s pretty minimal generally it’s definitely the rebut it’s not bad by any means and especially when you’re zooming it’s really not even noticeable you can not see really any noise.
When we look at ISO 8000 on the R3 when you zoom to 100 definitely is much cleaner, the R3 is definitely the superior camera when it comes to noise handling it’s much better in this regard the R5 is amazing especially for a camera with such high megapixels but despite that the R3 is the very clear winner.
Frame Rates
So, with the mechanical shutter on both the EOS R3 and the EOS R5, you get 12 frames a second so that’s even on both cameras but when you step up to the electronic shutter this is where there’s a difference on the R5 you get 20 frames a second on the R3 you get 30 frames a second and you can capture every single little movement with 30 frames a second.
Video Features
So, when it comes to video, both cameras have 4k 120, and both can film in the same quality and speed of slow motion, but the R3 has 6K 60 frames a second video, and the R5 has 8K 30 frames a second video.
In comparison with video differences with these cameras of the slo-motion capabilities so if you shoot in slo-motion it will play back already slow down so you have very little control over the frames.
The R3 does oversample 4K up to 60 frames a second so you get a sixth scale oversample in DCI and A 5.6K oversample in 4K.
That’s something different than the R5 because that only does the 4K oversampled mode up to 30 fps so 4K 60 in the R5 is line skipped in comparison to the EOS R5C it oversampled 4K 60 but that does not have the same autofocus system that is in the R5 or of the R3.
slo-motion features in these cameras on the EOS R5 it’s 4K 120, on the EOS R3 4K 120 in comparison with EOS R6 you can only shoot in 120fps in full HD.
Because R5 has more video options this camera will give you the ability to record internal 8K raw at a maximum of 30fps. The EOS R3 shoots 6K raw and is capable of doing it at up to 60fps, If I put it here EOS R6 does not shoot in a native raw format.
So if you are shooting somewhere outside in hot weather maybe you will get a little warning message on the menu unfortunately the EOS R5 overheats at some stages.
Storage
In terms of the memory card slots in these cameras in both the R3 and the R5, you have a cf express card slot and then an sd card slot and those are your options for memory cards.
the R5 has one SD card slot and one CFExpress card whereas the R3 has the exact same thing but it should have two CF Express card slots instead has one CF Express card slot in one SD card slot.
If you’re working in photography you understand the fact that having an SD card slot along with the CF Express card slot just like in the R5 and the R3 is actually very convenient because when you spend $6,000 on the camera who wants to spend even more trying to upgrade all of your CFExpress cards and that gets expensive.
Battery
the Canon R3 uses lP-E19 batteries which are 2700 milliamp hours compare that to the smaller lp-E6 NH batteries found in EOS R5 which are 2130 milliamp hours while the R3 battery is bigger in comparison one-on-one it’s limited in that it’s not expandable like the R5 with a battery grip that holds two of its batteries.
the R3 has one in this category pretty obvious with that built-in grip on the bottom you use the larger canon batteries and they last much longer.
Price
When it comes to price the R3 cost $6,000 and the R5 cost $3,900 so what are you getting given the price that you’re paying and is it worth what you’re paying for it and for both the R3 and the R5 I think that they are worth what you pay for them.
Which Camera is Better for Wildlife Photography?
This camera is incredible this is a sports and Wildlife fast shooting camera and with that comes the incredible speed in terms of autofocus.
So, why do I consider the R3 to be the best Wildlife photography camera for Stills and videography when it comes to video you can shoot in 4K 24 30 60 120 and you can also shoot in 1080p at 240 fps.
So, with the R5 you get your classic methods that we had on the DSLRs whether it be spot AF zone you also get animal eye AF which is a huge step up for the R5 whereas with the R3 you also get eye control AF.
Where R3 Wins Over R5?
the R3 autofocus delivers fast Stills mode and also in video mode the branches is able to keep up with a bird and keep the eye in Focus really good stuff.
the animal eye autofocus works a treat and it’s just become such an invaluable tool for wildlife photographers animal IELTS focus in Stills and video mode is slightly better than the R5.
Why You Should Buy Canon R3?
The Canon R3 is a hybrid camera, but it’s clearly aimed at professional photography scenarios, especially those leveraging its terrific drive speed and outstanding autofocus.
So, because R3 shoots 6K raw it eats a ton of storage but you get some really great benefits of shooting raw like you get access to the C-log 2 profile which is like an enhanced dynamic range that is way better than C-log 3.
So, a reason to buy R3 is I do love low light capability, the focusing is absolutely incredible, you got the eye control autofocus, and it shoots faster frames per second.
Why Should you Buy R5?
You’d rather have 60 frames a second and shoot at a little lower quality maybe you’d rather have 8K and shoot at a little lower frame rate but I prefer using the 8K footage and shooting with a lower frame rate I think 30 frames a second is plenty enough with 8K you can crop in on that footage and still get some decent stuff out of it sometimes you’re going to deal with heat distortion.
Conclusion
What else I can say when you put Canon R5 vs Canon R3 side by side while you shoot you will see the differences. If you are shooting sports wildlife EOS R6 would be the ideal camera for starting out.
EOS R5 because of its higher megapixel is more like a video camera it’s great for shooting weddings shooting sports, or wildlife photography. EOS R3 is a sport and wildlife and more professional camera than the EOS R6 would be.
So, in the end, if you’re shooting professionally in this case, there is no other option except EOS R3 because the autofocus is so good you will never miss the shot and it has better battery life. If you need better video performance go with EOS R5 it has more megapixels and the video performance would be great.
Release Date | 9 July 2020 | 14 September 2021 |
Body Type | SLR Style Mirrorless | SLR Style Mirrorless |
Sensor type | Full Frame CMOS | Full Frame Back-Illuminated Stacked CMOS |
Sensor size | 36 x 24 | 36 x 24 |
Sensor resolution | 8192 x 5464 | 6000 x 4000 |
Sensor pixels | 45 | 24.1 |
Processor | Digic X | Digic X |
Lens mount | Canon RF | Canon RF |
Continuous shooting | 12fps Mechanic 20fps Electric | 12fps Mechanic 30fps Electric |
ISO | Auto 100-51200 Expanded 102400 | Auto 100102400 Expanded 204800 |
Shutter type | ||
Shutter speed | Min 30 sec Max 1/8000 sec Electronic 1/8000sec | Min 30 sec Max 1/8000 sec Electronic 1/64000sec |
Image format | JPEG, RAW, C-RAW, HEIF | JPEG, RAW, C-RAW, HEIF |
Autofocus type | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II |
Autofocus points | 1053 | 1053 |
Low Light Performance | -6 EV | – 7,5 EV |
Tracking | Eye, Face, Head | Eye, Face, Head |
Detection | Animal, Birds | Animal, Birds |
Screen type | Fully Articulated touchscreen | Fully Articulated touchscreen |
Screen size | 3.15″ | 3.2″ |
Screen resolution | 2,100,000 dots | 4,150,000 dots |
Screen | ||
Build in Flash | NO | NO |
Storage type | Dual Slots SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II CFexpress UHS II | SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II CFexpress UHS-II |
Battery Type | LP-E6NH 2130 mAh | LP-E19 2700 mAh |
Battery Life | 320 shots | 760 shots |
Weather sealing | Dust & Water-resistant | Dust & Water resistant |
Focal length multiplier | 1x | 1x |
Video format | MPEG-4, H.264, H.265 | MPEG-4, H.264, H.265 |
Connectivity | USB Type C 3.1 GEN1 10bit sec | USB Type C 3.1 GEN1 10bit sec |
Build in GPS | NO | Yes |
Image ratio | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
White balance presets | 8 | 6 |
Custom white balance | Yes | Yes |
Image stabilization | sensor shift 5 axis 8 stops | sensor shift 5 axis 8 stops |
Manual focus | Yes | Yes |
Live View | Yes | Yes |
Viewfinder type | Electronic | Electronic |
Viewfinder resolution | 5,760,000 dots | 5,760,000 dots |
Viewfinder magnification | 0.76x | 0.76x |
Coverage | 100% | 100% |
Aperture priority | Yes | Yes |
Shutter Priority | Yes | Yes |
Manual exposure mode | Yes | Yes |
External flash | Yes | Yes |
Self timer | Yes | Yes |
Exposure compensation | +/- 3 at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps | +/- 3 at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps |
WB Bracketing | Yes | Yes |
Ports | HDMI Microphone Headphone | HDMI Microphone Headphone |
Build in WIreless | Yes | Yes |
Wireless transmitter | 802.11ac | 802.11ac |
Weight | 738g | 1015g |
Dimensions | 138 x 98 x 88m | 150 x 143 x 87mm |
Video resolution | 8K 8192 x 4320 up 30p DCI 4K 4096 x 2160 up 120p FHD 1920 x 1080 up to 60p | 6K 6000 x 3164 up 60p DCI 4K 4096 x 2160 up to 120p FHD 1920 x 1080 up to 120p |
Flash X Sync speed | 1/200 sec | 1/250 sec |
Which Camera Should you Buy R5 or R3?
I think you’re gonna get more out of the R5 you’re getting a camera that has phenomenal autofocus ISO, handling 45megapixels all that stuff for only $3,900. You’re getting it for 2 100 cheaper than the R3 and it’s a very comparable camera to the R3 they’re even comparable.
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