Sony a57 vs Canon EOS R3

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a57 and Canon EOS R3. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a57 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS R3 is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Sony a57 were released 2012 and Canon EOS R3 was released 2021. That is a 9 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a57 2012
Canon EOS R3 2021

Type of camera

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a57 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS R3 has a "Canon Full Frame"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a57 75 mm
Sony APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Canon EOS R3 50 mm
Full-frame sensor
No crop factor/focal length multiplier

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Sony a57 has a 16 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS R3 has 24 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a57 16 MP
16032768 pixels
4912 x 3264
Canon EOS R3 24 MP
24000000 pixels
6000 x 4000

Canon EOS R3 has a 50 % larger resolution than Sony a57. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Canon EOS R3 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a57. Canon EOS R3 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 102400 while Sony a57 has 100 to 16000.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a57 100-16000
Canon EOS R3 100-102400

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Worth mentioning is that Canon EOS R3 belongs to the Canon EOS R-system and needs an adapter to work with Canons EF, EF-S, MP-E, and TS-E lenses. You can read more about this adapter here:
Canon Lens Mount Adapter EF-EOS R

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a57
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS R3

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a57 can shoot up to 12 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS R3 can shoot up to 30 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a57 12
Canon EOS R3 30

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Sony a57 and Canon EOS R3 can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Canon EOS R3 weighs 1015 gr (equal to 2.24 lb) which is 64% heavier than Sony a57 and its 618 gr (or 1.36 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a57 618 gr
1.36 lb
Canon EOS R3 1015 gr
2.24 lb

Sony a57 vs Canon EOS R3 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a57 and Canon EOS R3, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
Name Sony a57 Canon EOS R3
Manufacturer Sony Canon
Release Date and Price
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
Release Year 2012 2021
Release Date 2012-03-13 2021-04-14
MSRP 699 USD 5999 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
Camera Type SLT Mirrorless
Sensor
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
Sensor Size APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)
Sensor Type CMOS Stacked CMOS
Resolution 4912 x 3264 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
Megapixels 16 MP 24 MP
Image Processor Bionz DIGIC X
Image
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
ISO Range 100 - 16000 100 - 102400
White Balance Presets 9 6
Custom White Balance Yes No
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift)
Yes
(Sensor-Shift)
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Touch
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 15 1053
Lens Mount Sony A

See Compatible Lenses
Canon RF

See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier APS-C Sensor (1.5x)
1.5x multiplier
Example:
24 mm becomes 36 mm
50 mm becomes 75 mm
100 mm becomes 150 mm
200 mm becomes 300 mm
Full frame
No multiplier
Example:
24 mm remains 24 mm
50 mm remains 50 mm
100 mm remains 100 mm
200 mm remains 200 mm
Screen & Viewfinder
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
Articulated LCD Fully articulated Fully articulated
Screen size 3” 3.2”
Screen dots 921000 4150000
Touch screen No Yes
Screen type Xtra Fine TFT drive with TruBlack technology TFT LCD
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 1.04× (0.69× 35mm equiv.) 0.76×
Viewfinder Resolution N/A 5760000
Photography features
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
Frames per second 12 fps 30 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000 seconds 1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash Yes No
Built-in Flash Range 10 meters N/A
External Flash Yes Yes
Self-Timer Yes Yes
Time-lapse No Yes
Metering modes Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Partial
Exposure Compensation +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps) +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
H.264
AVCHD
MPEG4
H.264
H.265
Video resolution 1440 x 1080
1920 x 1080
1920 x 1080
3840 x 2160
4096 x 2160
Built-in Microphone Yes Yes
Built-in Speakers Yes Yes
Storage
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
Compact Flash Express
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port No Yes
Headphone Port No Yes
Wireless Yes
Eye-Fi Connected
Yes
Built-in (802.11ac + Bluetooth)
Remote Control Yes (Optional) Yes (via smartphone)
GPS No Yes
Built-in
Body & Dimensions
Sony a57
Canon EOS R3
Enviromentally sealed No Yes
Battery Battery Pack Built-in
Battery Details Rechargeable NP-FM500H battery & charger
LP-E19 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 550 shots 760 shots
Width 132 mm 150 mm
Height 98 mm 143 mm
Depth 81 mm 87 mm
Weight 618 gram 1015 gram