Sony a850 vs Canon EOS R3

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a850 and Canon EOS R3. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a850 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS R3 is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Sony a850 is a DSLR camera while Canon EOS R3 is a Mirrorless camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

Even though the camera sensors might be called differently they are both considered Full frame which means that the focal length of the lenses is not affected. There is no crop factor on any of these cameras and sensors.

** 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 a850 has a 25 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:

Sony a850 has a 2 % larger resolution than Canon EOS R3. 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 a850. Canon EOS R3 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 102400 while Sony a850 has 200 to 3200.

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 a850
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 a850 can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS R3 can shoot up to 30 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

It is only one of these two cameras that support recording movies and movie clips and that is Canon EOS R3. Sadly, the Sony a850 does not support this.

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 13% heavier than Sony a850 and its 895 gr (or 1.97 lb).

Sony a850 vs Canon EOS R3 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a850 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 a850	Canon EOS R3
Name	Sony a850	Canon EOS R3
Manufacturer	Sony	Canon
Release Date and Price	Sony a850	Canon EOS R3
Release Year	2009	2021
Release Date	2009-08-27	2021-04-14
MSRP	1999 USD	5999 USD
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Camera Type	Sony a850	Canon EOS R3
Camera Type	DSLR	Mirrorless
Sensor	Sony a850	Canon EOS R3
Sensor Size	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)	Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm)
Sensor Type	CMOS	Stacked CMOS
Resolution	6048 x 4032 pixels	6000 x 4000 pixels
Megapixels	25 MP	24 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	DIGIC X
Image	Sony a850	Canon EOS R3
ISO Range	200 - 3200	100 - 102400
White Balance Presets	7	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 a850	Canon EOS R3
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	9	1053
Lens Mount	Sony A See Compatible Lenses	Canon RF See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	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	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 a850	Canon EOS R3
Articulated LCD	Fixed	Fully articulated
Screen size	3”	3.2”
Screen dots	921600	4150000
Touch screen	No	Yes
Screen type	TFT Xtra Fine color LCD	TFT LCD
Live view	No	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical (pentaprism)	Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage	98%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.74×	0.76×
Viewfinder Resolution	N/A	5760000
Photography features	Sony a850	Canon EOS R3
Frames per second	3 fps	30 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	30 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/8000 seconds	1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash	No	No
Built-in Flash Range	N/A	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 a850	Canon EOS R3
Video recording	No	Yes
Video format	N/A	MPEG4 H.264 H.265
Video resolution	N/A	1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160 4096 x 2160
Built-in Microphone	No	Yes
Built-in Speakers	No	Yes
Storage	Sony a850	Canon EOS R3
Memory Card	Compact Flash Memory Stick Pro Duo	Compact Flash Express SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony a850	Canon EOS R3
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	Yes
Headphone Port	No	Yes
Wireless	No	Yes Built-in (802.11ac + Bluetooth)
Remote Control	Yes (Wired or Wireless (Optional))	Yes (via smartphone)
GPS	No	Yes Built-in
Body & Dimensions	Sony a850	Canon EOS R3
Enviromentally sealed	No	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Built-in
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion NP-FM500H rechargeable battery & charger	LP-E19 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	880 shots	760 shots
Width	156 mm	150 mm
Height	117 mm	143 mm
Depth	82 mm	87 mm
Weight	895 gram	1015 gram