Canon EOS R5 vs Sony a1: What to choose?
Both the Sony a1 and the Canon EOS R5 are full-frame mirrorless cameras with excellent speed and resolution. The Sony a1 is a somewhat newer and more costly camera, but both are competitive in their own right, and which is the "better" option will depend on your specific needs. What you should know is as follows!
Let’s dive into their Technical Specifications:
| Camera Feature | Canon EOS R5 | Sony a1 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | July 2020 | January 2021 |
| Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | Stacked CMOS |
| Image Processor | DIGIC X | BIONZ XR |
| Resolution | 45.0 MP | 50.1 MP |
| Pixel Dimensions | 8192×5464 | 8640×5760 |
| Sensor Dimensions | 36.0 x 24.0 mm (Full Frame) | 35.9 x 24.0 mm (Full Frame) |
| Sensor Pixel Size | 4.39µ | 4.16µ |
| Low Pass Filter | Yes | No |
| IBIS (In-Body Image Stabilization) | Yes | Yes |
| Base ISO | ISO 100 | ISO 100 |
| Max Native ISO | ISO 51,200 | ISO 32,000 |
| Extended ISOs | ISO 50-102,400 | ISO 50-102,400 |
| High-Resolution Sensor Shift | Yes (JPEG only) | Yes |
| Focus Stack Bracketing | Yes | No |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/8000 | 1/32000 |
| Longest Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Continuous Shooting (Mechanical Shutter) | 12 FPS | 10 FPS |
| Continuous Shooting (Electronic Shutter) | 20 FPS | 30 FPS |
| Notes for High FPS Shooting | None | Compressed raw at 30 FPS (uncompressed and lossless compressed raw at 20 FPS) |
| Buffer Size (Raw) | 83 frames (20 FPS), 180 frames (12 FPS) | 155 frames (30 FPS), 238 frames (20 FPS) |
| Autofocus System | Hybrid PDAF | Hybrid PDAF |
| Autofocus Points | 1053 | 759 |
| Low-Light AF Sensitivity (f/2 Lens, ISO 100) | -4.5 EV | -4 EV |
| Standard Flash Sync Speed | 1/250 | 1/400 |
| Video Features | Canon EOS R5 | Sony a1 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (Internal) | 12 bits | 10 bits |
| Maximum Video Bit Depth (External) | 12 bits | 12 bits |
| Raw Video | Yes | Yes, externally |
| 8K Maximum Framerate | 30 FPS | 30 FPS |
| 4K Maximum Framerate | 120 FPS | 120 FPS |
| 1080P Maximum Framerate | 120 FPS | 240 FPS |
| Additional Video Crop Factor | No | No |
| Chroma Subsampling | 4:2:2 | 4:2:2 |
| Video Recording Limit | 30 min | 780 min |
| Physical and Other Features | Canon EOS R5 | Sony a1 |
|---|---|---|
| Card Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Slot 1 Type | CFExpress Type B | CFExpress Type A, or SD (UHS-II) |
| Slot 2 Type | SD (UHS-II) | CFExpress Type A, or SD (UHS-II) |
| Rear LCD Size (Diagonal) | 3.2 in | 3.0 in |
| Rear LCD Resolution | 2.1 million dots | 1.44 million dots |
| Articulating LCD | Fully Articulating | Single Axis |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | EVF | EVF |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.76x | 0.90x |
| Viewfinder Resolution | 5.76 million dots | 9.44 million dots |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | 100% |
| Voice Memo | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | No | No |
| GPS | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | Type C 3.1 | Type C 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Battery Type | LP-E6NH | NP-FZ100 |
| Battery Life (Viewfinder) | 220 frames | 430 frames |
| Battery Life (Rear LCD) | 320 frames | 530 frames |
| Battery Life (Eco Mode) | 490 frames | N/A |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (Body Only w/ Battery + Card) | 738 g (1.63 lbs.) | 737 g (1.62 lbs.) |
| Dimensions (LxHxD) | 138 x 98 x 88 mm (5.4 x 3.8 x 3.5″) | 129 x 97 x 81 mm (5.1 x 3.9 x 3.3″) |
As you can see, there are a lot of similarities, and even a lot of the variations are little (such as the barely perceptible difference between 45 and 50 megapixels). However, each camera has certain true advantages in some situations.
For instance, the Sony a1's full-resolution 30 FPS mode makes it potentially superior to the Canon EOS R5's 20 FPS option for high-speed shooting. You might be able to get by with even 20 frames per second instead of 30! Even while the EOS R5 isn't far behind, the a1 wins out in high-speed scenarios when you combine it with its higher buffer capacity.
Video-wise, it's split 50/50. While the Sony a1 requires an external recorder to record raw video, the Canon EOS R5 can record 8K raw video internally. While the Sony a1 is not flawless in this regard, it is still superior to the EOS R5, which occasionally experiences overheating problems when filming at full definition. Additionally, the Sony a1 has a larger recording limit (13 hours as opposed to just 30 minutes) and slightly superior slow-motion capabilities. Therefore, which is preferable here depends on your demands.
It is fairly evenly matched in terms of other features. The Sony a1 boasts a better electronic viewfinder, but the Canon EOS R5 has a better rear LCD. The Sony also has a longer-lasting battery. Nonetheless, it's very amazing that the EOS R5 is more than $2500 less expensive when you take into account how similar the two cameras perform. That leaves you with a considerable amount of money to upgrade your equipment with some nice lenses.
Summary
Even though the two cameras are quite close, I would lean toward the Sony a1 for sports and wildlife photography. Although the Sony's 30 frames per second mode may seem high, it actually allows you to take 1.5 times as many pictures per second as the Canon EOS R5. That might make a difference for tiny variations in a bird's wing position or an athlete's face expression.
One significant distinction between the Sony and Canon cameras for landscape and tripod-based photography is that the Sony's high-resolution pixel-shift mode allows you to record raw files at up to 199 megapixels, while the Canon EOS R5 is only able to employ a less usable JPEG-only version of the feature. However, the a1 lacks a focus stack shooting mode, although the EOS R5 does. Which of those features you anticipate using more will depend on that! In all other respects, the two cameras are fairly similar for taking landscape photos, but because the EOS R5 is less expensive, I would choose it.
Furthermore, I would argue that there aren't many situations in which one of these cameras is obviously superior to the other when it comes to other photographic genres. Lens lineup is probably the most significant query. Although Sony now offers a wider selection of mirrorless lenses than Canon, Canon does have some intriguing lenses that might entice you to choose the RF mount. To be honest, if you couldn't decide between these two cameras, I would go with the lenses instead of the cameras.
What advantages does the Sony a1 have over the Canon EOS R5?
larger buffer and faster frame rate for capturing quick action shots.
Improved rear display resolution, approximately 1.5 times more dots, facilitating field image review
Significantly reduced price, saving $2600
What advantages does the Sony A1 have over the EOS R5?
More megapixels by 1.11 (45.0MP vs. 50.1MP)
With around 1.6 times more dots on the higher resolution electronic viewfinder, photography becomes more pleasurable.
Improved battery life when looking through the viewfinder; CIPA measurements show about 210 extra shots.