Canon R1 vs Nikon D4

The Canon EOS R1 and the Nikon D4 are two professional cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in July 2024 and January 2012. The R1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the D4 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 16.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon R1		Nikon D4
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Canon RF mount lenses		Nikon F mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		16.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
6K/60p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 409,600)		ISO 100-12,800 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.2" LCD – 921k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
12 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1330 shots per battery charge		2600 shots per battery charge
158 x 150 x 87 mm, 1115 g		160 x 157 x 91 mm, 1340 g

Check R1 price at
amazon.com
Check D4 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R1 and the Nikon D4? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon R1 and the Nikon D4 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon D4 is notably larger (6 percent) than the Canon R1. Moreover, the D4 is markedly heavier (20 percent) than the R1. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

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 R1 gets 1330 shots out of its Canon LP-E19 battery, while the D4 can take 2600 images on a single charge of its Nikon EN-EL18 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, both cameras have a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. The power pack in the R1 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R1	158 mm	150 mm	87 mm	1115 g	1330	Y	Jul 2024	US$ 6 299	amazon.com
2.		Nikon D4	160 mm	157 mm	91 mm	1340 g	2600	Y	Jan 2012	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	746 g	340	Y	Jul 2024	US$ 4 299	amazon.com
5.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
6.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
7.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
8.		Leica SL3-S	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	852 g	315	Y	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
9.		Nikon D3	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1300 g	4300	Y	Aug 2007	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D3S	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1240 g	4200	Y	Oct 2009	US$ 5 199	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D4S	160 mm	157 mm	91 mm	1350 g	3020	Y	Feb 2014	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D5	160 mm	159 mm	92 mm	1415 g	3780	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
13.		Nikon Df	144 mm	110 mm	67 mm	760 g	1400	Y	Nov 2013	US$ 2 749	ebay.com
14.		Nikon Z9	149 mm	150 mm	91 mm	1340 g	740	Y	Oct 2021	US$ 5 499	amazon.com
15.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic S5 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	740 g	370	Y	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
17.		Sony A9 III	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	702 g	530	Y	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The D4 was somewhat cheaper (by 5 percent) than the R1 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the R1 offers a higher resolution than the D4 (16.2MP), but the R1 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 7.29μm for the D4). However, the R1 is a much more recent model (by 12 years and 6 months) than the D4, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D4 are 24.6 x 16.4 inches or 62.6 x 41.7 cm for good quality, 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.3 cm for very good quality, and 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The R1 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS R1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 50-409600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon D4 are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the R1 is build around a Stacked BSI-CMOS sensor, while the D4 uses a 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
2.		Nikon D4	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	1080/30p	24.7	13.1	2965	89
3.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
5.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
6.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
7.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
8.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
9.		Nikon D3	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2290	81
10.		Nikon D3S	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	720/24p	23.5	12.0	3253	82
11.		Nikon D4S	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	1080/60p	24.4	13.3	3074	89
12.		Nikon D5	Full Frame	20.7	5588	3712	4K/30p	25.1	12.3	2343	88
13.		Nikon Df	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	none	24.6	13.1	3279	89
14.		Nikon Z9	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.4	2451	98
15.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
16.		Panasonic S5 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.6	3158	96
17.		Sony A9 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/120p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the R1 provides a higher video resolution than the D4. It can shoot video footage at 6K/60p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the R1 has an electronic viewfinder (9440k dots), while the D4 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the R1 has a higher magnification than the one of the D4 (0.9x vs 0.70x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R1 and Nikon D4 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		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 R1	9440	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
2.		Nikon D4	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
5.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica SL3-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
9.		Nikon D3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
10.		Nikon D3S	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D4S	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D5	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	fixed	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
13.		Nikon Df	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	n
14.		Nikon Z9	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
15.		Nikon Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
16.		Panasonic S5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A9 III	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/80000s	120.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the R1 and the D4 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The R1 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the D4 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

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, the R1 is one of those camera that have an additional 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 R1 and the Nikon D4 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 R1 writes its imaging data to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards, while the D4 uses Compact Flash or XQD cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

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 R1 and Nikon D4 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon R1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Nikon D4	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Leica SL3-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon D3	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D3S	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D4S	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon Df	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Nikon Z9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Nikon Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Panasonic S5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony A9 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the R1 offers wifi support, while the D4 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

The R1 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the D4 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D4 was succeeded by the Nikon D4S. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Nikon websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon R1 better than the Nikon D4 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R1:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 16.2MP) with a 22% higher linear resolution.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6K/60p vs 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.9x vs 0.70x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 921k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 225g or 17 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 12 years and 6 months of technical progress since the D4 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D4:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (2600 versus 1330) out of a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2012).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R1 is the clear winner of the match-up (19 : 3 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 R1 and the Nikon D4 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the R1 or the D4 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 why hands-on reviews by experts are important. 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 6 299	amazon.com
2.		Nikon D4	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	US$ 5 999	ebay.com
3.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5 Mark II	..	..	..	93/100	..	..	Jul 2024	US$ 4 299	amazon.com
5.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
6.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
7.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
8.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
9.		Nikon D3	..	..	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D3S	5/5	..	..	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2009	US$ 5 199	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D4S	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D5	..	..	4/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 6 499	ebay.com
13.		Nikon Df	4/5	..	..	81/100	4/5	4/5	Nov 2013	US$ 2 749	ebay.com
14.		Nikon Z9	5/5	..	4.5/5	94/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2021	US$ 5 499	amazon.com
15.		Nikon Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Panasonic S5 II	4.5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2023	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
17.		Sony A9 III	4.5/5	..	..	91/100	..	..	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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