Canon R50 V vs Sony A9 III

The Canon EOS R50 V and the Sony Alpha A9 III are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in March 2025 and November 2023. Both the R50 V and the A9 III are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (R50 V) and a full frame (A9 III) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R50 V		Sony A9 III
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/60p Video		4K/120p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 250-25,600 (125 - 51,200)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fully flexible touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		120 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
390 shots per battery charge		530 shots per battery charge
119 x 74 x 45 mm, 370 g		136 x 97 x 83 mm, 702 g

Check R50 V price at
amazon.com
Check A9 III price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R50 V and the Sony Alpha A9 III? 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

The physical size and weight of the Canon R50 V and the Sony A9 III are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions 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 Sony A9 III is considerably larger (50 percent) than the Canon R50 V. Moreover, the A9 III is substantially heavier (90 percent) than the R50 V. It is noteworthy in this context that the A9 III is splash and dust-proof, while the R50 V does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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 R50 V gets 390 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the A9 III can take 530 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R50 V	119 mm	74 mm	45 mm	370 g	390	n	Mar 2025	US$ 649	amazon.com
2.		Sony A9 III	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	702 g	530	Y	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	US$ 749	amazon.com
6.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
11.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
12.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
13.		Sony A1 II	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	743 g	520	Y	Nov 2024	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A9	127 mm	96 mm	63 mm	673 g	650	Y	Apr 2017	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony A9 II	129 mm	96 mm	76 mm	678 g	690	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	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 R50 V was launched at a markedly lower price (by 89 percent) than the A9 III, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon R50 V features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A9 III a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A9 III is 155 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the A9 III has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the A9 III has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.72μm for the R50 V), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the R50 V is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 4 months) than the A9 III, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The Canon EOS R50 V has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 32000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A9 III are ISO 250 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 125-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the R50 V is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A9 III uses a Stacked 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R50 V	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	24.1	14.1	2383	85
2.		Sony A9 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/120p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
3.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
5.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
6.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
7.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
8.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
10.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
11.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
12.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
13.		Sony A1 II	Full Frame	49.8	8640	5760	8k/30p	25.4	14.8	3363	97
14.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
15.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
16.		Sony A9	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.9	13.3	3517	92
17.		Sony A9 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.0	3434	93
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A9 III provides a faster frame rate than the R50 V. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/120p, while the Canon is limited to 4K/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the A9 III has an electronic viewfinder (9440k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the R50 V relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon R50 V and Sony A9 III along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 R50 V	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	n	n
2.		Sony A9 III	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/80000s	120.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A1 II	9437	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A9	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A9 II	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	20.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the A9 III and the R50 V is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The A9 III reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the R50 V 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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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 R50 V and the Sony A9 III 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 R50 V writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A9 III uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. The A9 III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the R50 V only has one slot.

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 R50 V and Sony Alpha A9 III 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 R50 V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A9 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A9	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A9 III (unlike the R50 V) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the R50 V and the A9 III are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The A9 III replaced the earlier Sony A9 II, while the R50 V does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon and Sony websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon R50 V and the Sony A9 III? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS R50 V:

• More compact: Is smaller (119x74mm vs 136x97mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 332g or 47 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (89 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 4 months after the A9 III).

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A9 III:

• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/120p versus 4K/60p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1040k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/80000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (120 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (530 versus 390) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in November 2023).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A9 III is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 4 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 R50 V and the Sony A9 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the R50 V and the A9 III in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. 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 R50 V	..	..	..	84/100	..	..	Mar 2025	US$ 649	amazon.com
2.		Sony A9 III	4.5/5	..	..	91/100	..	..	Nov 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	US$ 749	amazon.com
6.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
11.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
12.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
13.		Sony A1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2024	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7 II	5/5	+	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A9	5/5	+ +	4.8/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Apr 2017	US$ 4 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony A9 II	..	..	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, 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.

Check R50 V price at
amazon.com
Check A9 III price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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Check R50 V price at
amazon.com
Check A9 III price at
amazon.com

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