Canon R vs Leica SL3

The Canon EOS R and the Leica SL3 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2018 and March 2024. Both the Canon R and the Leica SL3 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 30.1 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 60.3 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R		Leica SL3
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon RF mount lenses		Leica L mount lenses
30.1 MP – Full Frame sensor		60.3 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		8K/30p Video
ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)		ISO 100-100,000
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.2" LCD – 2333k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
370 shots per battery charge		320 shots per battery charge
139 x 98 x 84 mm, 660 g		141 x 108 x 85 mm, 854 g

Check Canon R offers at
ebay.com
Check Leica SL3 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R and the Leica SL3? 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 R and the Leica SL3 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth 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 Leica SL3 is notably larger (12 percent) than the Canon R. Moreover, the Leica SL3 is markedly heavier (29 percent) than the Canon R. 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 Canon R gets 370 shots out of its Canon LP-E6N battery, while the Leica SL3 can take 320 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-SCL6 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient 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 R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
2.		Leica SL3	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	854 g	320	Y	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
5.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
6.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
7.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
8.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
9.		Leica Q3	130 mm	80 mm	93 mm	743 g	350	Y	May 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
10.		Leica SL	147 mm	104 mm	39 mm	847 g	400	Y	Oct 2015	US$ 7 449	ebay.com
11.		Leica SL2	146 mm	107 mm	42 mm	953 g	370	Y	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
12.		Leica SL3-S	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	852 g	315	Y	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
13.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
14.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Sony A1 II	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	743 g	520	Y	Nov 2024	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
17.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The Canon R was launched at a markedly lower price (by 67 percent) than the Leica SL3, which puts it into a different market segment. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the Leica SL3 offers a higher resolution of 60.3 megapixels, compared with 30.1 MP of the Canon R. This megapixels advantage translates into a 42 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the Leica SL3 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.79μm versus 5.36μm for the Canon R). However, it should be noted that the Leica SL3 is much more recent (by 5 years and 6 months) than the Canon R, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the Leica SL3 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica SL3 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Leica SL3 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 47.6 x 31.7 inches or 120.9 x 80.5 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 38.1 x 25.3 inches or 96.7 x 64.4 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 31.7 x 21.1 inches or 80.6 x 53.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon R are 33.6 x 22.4 inches or 85.3 x 56.9 cm for good quality, 26.9 x 17.9 inches or 68.3 x 45.5 cm for very good quality, and 22.4 x 14.9 inches or 56.9 x 37.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS R has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 40000, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica SL3 are ISO 100 to ISO 100000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-100000.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
2.		Leica SL3	Full Frame	60.3	9520	6336	8K/30p	25.4	14.8	3295	97
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
5.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
6.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
7.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
8.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
9.		Leica Q3	Full Frame	60.3	9528	6328	8K/30p	25.4	14.7	3216	96
10.		Leica SL	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	13.4	1821	88
11.		Leica SL2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	25.3	14.3	2866	95
12.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
13.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
14.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
15.		Sony A1 II	Full Frame	49.8	8640	5760	8k/30p	25.4	14.8	3363	97
16.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
17.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the Leica SL3 provides a better video resolution than the Canon R. It can shoot movie footage at 8K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the Leica SL3 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the Canon R (5760k vs 3690k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon R and Leica SL3 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 R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
2.		Leica SL3	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
5.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
7.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
9.		Leica Q3	5760	n	3.0 / 1840	tilting	Y	1/2000s	15.0/s	n	Y
10.		Leica SL	4400	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
11.		Leica SL2	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	fixed	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Leica SL3-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
13.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A1 II	9437	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the Leica SL3 and the Canon R is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The Leica SL3 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the Canon R 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 Leica SL3 has 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 Canon R writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the Leica SL3 uses CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards. The Leica SL3 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the Canon R only has one slot. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s.

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 R and Leica SL3 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 R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
2.		Leica SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
8.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
9.		Leica Q3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Leica SL	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	-
11.		Leica SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Leica SL3-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

The Leica SL3 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Leica. In contrast, the Canon R has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the Canon R from Canon. Further information on the features and operation of the Canon R and Leica SL3 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica SL3 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon R or the Leica SL3 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (139x98mm vs 141x108mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 194g or 23 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (370 versus 320) on a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (67 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2018).

Arguments in favor of the Leica SL3:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (60.3 vs 30.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 42%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8K/30p vs 4K/30p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (5760k vs 3690k dots).
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• 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.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 6 months of technical progress since the Canon R launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the Leica SL3 comes out slightly ahead of the Canon R (10 : 9 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 R and the Leica SL3 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Canon R or the Leica SL3 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 expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
2.		Leica SL3	..	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Mar 2024	US$ 6 999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	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 RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
7.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 6 599	ebay.com
8.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	US$ 4 999	amazon.com
9.		Leica Q3	5/5	..	4.5/5	..	..	4.5/5	May 2023	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
10.		Leica SL	4/5	..	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 7 449	ebay.com
11.		Leica SL2	4/5	..	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2019	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
12.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	US$ 5 299	amazon.com
13.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
14.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Sony A1 II	..	..	..	..	..	..	Nov 2024	US$ 6 499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
17.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.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. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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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. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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