Canon R1 vs R8

The Canon EOS R1 and the Canon EOS R8 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in July 2024 and February 2023. Both the R1 and the R8 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame 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 R1		Canon R8
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon RF mount lenses		Canon RF mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
6K/60p Video		4k/60p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 409,600)		ISO 100-102,400 (100 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.0" LCD – 1620k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
1330 shots per battery charge		220 shots per battery charge
158 x 150 x 87 mm, 1115 g		133 x 86 x 70 mm, 461 g

Check R1 price at
amazon.com
Check R8 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R1 and the Canon EOS R8? 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 R1 and the Canon R8 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 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 Canon R8 is considerably smaller (52 percent) than the Canon R1. Moreover, the R8 is substantially lighter (59 percent) than the R1. It is worth mentioning in this context that the R1 is splash and dust resistant, while the R8 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 R1 gets 1330 shots out of its Canon LP-E19 battery, while the R8 can take 220 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the R1 has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. 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. 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	EUR 7 499	amazon.com
2.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	EUR 1 799	amazon.com
3.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	EUR 1 129	ebay.com
4.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	EUR 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	746 g	340	Y	Jul 2024	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	EUR 2 699	amazon.com
8.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	EUR 2 899	amazon.com
9.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	EUR 979	amazon.com
10.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	EUR 1 499	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	152 mm	117 mm	99 mm	1030 g	540	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 7 999	amazon.com
12.		Leica SL3-S	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	852 g	315	Y	Jan 2025	EUR 5 199	amazon.com
13.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic G9 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	658 g	390	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
15.		Sony A9 III	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	702 g	530	Y	Nov 2023	EUR 6 999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
17.		Sony NEX-7	120 mm	67 mm	43 mm	400 g	430	n	Aug 2011	EUR 1 199	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 R8 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 76 percent) than the R1, 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.

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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its 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. The sensor area in the R8 is 1 percent smaller. 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.

Even though the R1 has a slightly larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the R1 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 5.98μm for the R8), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the R1 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the R8, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

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 Canon EOS R8 are ISO 100 to ISO 102400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the R1 is build around a Stacked BSI-CMOS sensor, while the R8 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.

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 R1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
2.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
3.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
4.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
5.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
6.		Canon R5 Mark II	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
7.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
8.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
9.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
10.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
11.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	Medium Format	101.8	11648	8736	8K/30p	25.9	15.0	3651	101
12.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
13.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
14.		Panasonic G9 II	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.5	1710	78
15.		Sony A9 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/120p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
16.		Sony A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
17.		Sony NEX-7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	24.1	13.4	1016	81
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the R1 provides a higher video resolution than the R8. It can shoot video footage at 6K/60p, while the R8 is limited to 4k/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the R1 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the R8 (9440k vs 2360k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R1 and Canon R8 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.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon R5 Mark II	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
8.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
9.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
11.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	9440	Y	3.2 / 2360	full-flex	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
12.		Leica SL3-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
13.		Nikon Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic G9 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A9 III	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/80000s	120.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony NEX-7	2359	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the R1, but is missing on the R8 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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 R1 and the Canon R8 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 R8 uses SDXC cards. The R1 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the R8 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 R1 and Canon EOS R8 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.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R5 Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Leica SL3-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Nikon Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic G9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A9 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony NEX-7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon R1 (unlike the R8) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the R1 and the R8 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. Neither of the two has a direct predecessor, so perhaps they will constitute the origins of new camera lines for Canon. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon website.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon R1 and the Canon R8? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R1:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6K/60p vs 4k/60p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (9440k vs 2360k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.9x vs 0.70x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• 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 1620k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1330 versus 220) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• 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 modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 5 months after the R8).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R8:

• More compact: Is smaller (133x86mm vs 158x150mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 654g or 59 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (76 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in February 2023).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the R1 is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 4 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 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 R1 and the Canon R8 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 technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the R1 and the R8 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 R1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	EUR 7 499	amazon.com
2.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	EUR 1 799	amazon.com
3.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	EUR 1 129	ebay.com
4.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	EUR 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5 Mark II	..	..	..	93/100	..	..	Jul 2024	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	EUR 2 699	amazon.com
8.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	EUR 2 899	amazon.com
9.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	EUR 979	amazon.com
10.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	EUR 1 499	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	5/5	+	5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 7 999	amazon.com
12.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	EUR 5 199	amazon.com
13.		Nikon Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
14.		Panasonic G9 II	5/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
15.		Sony A9 III	4.5/5	..	..	91/100	..	..	Nov 2023	EUR 6 999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
17.		Sony NEX-7	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2011	EUR 1 199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check R1 price at
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Check R8 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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