Canon R50 vs Sony A7R

The Canon EOS R50 and the Sony Alpha A7R are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2023 and October 2013. Both the R50 and the A7R are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (R50) and a full frame (A7R) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 36.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R50		Sony A7R
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		36.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2400k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1620k dots		3.0" LCD – 1230k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
12 shutter flaps per second		4 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
230 shots per battery charge		340 shots per battery charge
116 x 86 x 69 mm, 375 g		127 x 94 x 48 mm, 465 g

Check R50 price at
amazon.com
Check A7R offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R50 and the Sony Alpha A7R? 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 R50 and the Sony A7R 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The R50 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the A7R is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A7R is notably larger (20 percent) than the Canon R50. Moreover, the A7R is markedly heavier (24 percent) than the R50. It is noteworthy in this context that the A7R is splash and dust-proof, while the R50 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 gets 230 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the A7R can take 340 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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 R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
2.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
4.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.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 V	119 mm	74 mm	45 mm	370 g	390	n	Mar 2025	US$ 649	amazon.com
12.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
13.		Sony A7	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	474 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7 II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	599 g	350	Y	Nov 2014	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R II	127 mm	96 mm	60 mm	625 g	290	Y	Jun 2015	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A7S	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	489 g	380	Y	Apr 2014	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R	113 mm	65 mm	70 mm	482 g	270	n	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 R50 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 70 percent) than the A7R, 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon R50 features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A7R a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A7R is 160 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.

With 36.2MP, the A7R offers a higher resolution than the R50 (24MP), but the A7R nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.88μm versus 3.72μm for the R50) due to its larger sensor. However, the R50 is a much more recent model (by 9 years and 3 months) than the A7R, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A7R has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A7R implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7R for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 36.8 x 24.6 inches or 93.5 x 62.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 29.4 x 19.6 inches or 74.8 x 49.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 24.5 x 16.4 inches or 62.3 x 41.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon R50 are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The R50 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS R50 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 A7R are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-51200.

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.

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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
2.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95
3.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
4.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
5.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
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 V	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	24.1	14.1	2383	85
12.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
13.		Sony A7	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	14.2	2248	90
14.		Sony A7 II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.9	13.6	2449	90
15.		Sony A7R II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	13.9	3434	98
16.		Sony A7S	Full Frame	12.0	4240	2832	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	3702	87
17.		Sony RX1R	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	13.6	2537	91
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the R50 provides a higher video resolution than the A7R. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Sony is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond 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 A7R offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the R50 (2400k vs 2360k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon R50 and Sony A7R 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	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/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 V	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	n	n
12.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A7	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
14.		Sony A7 II	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7R II	2400	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7S	2400	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony RX1R	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The R50 has one, while the A7R does not. While the built-in flash of the R50 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 R50 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 R50 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 R50 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A7R uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 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 R50 and Sony Alpha A7R 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	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	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 V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A7 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A7R II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony A7S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the A7R has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The R50 lacks such a headphone port.

The R50 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the A7R has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the A7R was succeeded by the Sony A7R II. Further information on the features and operation of the R50 and A7R can be found, respectively, in the Canon R50 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7R Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon R50 or the Sony A7R – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R50:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 1230k 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.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (116x86mm vs 127x94mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 90g or 19 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (70 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 9 years and 3 months of technical progress since the A7R launch.

Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7R:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (36.2 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 23%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.58x).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (340 versus 230) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in October 2013).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R50 is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 9 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 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 R50 and the Sony A7R 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the R50 and the A7R in practical situations. 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 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	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
2.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
3.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
4.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.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 V	..	..	..	84/100	..	..	Mar 2025	US$ 649	amazon.com
12.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
13.		Sony A7	5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 699	ebay.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 A7R II	5/5	+ +	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A7S	4/5	..	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2014	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX1R	5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, 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 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? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, 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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