GROUP TEST
Sparks fly as we pit the Canon EOS R3 and Nikon Z 9 in a duel for dominance
The hardest concept to grasp when comparing the Canon EOS R3 and the Nikon Z 9 is that thesearen’teventhemanufacturer’stop-of-theline models. It would be easy to assume that the EOS R3 is a like-for-like mirrorless replacement for the iconic EOS 1DX Mark III DSLR and, likewise, that Nikon had served up the Z 9 as a natural successor to its D6 DSLR speed demon. However, both brands have made it clear that these cameras either sit alongside their mirrored counterparts, or just below in the case of the Canon. This suggests that the best is yet to come and, with the Canon range in particular, the industry is holding its breath for the EOS R1, the model everyone is expecting to become the master of the Paris Olympics this year.
The reason all of this is hard to grasp comes down to just how much technology is already packed into the R3 and Z 9. Both cameras offer blistering frame rates, high-resolution full-frame sensors, and the best autofocus technology the respective ranges have at their disposal. Even at first glance, the built-in vertical grips indicate that both models are aimed squarely at the pro shooter, continuing a tradition that goes back to the earliest days of digital photography, with the Canon EOS 1D/1Ds and Nikon D1/D1H.
The long-time rival companies have taken slightly different approaches to their respective camera specifications. One fits more organically within the kit bag of a sports and wildlife photographer, while the other bridges the gap between action camera and studio workhorse. Both cameras are certainly not cheap, but which gives photographers the biggest bang for their buck? We took the R3 and Z 9 out into the field for a few days to discover which one takes the crown.
CANON EOS R3
Thirty years after the concept was first conceived, Eye-Controlled AF is back, but is it as good as it sounds?
Price: £5,499 / $5,999 Web: www.canon.co.uk
As a teenager, I became the proud owner of a Canon EOS 3 film SLR. It was a wonderful machine, and now it’s back with a 24.1MP full-frame sensor and without a mirror. The EOS 3’s position in the Canon range of its day, sitting just below the EOS 1v, is reminiscent of the suggested relationship between the EOS R3 and the much-anticipated EOS R1. It also came with Eye-AF – sorcery by late 1990s standards.
I admit I was sceptical about how well it would work, even in 2024, but after a simple calibration process, the R3 effortlessly kept track of where I was looking in the viewfinder, almost instantaneously locking onto my subject of choice. The AF speed and accuracy of the R3 generall
