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Canon EOS R7 vs R8: which to buy?
Two Canon RF-mount bodies that often end up on the same shortlist. The EOS R7 has a 32.5MP APS-C sensor, in-body stabilization, a 1/8000 s mechanical shutter and two SD slots; the EOS R8 puts a 24.2MP full-frame sensor in a lighter body with no in-body stabilization and one SD slot.
Why it exists. This page is for someone choosing between Canon's APS-C flagship and its lightest full-frame body who wants to know whether the R7's reach, in-body stabilization, mechanical shutter and dual card slots matter more than the R8's full-frame sensor and lower weight.
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Side-by-side specs
| Canon EOS R7 | Canon EOS R8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 32.5MP APS-C CMOS (1.6x crop); DIGIC X | 24.2MP full-frame CMOS; DIGIC X |
| Stabilization | In-body, up to 7 stops (8 with some lenses) | No in-body stabilization; lens IS only |
| Shutter and bursts | Up to 15 fps mechanical or electronic first curtain, 30 fps electronic; 1/8000 s mechanical | No mechanical first curtain (EFCS max 6 fps; electronic 40 fps) |
| Video | 4K up to 59.94p, 4K Fine oversampled from 7K; Canon Log 3 | 4K up to 59.94p uncropped, oversampled from 6K; Canon Log 3 |
| Viewfinder | 0.39in, 2.36M dots, about 1.15x | 0.39in, 2.36M dots, about 0.70x |
| Screen | 2.95in vari-angle, about 1.62M dots | 3.0in vari-angle, about 1.62M dots |
| Card slots | Two SD (UHS-II) | One SD (UHS-II) |
| Battery (CIPA) | LP-E6NH, about 770 shots (LCD) / 500 (viewfinder) | LP-E17, about 370 shots (LCD) / 220 (viewfinder) |
| Weight | About 612 g with battery and card | About 461 g with battery and card |
Specs from our EOS R7 and EOS R8 reviews, which cite Canon specifications; R7 dual card slots per Canon's EOS R7 brochure (PDF). ✓ = advantage; blank = tie or not directly comparable.
Sample photos
Six photos taken with the R7 and six with the R8, shared on Wikimedia Commons under open licenses, including the two at the top.
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Who should buy which
Get the EOS R7 if
- You shoot birds, wildlife or sport and want the 1.6x crop for reach.
- You want in-body stabilization, a mechanical shutter and fast mechanical bursts.
- You want two SD card slots and the larger LP-E6NH battery.
Get the EOS R8 if
- You want a full-frame sensor for shallower depth of field and cleaner high ISO.
- You want the lighter body: about 461 g vs 612 g.
- You mostly use stabilized lenses and do not need a mechanical shutter.
See our full EOS R7 and EOS R8 reviews, and the EOS R7 vs R10 and EOS R8 vs R8 Mark II comparisons.
Where to buy
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Further discussion
- FM Forums: Has anyone regretted moving to an R7? (indirect: an R7 owners' thread, not a head-to-head with the R8; 98 posts by 20 authors)
- FM Forums: Questions for Canon EOS R8 owners (indirect: an R8 owners' thread where one poster moved from the R8 to the R7; 32 posts by 10 authors)