10 Best Canon Camera for Sports Photography in 2024

Introduced in July 2020, the Canon EOS R3 is the complete mirrorless camera for sports photography… apart from the size of the sensor! Everything else is exceptional if you can get past the reduced image quality.

The Eye Control AF lets you choose your focus point by looking at it through the viewfinder! And the R3 passes every test. It has the fastest shutter speed, highest frame rate, the biggest buffer size, and the best autofocus capability.

The R3 was designed and built for sports and action photography. The secret is the combination of the stacked CMOS sensor and DIGIC X image processor.

The sensor’s rapid readout speed allows fast AF acquisition and an insanely high continuous shooting speed. It also helpfully minimizes rolling shutter effects. The image processor calculates processing, autofocus, and image stabilization as fast as possible.

The Canon R3 ticks all the right boxes:

• A broad ISO range
• Sensor-shift image stabilization
• Vari-angle screen
• Built-in Wi-Fi and GPS
• Weather sealing

If only it were a bit lighter!

Launched in July 2020, the Canon EOS R5 is an excellent full-frame mirrorless camera for sports photography. It offers high resolution, a fast frame rate, and a market-leading AF system. Plus, it has 8K and 4K video recording capabilities.

It provides all the features of the R6 and even some improvements. This includes the following:

• A larger sensor
• A larger LCD with a higher resolution
• A higher-resolution EVF
• A higher video bit rate

All of this is made possible by using CFexpress Type B memory cards.

These are the only minor problems:

• A lower ISO limit
• Fewer focus points
• Lower focus sensitivity
• A shorter battery life

And like the R3, it also weighs more than others.

Check out our full Canon R3 vs R5 comparison if you’re choosing between the two.

Now, we come to the last of Canon’s mirrorless full-frame cameras. Canon was a little late to the party. But they introduced a range of mirrorless bodies and lenses to match Sony and Nikon.

Launched in July 2020, the Canon EOS R6 has a small-ish sensor and a short battery life. However, it shows most of the typical mirrorless benefits:

• A high frame rate
• A high shutter speed
• Face detection
• Five-axis sensor-shift image stabilization

The R6 also has a blackout-free electronic viewfinder and an anti-dust shutter to protect the sensor when changing lenses. Plus, it can shoot 4K video with external ports for a microphone and headphones.

It also has a wide ISO range for shooting in low light and built-in wireless and Bluetooth connectivity for transferring photos. It has a weather-sealed body for use in all conditions and a fully articulated touch screen to make shooting at difficult angles easier.

You can check our full comparison with the R5, 5D Mark IV or the R3 if you’re curious!

Launched in January 2020, the Canon EOS 1D X Mark III is Canon’s flagship, full-frame DSLR camera. Yes, the sensor is small, there’s no in-body image stabilization, and it’s very heavy.

But the other specifications are excellent. Speed is of the essence. And you can shoot using CFexpress Type B memory cards at 16 fps using the viewfinder or at a blazing 20 fps in Live View!

The shutter speed is high enough for any kind of sports photography. Plus, the buffer can hold more than 1,000 photos. This effectively means you can shoot for as long as you like.

One of the most impressive features is the 191-point Dual Pixel AF. It offers head, face, and even eye detection based on machine learning.

The system handles very low light… all focus points work with an aperture of f/8. And the Live View version has an even better low-light sensitivity and works down to f/11! There’s also a new autofocus Smart Controller built into the AF-ON buttons.

But it isn’t cheap. And the sensor is too small for landscape or portrait photographers.

However, the 1D X Mark III sits at the top of the tree for everything else it has:

• 5.5K, 4K, and Full HD video
• A huge ISO limit
• Touchscreen operation
• Built-in Wi-Fi and GPS
• Weather sealing

It also offers webcam functionality and smartphone remote control.

Launched in August 2016, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is a full-frame camera brought in to replace the Canon EOS 5D Mark III. It has a shorter battery life. But the upgrade includes the following:

• A larger sensor
• A higher frame rate
• A higher ISO limit
• Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC connections

The Mark IV also offers a touch screen with a higher resolution, a time-lapse recording feature, and improved high ISO performance. It’s also lighter to carry around.

These are the advanced features

• 4K Photo mode
• Smartphone remote control
• SD UHS card support
• Anti-flicker mode
• Webcam mode

The autofocus system offers Face Detection AF as usual. But there are now 61 focus points (41 cross-type) capable of operating at f/8.

The lowest focus sensitivity is -3 EV. This means the autofocus works well in low light. The anti-flicker feature also helps when shooting indoors.

Regarding usability and ergonomics, the 5D Mark IV offers a high shutter speed, weather sealing, and a large touch screen. However, the LCD is fixed. There’s no integrated grip, and the camera weighs a lot.

There’s also no sensor-shift image stabilization. This means you’ll be limited to Canon’s IS range of lenses.

Video capability is good. The 5D Mark IV can shoot in either 4K DCI, Full HD, or HD. And there are ports for an external microphone and headphones. However, there is a 1.74x crop when using 4K. This makes it harder to shoot wide-angle footage.

You might be interested in checking out our full specs comparison with the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV vs R6, the 6D Mark II, or the 5DS R next!

Like the Rebel T8i, the Canon EOS 90D is a weather-sealed, crop frame camera. Canon launched it in August 2019 as a lighter upgrade to the Canon EOS 80D.

It has a larger sensor, higher ISO limit, longer battery life, and faster burst rate. It has better video resolution, digital image stabilization, and headphone and microphone ports.

The autofocus system with face detection is like the one in other Canon cameras we’ve looked at. The electronic shutter speed is fast. You can freeze any imaginable kind of sporting activity!

There’s also an Anti-flicker mode to help when shooting under artificial light. However, rolling shutter is an issue and can lead to “Jello effects.”

The fully-articulating touch screen is handy for tough angles. And you can access a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth smartphone remote and wireless image transfer.

However, there’s no in-built stabilization. So you’ll have to choose from Canon’s range of over 100 IS lenses to get it.

Introduced in June 2017, the Canon EOS 6D Mark II is a full frame camera. It has limited resolution, only 45 focus points (all cross-type), and a slow burst rate.

However, it does have a fast shutter speed and a high ISO limit. It’s also good for low-light sports photography. And it has an anti-flicker feature ideal for indoor stadia.

You can use it as a webcam or activate it using your smartphone. And it scores well on convenience.

It has built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and NFC for transferring photos to your smartphone. It also has an articulating, selfie-friendly touchscreen and a long battery life.

The body has weather sealing. But it’s relatively heavy and offers no in-camera image stabilization.

The video resolution is only Full HD rather than 4K. But there is a Digital Video Stabilization mode. This helps to remove camera shake while you’re shooting (at the expense of a small crop).

There’s no headphone port. But it does have a mono speaker and built-in stereo microphone with a port for an external mic.

The Canon 5DS came out in February 2015. It offers a large, full-frame CMOS sensor and fast shutter speed. They come at the expense of a low frame rate and narrow ISO range.

Curiously, the highest video resolution is only Full HD (1920 x 1080) rather than 4K (3840 x 2160). That’s despite the sensor measuring 8688 × 5792 pixels. Plus, there’s also no headphone port.

The body is weather sealed. But it’s heavy and doesn’t have a selfie-friendly touch screen.

However, the viewfinder does offer 100% coverage. This helps make framing easier and more accurate.

The body doesn’t have an integrated grip. And the battery life is rather limited. So you’ll need to carry a few spares around with you!

The autofocus system is a mixture of contrast detection and phase detection, offering Face Detection AF. There are only 61 focus points, but 41 are cross-type sensors.

These are sometimes faster and more accurate than normal, single-type sensors. That’s because they work with lines running in different directions.

There’s also an anti-flicker feature. This helps avoid dark banding when taking photos in indoor stadiums lit by fluorescent light.

Again, there’s no in-built stabilization. So you’ll have to choose from Canon’s IS range of lenses for this feature.

The Canon EOS Rebel T8i is also known as the Canon EOS 850D outside the Americas or EOS Kiss X10i in Japan. Canon launched it in February 2020 as the latest in its Rebel series of crop frame cameras.

It replaces the Canon EOS Rebel T7i / 800D… It offers 4K / 24p video recording, longer battery life, and faster continuous shooting.

It also has better exposure metering and a bigger RAW buffer. And it’s a little lighter.

It’s intended as an entry-level camera. That means it ticks all the “convenience” boxes. It has a vari-angle touch screen and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

However, the other specifications are solid rather than spectacular. The sensor size and frame rate wouldn’t be enough for professional photographers. But that’s not the intended market.

As it is, the highest shutter speed is fine. And the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system with Eye Detection AF is shared with Canon’s pricier models. That means it’s plenty fast and accurate enough for sports.

The RAW buffer of 40 shots might not sound that impressive. But it rises to 75 shots if you shoot in compressed RAW (C-RAW) format.

Given the highest frame rate, that still gives you over 10 seconds of continuous shooting. That’s more than you’d get with most cameras at the top of the range!

The Canon 1D C is a fairly old model, launched in April 2012. It’s primarily intended for video use.

Its full-frame CMOS sensor is on the small side. However, its RAW frame rate is twice that of the Nikon D850, one of the premium DSLR cameras on the market.

Its highest shutter speed is fast enough to freeze any action on the sports field. It also has fast and accurate Contrast Detection and Phase Detection autofocus with Face Detection AF.

It doesn’t have sensor-shift image stabilization. This means you must use Canon IS lenses to cut down the camera shake. However, there are 257 native lenses available for this mount. It’s the widest range on the market.

Like many Canon camera bodies, it offers good ergonomics and handling. The integrated grip is great for battery life and convenient when switching from landscape to portrait format. But it’s a heavy camera to lug around—especially with a long lens.

The lack of a touch screen or a fully articulating LCD is not that important for sports photography. But it has weather sealing. That can be very handy on a rainy night at a sports stadium!

The video capability is not relevant to sports photography. But the 1D C can still record 4K / 25p or 24p footage from the frame’s region covered by the APS-H (Advanced Photo System type H) system.

Our Verdict

Professional sports photographers rely on four components to capture fast action:

• Shutter speed
• Frame rate
• Buffer size
• Autofocus

If you’re new to photography or don’t have the budget, the best camera for you might be a crop-sensor model. Check out the Canon EOS Rebel T8i or the Canon EOS 90D. There are also plenty of full-frame DSLRs that should do the job for enthusiast sports photographers.

[highlight type="short" price="no" product="6529" badge="https://www.camerareviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Product-Highlight-Badge_Yellow_simple.svg"] The Canon EOS R3 is the complete mirrorless camera for sports photography—apart from the size of the sensor!