Canon EOS R vs Sigma fp — Which Is Better?

The Canon EOS R and Sigma fp are both mirrorless cameras, but they take very different shapes for different shooting styles. The EOS R arrived in 2018 as a Canon RF-mount body. The fp followed in 2019 as a compact Leica L-mount block, measuring 113 x 70 x 45 mm and weighing 422 g, 63 g lighter than the EOS R.

The EOS R is the stronger choice for heavy cropping or large prints, because its 30.3 megapixel sensor offers more pixels than the fp's 25. Its 5655 autofocus positions against the fp's 49 let focus sit almost anywhere when tracking a subject.

The fp is the faster camera for timing, shooting at up to 18 frames per second against 8 on the EOS R, which helps when a bird takes off. The EOS R answers with a higher native ISO ceiling of 40000 against 25600. Both use full-frame CMOS sensors, expose down to 1/8000 second, and lack in-body stabilisation. Only the EOS R has a viewfinder, a 3690000-dot electronic unit for eye-level work.

Slow-motion work is where the fp pulls clearly ahead, because its maximum video frame rate of 120 fps is four times the EOS R's 30 fps ceiling. That speed lets you slow a dancer's spin or a water splash to a quarter speed in post. Both top out at 4K recording resolution.

Editors get more format options on the fp, which records MOV, MPEG-4 and H.264, while the EOS R records MP4. That choice can help when matching clips to an existing editing workflow.

Wireless convenience goes to the EOS R, which has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for transferring images to a phone and controlling the camera remotely. The fp has neither, so files come off it by card or cable.

For composing and checking shots the two are closely matched. Each has a 3.2-inch touchscreen with 2100000 dots that flips out for waist-level work. Both are weather sealed and take external flash. Neither has GPS, so location data must come from a separate recorder.

Storage is effectively the same on both cameras, with a single SD, SDHC or SDXC slot supporting UHS-II cards and no second slot for backup recording. Both charge over USB, so a power bank can top them up between locations.

Battery ratings favour the EOS R, whose LP-E6N pack is rated at 370 shots against 280 for the fp's BP-51. That 90-shot rated margin suits longer days out and points to packing a spare for the fp.