Canon EOS R8 vs Sony ZV-E1 — Which Is Better?

The Canon EOS R8 and the Sony ZV-E1 are both 2023 full-frame mirrorless cameras, but they aim at different shooters. The R8 pairs a conventional body with an electronic viewfinder, while the ZV-E1 is a compact vlogging design built around its flip-out screen.

The ZV-E1 is the smaller body at 121 x 72 x 54 mm against the R8's 133 x 86 x 70 mm, though it weighs 22 g more, 483 g against 461 g. Size favours the Sony for packing, while the Canon is the lighter carry.

The R8 is the stronger choice for heavy cropping and large prints, with 24 MP against 12 MP on the ZV-E1. Both use CMOS sensors in the same full-frame format, so the resolution difference is the main stills gap between them.

For fast action, the R8 also offers 40 fps continuous shooting with 1053 autofocus points, while the ZV-E1 shoots at 10 fps. The ZV-E1 answers with in-body stabilisation, steadying handheld shots at slower shutter speeds, and a 1/8000 second shutter for wider apertures in bright light. Both offer a native ISO range topping out at 102400.

The ZV-E1 offers the wider choice of recording formats, including XAVC S, XAVC HS and XAVC S-I alongside H.264 and H.265, while the R8 records in MP4 with H.264 and H.265. Both cameras record up to 4K.

For slow motion, the R8 reaches 180 fps against 120 fps on the ZV-E1, offering stronger slow-motion capture. The R8 also offers built-in timelapse recording, which the Sony lacks. The ZV-E1's in-body stabilisation helps handheld footage stay smooth while walking.

The R8 is the camera to choose for eye-level framing, with a 2,360,000-dot electronic viewfinder, while the ZV-E1 has none and relies entirely on its screen. That rear screen is a shared strength: both offer a 3-inch touch display that flips out for selfies and vlogging.

The Canon screen shows finer detail at 1,620,000 dots against 1,036,800 dots on the Sony, which helps when reviewing focus. Both offer weather sealing, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and neither has GPS or a built-in flash.

The ZV-E1 is the pick for long shooting days, rated at 570 shots per charge against 370 for the R8, running on its NP-FZ100 battery. The R8 uses the LP-E17 pack, so pack a spare.

Storage is a similarity: both use a single SD card slot with UHS-II support, so fast cards work in either camera. Both also charge over USB, which is convenient when travelling light.