Best Canon camera for sports photography: EOS R1 or EOS-1D X Mark III?

The Canon EOS-1 Series has been the trusted workhorse of professional sports photographers for decades. The Canon EOS-1D X Mark III marked the pinnacle of DSLR development – with blazing-fast continuous shooting (twice the speed of the original EOS-1D), intelligent autofocus with subject and eye tracking, and a durable design built to perform in the most extreme conditions.

But now there’s a new EOS-1 Series flagship in town, the mirrorless Canon EOS R1 – and it’s giving some pros a real dilemma. On one hand, the EOS R1 is Canon’s best camera for sports photography, packed with cutting-edge tech designed to make a professional photographer's job easier. On the other hand, the EOS-1D X Mark III remains Canon's best DSLR camera for sports photography – battle-tested, reliable, and still capable of delivering images and videos at speed from the sidelines.

So how to do these top cameras for sports photos compare? Here’s how the EOS R1 stacks up against the EOS-1D X Mark III – feature by feature – with insights from Richard Heathcote of Getty Images and Canon Europe's Mike Burnhill.

• Canon EOS R1 vs EOS-1D X Mark III: Speed
• Canon EOS R1 vs EOS-1D X Mark III: Autofocus
• Canon EOS R1 vs EOS-1D X Mark III: Ergonomics and handling
• Canon EOS R1 vs EOS-1D X Mark III: Electronic vs optical viewfinder
• Canon EOS R1 vs EOS-1D X Mark III: Connectivity and workflow
• Canon EOS R1 vs EOS-1D X Mark III: Build quality and reliability
• Canon EOS R1 vs EOS-1D X Mark III: Lens range

Both the Canon EOS R1 and the EOS-1D X Mark III are designed to capture images at blistering speeds and maintain that pace for extended durations. The EOS-1D X Mark III is capable of shooting at up to 16fps when using the optical viewfinder and up to 20fps in Live View mode.

The EOS R1, when set to Mechanical or Electronic 1st-curtain Shutter mode, tops out at 12fps. However, it comfortably outguns the DSLR when using Electronic Shutter, delivering up to 40fps continuous and silent shooting. The EOS R1’s highest burst speed can be assigned to one of its customisable buttons, helping you capture the moment even when the camera is set to a slower shooting mode.

Not all sports require 40fps to capture the decisive moment. Conveniently, the EOS R1 has a Custom Continuous shooting speed with options ranging from 40fps down to 1fps. "My day-to-day setting is 20fps, but if I'm doing some presentation pictures or other work with flash then I’ll drop it to 8 or 10 frames per second to give the flash a chance," says Richard Heathcote, Chief Sports Photographer at Getty Images. "When I'm using my 70-200mm lens for football goalmouth celebrations then I'll have it predominantly set to 40fps. It doesn't miss anything."

Another benefit of the EOS R1's Electronic Shutter is that it enables shutter speeds up to a blazing 1/64,000 sec. With Mechanical or Electronic 1st-curtain Shutter, the EOS R1 offers up to 1/8,000 sec, the same as the EOS-1D X Mark III.

Both cameras feature Canon’s intelligent autofocus system, powered by deep-learning AI, which can detect and track a person’s head – whether they’re a skier wearing goggles or a driver in a Formula One car.

However, with the greater data bandwidth and faster communication between camera and lens enabled by Canon's RF mount architecture, the EOS R1 has improved AF performance, with the AF effective in low-light conditions down to EV -7.5, compared to EV -4 in the EOS-1D X Mark III. The EOS R1's newly-developed DIGIC Accelerator processor, working together with the DIGIC X image processor, powers new features such as Action Priority AF, which locks on to specific movements in certain sports. In addition, the EOS R1 has advanced capabilities such as Eye Control AF, which can set or move the AF point by detecting what you are looking at in the viewfinder. The RF mount also enables Dual Power AF in compatible lenses, delivering even faster autofocus when using super-telephoto lenses such as the RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM and RF 600mm F4L IS USM.

"Using the EOS R1, sports pros trust the AF even more than before," Mike points out, "which means they're pushing boundaries and trying new things because they no longer worry about focusing – they can concentrate fully on being creative. Formula One photographers, for example, can now pick out and lock on to a driver's helmet almost instantly, so they're now thinking about different angles and storytelling. You can frame your scene and wait for the car to complete the composition, whereas before, you'd have to track the car and hope to get the shot. Now, it's easier to bring creative ideas to life straight away."

The Canon EOS R1 delivers a revolution in performance for sports photographers but it's an evolution of the EOS-1D X Mark III when it comes to handling. It provides a seamless shooting experience for pros who've spent years building the muscle memory on the EOS-1D X control layout.

"You can trace the EOS R1’s heritage all the way back to 1987," Mike says. "Some of the core buttons haven't really changed a lot from where they started off. We've moved them ever so slightly to make them more ergonomic, but you’ll be familiar with a large part of it if you’ve ever used any 1-Series camera."

Ergonomics might be lost among the drama of a camera's specs sheets, but if you're a sports professional holding the camera to your eye for long periods then how a camera feels to use is arguably the most important thing. The EOS R1 is the result of 40 years of refining the formula. As Richard points out, you know the feel is right "when you pick up a camera and know that the buttons are in the right place and your fingers aren’t cramped when you're trying to press them, and the grip isn't so thick that your hand is overspreading."

All that said, the EOS R1 controls are also more extensively configurable than any previous EOS camera's, making it easy to customise to suit your shooting style or different situations you may be working in.

One of the key differences between the Canon EOS R1 and the EOS-1D X Mark III becomes clear when you look through their viewfinders. Optical viewfinders have traditionally been favoured by sports photographers because they give you a real-time view with no lag. An optical viewfinder shows the scene exactly as it is – useful for precision-timed shots, such as capturing the moment a tennis ball connects with a racquet.

The EOS R1's high-resolution EVF is in a league of its own, though. With a smooth refresh rate of up to 120fps, blackout-free shooting and adjustable magnification, it offers a viewing experience that challenges even the best optical systems. Unlike an optical viewfinder, the EVF lets you see the image as the camera sees it – allowing you to monitor exposure, white balance and colour adjustments in real time, as well as see clearly in dark conditions in which the unaided eye will struggle. You can also review and rate images, navigate menus and change settings without taking your eye from the viewfinder.

There are several important considerations with an EVF, as Richard explains. "The refresh rate is really important when it comes to the strain on your eye," he says. "You spend so long looking through the camera, you don't want to get tired. That was something Canon got right with the EOS R3 and it's even better in the EOS R1. It’s the closest any EVF has been to an optical viewfinder. And the physical size of the EVF is just amazing – it's three times bigger than some out there."

The best cameras for sports photographers need to be just as agile when it comes to delivering images as they are at capturing them. Both the EOS-1D X Mark III and the EOS R1 are built for high-speed file transmission, but the EOS R1 is designed with modern workflows in mind. It offers faster connectivity – including Wi-Fi 6E (in regions where available) and 2.5G BASE-T Ethernet. USB charging adds convenience, as does the capability to capture stills and video simultaneously.

Another time-saving feature in the EOS R1 workflow compared to the EOS-1D Mark III is the ability to upscale and crop images in-camera, using an AI-powered function that understands your settings and the lens you're using, so that it preserves bokeh and depth of field. "You can take a file and make it four times the size," Richard enthuses, "and the image quality is absolutely fantastic."

You might not have time to attach a 1.4x extender to get a tighter shot of a manager on the sidelines or a goal from the opposite end – but you can still crop into the image and give your picture editors a larger file to work with. And there’s certainly no time to remove a card, insert it into a laptop, and upscale an image in software, adds Richard: "In our industry, speed can be everything. So having that baked into the camera – being able to upscale a file within a handful of seconds and then transmit it straight to the editors – is brilliant."

As Canon EOS-1 Series cameras, the EOS R1 and EOS-1D X Mark III are constructed to withstand the rigours of daily professional use. The heavier weight of the EOS-1D X Mark III – 1440g with card and battery – might suggest greater robustness compared to the EOS R1's 1115g. However, the mirrorless EOS R1 lacks a mirror box and pentaprism, and its build quality continues the legacy of EOS-1 Series reliability and durability.

For example, Richard says he's never had a problem shooting winter sports in sub-zero temperatures with his Canon cameras. A skiing session at the Winter Olympics might last a couple of hours, but you have to be in place 4-5 hours before that, he explains, "so you're spending a very long time standing in very cold conditions. Traditionally, events like ski jumping and bobsleigh go late at night, and you're standing on a slope or a track where it could easily be dropping to -15°C. You're just trying to keep your body moving and warm, let alone take pictures!”

Neither camera is rated for operating environments below zero, but both the EOS-1D X Mark III and EOS R1 are renowned for performing in extreme conditions – with controls that can be easily operated while wearing gloves.

The RF lens range has expanded rapidly, now covering focal lengths from an ultra-wide 3.9mm (if you include the innovative Dual Fisheye stereoscopic lenses) to a 1200mm super-telephoto. The line-up combines cutting-edge technologies with class-leading optical performance, and includes unique options such as VR lenses for creating immersive content, hybrid designs like the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Z – optimised for both video and stills – and lightweight, prime-quality zooms such as the Canon RF 100-300mm F2.8L IS USM.

For professional sports photographers looking for extra speed, control or portability, a Canon EOS R1 paired with Canon's latest RF lenses opens exciting possibilities. The RF L-series lenses in particular deliver exceptional image quality and enable the autofocus system to perform at its best. Many are more compact than their EF equivalents and incorporate practical features such as a customisable Control Ring and Lens Function Button, and minimal focus breathing – a useful benefit for those shooting video alongside their stills.

EF lenses remain fully compatible with EOS R System cameras via EF-EOS R lens adapters, so it's easy to continue using your existing lenses while gradually exploring the benefits of native RF glass.


Moving from the EOS-1D X Mark III to the EOS R1 feels less like switching systems, more like shifting into a higher gear. For photographers coming from the flagship DSLR, the EOS R1 is immediately familiar, but delivers faster speed, smarter technology and more responsive handling. It's designed to make the most of the fine margins that give you the edge in sports photography.