Nikon and Canon are finally getting serious about mirrorless cameras. Nikon with its new Z Mount System and Canon with its new EOS R System are both entering the mirrorless space with a bang.

Let’s compare the 2 new flagship mirrorless cameras from both manufacturers:

Picture of Nikon Z7 Nikon Z7
Picture of Canon EOS R Canon EOS R
Price
~$3,400
~$2,300
Aggregated Rating *
95%
80%
Sensor Format
Full-Frame
Full-Frame
System Type
Mirrorless
Mirrorless
Mount
Z Mount (55mm)
RF Mount (54mm)
Mount Adapter for Older Lens
Yes
Yes
Resolution
45.7 MP
30.3 MP
Viewfinder
Electronic
Electronic
Viewfinder Type
QVGA
OLED
Max Shooting Speed
9 FPS
8 FPS
Battery Life
330 Shots
350 Shots
Built-in Flash
No
No
In-Body Image Stabilization
5-axis
No
Card Slots
1 (XQD)
1 (UHS II SD)
Shutter Speed Range
1/8000 to 30s
1/8000 to 30s
Max Flash Sync Speed
1/200s
1/200s
High Speed Sync Support
Yes
Yes
Image Size
8,256 x 5,504
6,720 x 4,480
Native ISO Range
64 to 25,600
100 to 40,000
RAW (14-bit) Buffer Capacity
18
47

Video

4k Video Shooting
Yes
Yes
Max Video Resolution
3840 X 2160
3840 X 2160
HD Video Max Frame Rate
120 FPS
60 FPS
Video Crop Factor
1.0 X
1.74 X

Monitor

Touch Screen
Yes
Yes
Monitor Dimension (diagonal)
3.2 in.
3.15 in.
Monitor Resolution
2.10 million dots
~2.10 million dots
Tilt/Swivel Monitor
Tilt Only
Tilt + Swivel

Focus / Autofocus

Focus Peaking
Yes
Yes
Focus Stacking
Yes
No
Min. Focus Distance
11.8 in
17.7 in
Autofocus System
Hybrid phase-detection/contrast
Phase-difference detection (Dual Pixel)
Focus Points
493
5,655
AF Assist
Yes
Yes
Focus Tracking
Yes
Yes
Face Detection
Yes
Yes

Body

Dimensions (W x H x D)
5.3 x 4 x 2.7 in.
5.35 x 3.87 x 3.32 in.
Weight
1.28 lbs
1.28 lbs
Weather Seal
Yes
Yes

Connectivity

WIFI
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth
Yes
Yes
Purchase
* Rating is the average aggregated rating from DPReview, Digital Camera World and TechRadar, rounded to the nearest integer.

Conclusion / Opinions

It’s a really tough call, and both systems have their pros and cons. I’d say that there’s no clear winner, and it’ll depend on the type of shooting that you do.

Obviously, if you’re already a Nikon or a Canon shooter, the choice is easier, but if you’re getting your 1st camera or thinking of changing system, then you’ll have to really think about it.

The Nikon Z7 seems to be aimed more at pro photographers, while the Canon EOS R leans more towards the casual/hobbyist shooter. This is reflected in the price difference too. The in-body of image stabilization in the Z7 is really nice. As for autofocus performance, in-field reviews should help decide who’s the winner.

A point of contention for both cameras is that they both have only 1 memory card slot. Many photographers like the added safety of a second card slot for instant backups.