Canon vs Sony: A Practical Note

The autofocus argument is settled. Sony's subject recognition is faster and more reliable in difficult conditions. This is measurable and not seriously contested. If autofocus performance is the deciding variable, Sony wins.

The ergonomics argument is not settled and probably cannot be settled because it is subjective. Canon's bodies feel like cameras. The R5 in particular has a grip depth and button layout that disappears in use — you stop being aware of the tool and attend to the subject. The Sony bodies are engineered objects. Capable, occasionally excellent, but present in the hand in a way the Canons are not.

The lens situation favors Canon at the high end. The RF 85mm f/1.2 is in a different category from anything Sony currently makes at the same focal length. The rendering — the way it transitions from sharp to soft, the circular quality of the bokeh — is not reproducible in post. It is a function of the optical design.

Where this leaves me: Sony for situations where autofocus is the primary constraint — fast movement, unpredictable subjects. Canon for anything where I have time to see the image before I make it. The two systems solve different problems and the people who argue about which is better are usually not being precise about which problem they are solving.