Canon's Dslr

 

Introduction

The new EOS R is Canon's first 35mm full-frame mirrorless camera. The Canon EOS R features a 30.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, a DIGIC 8 image processor, 4K UHD video recording in 10-bit 4:2:2, a touchscreen user interface, a 5,655-dot dual-pixel CMOS AF system capable of focusing down to -6EV, ISO 50-102400, a 3.15-inch 2.1-mi. Dot variable angle-of-view LCD, a 3.69 million dot EVF with 100% scene coverage, built-in Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity, continuous shooting at 5fps with AF tracking (8fps without tracking), CR3 14-bit support RAW, in-camera USB 3.1 charging, and a hot shoe.

The Canon EOS R is available in black at £2,349.99 / €2,729.99 / $2299 (body only) or £3,269.99 / €3,819.99 / $3399 (with the RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM kit lens).

Usability

Joining Sony, Nikon, Leica and (soon) Panasonic, Canon has launched a new 35mm full-frame mirrorless camera, the EOS R. The company already has a successful line of M-series mirrorless cameras with APS-C sensors, and is now targeting the upper end of the market.

The EOS R is slightly more expensive than the Sony Alpha A7 III and Nikon Z6, while the upcoming Panasonic S1 will be priced in the same range. Sony is the clear market leader and has focused primarily on full-frame mirrorless cameras in recent years, while Canon and Nikon have focused on DSLRs and Panasonic on the smaller Four Thirds format.

In addition to the new EOS R camera body, Canon has also introduced a brand new lens mount, the RF mount, with four lenses announced along with the EOS R - the RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM kit lens with which we mostly tested the camera, the RF 50mm f/1.2L USM, the RF 28-70mm f/2L USM and the RF 35mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM.

Front of the Canon EOS R

The 24-105mm and 35mm lenses are about the same size as their DSLR equivalents, but the 50mm and 28-70mm are much larger. Canon is using the new RF port to try to differentiate its system from the competition by making them faster than their predecessors. Traditionally, mirrorless cameras have always focused on being smaller and lighter than their DSLR competitors, but with the EOS R, Canon has instead opted for the ultimate in image quality, at the expense of size.

In addition to the four new RF lenses introduced so far, it's also possible to use your EF and EF -S (but not EF -M) lenses on the EOS R by mounting one of the four new lens adapters. There is the EF-EOS R adapter that is included, the EF-EOS R adapter with built-in control ring, the EF-EOS R adapter with built-in circular polarizing filter, and finally the EF-EOS R adapter with built-in variable neutral density filter.

We suspect most people will go for the cheapest and simplest EF-EOS R adapter, but it's good to see Canon innovating here and giving people plenty of choice. The EF-EOS R adapter with the built-in control ring is particularly noteworthy because it offers the same functionality that the RF lenses have, namely an additional ring on the lens that allows you to control certain important camera settings. While this isn't a new idea in the world of photography, it's the first time Canon has incorporated this idea into its interchangeable lenses.

Back of the Canon EOS R

While this may be true (and the jury is out), it doesn't do the EOS R any favors when compared to its main competitors, as both Sony and Nikon have opted for IBIS, which means that any lens you mount on these cameras will immediately benefit from about 5 stops of stabilization. For some users, this lack of feature will be enough to write off the EOS R, and while we wouldn't go that far based solely on IBIS, it's certainly a knock against Canon's new camera, especially when only two of the new RF lenses are stabilized.

Thanks to the Digic 8 processor, the EOS R is the latest mirrorless camera from Canon to offer 4K video recording, which, combined with the front-rotating LCD screen and microphone port, should make it something of a dream ticket for vloggers.

However, not all is as rosy as a glance at the spec sheet might suggest, as the EOS R automatically applies a massive 1.7x crop to the sensor in 4k mode (just like the 5D Mark IV), effectively changing the focal length of the built-in lens and making wide-angle shots much more difficult. So difficult, in fact, that you currently have to use a lens without RF to get a natural angle of view for videos.