The year 2018 was a groundbreaking year with many manufacturers introducing their opening full-frame mirrorless systems. Canon was not in behind the wake and went on to introduce the EOS R, which is now known as one of the best canon cameras.
With many makers already having bagged years of understanding and familiarity in mirrorless technology, Canon did not necessarily have the concession or benefits of a vanguard.
Prices for it are failing and it is not only competing with the likes of Nikon Z 7 and Sony ASR 7 but within its own ranks. Its 30- megapixel is nothing out of the ordinary and its cropped 4K technology lags behind the capabilities of its own competitors. Even its 8fps shooting range is quite lagging.
With mirrorless technology being the next big deal, it was critical for Canon to put enough stint and resources into making a decidedly appropriate, future-proof camera system.
Overview and detailed Specification
This product offers a 30 MP full-frame sensor with dual pixel autofocus. It has a 3.96M dot OLED viewfinder and has a fully articulated rear LCD. It has a USB charging portal inbuilt in it, and these are just some of the features offered by it. Canon besides these features has added certain ergonomic innovations to the EOS R to make it stand out from the rest.
With just a few RF lenses in existence, Canon has found a way to incorporate the existing EF lens alongside its full-frame mirrorless camera. This was also the first feature showcased upon its release and the first accessory that was made available was the Canon Mount Adapter EF – EOS R.
This adapter is a simple mount adapter that permits one to use all the features of Canon EF, EF-S and TS-E lenses on RF mount cameras. This camera also has EF-EOS R drop-in filter and this makes it useful for using on wide-angle EF lenses that do not traditionally accept filters.
Canon’s new RF mount preserves the original 54mm diameter of the EF mount thereby reducing the flange back distance from 44mm to 20mm. This lens was designed while also keeping the durability in their minds. But they have stated that there is no included provision for mounting the EF-M lenses on any RF mount bodies.
The M-Fn bar is a completely new addition to the camera. It offers no tactile support to the camera but allows a set of functions to manipulate a set of customization functions within the camera. The camera is also capable of capturing a 4K video and as one digs into this feature further they will find it is not as exciting as it projects itself to be. It carries a 1.83 x crop making it difficult to shoot wide range footage.
Body, build quality and handling
The EOS R gives an exceptional impression when you first pick it up. The body of the camera is extremely comfortable to hold and the camera feels incredibly solid to feel. The camera is quite difficult to hand-grip due to its front dial being difficult to reach but this is not the same with the rear dial as it is much easier to reach and the difficulty depends on which handed the person is.
If the person is left-handed he can hold the camera in his left hand and use the right hand to access the control but if he is right-handed then he may need to cradle the camera to better access its control.
Canon claims to have come with its body weather sealed. But as it turns out, it is more of a marketing claim than a trusty strategy. Although it is claimed to make its mark with a 6D mark, one might experience viewfinder fogging in a damp environment.
The camera has a default safety lock and this lock won’t remove until and unless one presses the M-Fn bar continuously for two seconds. This lock can be turned off depending on the function you want to assign it. The EOS R uses the same LP-E6N batteries and there is a specially designed socket inbuilt in it for the user to insert into. The camera has a protection feature that prevents it from charging over a non-compatible USB cable and if such a problem occurs it is recommended that the battery be removed and re-inserted.
Many buttons of the EOS R are customizable to some degree but some are indignantly limited in its customization. The Q menu is no longer customizable and the register or the recall button is no longer included as a feature in the camera. The M-Fn bar is very customizable but very limiting to most.
The Dial function can be assigned to any of the camera’s buttons. This gives you a multi-optional menu that can be scrolled through using the rear dial. The dial function can also be customized to about five functions. The EOS R gives you a wide range of options while shooting including exposure, a histogram, etc.
The battery used in the camera is in par with many other high-end cameras. It comes with a USB C socket and can charge over it. It must be noted that it doesn’t slog with all chargers.
Controls and customization
Many aspects of EOS R’s interface would strike an uncanny resemblance with a Canon DSLR or EOS M camera. There is a commendable degree of customization available but is increasingly limited. The Q menu is unfortunately not customizable. The register custom option nonexistent. The M.Fn bar is inherently limited.
The dial function list can be customized to incorporate options you want access to and the options arranged in sequence of your liking. The dial and ring lens ring customization is satisfactory. An unsatisfactory glitch being that if one sets ISO to a dial control ring, the Auto position cannot be selected until the expiration of a meter timer.
Image Quality
There is no denying that the camera’s raw performance is strikingly similar to that of the EOS 5D Mark which has a 30MP sensor. It is markedly noted by high ISO noise performance. The typical JPEG profile has been nipped and is known for its powered sharpening, deeper reds, and less appealing yellows.
Dynamic Range
The tonal values that are representative of the camera from the brightest recorded tone to darkest usable value are referred to as the dynamic value.
The EOS R with an image sensor closely paralleling that of EOS 5D Mark IV performs similarly to the camera with only apparent differences being evident on the higher ISOs and upon pushing the files. The exposure latitude appears to be on the noisier edge. The camera is not necessarily an ISO invariant. Yielding an underexposed ISO 100 and 200 by 5+ stops in post-processing results in higher grain levels.
Autofocus and performance
The camera comes with a Dual Pixel on-sensor autofocus system that covers a major portion (88%) of the frame horizontally and wholly vertically. Overall, the performance is impressive even at the highest burst speeds. The single AF currently leads the market in low-light performance.
The pupil detection is faultless but only when doubled with the former. It enjoys great buffer but with a relatively slower maximum burst. The evaluative metering is heavily bright towards the chosen auto-focus area.
Verdict
The EOS R’s announcement heralds a stirring prospect for the company grounded around the fresh RF lens mount. As a stand-alone camera, the EOS R turns in a concrete performance that can at times excite yet on collective it comes up dumpy. Customarily, a métier of Canon DSLRs has been their comprehensive ergonomics.
It is problematic to endorse the EOS R to the bigger public besides perhaps existing Canon users looking for a succeeding, insubstantial full-frame body. Because ultimately, while the EOS R is unquestionably proficient in taking striking photos.
The EOS R feels like a series of respectable ideas destabilized by their execution. The interface tries to balance improvement and acquaintance but instead provides that most un-Canon-like involvement: irregularity. Used a definite way, the sensor and autofocus can both be enormously good but other situations will muddle the autofocus or high point the dynamic range and video shortcomings. It does enough to receive indistinct praise but also deserves the rebuke this infers.
