Canon EOS R – Review (2020)

Greetings from the Editorial team. This is the review article for the Canon EOS R, full frame mirrorless camera which was launched recently. Review by our guest author Ravi Dhingra.

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The wait is finally over, as expected Canon has come up with a full frame mirrorless camera. Canon introduced crop sensor mirrorless cameras around four years back but did not aggressively promote these till EOS M50 was launched sometime back. With the competition increasing in full frame mirrorless category cameras, Canon has come up with EOS R system – Reimagining future. It is almost after 30 years after the introduction of EOS and EF mount, a major change is being brought in with the new R mount.

Canon EOS R 3D Review

Canon EOS R Specifications

Continuing with the philosophy of selling cameras which provide excellent image quality, ease of use and durability, the magnesium alloy body with the patented grip and placement of buttons makes this camera not only durable, easy to handle but good looking too. The diameter of mount remains the same at 54 mm. But the distance between the mount and sensor plane has come down to 20 mm. In fact, in future it will help in designing better quality compact lenses with the wider aperture like f 1.0

The programmable ring on lens to control exposure and touch bar with multi-functions on the body are the new, unique and innovative features offered, both of these will make clicking photographs faster with more ease.

Powerful image stabilization (IS) effect of up to 5 stops

The algorithm to detect camera shake is an evolution from that of EOS DSLR cameras. This IS system acquires camera shake data from both a gyroscopic sensor in the lens and image data from the camera’s CMOS sensor. The Dual Sensing IS system can accurately detect and compensate for low frequency (slow) blur. Earlier, it used to be hard to detect with gyroscopic sensors alone. As a result, the camera-shake blur is reduced by the equivalent of a 5-stop faster shutter speed.

Combination of optical and electronic IS systems greatly reduce blur caused by low-frequency camera shake. When a compatible lens is attached, the camera’s combination IS system uses both the Electronic IS for movies (in the camera) and optical IS in the lens. Hence, it significantly improve the performance of 5 axis camera-shake blur compensation.

Right now four R mount lenses have been announced but with the adapter. Therefore, all EF and EFS lenses can be used. The battery of Canon EOS R remains the same as in 5D & 6 D series, LP-E6/LP-E6N. All these features are added advantage for photographers who are already using Canon DSLRs. Also, for new users who are planning to buy one and want to buy the R mount camera as their first body or an extra body.

Canon EOS R Image details

• Image Sensor Type : 36 x 24 mm CMOS
• Effective Pixels: Approx. 30.3 megapixels
• Total Pixels: Approx. 31.7 megapixels
• Aspect Ratio: 3:2
• Low-Pass Filter: Built-in/Fixed
• Sensor Cleaning: EOS integrated cleaning system
• Colour Filter Type: Primary Colour
• Image Processor Type: DIGIC 8
• Lens Mount: RF (EF and EF-S lenses can be attached using Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, Drop-In Filter Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. EF-M lenses not compatible)
• Focal Length: Equivalent to 1.0x the focal length of the lens with RF and EF lenses 1.6x with EF-S
• Focusing Type: Phase-difference detection system with an image sensor (Dual Pixel CMOS AF)
• AF System/ Points: With Area 88% horizontal and 100% vertical
• AF working range: EV -6 – 18 (at 23°C & ISO100)
• The AF Modes: One Shot, Servo AF, AF Point Selection, Automatic selection: Face + tracking
• Manual selection: 1-point AF (AF frame size can be changed), AF point Expansion 4 points (up, down, left, right), AF point Expansion surrounding, Zone AF (all AF points divided into 9 focusing zones), Large Zone AF (Vertical), Large Zone AF (Horizontal)
• AF Lock: Locked when the shutter button is pressed halfway or AF ON is pressed in One Shot AF mode. Using customized button set to AF stop in AI Servo
• AF Assist Beam: Emitted by built-in LED or optional dedicated Speedlite (flash)
• Manual Focus: Selected on lens

Exposure Control

Metering Modes: Real-time with an image sensor, 384-zone metering.

• Evaluative metering (linked to All AF points)
• Partial metering (approx. 6.1% of viewfinder at centre)
• Spot metering: Centre spot metering (approx. 2.7% viewfinder at centre)AF point-linked spot metering not provided
• Centre-weighted average metering

Metering Brightness Range

• EV -3 – 20 (at 23°C, ISO100, with evaluative metering)

AE Lock

• Auto: AE lock takes effect when the focus is achieved
• Manual: By AE lock button in P, Av, Fv, Tv and M modes

Canon EOS R Settings

White balance compensation:

AWB (Ambience priority/White priority), Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten light, White Fluorescent light, Flash, Custom, Colour Temperature Setting

• Blue/Amber +/-9
• Magenta/Green +/-9
• Custom White Balance: Yes, 1 setting can be registered

WB Bracketing:

• +/-3 levels in single-level increments 3, 2, 5 or 7 bracketed images per shutter release
• Selectable: Blue/Amber bias or Magenta/Green bias
• Viewfinder Type: 0.5-inch OLED colour EVF
• Dot count: 3.69 Million dots (1280×960)
• Coverage (Vertical/Horizontal): Approx. 100%
• Magnification: Approx. 0.76x 1
• Eyepoint: Approx. 23mm (from eyepiece lens center)
• Dioptre Correction: -4 to +2 m-1 (dioptre)

Viewfinder Information

AF point information, Exposure level indicator, Number of remaining multiple exposures, Exposure compensation, HDR shooting, Highlight tone priority, Multiple-exposure shooting, ISO speed, Dual Pixel RAW shooting, Possible shots, Multi-Shot Noise Reduction, Number of self-timer shooting, Digital Lens Optimizer, Maximum burst, AF method, Battery level, AF operation, Exposure simulation, Drive mode, AEB, Metering mode, FEB, Anti-flicker shooting, Still photo cropping, Shooting mode, Aspect ratio, Scene icons, Auto Lighting Optimizer, AE lock Picture Style, Flash-ready, White balance, Flash off, White balance correction, FE lock, Image Quality, High-speed sync, Bluetooth function, Shutter speed, Wi-Fi function, Multi-function lock warning, Histogram, Aperture, Electronic level, Lens information

• Eyepiece shutter: N/A
• LCD Monitor Type: 8.01cm (3.15″) Clear View LCD II, approx. 2.1million dots
• Coverage: Approx. 100%
• Viewing Angle: (horizontally/vertically) Approx. 170° vertically and horizontally
• Coating: Anti-smudge. Reinforced glass incorporated

Brightness Adjustment

• Manual: Adjustable to one of seven levels
• Colour Tone Adjustment: 4 settings

Touch-screen operations

Display Options

• Basic Camera settings
• Advance Camera settings
• Camera settings plus histogram and dual level display
• No info
• Quick Control Screen

Flash Modes

• E-TTL II Auto Flash, Metered Manual
• X-sync: 1/200sec
• Flash Exposure Compensation: +/- 3EV in 1/3 increments with EX series Speedlite flashes
• Flash Exposure Bracketing: Yes, with compatible External Flash
• The Flash Exposure Lock: Yes
• Second Curtain Synchronisation: Yes via Speedlite
• HotShoe/ PC terminal: Yes/Yes via Battery Grip BG-E22
• External Flash Compatibility: E-TTL II with EX series Speedlite, wireless multi-flash support
• External Flash Control: via camera menu screen

Shooting Modes

• Stills: Scene Intelligent Auto, Flexible priority AE, Program AE, Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual, Bulb, and Custom (x3)
• Movie: Scene Intelligent Auto, Program AE, Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual, Bulb, and Custom (x3)
• Picture Styles: Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Fine Detail, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Defined (x3)
• Colour Space: sRGB and Adobe RGB
• Image Processing: Highlight Tone Priority
• Auto Lighting Optimizer (4 settings)
• Long exposure noise reduction
• High ISO speed noise reduction (4 settings) (still and video)

Focusing

• Manual Focus (Magnify the image 5x or 10x at any point on screen)
• Autofocus: Dual Pixel CMOS AF (Face Detection and Tracking AF, 1point AF, Expand AF Area Zone AF, and Touch Shutter

Lens optical correction

• Peripheral illumination correction, Chromatic aberration correction, Distortion correction (during/after still photo shooting, during video only)
• Diffraction correction, Digital Lens Optimizer (during/after still photo shooting)
• Resize to M, S1, S22
• Cropping: JPEG images can be cropped (Aspect ratios 3:2, 4:3, 16:9, 1:1)
• 45 cropping sizes selectable, from 11% to 95% (diagonal)
• Switch between vertical and horizontal cropping orientation
• Image straightening
• Cropping frame can be moved using touch screen operation
• RAW image processing 3
• Multiple exposure
• HDR
• Drive modes: Single, Continuous High, Continuous Low, Silent Single, Self timer (2s+remote, 10s+remote)
• Continuous Shooting: Max. Approx. 8fps. speed maintained for 100 JPEG, 47 RAW, 78 C-RAW images 456 Max. 5fps with AF Tracking
• Interval Timer: 4k time lapse movie
• Live View Mode
• Type: Electronic viewfinder with image sensor
• Coverage: Approx. 100% (horizontally and vertically)
• Frame Rate:59.97 fps (smooth) / 29.97 fps (power saving)

Metering

• Real-time evaluative metering with an image sensor (384-zone)
• Partial metering (approx. 6.1% of the center of the screen)
• Spot metering (approx. 2.7% of the center of the screen)
• Center-weighted average metering
• Active metering timer can be changed

Display Options

• 3 levels available Basic shooting information, Advanced shooting information and Advanced shooting information with Histogram
• File Type – Stills
• Still Image Type
  • JPEG: 2 compression options
  • RAW: RAW, C-RAW and Dual Pixel RAW (14-bit, Canon original RAW 3rd edition)
  • Complies with Exif 2.31 and Design rule for Camera File system 2.0
  • Complies with Digital Print Order Format [DPOF] Version 1.1
• RAW+JPEG simultaneous recording: Yes, any combination of RAW + JPEG possible, including Dual Pixel RAW +JPEG
• Image Size: JPEG:
  • 3:2 ratio (L, RAW, C-RAW) 6720×4480, (M1) 4464×2976, (S1) 3360×2240, (S2) 1696×1280
  • 1.6x (crop) (L) 4176×2784, (S2) 2400×1600
  • 4:3 ratio (L) 5952×4480, (M1) 3968×2976, (S1) 2976×2240, (S2) 2112×1600
  • 16:9 ratio (L) 6720×3776, (M1) 4464×2512, (S1) 3360×1888, (S2) 2400×1344
  • 1:1 ratio (L) 4480×4480, (M1) 2976×2976, (S1) 2240×2240, (S2) 1600×1600

Folders

• New folders can be manually created and selected
• File Numbering
  • Consecutive numbering
  • Auto Reset
  • Manual reset

EOS Movie

• Movie Type
  • MP4 Video: 4K (16:9) 3840 x 2160, Full HD, HD
  • MPEG4 AVC/H.264 variable (average) bit rate, Audio: Linear PCM
• Movie Size
  • 4K (16:9) 3840 x 2160 (29.97, 25, 24, 23.98 fps) intra or inter frame7
  • Full HD (16:9) 1920 x 1080 (59.94, 50, 29.97, 25, 23.98 fps) intra or inter frame
  • Full HD (16:9) 1920 x 1080 HDR (29.97, 25 fps) interframe
  • The Full HD (16:9) 1920 x 1080 (29.97, 25) light interframe
  • HD (16:9) 1280 x 720 (119.9, 100 fps) intraframe
• Colour Sampling (Internal recording)
  • 4K – YCbCr4:2:0 (8-bit)
  • Full HD/HD – YCbCr4:2:0 (8-bit)
• Canon Log: Yes Log 1
• Movie Length
  • 4K and Full HD – Max duration 29min 59sec. (excluding High Frame Rate movies). No 4GB file limit with exFAT CF card
• High Frame Rate Movie
  • MOV Video: HD – 1280 x 720 at 100fps or 119.9fps
  • Recorded as 1/4-speed slow motion movie
  • Single scene maximum recording up to 7min 29sec.
  • 4K Frame Grab
  • 8.3-megapixel JPEG still image frame grab from 4K movie possible
• Bitrate / Mbps
  • 4K (29.97p/25.00p/24.00p/23.98p): ALL-I Approx. 480 Mbps
  • 4K (29.97p/25.00p/24.00p/23.98p): IPB Approx. 120 Mbps
  • Full HD (59.94p/50.00p): ALL-I Approx. 180 Mbps
  • Full HD (59.94p/50.00p): IPB Approx. 60 Mbps
  • The Full HD (29.97p/25.00p/24.00p/23.98p): ALL-I Approx. 90 Mbps
  • Full HD (29.97p/25.00p/24.00p/23.98p): IPB Approx. 30 Mbps
  • Full HD (29.97p/25.00p): IPB (Light) Approx. 12 Mbps
  • HD (119.9p/100.0p): ALL-I Approx. 160 Mbps
  • HD (59.94p/50.00p): ALL-I Approx 80 Mbps
  • And, HD (59.94p/50.00p): IPB Approx 26 Mbps
  • HD (29.97p/25.00p): IPB Approx 13 Mbps

Canon EOS R Others Features

• Microphone: Built-in stereo microphones (48 kHz, 16-bit x 2 channels)
• HDMI Display: External Monitor only, External Monitor only without information display or Simultaneous on camera and external monitor
• HDMI Output: 4K (UHD) recording only, uncompressed YCbCr 4:2:2, 8-bit or 10-bit, sound output via HDMI is also possible
• Focusing : Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Face Detection and Tracking AF, Movie Servo AF Manual Focus
• ISO: 4K – Auto: 100-12800, H: 25600, H: 32000, H1: 51200, H2: 102400,
• Full HD/HD: Auto: 100-25600, H: 32000, H1: 51200, H2:102400

Canon EOS R Body Materials

• Magnesium Alloy body and polycarbonate with glass fibre parts
• Operating Environment : 0 – 40 °C, 85% or less humidity
• Dimensions (W x H x D) : 135.8 x 98.3 x 84.4mm
• Weight (body only) : Approx. 580 g (660 g with card and battery)

About Author

Ravi Dhingra is a Delhi based Lifestyle photographer specializing in Interiors, Food, People and Product photography. He has been associated with leading publications, advertisement agencies and corporate clients. His work has been widely published in various books, magazines, brochures and on Web. He is also a visiting faculty for photography at various leading Institutes.

Ravi Dhingra, Delhi, India.

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Copyrights:
All the photos and text in this post are copyright of Ravi Dhingra. Their reproduction, full or part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the rightful owners.

Photo courtesy: Canon

Furthermore, especially to get the recently launched Canon camera details, please go through the latest Canon camera reviews