Canon EOS R

A short review after one month with the EOS R (updated)

The last days of the heavy 20th century mirrorslapper has come. Enter small light high-end mirrorless tech. I’m still a bit confused, but I’ll learn. My muscle memory still wants a 5D interface, but the EOS R is the future for me. But why the odd placement of the focus button and why release a camera with a flimsy function bar? On the upside is a brilliant AF and some all-time high quality RAW files. And the best thing is the electronic viewfinder – no more chimping. You already know your are doing the right thing!

What I like

Autofocus precision  – the single most important feature for my photography and the EOS R AF is way better than the AF on EOS 5Ds R and the to select AF point on screen instead a joystick is brilliant and super-fast.

• EVF, the viewfinder it’s a game changer to see your exposure live and check the histogram
• High ISO performance – more than 1 stop better than EOS 5Ds R
• Articulating touchscreen – finally!
• Buttons and wheels customization
• Size. It’s smaller and lighter than the EOS 5Ds R. I don’t mind a even smaller and lighter one…
• Control ring on EF adapter / and RF lenses. I use it for ISO.
• EF combability. The 85/1.2 LII works better on R than on EOS 5Ds R
• RF 50/1.2 L. What a lens!

What I miss from my previous cams

• The 5Ds R 50 Mp files to crop from.
• The 5D battery life.

What I don’t like

• Multi-function bar responsivity. It does not work. Please fix it.
• Multi-function bar functions. Suggestion:
  • 1) Activate bar on center double click
  • 2) Make a left tap a zoom button
  • 3) Make a right tap a focus button
  • 4) Use the swipe to change the focus mode
• Back focus button placement is awkward at first. I want to use the multi-function bas as suggested above (#3).
• Eye control sensor for viewfinder is sensitive interrupting the live view on the back screen to easy when handling the camera on tripod
• The view-finder freezes parts of a second short after a capture. Is it a setting for this? I could not find it.
• The R has a non-Canon like almost buggy firmware  resulting in small hiccups and locks and sometimes a less responsive UI.  Maybe a somewhat forced firmware release? Fix this, please.

Updates 2019-20

• Firmware 1.2 is not buggy at all – no lockups.
• Eye detect AF works like a charm.
• Single point AF sometimes misses on distant shots / low contrast / messy backgrounds. I think normal AF has degraded a bit since the introduction of firmware 1.2 – it’s room for some fixes here Canon…
• Battery life is better than expected. If you avoid prolonged use of live view och skip chimping, battery life is on par with 5DS R. Just took a 1000 shots (using EVF) and the battery indicator is still on 3 of 4 pins (57%).
• RT 85/1.2 L! Even better than the RT 50/1.2.
• RT 70-200/2.8L is another great lens om EOS R!

Images

EOS R + EF 16-35/4 L IS

EOS R + EF 35/1.4L II

EOS R + RF 50/1.2 L

EOS R + EF 100-400/4.5-5.6 LII

EOS R + RF 85/1.2 L USM