“As the pinnacle of our EOS line up, the EOS R1 inherits the top-tier excellence of our 1 lineage, which has always been highly trusted by professionals. The EOS R1 will empower professionals and craftsmen with class-leading control and performance, to acquire mastery of their craft, by providing an additional edge in their professional production processes and workflows.” said David Yeo, Senior Marketing Manager of Consumer Business, Singapore Operations, Canon Singapore.

My visual storytelling/photography journeys with Canon EOS 1 series

My visual storytelling/photography journeys with Canon EOS 1 series began with the Canon EOS-1D Mark III in 2010, the first Canon EOS 1 series camera that I owned. I tested and reviewed the Canon EOS-1D X, EOS-1D X Mark II. My next EOS 1 series camera was the Canon EOS-1D X, before moving on to the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. When I moved into the EOS R full-frame mirrorless series, without a flagship EOS 1 series camera in my lineup. 

Canon EOS R1 – First flagship EOS R system camera 

The Canon EOS R1 was announced on 17th July 2024. I would be sharing the information from the press release as I didn’t get the opportunity to have a short hands on with the Canon EOS R1 as compared to my previous Canon EOS camera announcements. The Canon EOS R1 is kind of familiar to me, given my history with Canon EOS 1 series cameras and the Canon EOS R3 that I reviewed in 2022.

EOS R1 Top Notch Speed: Accelerated Capture Image Processing

The Canon EOS R1 harnesses the power of a 24-megapixel back-illuminated (BSI) stacked CMOS sensor to elevate images to an impressive 96-megapixels with its unique In-Camera Upscaling technology. The sensor’s improved light efficiency and faster readout lay the foundation for the revolutionary capabilities of the EOS R1.

With the new Accelerated Capture image processing system, featuring the innovative DIGIC Accelerator alongside DIGIC X, processing speed and power are significantly amplified. Unprecedented levels of AF and subject tracking performance can be achieved through deep learning algorithms, where detailed scene analysis is enabled. With features such as In-Camera Upscaling and Neural Network Noise Reduction now executable in-camera, the EOS R1 supports fast-paced, time-sensitive workflows, ensuring the swift delivery of high-quality, publication-ready images to editors or press offices.

Capture Decisive Moments: Smarter Subject Detection and Tracking

The EOS R1 is Canon’s first camera to feature the next-generation Dual Pixel Intelligent AF system. This system leverages the Accelerated Capture image processing system’s powerful processing speed and power to achieve AF and subject detection performance that significantly surpasses that of the EOS R3.

One revolutionary new AF feature is the Action Priority AF mode, which detects crucial actions such as shooting, passing, and heading, specific to soccer, basketball, or volleyball.  Using deep learning, details such as ball position, players’ joints, and the presence of multiple people will be analysed. Once such actions are detected, the AF frame automatically switches to the subjects performing these actions, capturing those split-second decisive moments that might be missed, especially during dynamic, fast-paced games.

Be it shooting event photos or videos, the Register People Priority feature will come in handy; the camera will prioritise up to 10 specific preregistered individuals and constantly focus on them, even when the subjects’ faces are side facing.

Users can also look forward to improved AF and subject tracking in the existing People, Animal, and Vehicle-priority modes, as the Dual Pixel Intelligent AF is aided by Cross-type AF, which improves the camera’s ability to detect small subjects and subjects affected by patterns and/or horizontal lines—such as players wearing horizontal stripes or when shooting from behind net or fence.

In-camera Upscaling: Instant High-resolution Extreme Crops

The new In-Camera Upscaling function uses deep learning algorithms to quadruple the number of pixels in an image while preserving details and image quality, achieving image files that resemble those shot on a 96-megapixel camera. This will be useful for achieving high-quality extreme crops on the spot, which can be sent directly from the camera to a press office.

Image noise can become more apparent when images are magnified, but this will be addressed by the new in-camera Neural Network Noise Reduction function to improve image quality further. The function uses deep learning-based algorithms to reduce high-fidelity noise on RAW images, achieving amazingly clean high ISO JPEG images straight out of the camera.

The EOS R1 features a 5-axis In-Body IS (Image Stabilizer), with a newly designed mechanism and improved algorithms that increase its effectiveness compared to the EOS R3. When shooting with a compatible RF lens with Optical Image Stabilizer, users can expect up to 8.5 stops’ equivalent image stabilisation so handheld shot images where tripods are not available will remain sharp.

Never Miss Crucial Moments

The EOS R1 can shoot high-speed bursts at up to 40 fps with the electronic shutter, which allows for silent shooting, and up to 12 fps with the mechanical and electronic first-curtain shutter. This enables users to capture the perfect moment within fast action sequences. The faster sensor readout speed reduces rolling shutter distortion to practically negligible levels. This is equivalent to the EOS-1D X Mark III mechanical shutter, which will encourage users who previously refrained from using the electronic shutter due to potential subject distortion when capturing high-speed action. Reduced rolling shutter distortion will also benefit video, allowing for seamless action footage and fast camera movement without wobbly artifacts.

The EOS R1 comes with pre-continuous shooting for stills and pre-recording for videos. These functions capture moments before pressing the shutter or starting to record, making up for lost split-seconds. The pre-recording function captures up to 20 frames before the shutter button is fully pressed and can be combined with Action Priority AF or Register People Priority. It also captures a scene up to 5 seconds before recording video and stops recording when there is a change of scene, reducing unnecessary footage and streamlining post-production work.

Seamless Operation on the Field

The EOS R1 is also designed for seamless control and operation, enabling better responsiveness to dynamic situations. Eye Control AF, which allows users to control the AF frame with their eyes has been improved with new line-of-sight optics and detection algorithm, allowing for a faster, more reliable line of sight detection. The 9.44 million-dot, 0.9x magnification blackout-free EVF, which offers the highest definition and magnification in the EOS series, ensures that users get a large, bright, clear, and uninterrupted view of their subject and should satisfy even the DSLR users. An anti-fog structure in the EVF prevents fogging even under hot and humid conditions. 

Several new design and interface features provide more shortcuts for instant recall of stored AF settings, allowing faster user response to changing shooting conditions. These include:

• Focus preset, a function previously available only on super telephoto lenses that enables any camera button to be assigned to set the focus to a predetermined focus position so users can set focus instantly on a desired area.
• 2-level AF-On button functionality, where the AF-On button can be assigned to change different settings when half-pressed and fully pressed.
• Ability to register and recall different AF settings for different activities and shooting situations preregistered by the user.

Two CFexpress Type-B slots support steady high-speed recording of data-intensive files, such as 6K 60p RAW videos and 40 fps full-resolution burst images, to either card, with the other card available for simultaneously recording still images and proxy video files.

With dual shooting function, users can simultaneously record Full HD 60p videos and 16:9 JPEG, approx. 17.8-megapixel still images, improving efficiency in situations such as breaking news, interview videos where both stills and videos are required.

The EOS R1 is built with a light but strong magnesium alloy exterior, making it 23% lighter and 11% smaller than the EOS-1D X Mark III. It maintains an impact-resistant build and has dust- and water-resistant weather-sealing, to withstand extreme weather conditions.

Designed for Swift Editorial Workflows

The EOS R1 is the first EOS system camera to support the new Wi-Fi 6/6E wireless protocol in addition to the existing 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz bands, allowing for faster wireless file transmission to a smartphone, PC, or FTP/FTPS/SFTP server. It also supports the new high-speed 2.5GBase-T wired LAN protocol to existing wired LAN support. Users can use the latest high-speed communication standards to swiftly transmit large numbers of still photos and videos to their editors—an asset for news reporting where time is of the essence.

Other features that will benefit professional media workflows include:

• More precise deep learning-based metering
  The combination of smaller metering zones and expanded deep learning applications enables improved white balance and autoexposure accuracy across various scenes. Thus, photographers can rely more on the camera to produce accurate skin tones and sky colours, as well as more vivid greens. This enables users to rely more on the camera to determine the best settings when handling unpredictable, fluctuating environments. It also results in more beautiful images straight out of the camera.
• Blurred/out of focus image detection
  This function analyses and scores blurred and out-of-focus JPEG/HEIF images with people’s faces shot using the electronic shutter. It streamlines reviewing and selects the best images from the tremendous number captured by the high-speed electronic shutter, allowing photographers to upload their images sooner.
• Powerful industry-standard video options
  Besides its 6K 60p internal RAW video capability, the EOS R1 adopts many advanced video features shared with the Cinema EOS, such as Canon Log 2 and 3, false colours, and proxy recording. It is also the first EOS series camera to include the Custom Picture colour presets and support for in-camera LUT applications, previously exclusive to Cinema EOS cameras.
• Greater usability with Speedlites
  The EOS R1’s faster sensor readout speed enables flash photography support even during continuous shooting in the electronic shutter mode. The flash sync speed is the EOS R series’ highest at 1/400 sec, allowing more flexibility to use a wide aperture or freeze action without resorting to high-speed sync.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon EOS R1 will be available at the recommended retail price of $9,599 at Canon authorised dealers in November 2024.

Technical Specifications – Canon EOS R1

* Information and pictures courtesy of Canon Singapore and Litmus PR *  

The post Canon announced EOS R1 – First flagship EOS R system camera appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Just like my previous Canon cameras reviews, I would bring them out for as many different types of photography shoots and outings, putting them to the test in various photography genres. Starting my own short visual stories collection titled, “A TGH Photography x Canon EOS R3 Explorer Series Production” of my Canon EOS R3 review adventures and journeys.  

First up was Rainbow illumiNation – Celebrating 1 year of Very Momentary Exhibition, supporting local creative artist Wei and his creative artwork creations, World Water Day 2022 and Earth Day 2022 – Invest In Our Planet, bringing wildlife photograph, nature, conservation and sustainability topics out from the photographs that I shot with the Canon EOS R3. There’s also an urban / city landscape photography exploration with the RF600mm f/11 IS STM and RF800mm f/11 IS STM lenses that I was also reviewing together with the Canon EOS R3, titled “Singapore Cityscapes (600mm and 800mm perspectives).

The Canon EOS R3 is more than just a fast and powerful full-frame mirrorless camera for the professionals in journalism and sports that place high standards and demand for very fast speed action and accuracy, it’s also for the wildlife, visual story tellers and professional photographers in other genres as well, to capture the priceless moments and presenting them to the world.

You read my visual stories from my EOS R3 explorer series production, now let me share with you my points, thoughts and views from this Canon EOS R3 review.

Aesthetics 

For photographers who own/used the EOS 1D series, the Canon EOS R3 will feel natural and at ease in your hands. It’s just like the EOS 1D series, the looks, feel and ergonomics. The EOS R3 is lighter in weight as compared to the EOS 1D counterparts. The EOS R3 EVF is bigger in size, that is to accommodate Eye AF.

A lightweight magnesium alloy body making the EOS R3 very rugged, tough and durable, able to withstand extreme conditions along with its weather sealing features. Just like the EOS 1D series predecessors, you have the faith and trust in the EOS R3 to rough it out and deliver the goods in extreme conditions. 

Years ago, I felt that the flip screen would not look professional on the EOS 1D series. Fast forward today,  I take back my words, the flip screen is so useful and versatile, providing flexibility and more ways to approach photographing in various situations. The flip screen on the EOS R3 won’t make it less professional, my personal opinion is that this would be most welcomed by photographers in today’s demand for both stills photography, videography and content creation.

There is the joy stick on the EOS R3, it’s really a joy to use, along with the iconic wheel button on the Canon EOS camera bodies that we are familiar with. This combination of using the wheel button + mode dial + front dial + joy stick is more than just an ease to use, it’s handy and great joy to use. 

The Canon EOS R3 gives you full control on the camera body using the LCD screen, giving you another user interface option when operating the Canon camera. The best of both worlds of having both physical controls, dials, buttons and modern technology using touch screens.   

Operations

The legacy of the EOS 1D series has been passed on to the EOS R3, the fast speed auto-focus (AF) with precision and accuracy on the subjects that you are focusing and photographing. Inside the EOS R3, Canon has raised the mirrorless AF speed and accuracy to another level, we saw it in  Canon’s EOS R5 and R6 AF capabilities. The EOS R3 has set the bar higher on another level, it’s not just going to amaze, they are what professional photographers in journalism, reportage, sports, wedding, fast-paced events, wildlife photographers would want to have in their professional series EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera. Not just for professionals, serious enthusiasts photographers would welcome the EOS R3 too! This EOS R3 is capable to line-up in the 1 digit series of the EOS R family, why is not named as EOS R1 and named as EOS R3 instead? Close to the end of my article, I would share my personal thoughts and views on this.

Drive mode

Single shooting / High speed continuous + / High speed continuous / Low speed continuous / Self-timer 10s / Self-timer 2s

Shutter mode

Mechanical / Electronic 1st curtain / Electronic 

The mechanical shutter is awesome, the EOS R3 electronic shutter is even better. You can just put to electronic shutter without too much worries and concentrate on capturing the moments and actions up to 1/64,000 at 30 fps with its electronic shutter. 

Silent shutter function on / off

There is a silent shutter function that allows photographers to switch on to use when the shooting situation requires. The EOS R3 has a soft shutter sound, it’s almost negligible that you won’t notice it much when you are using it.

Servo AF 

1 – Versatile multi-purpose setting

2 – Continue to track subjects, ignoring possible obstacles

3 – Instantly focus on subjects suddenly entering AF points

4 – For subjects that accelerate or decelerate quickly 

Auto – Tracking automatically adapts to subject movement 

Subject to detect 

People / Animals / Vehicles / None

With the above four selections, photographers can switch the settings inside the EOS R3 as and when required. Dedicated settings for photographing people, animals or vehicles would be most welcomed by photographers, they are fine-tuned to assist photographers in capturing their subject matters at right moments.  

Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system along with EOS iTR AF X brings Canon AF to another level with improved with Eye Detection AF (Human), Body Detection AF and Head Detection AF. Portraiture photographers would most welcome this improvement when they put to “People” mode. 

For wildlife photographers, the “Animals” to detect mode would vastly help in focusing and capturing wildlife in action. Motorsports photographers, the “Vehicles” to detect mode would be most welcomed by them. 

In addition to EOS R3 fast and accurate AF, the ability to choose the subject to detect makes it even easier and a bigger breeze for photographers. Switching to subject – animals, when shooting wildlife made it so much easier for me even when shooting small birds from far.

Auto-Focus Capabilities/Areas 

Spot AF / 1-point AF / Expand AF area / Expand AF area: Around / Flexible Zone AF 1 (Square) / Flexible Zone AF 2 (Vertical) / Flexible Zone AF 3 (Horizontal) / Whole area AF 

For those who are familiar with Canon AF system, you would know the different AF capabilities and AF areas that you can choose from. One of the EOS R3 strong capabilities that I like a lot is the Flexible Zone AF functions that give the photographers more control and specific areas to concentrate the focusing of their subjects. 

The Flexible Zone AF (Square, Vertical or Horizontal) can be versatile and useful in situations such as wildlife photography.

In-Body IS

The EOS R3 is equipped with an In-Body IS (IBIS), that was first incorporated in the EOS R5 and EOS R6 camera bodies. When coupled with lenses that has image stabilisation (Optical IS), they can achieve an image stabilisation effect of up to 8 stops. That would be most welcome by photographers who need to shoot in handheld low light situations. 

One of the features on the wish list of photographers, Canon’s IBIS capability is now equipped inside the professional EOS R camera bodies. An excellent and most welcome feature for photographers and videographers, yet photographers and videographers may forget about the IBIS that’s aiding them in their low light shoots. 

Eye Control AF

The return of Canon’s Eye Control into the EOS R3. Before you are able to utilise this function, you need to do a calibration with your eye. The calibration is pretty straight forward and not too difficult to complete the Eye Control setup. 

Using Eye-Focus to control the AF point, it’s a hit and miss for me. While I welcome this useful and great capability inside the EOS R3, there were times when I couldn’t fully control the AF point, making me frustrated. 

Some points to highlight would be, I am wearing glasses thus it might affect the eye-control functionality. I also have a short review period, that doesn’t give me a lot of time to get used to the Eye Control and fine-tuning it further to my liking and preferences. 

Eye-Focus can be very useful in situations when the photographer prefers to do it through  the viewfinder, concentrating on focusing on his subjects, pressing the button to photograph the priceless moments that they are seeking/waiting for, and preferring not to utilise the wheel dial and joy stick. 

ISO Levels

ISO 100 – 102,400

The EOS R3 ISO level has a range from ISO 100 to 102,400. Although this would allow the photographer to shoot at high ISO, the tolerance and preferred ISO level to use, can be personal and subjective. My personal tolerance lSO level is 51,200, I would avoid using higher ISO beyond this level whenever possible. 

Record func+card/folder selection 

Equipped with dual card slots, one for CFexpress, one for SD card, it’s very useful if you choose or prefer to record stills photography and video separately into different cards. The future for high speed shooting, volume and buffer recording is with CFexpress card, their pricing is still pretty high at juncture in time, we need to give them more time before the prices would come down, making it more affordable. 

I usually prefer a dual card slots system, giving me the options to record into 1 card or both cards when the situation requires. Having a dual card slot is a great backup function to have on the camera.

Video

Movie rec. size

6K RAW (6000×3164) 50.00 fps / 25.00 fps / 24.00 fps (PAL)

4K-DCI (4096×2160) 50.00 fps / 25.00 fps / 24.00 fps (PAL)

4K-U (3840×2160) 50.00 fps / 25.00 fps (PAL)

FHD (1920×1080) 100.00 fps / 50.00 fps / 25.00 fps / 24.00 fps (PAL)

The EOS R3 can record videos up to 6K RAW, onto the CFexpress card, while 4K video can be simultaneously recorded on an SD card. In the current environment and demands, shooting in 4K would be sufficient for most situations in both work and leisure videography. The ability to shoot in 6K RAW is an added bonus for the photographer/videographer should the need arises.

In my personal opinion, the EOS R3 primary function is a stills photography camera for fast paced action. The video is a secondary function that allows the user to record videos, switching in between photography and videography as and when required.

Thoughts and Views

For existing Canon EOS 1D users, EOS R5 and EOS R6 users, it’s very easy and fast for these group of photographers to get used and acclimatised to the Canon EOS R3. The functions and user interface (UI) are very similar (if not most of them are the same). If you are familiar or owns a EOS 1D series, the EOS R3 will be second nature to you, it’s almost exactly the same!

The EOS R3 is a very fast and accurate full-frame mirrorless camera Sports, wildlife and press photographers will love this camera, that would also be for wedding and events photographers as well. AF for mirrorless cameras have improved tremendously over the years, the revolution has started in the EOS R5 and EOS R6 full-frame mirrorless cameras. In the EOS R3, they have gone up another level higher and better.

Videography for EOS R3 complements the photographer, when they have to shoot videos on top of their photography. 

The EOS R3 is first and foremost a very high speed, very fast AF powerful stills camera, just like its predecessor from the 1D series, the legacy lives on in the EOS R3 even though it’s not named together as the Canon 1 digit series. 

Due to the changing media landscape, media consumption and demand, while stills photography still has an important role to play, video consumption has risen exponentially, whether it’s your filmmaking production level, serious amateur using YouTube/Vimeo, or even using TikTok, Instagram Reels. 

Videography in a hybrid digital mirrorless camera complements the user in their quest to capture both stills and videos for the work/projects required or for the leisure user to have both forms of media production for their social media.  

Eye-Control / Eye-Focus

The EOS R3 eye-control feature that allows photographers to use their eye and focus on their subjects through the EVF. Personally, I like this feature a lot, adding on another method to focus on moving subjects, beside using the joy stick or LCD touch screen, ideal for photography genres such as wedding and events photography.

While it is most welcomed as an additional method to help the photographer focus on their subjects during their shoot, this is like a rough diamond that still needs refinement and improvement with technological and firmware upgrades. 

High ISO 

The EOS R3 maximum ISO is 102,400, allowing photographers to push the limits of their photography in low light situation. Personally, my tolerance level for the usable high ISO is 51,200, the ISO levels beyond that are too grainy for my personal liking and usage. 

1/64,000s 

The EOS R3 can shoot up to an amazing speed of 1/64,000s with its electronic shutter. Is this a myth or a marketing gimmick, some might ask? No, it’s not a myth and not a marketing gimmick. When I had a first taste of 1/64,000s high speed action during my initial short hands on session with the EOS R3, I was more than blown away, I wanted to test it out in the field.

Although during my short review period with the EOS R3, I couldn’t fully put the 1/64,000s shutter speed to more tests/shoots, I managed to photograph some scenes using 1/64,000s.

Shooting at 1/64,000 might sound very far fetch for many photographers, this is true to a certain extent, not many photographers will or need to shoot at 1/64,000. Nevertheless, for wildlife and sports photographers, 1/64,000 might just be the key element for them to nail that shot that they always wanted to shoot e.g. the very fast motorsports action scenes, an artistic scene of water droplets hitting the water or the kingfisher diving right at the moment into the water catching its prey.

Or like me, photographing the fireball sunset shining brightly over the horizon, overpowering the bright sunset and creating an artistic silhouette. 

Why is this not R1 and named R3?

During my first short hands on media session with the EOS R3, after my first touch, feel and testing, the EOS R3 feels and works like the Canon EOS 1D series, I was impressed with specifications and capabilities. During the time whereby I had the EOS R3 for review, I was thinking much further and deeper, why is this not named EOS R1 and named EOS R3 instead? 

A monster and powerful full-frame mirrorless camera for the sports, wildlife photographer, as well as for press photographer and photojournalist too. The EOS R3 is more than ready, it can safely and proudly take over the EOS 1D X series as the Canon’s top range camera yet it sits just below the EOS 1D X Mark III, based on how Canon name their cameras.

The EOS R3 has placed huge expectations for the rumoured EOS R1, what would the ultimate Canon flagship full-frame mirrorless EOS R1 camera be like in the near future?

On a personal and professional basis, is it time for me to fully switch over to Canon mirrorless by replacing my EOS 1D X Mark II with the EOS R3?  

More photographs of my Canon EOS R3 review can be viewed on my Flickr collection! 

Thanks to fellow photographer Isaac Ong for taking my profile photo, shot withe Canon EOS R3. 

* I would like to thank Canon for the opportunity to review the Canon EOS R3 full-frame mirrorless camera. * 

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#InvestInOurPlanet

If we do not Invest in Our Planet, if we do not start to take action, the world will lose our home and only home because we all live on this planet. 

Who doesn’t want a healthy and comfortable home to live in? 

#WhatWillYouDo 

What can you do for Earth Day and what will you do? Earth Day website has a list of excellent recommendations on what you can do!

Some of the things that you can do 

• Use less plastic
• Visit nature and outdoors, take photos of your beautiful landscapes and horizon
• Bring your own reusable water bottle
• Recycle, Up-cycle
• Share your photos and stories

We can all make a difference 

Every individual on earth can play a part, no matter how big or small. Through our civic actions, making our voices heard, spreading the word on climate change, sustainability, eco-friendly measures. 

Not just today on 22nd April, we can continue investing in our planet on a daily basis, making a difference to the world today and for the future.

Photographing Singapore outdoors/nature/green areas/wildlife

With my Canon photography gear and my trusted f-stop gear backpack, going into nature and green areas, enjoying the outdoors, fresh air, it was very therapeutic for me, photographing  nature, green areas and wildlife. 

When I was testing and reviewing the Canon EOS R3 recently, revisiting the outdoors, nature and green areas in Singapore, observing the close proximity of our nature/green areas, urban areas and wildlife living together.

We need to together Invest In Our Planet, I will continue to play my part with my photography and writing. 

* A TGH Photography x Canon EOS R3 Explorer Series Production * 

The post Earth Day 2022 – Invest In Our Planet appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

From the modern iconic Marina Bay, Gardens By The Bay, Changi Airport, to our heritage buildings and districts such as our museums, those images are some of the cityscapes that would come to your mind when we mention Singapore. 

For a country that is small in land size, do we have the wide landscape view that allow us to use our telephoto lens such as a 70-200mm to compose and isolate tight landscape scenes that we photographers enjoy when we travel overseas? How about using longer telephoto lenses such as 600mm or 800mm for cityscapes or landscapes? Is that even possible? 

I have been photographing Singapore Cityscapes for a period of time, through my documentation and exploration perspective, from photographing iconic famous landmarks to the heritage, cultural and the heartlands in Singapore, usually through my work horse lens, the wide angle zoom (now 16-35mm, formerly 17-40mm). 

We may be a small country, the changes in Singapore’s built and natural landscapes have been ongoing. This is like a perpetual documentation project to photograph Singapore Cityscapes as it changes over the years.

My recent review adventure with the Canon EOS R3 brought me revisiting different locations in Singapore, along with RF600mm f/11 IS STM lens and RF800mm f/11 IS STM lenses that I am also reviewing as well. Lenses with focal length such as 600mm or 800mm are usually associated with sports and wildlife photography. Are they even suitable for landscape/cityscape photography?

Here are some Singapore Cityscapes shot with the Canon EOS R3 with RF600mm f/11 IS STM and RF800mm f/11 IS STM lenses. 

Stay tuned for my upcoming review articles (and more photos) on the Canon EOS R3, RF600mm f/11 IS STM and RF800mm f/11 IS STM lenses! 

* A TGH Photography x Canon EOS R3 Explorer Series Production * 

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Short hands on experience with Canon EOS R3

At the media session, not only did I get a short hands on experience to touch and feel the Canon EOS R3, I had an interactive session with the folks from Canon Singapore. I am going to share some of my personal thoughts and views that I compiled from my short hands on session as well as my own Q&A session with Canon Singapore.

During the media session, I noticed in the presentation that the EOS R3 is positioned below the EOS-1D X series and above the EOS R5 and EOS R6. Personally, I feel that the EOS R3 technical specifications and capabilities are comparable to the EOS-1D X series (and maybe even better!). Equipped with a newly developed back-illuminated stacked CMOS 24.1 megapixels sensor, this could be just right and enough for those into sports, action and press photography. 

The Canon EOS R3 is lighter in weight and slightly smaller in size as compared to EOS-1D X Mark III, it has a very familiar feel and touch if you are an existing EOS-1D X user.

It’s a technologically advanced mirrorless camera with deep learning technology applied to Eye Detection AF on the EOS R3. Eye Control Detection AF is a very useful technology and capability, photographers into sports, action, wedding and journalism would love this feature. 

Examples of Eye Detection AF in action: 

Sports photography: Penalty kick in a football match, using Eye Detection AF technology to focus on the penalty taker, switching seamlessly to the goalkeeper and vice versa. 

Wedding photography: Using Eye Detection AF to switch focus from the wedding couple to the guests nearby, allowing the photographer to capture priceless moments from their position.

The Canon EOS R3 has a maximum shutter speed at 1/64,000 (with electronic shutter) and continuous shooting at 30 fps. These two key features will definitely light up the eyes of sports, action and wildlife photographers. Can you visualise shooting wildlife, sports or action photography at 30 fps with a shutter speed of 1/64,000 using EOS R3 fast focusing AF capabilities? 

Vehicle priority AF is a newly added feature that will excite motorsports photographers, allowing them to detect automobiles and motorcycles with great precision. There is a feature that caught my attention when I read other photography websites especially those from United States of America that had early access to the Canon EOS R3 prior to the coordinated official launch. The Flexible Zone AF allows photographers to change the size of the AF area, this would come in useful for sports, action and wildlife photography. 

The EOS R3 can record up to 6K 60p RAW or 4K 120p 10-bit movie. Some might question why 6K and not 8K? For a start, the EOS R3 target markets are photographers in the sports, action, wildlife and press photography sectors, where still photography with fast and accurate AF are the key features that professional photographers wanted/required. Should the need to shoot video is needed, 4K standards can get the job done and deliver the goods without taking up too much resources on the desktop or laptop, while 6K is a bonus/sweet spot for slightly higher standards than 4K while not over pushing your desktop or laptop resources when editing 8K videos.

Expectations and potentially the super flagship EOS R1 full frame camera in the near future 

The positioning of Canon EOS R3 below the EOS-1D X series was a bit of a surprise to me personally. The technical specifications and capabilities of their latest full-frame mirrorless camera is on par with the EOS-1D X Mark III (even better in my personal humble opinion). I was curious to know more about Canon’s positioning of the Canon EOS R3. 

Based on my understanding as a Canon photographer myself (EOS 300D -> EOS 30D -> EOS-1D III -> EOS 70D -> EOS-1D X -> EOS-1D X Mark II & EOS RP) as well as covering Canon news over the years (probably a decade by now?), naming this technologically advanced and powerful as the EOS R3 is going to set some pretty high expectations for the upcoming super flagship (rumoured and widely speculated) EOS R1 full-frame mirrorless camera in the near future. 

The slogan for Canon’s full-frame mirrorless cameras is “Born to Rule”. When Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6 were announced in 2020, Canon showcased to the photography world, their commitment to full-frame mirrorless camera and lenses system, how far and how much they had invested and developed the full-frame mirrorless EOS R camera and RF lenses system. 

I had reviewed both Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6 full-frame mirrorless cameras, they were very impressive, very capable and packed with strong features, it was tempting for me to fully switch over to full-frame mirrorless. While I only had a short hands-on session with the Canon EOS R3, I am already very impressed and excited. Now, the call to fully switch over to full-frame mirrorless is getting even stronger. 

What does the EOS R3 bode for the future of Canon full-frame mirrorless cameras? This camera has now set a very high standard and expectations for future Canon full-frame mirrorless cameras. There are a number of speculations and rumours (as usual) going on around the photography sector. My personal speculation is a super flagship (rumoured and widely speculated) EOS R1 full-frame mirrorless camera. 

Canon DSLR users, especially sports photographers, this technologically advanced and powerful packed technical specifications EOS R3 sets the bar and standards for professional, sports, action, wildlife and press photography. 

Last but not least – to EOS R3 or not?

I have a soft spot for the Canon EOS-1D series, they took (and help define) my Canon photography to the next few levels when I started my EOS-1D series with EOS-1D Mark III in 2010. From EOS-1D Mark III to EOS-1D X, followed by EOS-1D X Mark II. While the EOS R3 is not named the EOS-1 series equivalent at this stage, the shape, feel, familiarity and capabilities of the EOS R3 are just like the EOS-1D X family.  

Even with a short hands on experience session with the EOS R3 and not having done a full review, I am already very impressed and excited with this amazing and technologically advanced full-frame mirrorless camera for sports, action, wildlife and press photography. 

For fellow Canon EOS-1D family (especially EOS-1D X Mark II and III) DSLR users, in my personal humble opinion as of now without having done a full review of the Canon EOS R3, you can now have the full confidence to migrate over from DSLR (EOS-1D X Mark III).

Last but not least – to EOS R3 or not? Is it time for me to fully move over from Canon DSLR (EOS-1D X Mark II) to Canon full-frame mirrorless (Canon EOS R3)? Born to Rule – Canon EOS R3.

I would like to thank Canon Singapore for the invitation to the media session to have a first look, touch, feel and understanding more in-depth about the Canon EOS R3. 

The post Short Hands on Experience with Canon EOS R3 appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

“The EOS R3 is a testament to our ceaseless pursuit of pushing our technological boundaries to create cameras that offer fast performance, precision, and reliability,” said Mr. Edwin Teoh, Head of Marketing, Singapore Operations, Canon Singapore. “As Canon’s finest mirrorless camera to date, the EOS R3 will strengthen our EOS R system lineup, complementing other mirrorless cameras such as the EOS R5 and EOS R6. Its addition will bolster our offerings to help cater to the different needs of each type of photographer.”

Back-illuminated Stacked CMOS Sensor with DIGIC X

The Canon EOS R3 has a newly developed 24.1-megapixels back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor, combined with DIGIC X image processor, powering the EOS R3 to a number of ground breaking features that makes it the finest full-frame mirrorless camera in the EOS R system line-up. This EOS R3 camera is built primarily for speed, it also strikes a perfect balance between precision, performance and image quality.

At approximately 24.1-megapixels, the EOS R3 has approximately 20% more pixels as compared to the EOS-1D X Mark III and EOS R6. However, its resolution performance exceeds even the much higher 30.4-megapixels EOS 5D Mark IV.

High Speed Performance

For photographers in the sports, action, wildlife and press sectors that require high speed performance on their cameras, the EOS R3 is the camera for you. The EOS R3 electronic shutter can reach up to 30 fps while its mechanical shutter can reach up to 12 fps with AF/AE tracking. It’s also possible to achieve a shutter speed of up to 1/64,000 sec with the electronic shutter, this would allow photographers to capture ultra-fast subjects or using large aperture lenses under bright environments.

The Canon EOS R3 is equipped with dual card slots for CFexpress (Type-B) card that boasts ultra-fast read/write speeds and a SD (UHS-II) card, allowing for fast and reliable recording of image data. Thanks to DIGIC X’s incredibly high-speed processing capability, it’s possible to navigate menus and change settings while data is being written on a memory card.

Superior Image and Video Quality

For still photography, the EOS R3 has a native ISO range of 100 to 102.400 (expandable to 204,800). For videography, the range goes from 100 to 25,600 (expandable to 102,400). Due to the increased readout speed by the stacked CMOS sensor, rolling shutter distortion has been reduced to a minimum, which is particularly useful when shooting fast action sports or rapid panning action.

10-bit HEIF file format is also available in the EOSR3. HDR-PQ-like JPEG images with improved highlight gradations can be converted from HEIF files in-camera. With the HDR mode, users can achieve a single high dynamic range HEIF file from 3 HEIF composites automatically in as quickly as 0.02 seconds, making handheld HDR shooting an absolute breeze.

Like the EOS R5 and R6, the EOS R3 comes with In-Body Image Stabilisation(In-Body IS) of up to 5.5 stops. When paired with compatible RF lenses, the effectiveness can go up to 8 stops ,making long exposure shooting without a tripod a cinch.

To meet movie production needs, the EOS R3 is capable of recording 6K 60p RAW or 4K 120p 10-bit movie at the full-frame angle of field. High quality 4K 60p(oversampling from 6K) is also available for those who demand the very best quality. Canon Log 3 and HDR PQ are available, providing flexibility to match various postproduction workflows.

Intelligent and Precise Focus

The EOS R3 is featuring the game-changing Eye Control AF function for the first time since the EOS 7s (released in 2004). This allows users to select a focus point by purely using the movement of the eye. Multiple LEDs and sensors inside the newly developed EVF detect eye movement quickly, allowing photographers to instantly shit between different subjects without the need to fiddle around with buttons and controls. This helps them to quickly shift between AF targets, particularly when photographing motorsports and fast-moving subjects.

Eye Detection AF on the EOS R3 has been enhanced further with deep-learning technology. The camera is now able to focus on the eye if the face is partially covered or masked. Head Detection AF has also improved further, even when the athletes are wearing helmets or goggles, stable focusing can still be achieved in high-speed sports photography.

A newly added Vehicle Priority AF will also excite motorsport photographers. The AF can now detect automobiles and motorcycles with great precision. It can even detect the helmets of drivers when Spot Detection is enabled.

Another benefit from the high readout speed of the new sensor, combined with the processing power of DIGIC X, is the enhanced tracking accuracy. The EOS R3 can perform up to 60fps of AF calculation and tracking. This is three times of what the EOS-1 DX Mark III and EOS R5 can achieve, making it a breeze to track subjects that turn and change directions rapidly, such as ski racers or motorsport athletes.

With its low-luminance AF limit of EV-7.5, the EOS R3 can focus on subjects in an environment so dark that it is almost pitch black to the human eyes.

Seamless Connectivity for Swift Transfer

The EOS R3 has some of the best connectivity features in any Canon camera. Featuring Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS as standard modes, a dual band Wi-Fi that supports FTP and FTPS are also available, along with WPA3 for added security. For press photographers, wired LAN connectivity offers blazing fast transfer of files to remote FTP, FTPS or SFTP servers. All these are achieved without the need of any additional accessories.

For high-speed transfer, Mobile File Transfer allows the camera to transfer files quickly to a smartphone via a USB cable. By utilizing the ultra-fast 5G mobile network, the files can be transferred to remote servers swiftly.

Durability and Operability

As a professional grade mirrorless camera, the EOS R3 shares the same dust and drip resistance performance and shutter durability as the EOS-1D X Mark III.

The camera is equipped with a 3.2-inch (3:2) Vari-angle LCD touchscreen, a first for a professional body. It also boasts a resolution of approximately 4.15-million-dots, the highest ever in any Canon camera.

Canon has also developed a new 5.76-million-dot OLED EVF for the EOS R3. With a refresh rate of up to 120fps, the highly responsive EVF not only make spanning comfortable on the eye, but it also reduces time lag during continuous shooting. Featuring the same SmartController which first debuted on the EOS-1D X Mark III, it allows the user to quickly move the AF position around and double up as an AF-ON button.

Compatible with the proven LP-E19 high-capacity battery pack, photographers can be assured of a full day of shooting on a single charge. When the need arises, the battery can be charged using a mobile battery that supports Power Delivery(PD)via a compatible USB-C cable.

Despite its imposing look, the EOS R3 is 15% shorter than the EOS-1D X Mark III and weighs 30% lighter (CIPA standard). At822g (body only), the EOS R3 is also lighter than the EOS 5DS.

New Multi-function Shoe and Accessories

The EOS R3’s next generation Multi-function shoe adds functionalities beyond flash photography, with a series of new accessories designed to work with it.

The Multi-Function Shoe Directional Stereo Microphone DM-E1D is a full digital microphone that inherits most of the features from its analogue sibling, DM-E1. Other than being able to record digital audio directly, it adopts a battery-less and cable-less design. The Multi-function shoe can transmit audio data as well as supply power from the camera.The Menu button on the microphone allows quick access to the settings inside the camera menu for convenience.

Speedlite Transmitter ST-E10 is a new radio-enabled speedlite transmitter that works similarly to the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT. It has the same battery-less design and quick menu access buttons as the DM-E1D. Most notably, the ST-E10’s ultra-compact design sports a 56% reduction in weight compared to the ST-E3-RT.

The Multi-Function Shoe Adapter AD-E1 is designed to allow existing speedlites that has dust and drip resistance design to be used on the EOS R3. Examples of such speedlites are the EL-1 and 600EX series. Speedlites without dust & drip resistance design such as the 430EX and 270EX series, however, can be mounted directly on the EOSR3.

Multi-Function Shoe Adapter for Smartphone Link AD-P1 is an accessory for mounting a smartphone on to the EOS R3’s Multi-function shoe. A dedicated USB cable allows fast transfer of images and videos from the camera to the smartphone. With the Mobile File Transfer smartphone app, photographers can send these hi-res images to a remote FTP server via 5G mobile network.This workflow will significantly enhance photographers’ efficiency in the field.

Pricing and Availability

The EOS R3 will be available in November 2021, with pricing to be advised at a later date.

Canon EOS R3 Product Specifications 

* Information and pictures courtesy of Canon Singapore and GLOO *

The post Canon announced EOS R3 – Redefining Speed and Performance appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.