Review: The Canon EOS R is not what we expected

After years of waiting for Canon to release their full-frame mirrorless camera, the EOS R was announced to much angst. It wasn’t the camera that people were expecting.

While the EOS R carries the same 30.3MP full-frame sensor as the 5D Mark IV, it also shoots 4K video with a 1.8x crop. It features Canon’s proprietary Dual Pixel AF system, which can focus down to an impressive -6EV (with a f/1.2 lens). But it also lacks in-body image stabilization (IBIS).

The lack of IBIS wouldn’t have been so bad — Fujifilm shooters can commiserate — if not for the fact that Nikon’s inaugural full-frame mirrorless cameras, announced in the same time frame, do come with 5-axis IBIS. Canon’s executives were candid about the EOS R’s limitations: they just couldn’t find a way to include in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and full-frame 4K video.

Yoshiyuki Mizoguchi, a group executive from the Imaging Communications Business, also said that the EOS R was made for the ‘high amateurs.’ I’ve mulled over that phrase as I used this camera. Because everything about the EOS R makes sense if you think of it as an advanced EOS M.

Handles like an advanced EOS M

Nearly everything works better if you use the EOS R like a consumer camera  — like Canon’s EOS M mirrorless series. That means shooting from the monitor, tapping on settings on the monitor, and touching the monitor to set focus. 

If you try to use the EOS R like a pro DSLR with the electronic viewfinder (EVF), it unravels. There’s no AF joystick to change focus points. The quick control dial to scroll through settings is gone. There isn’t even a Mode dial, the EOS R has a Mode button.

The Mode button is a clear clue about how the EOS R wasn’t designed for professional use. Pressing it takes you to a mode selection screen, which takes over the entire view, even when you’re using the electronic viewfinder. Photographers hate taking their eyes off the scene to fidget with settings, and this essential command deletes the scene from your eyes.

The EOS R’s handling introduces problems that even the entry-level full-frame 6D Mark II DSLR doesn’t have. You can’t tell whether the EOS R is on or off by feel because the On/Off control is an undifferentiated dial. You can’t tell whether the EOS R is locked by sight or feel because the Lock button is a button. The 6D Mark II represents these two controls as switches; with a single glance you can whether your camera is powered on or locked.

It’s not that Canon doesn’t try. The EOS R makes up for the lack of an AF joystick, for example, by letting you use the monitor like a touchpad when shooting with the electronic viewfinder (EVF). But my nose always triggers the screen and inadvertently shoves the AF point.

Use the monitor to shoot, however, and everything works again. But it would be a pity if you only use the monitor because the EVF is brilliant. I was shooting in a dark room and the bright EVF was showing me details I couldn‘t possibly see with an optical viewfinder. 

The M-Fn pad is a new idea that feels underdeveloped. The touch-sensitive stripe is next to the EVF and can be customized with some commands. But the commands are limited, and some aren’t available in certain modes. A control ring on the RF lenses is also new for Canon, but not a new idea. Customizations are also limited, and I never found a good use for it.

A new mode called Flexible-Priority AE (Fv Mode), however, nails the execution. In this mode, you can set the shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation manually or automatically, independently or in combination. It’s like shooting in Manual, but you also get quick access to ISO and exposure compensation. 

Once again, however, Flexible-Priority AE mode works best when shooting with the monitor. Turning the Quick Control dial to select a control takes too much time. It’s easier simply to tap the setting on the screen and tune it in with the Main dial.

The color radiant

We’ve come to a stage in sensor technology where nearly every modern APS-C or full-frame camera makes beautiful pictures. The EOS R is no exception.

The images shine with the vivid colors that Canon is known for. When paired with the new RF lenses, the pictures are full of detail and bite. ISO performance is excellent, and there’s a lot of latitude to push and pull even in high ISO JPEGs. Look at the ISO 12,800 JPEG below and the amount of shadow detail that can still be recovered in post.

The camera seems to have a habit of underexposing to preserve all but the most extreme highlights. This requires more work in post to lift the shadows but I prefer it to losing bright textures.

Dual Pixel AF is swift and trustworthy, finding focus even in dark places. I photographed this violinist in a dim hotel lobby with the 50mm f/1.2 lens, and 24 out of 24 shots are all perfectly focused on her face.

But the EOS R is relatively slow when it comes to frames per second (fps). It can shoot up to 8fps in AF-S mode, and up to 5 fps in AF-C. If you have ‘tracking priority’ enabled, that drops to 3 fps. It’s enough for everyday situations but puts the EOS R behind competitors like the Sony α7 III, which shoots up to 10 fps with AF and AE. 

The lack of IBIS is a sore spot

Video is the EOS R’s weakness. There’s noticeable rolling shutter when panning the camera and shooting at 4K with a 1.8x crop is limiting. The widest native RF lens now is the 24-105mm f/4. The crop turns that in a 41-179mm. You get a longer zoom but lose the option to shoot wide. If you shoot at 1080p, however, the EOS R uses the entire sensor without a crop.

Play

But Dual Pixel AF in video is excellent. It’s not only accurate, but it can transition between focal points smoothly, without the jerky hunting you see in some digital cameras. Auto exposure is also spot on, as you can see in the video above.

Play

The lack of IBIS remains the EOS R’s sorest point. It means shaky video footage if you don’t shoot with a gimbal or tripod. It also decreases your chances of getting sharp photographs at low shutter speeds.

The camera is half the story

The EOS R introduces Canon’s new RF mount, which has a large 54mm internal diameter mount, short back-focus (otherwise known as flange-back distance), and new high-speed communications system. 

Canon says those specs enable better lenses, and it’s likely why they’ve released a powerhouse selection of lenses to show their mettle. There’s a 50mm f/1.2, a 28-70mm f/2, a 24-105mm f/4, and a 35mm f/1.8 macro lens.

The first three gain Canon’s coveted ‘L’ designation, reserved for their best lenses. Canon’s executives stressed that fast lenses like the 50mm f/1.2 and 28-70mm f/2 would not have been possible with the older EF mount.

But it should be noted that only two of these lenses, the 24-105mm f/4, and the 35mm f/1.8, come with image stabilization. These are also the two RF lenses that fit most comfortably with the EOS R. The 50mm f/1.2 is large, and tired my wrist after a night out shooting with it.

I couldn’t use the massive 28-70mm f/2 without the help of the EOS R’s optional battery grip. Put those two together and the EOS R edges close to DSLR size. The fact that neither the 28-70mm f/2 nor the EOS R come with IS means you have to be extra careful with the extra weight.

The fast lenses are exciting but also present a mismatch. As best as I can tell, Canon has released an entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera. But half of the native lenses are clearly for professionals, who would be willing to deal with their large heft.

It isn’t what we expected

The EOS R isn’t what I expected Canon’s inaugural mirrorless full-frame camera to be. I thought it would produce a miniaturized 5D Mark IV, but instead Canon has made an advanced EOS M.

It all comes down to the handling.The lack of IBIS and full-frame 4K puts the EOS R behind its competitors. But even if it had shipped with IBIS and 4K without crop, the way the EOS R handles has more in common with an advanced consumer camera than a professional machine.

I have nothing against an advanced EOS M, in fact, the EOS R is quite delightful to use as an everyday camera. The Dual Pixel AF is dependable and the touchscreen is responsive. But S$5,098 for the EOS R and 24-105mm f/4 lens is a lot to pay for a consumer body. And a body like the 5D Mark IV, or even the 6D Mark IV, is more immediate than the EOS R. If I need to shoot a job, those are still the cameras I’d reach for.

New controls, like the M-Fn dial and control rings on the lenses have the potential to change how we use the camera. But they feel undeveloped for now, and I never found a good use for them. Canon should be commended for trying something new, however, instead of sticking with the tried and true. I sincerely hope they keep on experimenting with original ideas.

The best part about the EOS R isn’t even the camera, it’s that the camera unlocks the new RF lenses. They’re fast, transparent, and full of bite. Paired with the 30MP sensor, you get images full of color and life. And with an optional mount adapter, the EOS R also works with existing EF and EF-S lenses.

It’s telling that Canon’s development concept for the EOS R was “reimagine optical excellence” and not “reimagine imaging excellence.” To that end, I think they’ve succeeded: the RF lenses are more compelling than the EOS R. I’m excited to see what else the RF system has in store.

Additional reads:

• Understanding the Canon EOS R - why it doesn’t have in-body image stabilization
• Understanding the Canon EOS R - why it took this long to go full-frame mirrorless
• Understanding the Canon EOS R - why the new RF lenses are so big

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.