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Photography News | Issue 59 | photographynews.co.uk
News
Canon joins the full-frame mirrorless club
Specat aglance
EOS R prices
Sensor 30.3 megapixels, CMOS Sensor format
• •
EOS R body £2349.99
EOS R with RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM and EF-EOS R mount adapter kit £3269.99 RF 50mm f/1.2L USM £2349.99 (below left) RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM £1119.99 (below right) EF-EOS Rmount adapter £99.99 Control mount ring adapter EF-EOS R £199.99 Available fromDecember 2018 • RF 28-70mm f/2L USM lens £3049.99 • RF 35mm f/1.8 macro IS STM lens £519.99 • • • •
35mm full-frame, 6720x4480pixels ISO range 100-40,000 (expandable 50 to 102,400) Shutter range 30secs to 1/8000sec, flash sync 1/200sec Drive modes 8fps with fixed focus, 5fps with AF tracking Metering system 384 multi-zone, centre-weighted, spot, partial Exposure modes PASM Exposure compensation +/-3EV Monitor 3.2in articulating touchscreen, 2100k dots Viewfinder 3690K dot EVF Focusing Contrast detect (sensor), phase detect Focus points Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 5655 points Video 4k 3840x2160 @30p/24p/23.98p and 480Mbps and 120Mbps Connectivity USB 3.1, HDMI mini, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Other key features USB in-camera charging (with LP- E6N), Dual Pixel Raw support, CR3
The Canon EOS R is a completely new camera system, designed from the ground up and founded on an innovative lens mount. The RF mount has a 54mm diameter, 20mm flange back distance, and features 12 connecting pins for even greater freedom when it comes to designing lenses. The first camera in the EOS R systemis theEOSR, a30.3-megapixel model featuring the DIGIC 8 processor that offers features such as the Digital Lens Optimizer, which corrects lens aberrations. Headline features include the world’s fastest AF and amazing low light sensitivity, down to -6EV. The AFsystemfeaturesDual Pixel CMOS AF and 5655 selectable AF points with touch and drag functionality, and the ability to track at 5fps – the camera’s highest shooting rate is 8fps with fixedAF. Averyhighresolution,3.69million dots, shows 100% coverage and is optimized for low-light shooting, so
Video is featured, of course, and the EOS R can capture 4k video with 12 stops of dynamic range (at ISO 400) and 10-bit output via HDMI with Canon log. TheEOSRsystemwillfeaturefour lenses by the end of the year, with two available at launch, and the Canon mount EF-EOS R adaptor means existing EF and EF-S lenses can be used. The Canon control mount ring EF-EOS R and Canon drop-in filter mount adaptor EF-EOS R give more functions. The first two lenses on offer are the RF 50mm f/1.2LUSM(its natural perspective, L lens image quality and super-fast maximum aperture being the big selling points); and the RF 24- 105mm f/4L IS USM. The IS offers a 5EV benefit while the Nano USMAF is fast, smooth and quiet, suiting both still and video shooting. Later in the yearwewill see the RF 28-70mm f/2L USM and RF 35mm f/1.8macro IS STM. The EOS R is available to pre-order now and in the shops from 9 October.
(Raw and C-Raw) Storage media 1x SD slot Dimensions (wxhxd) 136x98x84mm Weight 660g body with battery Contact canon.co.uk
accurate composition is possible in really dark situations. The EOS R’s ergonomic design includesaweather-proofedbodywith almost every control customisable and a comfortable handgrip. Also featured is a customisable multi- function bar controlled by a slide or touchmotion. Further options are possible with all RF lenses, which will have a control ring that can be set to alter functions, such as ISO or exposure compensation, so you can adjust settings while the camera stays up to the eye.
More fromCanon
Canon also introduced three lenses this month: the world’s lightest 400mm f/2.8 and 600mm f/4 lenses for its EF lens system and, at the other extreme, a 32mm f/1.4 STM for its EOS M system. The 32mm f/1.4 STM gives an effective 51mm (35mm equivalent) focal length so makes for an ideal standard lens, giving a natural perspective. Fourteen elements
in eight groups, Super Spectra Coating, and 23cm close focusing are key attributes in this compact lens weighing just 235g. The EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM weighs 2840g (previously 3850g) while the EF 600mm f/4L IS III is 3050g (previously 3920g), and both lenses feature IS systems with 5EV benefit, new coatings and weather seals. Prices to be confirmed.
Hands onwithTerryHope
The case for full-frame mirrorless has been firmly established for some time now and it’s really good to see Nikon and now Canon finally joining the party, big time. Canon’s launch of its new R system to the UK press took place against the slightly surreal background of a theatrical leap 400 years into the future, staged by a group of actors in a cavernous Hoxton warehouse, but at least we got the opportunity to shoot the proceedings on a fully functioning camera, with the choice of any one of the four new lenses to partner it. I opted to work with the RF 24-105mm f/4L
IS USM, which is due to be the kit lens in one of the outfits Canon is offering, and it was a great all- rounder: lightweight and well balanced. Meanwhile, the dimly lit, atmospheric surroundings were a great test for the low light abilities of the outfit, and it passed with flying colours. For a start, the EVF offers incredible quality, probably the closest to an SLR direct view that I’ve seen and providing a brighter view than the eye could see – handy, given the conditions. I relied throughout on AF, and this responded in the blink of an eye, very much supporting Canon’s
assertion that it was capable of working in the darkest situations, even by candlelight if necessary. Although it wasn’t necessary in the situation I was in, I can also confirm that the camera operated in complete silence, which could be crucial for those in wedding or tense sporting situations. So quiet is the whole process that, at first, it can be difficult to believe that the shutter has actually fired, but Canon has thought this one through and there is confirmation in the viewfinder that the shot has been successfully taken. A very positive first view then, and clearly a lot of thought has
gone into what is not so much the launch of a new camera but the unveiling of what will become a complete system in time. The
signs are good and, given Canon’s pedigree, you sense they know exactly what will be required to make it all work.
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