GEAR
CANONEOS R3
REAL-WORLD TEST
The latest full-frame camera fromCanon is the first mirrorless to use a larger, pro DSLR form factor MIRRORLESS EOS GROWS UP
WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH P rofessional-style DSLR with filmmakers. Despite offering higher battery capacity, rugged build and spec that lesser cameras can’t match, they just don’t scream ‘video’. They are harder to set up on gimbals, tripods or even camera rigs, and of course the second set of control buttons for vertical shooting has largely been redundant for filming. Although, vertical social media video may be changing all that. When Canon’s new EOS R3 was unveiled in a pro DSLR-style body, it might have escaped your notice. Many may write it off as a stills- types with a deep body and integrated vertical grip have never been that popular only camera, but it isn’t. It has great video spec, shooting up to 6K Raw internally – something rival full-frame flagship mirrorless cameras like the Sony A1, Nikon Z 9 or Panasonic S1H don’t. At ‘just’ 24.1 megapixels, similar to the S1H, its modest resolution makes it a stunning performer at low-light, too. Video AF, colours and codec options are very impressive. It might be Canon’s best mirrorless video camera, unless you are in need of 8K. But, to be honest, there are very few occasions when 6K Raw won’t cut it. However, the EOS R3 really comes into its own as a camera for hybrid shooters, who need uncompromising stills and video performance – especially when it comes to getting fast-moving
subjects like sports or wildlife. That’s where the rugged build and handling of a pro DSLR-style prospers. Thanks to its stacked sensor, there is no viewfinder blackout or lag at all. Sony has licenced its stacked sensor technology to Canon and Nikon, meaning they can now build cameras good enough for professional sports, wildlife, news and event shooters. The superfast sensor readout allows quicker AF, better frame rates in stills and video, and zero latency when shooting. Just like the Sony A9 series, the EOS R3 offers unobscured viewing at all times, which is something no DSLR is able to do when shooting stills. The EOS gets images at 30fps, performing 60 AF and AE calculations per second – and the viewfinder refreshes at 120Hz for a clear view. The new viewfinder and EVF are bright and detailed, too. Its 30fps stills rate is only when using the electronic shutter, while the maximum is 12fps in mechanical shutter “The EOS R3 really comes into its own as a camera for hybrid shooters”
BIG TIME A large body and RF lens make the mirrorless EOS R3 look like a pro DSLR
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