GEAR
CANONEOS R TEST
size mirrorless camera, so does away with some of the benefits of full frame. Shooting also shows some rolling shutter issues you need to be aware of: shooting fast pans, for example. It can output at up to 480Mbps, which is why the 4K quality is good, with great colours typical of Canon’s high-end video cameras. There is very little noise at up to 3200 ISO and the Log footage grades as beautifully filmic, especially as you can output it as 10-bit 4:2:2 via HDMI. It makes shooting Log a realistic proposition as the 10-bit footage retains so much more info than the internal 8-bit codec. The image quality may be filmic, but it’s disappointing if you want to shoot slowmotion. There is no slowmotion in 4K, only 60p in full HD. Around 120fps is becoming the norm for super-slow HD in mirrorless cameras, and the Canon just won’t cut the mustard for sports shooters or any fan of super slowmotion. However, Canon admits this isn’t its top-of-the-line professional model, which will be coming later. So that version may well have faster frame rates and 4K without a big crop. In the meantime, the EOS R can still do a job for those making a living from their photography and filmmaking, as long as you don’t mind the limited number of lenses and can handle its quirks.
what the camera decides can be overridden, but you need to be quick to avoid missing the shot. In video shooting, the AF is about as good as it gets thanks to Canon’s impressive Dual Pixel system. The time of useable autofocus for pro video is getting closer all the time, and the EOS R is leading the charge. It tracks moving subjects well and holds focus, too. It’s a world away from the old systems that used to hunt back and forth while filming. The touchscreen also lets you do smooth focus pulls by just tapping on the area of the image you want the camera to focus on. You can adjust the focus speed, too. It’s very impressive. However, if you are a left-eye shooter and use the viewfinder, then your nose might just change the focus points accidentally. If you use your left eye and are considering an EOS R, it’s something to check. Although there are some issues with certain aspects of handling there was plenty to enjoy, too. The EVF is excellent – bright, contrasty, high resolution and little smearing during panning. The flip-out monitor shows a lovely image, and its flexibility is good, too. The EOS R gives Full HD at up to 60p and 4K at 30p, although with the latter there is a significant 1.7x crop that makes shooting in tight confines an issue. It pretty much turns the camera into a Super35
usual AV, TV, M settings, and also three custommodes, an A+mode and an Fv setting, which stands for Flexible-priority AE. These modes are all relevant to shooting stills, but push the INFO button while the MODE button is active and you’re into a similar array of movie shootingmodes. The M-Fn (multi-function) bar is Canon’s latest innovation. It’s a touch swipe or tap bar placed so that it can be quickly accessed by your right thumb, and can be assigned various shooting and playback functions. For example, it can be dedicated to ISO value, in which case swiping to the right increases this, while a swipe to the left sets a lower value, with a scale appearing on the monitor and in the viewfinder. In terms of image stabilisation, Canon has gone for a lens-based system for stills, a different solution to the full-frame Sony and Nikon Zmodels, which utilise in-body image stabilisation. In videomode, there is some basic digital image stabilisation which works well, but does crop the image. For stills, the AF systemproved responsive, smooth and very fast. The face/tracking and wide zone worked well inmost situations, but try selective focusing and they struggle to lock on to the subject or in a busy general scene pick the wrong subject to focus on. Having on-screen touch focus does mean
ABOVE An external 4K recorder can record Canon Log in 10-bit quality. The controls are all new and take some getting used to.
THE VERDICT
HOW IT RATES Features: 8 No real image stabilisation, 4K 60p or super slowmotion, but 10-bit Log Performance: 7 Fantastic autofocus in stills and video but has rolling shutter in cropped 4K Handling: 7 The flip-out screen is great but the video handling takes toomany button pushes Value formoney: 8 It’s significantly cheaper than Sony or Nikon rivals, but lenses are very pricey OVERALL RATING: 7/10 10-bit 4:2:2 Log is a winner but cropped 4K isn’t so good Pros: Video AF, 10-bit external output Cons: Has the feel of a high-end consumer model, design niggles
Canon’s EOS R is a solid first mirrorless offering, with some new design and more video-focused spec that some users will love. But there are handling quirks (which you might expect with any first-generation camera); the cropped 4K and lack of serious slowmotion will be a big issue for a certain group of filmmakers. The other big issue is the lack of native lenses at the moment, and their cost. There is an EF lens adapter that works flawlessly with Canon’s own DSLR glass but it’s not 100% compatible with all aftermarket lenses. The new RF lenses are limited and expensive, too (£1120/$1099 for a 24- 105mm f/4 L IS USM and a steep £2350/ $2300 for the exotic RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM). They are beautiful lenses, though, and could prove a very good investment for someone ready to buy into the new Canon RF mirrorless system. Judging by the first camera, it could turn out to be a wise move...
More information
www.canon.com
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WINTER 2018 PRO MOVIEMAKER
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