Introduction
The EOS R8 is Canon’s newest full-frame mirrorless Digicam, an entry-(ish)-level mannequin that the corporate says will slot in simply above the EOS RP, whose value can be formally lowered to the $1000 it is already been promoting at.
It is a 24MP digicam that borrows most of the vital capabilities, together with picture high quality, autofocus efficiency, burst charges and video modes from the way more costly EOS R6 II. If that sounds too good to be true in a $1500 digicam, there are some distinct limitations to make sure it does not tread too arduous on the R6 II’s toes.
There is not any in-body stabilization, the viewfinder is decrease decision, there isn’t any AF joystick, the construct high quality is not as substantial, there’s just one card slot and the Battery is far, a lot smaller.
I am going to take a look at what the digicam provides, what it lacks and the place that leaves it, each when it comes to Canon’s vary and the market as an entire. I’ve shot with all of the cameras I’ll write about, so I am basing my feedback on expertise, not spec sheets.
Sensor/functionality
Maybe essentially the most attention-grabbing facet of the EOS R8 is that it has the 24MP Sensor and Digic X processor from the EOS R6 II. This implies it brings lots of the important thing capabilities of that $2500 digicam to a way more reasonably priced equipment.
It is simple to take a look at the R6 II’s dated-sounding sensor specs – a 24MP, front-side-illuminated CMOS chip – and shrug your shoulders. However you should not. Sure, it is decrease in pixel depend than both the EOS RP or EOS R, no it does not use the newer fabrication strategies utilized by different chip foundries, however no matter these particulars it is excellent.
Although its decision is decrease than the Sony a7 IV (one other $2500 digicam), it is consistent with the equally priced Nikon Z5 and Sony a7C, in addition to the higher-priced Nikon Z6 II, Panasonic S5 II, and Leica SL2-S, for that matter.
There could also be some advertising and marketing strain to lift pixel counts. however it stays one thing of a trade-off between element seize, pace, suitability for video and, to a lesser extent, noise efficiency at very excessive ISOs.
The sensor within the R6 II and R8 strikes a steadiness that offers good ranges of element seize whereas additionally having the pace to ship excellent AF, at as much as 40 fps seize, and oversampled 4K video with no crop at as much as 60p.
Picture high quality
Canon RF24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM @ 50mm | ISO 100 | 1/500 sec | F6.3
Picture: Chris Niccolls
As a result of the EOS R8 shares a lot of its {hardware} with the R6 II, we could be fairly assured that its picture high quality would be the identical. And that is an space of energy. If the EOS R delivers extra element at base ISO, it is truthful to imagine the R8 will ship considerably decrease noise at increased ISO, not due to the pixel depend distinction a lot as that, even 5 years in the past, we concluded that the EOS R’s ‘dynamic vary and noise efficiency lag behind the competitors.’
The EOS R’s 30MP chip got here from an period of Canon sensors with increased learn noise, which meant decrease dynamic vary than their rivals supplied. We have discovered the EOS R6 II to supply extra versatile Raws at low ISO settings and higher excessive ISO efficiency than the EOS R’s chip may.
Efficiency
As I alluded to, although, sensor selection is about extra than simply picture high quality. Readout pace helps outline AF efficiency, burst charges and video capabilities, and the EOS R6 II chip is aggressive in all these respects.
The EOS R8 features the brand new AF system from the EOS R6 II, together with its topic recognition modes, which means it tracks very effectively and has algorithms skilled to acknowledge a variety of topic varieties. For photographing folks, specifically, the R8 proved to be glorious and require little or no person enter.
It is troublesome to understand how good the most recent AF techniques are till you have used them. An AF system that dependably focuses on eyes close to the AF level you have chosen implies that you do not have to offer any thought in any respect to focus and might as an alternative consider gentle, publicity and speaking along with your topic. Positive, you have lived with out it up till now, however I can guarantee you that you just will not wish to return.
The R8 are additionally gives goodies reminiscent of 10-bit HEIF seize for HDR TV playback that nothing else on this class provides.
Burst capturing and video
In one other trick from the R6 II’s guide, the EOS R8 will get the quick burst charges of as much as 40fps in JPEG and 30fps Uncooked bursts with 15-frame pre-buffering. There’s rolling shutter and a dynamic vary discount in these modes (simply as with see with most cameras’ video modes, the R8 has to drop from 14-bit to 12-bit readout for its quickest e-shutter modes). The R8 additionally has a smaller buffer than the R6 II, letting you seize round 120 JPEGs or 52 Uncooked+JPEG photos in a burst at these increased speeds, with a V60-rated UHS-II card.
Video specs are additionally spectacular, with the R8 capable of seize UHD 4K footage at as much as 60p, taken from the 6000-pixel full width of the sensor. It could actually shoot its commonplace coloration modes in 8-bit H.264 or 10-bit H.265 if you wish to shoot footage for HDR TVs within the HDR PQ mode, or C-Log3 when you plan on coloration grading within the edit. Once more, an unusually excessive spec for this class.
The digicam has each mic and headphone sockets, and a multi-pin interface within the entrance of the hotshoe helps you to add an XLR adapter if mandatory. The 4K/60p or 1080/120 and 180 modes threat overheating, so are initially restricted to 30 or 20 minute clips, respectively. Oversampled 4K/30 can file for two hours however in all these instances battery life is more likely to be extra of a limitation than temperature.
Battery life
Battery life is maybe my largest concern in regards to the EOS R8. The comparatively small LP-E17 battery is rated to ship 290 photographs when you use the rear display however simply 150 photographs per cost when you use the viewfinder. CIPA numbers are likely to considerably underestimate what number of photographs you will truly get (for my very own fashion of capturing and chimping, I are likely to get round double, when the battery’s new). And there’s a energy saving mode that enhances these numbers to 370 and 220, respectively. However when you’re a fairly eager photographer, or plan to make use of the video perform a lot, it’s best to consider the price of at the least one spare battery and presumably an exterior charger, to maintain it topped-up.
In fact, when you actually are a eager photographer, it’s best to in all probability be contemplating an EOS R6 II, and this is not unintended. Nor, from the producer’s standpoint, is it a mistake. For me, the small battery feels just like the cut-back too far, even for the much less dedicated photographer. That stated I acquired a number of hours of fairly intensive capturing out of a single battery, so it is arduous for me to really anticipate the influence on much less frantic shutterbugs.
Additionally, given Canon’s concentrate on measurement and value, it is comprehensible that the compact EOS RP physique, with its essentially small battery could be re-used, reasonably than incurring the price of a redesign.
Different distinctions
So what else does the EOS R8 forego to maintain the associated fee down and to separate it from the R6 II? Aside from the battery, maybe the subsequent most noticeable downgrade is the two.36M dot (1024 x 768 pixel) viewfinder. Its optics give it 0.7x magnification, which makes it appreciably smaller than the 0.76x finder within the R6 II. Its 3.69M dot OLED panel means 1280 x 960 pixel decision: 25% increased in every route.
Then there’s the dearth of a joystick. You’ll be able to faucet on the display or use the rear display as an AF touchpad, however as an fanatic photographer (not the target market) and a left-eye -shooting one at that, it is one other issue to contemplate when considering the EOS R8.
Past that, the R8 is reasonably good to shoot with. The cardboard goes within the base of the digicam, reasonably than having its personal compartment – one thing that has extra influence on usability for me than the absence of a second card slot – however I usually loved capturing with the EOS RP greater than I did with the unique R, so I’ve to say I fairly just like the EOS R8.
The place it sits
The very first thing to acknowledge is that the EOS R8 is a relatively cheap digicam. $1500 is an honest chunk of money and launch costs at all times look excessive when in comparison with exiting fashions being offered at a reduction. The image is made much more muddled when a lot older fashions are left lingering available on the market, effectively previous their sell-by dates, at temptingly low costs, however $1500 is not particularly excessive.
Within the US, at the least, solely two full-frame cameras have ever been launched at a cheaper price. And it is essential to acknowledge this earlier than contemplating what has and hasn’t been included.
Canon’s unique try to serve the entry/mid and fanatic markets with a single digicam resulted within the EOS R with a launch value of $2300. Addressing these prospects with two cameras implies that fans can choose the a lot, a lot nicer EOS R6 II for $200 additional, whereas the R8 offers entry/mid-level patrons an possibility that is $800 much less.
Doing that requires corner-cutting and compromise, however the different could be that everybody has to spend $2300 to purchase an EOS R Mark II. Watch out what you want for, and all that.
The place it sits, relative to its rivals
The Nikon Z5 takes lots of the Z6 II’s physique and construct however makes use of an older sensor, whereas the EOS R8 takes a extra primary physique and provides the most recent sensor and processor.
The circa-$1500 marketplace for full-frame cameras now appears to be like fairly attention-grabbing (not a phrase I assumed I might be writing, again when a high-end APS-C DSLR just like the Nikon D300 price $1800).
Probably the most direct rivals are Nikon’s Z5 and Sony’s a7C, which price $1400 and $1800 respectively, at launch. Launch value issues as a result of that is the one determine we’ve for the R8, and evaluating like-for-like offers a good suggestion of the place the R8 will sit relative to the opposite two in six months or so.
Each of these direct rivals supply in-body stabilization, marking it out as in all probability the Canon’s most seen weak point. The R8’s equipment zoom is stabilized, which balances issues a little bit if that is the primary lens you utilize. The 24-105mm F4L has IS, too, when you determine to improve. However video shooters specifically can profit from in-body, reasonably than in-lens IS.
Just like the R8, the a7C solely has a mechanical return shutter, to maintain price and complexity down, and it additionally lacks an AF joystick. Sony’s strategy has been to make use of an older era of sensor and processor, which suggests 8-bit video with a crop on 30p mode, together with a menu system that the remainder of the lineup has (fortunately) moved away from.
The Nikon Z5 retains some premium {hardware} reminiscent of an AF joystick and twin card slots however once more adopts an older sensor, which lowers burst charges and hamstrings its video capabilities (there is a roughly APS-C crop to get 4K/30 out of the Z5’s sensor).
The purpose is that each one these fashions have had corners minimize. Whereas each the Z5 and a7C minimize theirs when it comes to the sensor, providing older chips, Canon has chosen the alternative route: delivering a lot of the R6 II’s picture high quality, seize pace and autofocus smarts in a extra rudimentary physique. It is as much as every purchaser to determine which strategy they like. Though, frankly, lens selection and availability ought to in all probability rank as extremely as any of those issues when making your choose.
Abstract
In brief, the R8 is a comparatively cheap full-frame digicam during which, to some, the compromises made to get its value down will symbolize unacceptable limitations.
However to others they will not. As an illustration, think about the dearth of dual card slots: a characteristic that is most beneficial to extra devoted customers reminiscent of wedding ceremony photographers or videographers, for whom the EOS R6 II might be the higher selection on a number of ranges.
So we get a digicam with the marginally restricted however well-designed ergonomics of the EOS RP however now with the photographic efficiency of our choose of the $2500 digicam class. If the RF lineup has the lenses you want, I discover it arduous to be unimpressed with that.
Disgrace in regards to the battery life, although.
