In summary
The Canon EOS R3 will meet the needs of sports photographers and many photojournalists who need to shoot professional-standard stills and video. It’s comfortable to use and operate and its key controls are easy to reach – with many of them in the same places as they are on the EOS-1D X Mark III, which will make transition to mirrorless easy for professional users.
Although its specs don’t outshine the main competitors from Nikon and Sony, which are higher in resolution, the R3 gives Canon a solid, professional-standard interim flagship for its mirrorless models.
Full review
Announced in April 2021, Canon’s EOS R3 is positioned between the EOS R5 and the EOS-1D X series of DSLR cameras. The highest-featured model in the R-series, the R3 has a tough, weather-resistant pro-level body with a built-in vertical grip and dual memory card slots: one for UHS-II SD cards and the other for CFexpress Type B media. Sensor-shift image stabilisation with 8 stops of shake correction plus a vari-angle touch-screen monitor with more than 4 million dots give it a competitive edge and the EVF is blackout-free with a fast refresh rate of just under 120fps.
Angled view of the EOS R3 with the RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens that was used for our review. (Source: Canon.)
The introduction of a stacked CMOS sensor puts the EOS R3 a step ahead of the EOS-1D X Mark III, although the difference between the DSLR’s 20 megapixels and the 24 megapixels in the mirrorless camera will make little difference to image sizes. And while some might criticise Canon for not producing a camera with a higher pixel count and 8K video, sports and wildlife shooters will probably be happier with faster burst speeds (up to 30 fps with the e-shutter) and pro-quality 4K video oversampled from 6K.
Who’s it For?
Designed and priced for professional-level photographers, primarily those involved in sports and wildlife photography and video recording, the EOS R3 can be summarised as a scaled-down mirrorless version of the EOS-1D X Mark III – although it is a better camera in several important ways (see below). Both cameras were announced ahead of the anticipated Tokyo Olympic Games, with the 1D X Mark III coming first before COVID19 intervened and the Games were delayed until 2021. It went on sale in the middle of 2020, nonetheless, while details of the R3 weren’t released until September 2021, after the Games were over.
For photographers considering a switch from DSLR to mirrorless, we have prepared a table comparing key features of the EOS-1D X Mark III and EOS R3, shown below.
| Key Specs | EOS-1D X III | EOS R3 |
| Announced/released | January /July 2020 | September * / November 2021 |
| Sensor | Updated 20.1MP CMOS sensor with Dual Pixel AF | 24MP Stacked CMOS Dual Pixel AF sensor |
| Processor | Digic X processor | |
| Stabilisation | Lens based | IBIS up to 8 stops |
| Sensitivity range | Native ISO100-102400 (expands to 50-819200 in 1EV steps) | Native ISO100-102400 (expands to 50-204800) |
| HEIF support | Yes with10-bit recording (supports HDR display at smaller-than-JPEG sizes) | |
| Shutter | Electronically-controlled focal plane shutter; Mechanical shutter (30-1/4000 seconds plus Bulb; Electronic shutter: 1/2 to 1/8000 second | Electronically-controlled focal plane shutter; Mechanical shutter (30-1/4000 seconds plus Bulb; Electronic shutter: 30 to 1/64,000 second |
| Shutter durability | 500,000 cycles (CIPA) | |
| Flash sync. (max) | 1/250 sec. | 1/200 sec with mechanical shutter; E-shutter 1st curtain 1/250 sec, E-shutter sync up to 1/180 sec |
| Max. burst speeds | HEIF 16fps bursts (viewfinder), 20fps bursts (Live View) with autofocus | 30 fps with E-shutter (supports full 14-bit Raw); 12 fps with mechanical shutter |
| HDR recording | Canon Log (dynamic range: approximately 800% at ISO 400 or higher) | Canon Log 3 (dynamic range of up to 1600%) and HDR PQ |
| Autofocusing | TTL-SIR phase-difference detection with 191 points for viewfinder AF, 155 cross-type points, Face + head detection, iTR AF tracking, sensitivity to -4 EV; Dual Pixel CMOS AF for Live View with max. 3869 points 90% horiz / 100% vertical coverage with enhanced eye detection, sensitivity down to -6 EV | Dual Pixel AF with 6072 selectable AF point positions; 39 x 27 (1053 divisions), 100% frame coverage; human face-, eye-, head- and body-detection, vehicle recognition and tracking, Eye Control AF; sensitivity down to -7.5EV with f/1.2 lens
Focus bracketing supported |
| Metering | Viewfinder: 216-zone open-aperture metering with 400,000-pixel RGB+IR sensor; Live View/movie: 384-zone using signals from image sensor; Evaluative, Partial, Centre-weighted and spot metering patterns | 384-zone metering using signals from image sensor; Evaluative, Partial, Centre-weighted and spot metering patterns; brightness range -3 to 20 EV |
| Media | Dual CFexpress card slots | CFexpress Type B and UHS-II SD slots |
| Video formats | MP4, CRM (RAW movies), RAW+MP4; | H.264/MP4 4:2:0 8-Bit, H.265/MP4 4:2:2 10-Bit |
| Video | 5.5K/60p 12-bit Raw video recording, 4K/60p 4:2:2 10-bit H.265/HEVC recording | CRM (RAW movies): 6K: 60p/30p/24p (Standard/Light modes)
4K DCI / UHD: 60p/30p/24p; ALL I / IPB (Standard) / IPB (Light); Full HD High frame rate (ALL-I compression): 4K DCI / UHD, Full HD; External recording supported |
| Movie cropping | Yes – for 4K DCI / UHD and Full HD | n.a. |
| Recording limit | Max. 6 hours for normal movies; 1.5 hours with high frame rate | Up to 29 Minutes, 59 Seconds |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism with 100% FOV, 0.76x magnification, 20 mm eyepoint, -3 to +1 dpt adjustment | 5,690,000-dot EVF with 120 fps refresh rate, 100% FOV, 0.76x magnification, 23 mm eyepoint, -3 to +1 dpt adjustment, Eye Control AF |
| Monitor | Fixed 3.2-inch TFT colour touch-screen LCD with 2,100,000 dots, 7 levels of brightness adjustment, colour tone adjustment | Vari-angle 3-inch TFT colour touch screen LCD with 4,150,000 dots, brightness and colour tone adjustments |
| Communication | USB 3.1 Gen 2 / USB-C, HDMI mini Type C, 3.5mm terminals for microphone and headphone, N3-type remote control terminal, WFT-E9 connection for system expansion, RJ-45 Ethernet terminal | Multi-function shoe, USB 3.1 Gen 2 / USB-C, HDMI Type-D, 3.5mm terminals for microphone and headphone, N3-type remote control terminal, RJ-45 Ethernet terminal, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, FTP over LAN, GPS support |
| Other features | New mirror mechanism to reduce vibration and blackout; New AF ‘Smart Controller’ built into the AF-ON buttons | No EVF blackout in e-shutter mode; OVF simulation mode using HDR viewfinder; Eye Control AF |
| Battery / capacity | LP-E19 / CIPA rated to 2850 shots with the viewfinder, 610 with Live View | LP-E19 / CIPA rated to 620 shots with the viewfinder, 860 with monitor in power saving mode; USB charging supported |
| Dimensions | 158.0 x 167.6 x 82.6 mm | 150.0 x 142.6 x 87.2 mm |
| Weight | 1440 grams | 1015 grams |
| MSRP | US$6,499 / AU$11,299 | US$5999.99 / AU$8599 |
* Preliminary ‘teaser’ announcement in April 2021.
Build and Ergonomics
The lightweight magnesium alloy body of the R3 resembles one of Canon’s EOS-1D models that has been adapted for the mirrorless format. Its integrated vertical grip (like the 1D series cameras) makes it easy to switch between horizontal and vertical handling, regardless of the shooting conditions – and easy to swap between DSLR and mirrorless cameras during transition periods.
The OLED viewfinder has a resolution of 5.76 million dots and an easily-accessed dioptre adjustment. Displayed data is interchangeable with the monitor and the eye sensor recognises when the user’s eye is close. An optional eyecup (ER-hE) is available to exclude stray light and improve the accuracy of the new Eye Ccontrol AF function (see ‘What’s New?’ below).
Key controls are in similar (although not always the same) positions on both cameras, with some refinements to buttons and dials to bring them more in line with the mirrorless design. Existing users of the EOS R and R5 cameras should have few problems swapping between them.
This illustration shows the similarities in the positions of key controls on the rear panels of the EOS R3 (left) and the EOS-1 D X III camera bodies. (Source: Canon.)
Some paring back has occurred in the controls on the top and rear panels, with the R3 having a smaller LCD data display with fewer items, allowing the rear control dial, which now has a mode button atop it, to be moved up where it‘s easier to access. The adjustable monitor on the R3 also eliminates the need for an additional data display on the integrated vertical grip.
This illustration compares the control layouts of the top panels of the EOS R3 (top) and the EOS-1 D X III (below). (Source: Canon.)
Weather-resistance and durability in the R3 are similar to the 1D cameras and the R3 uses the same Canon LP-E19 battery pack as the one that powers the EOS-1D X Mark III. Dual card slots allow image files to be written to SD or CFexpress media, which some photographers will prefer to the dual CFexpress slots in the 1D X Mark III. Like the 1D X Mark III, the R3 can only use Type B size CFexpress cards, which support data transfer speeds up to 1.97 GB/second.
Three customisable dials on the camera, plus a Lens Control ring on each RF mount lens, allow shutter speed, aperture, ISO and exposure compensation to be easily adjusted while the camera it held at the user’s eye. The R3 also boasts a Vari-Angle monitor screen with a resolution of 4.1million dots, enabling it to display greater detail and providing greater shooting flexibility than previous EOS-1 models, which have fixed screens.
The shutter in the R3 has the same 500,000 cycles rating as the 1D X Mark III and claims an average release lag time of only 20 milliseconds. The new Canon developed blackout-free, 5.76 million dot electronic viewfinder combines low lag with a refresh rate of up to 120 fps at full resolution. For traditionalists, a new OVF simulation View Assist simulates the tones and dynamic range of an optical ‘finder.
What’s New?
The EOS R3 comes with a new 24.1-megapixel (effective) backside-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor that is complemented with an updated DIGIC X image processor; the same processor as is used in the EOS-1 D X Mark III. The back-illuminated design is more efficient at capturing light, which reduces noise, improves clarity and provides better colour reproduction, particularly in low-light conditions.
This illustration shows how the higher readout speed of the EOS R3 keeps the rolling shutter distortion to a quarter of the distortion the EOS-1D X Mark III produces. (Source: Canon.)
The combination of the sensor and processor supports fast read-out speeds that can help to minimise rolling shutter distortion and increase shooting speeds. It also enables a wide native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400 with expansions to ISO 50 and ISO 204800, for shooting in a wide range of lighting conditions.
The main benefit of the stacked sensor design is support for an electronic shutter function that can record continuously at up to 30 fps, with virtually no rolling shutter distortion. The buffer memory in the camera can store up to 150 CR3.RAW frames, up to 530 Large/Fine JPEGs or 450 HEIF images.
The electronic shutter also supports shutter speeds up to 1/64,000 second in the manual or shutter-priority modes and flash sync is possible at up to 1/180 second. The alternative manual shutter provides a top continuous shooting speed of 12 fps, with a buffer of more than 1000 frames, along with a top flash sync speed of 1/250 second.
The addition of HDR-PQ (High Dynamic Range – Perceptual Quantisation) recording with 10-bit colour depth enables the R3 to capture a dynamic range that is close to human vision. HDR-PQ shots are captured in CR3.RAW or HEIF format, the latter with sizes similar to JPEGs. Expanded ISO settings are blocked in this mode.
HDR PQ can be combined with the Auto Lighting Optimiser and Highlight Tone Priority functions to provide additional gradation control. The R3 also includes a 3-shot composite HDR mode that records three frames at 0.02-second intervals and combines them to further increase dynamic range. This mode can be used for handheld shooting.
Five-axis In-Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS) uses the same sensor-shift mechanism as is found in the EOS R5 and EOS R6 cameras. When combined with an optically-stabilised lens, it can achieve up to eight stops of shake compensation – or 5.5 stops with non-IS lenses.
Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF II focusing system ensures outstanding performance with detection across the visible frame and up to 1053 selectable points allowing wide coverage with aperture settings down to f/22. Focus calculations and tracking at up to 60 fps is possible with electronic shutter during continuous shooting.
Frame rates of up to 30 fps with AF/AE tracking are possible with the electronic shutter – or up to 12 fps with the mechanical shutter. The top electronic shutter speed is 1/64000 second, and blackout-free shooting is possible during high-speed bursts. A silent shutter function is available and the LCD monitor can be switched off to prevent light emission from the screen to avoid attracting attention to the photographer in situations where noise and potential distractions can affect subject behaviour.
The R3 also comes with Eye Control AF, which was first introduced back in 1992 in the EOS 5 film SLR camera and allows users to direct focus by simply looking at a particular area in the frame. It’s only available for shooting stills and the system needs to be calibrated to ‘register’ the pupil of the user’s eye to enable it to detect eye movements. The system works best without glasses (and calibration should be done without contact lenses).
The camera provides step-by-step instructions and will post a notice to advise the user to re-calibrate for vertical shooting. User can also configure the focus pointer display through adjustments to sensitivity, colour, display size and a choice of two icons. Once calibration is complete, the values are stored in the camera.
The new EOS iTR (Intelligent Tracking & Recognition) AF autofocusing system includes advanced subject tracking algorithms aided by deep learning technology to improve subject recognition and tracking. This enables the R3 to pick out the eye, head, or face of human subjects, including when it may be covered by hair, a face mask or a crash-resistant helmet. In Animal Priority mode, the system can detect and track dogs, cats, and birds, while the new Vehicle Priority mode can recognise cars and motorcycles as well as their drivers.
The Vehicle Priority AF mode includes a Spot Detection function that lets users focus on a specific area, such as a driver’s helmet. The new system is more sophisticated, thanks to digital technology and the ability to combine it with other AF tracking modes, allowing users to switch focus by simply looking from one subject in the frame to another. Autofocusing is supported in light levels as low as -7.5EV and the camera’s EVF will simulate the brightness in the scene, based on the camera’s exposure settings.
File Sizes
The increased resolution has resulted in changes to image sizes, which have been coupled with increased buffer capacities for continuous shooting. The table below shows the image sizes for the supported file formats for all four aspect ratios and the 1.6x cropped 3:2 frame.
| Image size | Resolution in pixels/megapixels | |||||
| Aspect ratio | ||||||
| 3:2 | 1:1 | 4:3 | 16:9 | 1.6x crop | ||
| JPEG & HEIF | L | 6000 x 4000/24.0 | 4000 x 4000/16.0 | 5328 x 4000/ 21.3 | 6000 x 3368/20.2 | 3744 x 2496/9.3 |
| M | 3984 x 2656/10.6 | 2656 x 2656/7.1 | 3552 x 2664/9.5 | 3984 x 2240/8.9 | n.a. | |
| S1 | 2976 x 1984/5.9 | 1984 x 1984/3.9 | 2656 x 1992/5.3 | 2976 x 1680/5.0 | n.a. | |
| S2 | 2400 x 1600/3.8 | 1600 x 1600/2.6 | 2112 x 1600/3.4 | 2400 x 1344/3.2 | 2400 x 1600/3.8 | |
| CR3.RAW & C-RAW | 6000x 4000/ 24.0 | 3744 x 2496/9.3 | ||||
The 3:2 aspect ratio is the default recording setting for shooting still images. The table below shows the approximate file sizes and the maximum burst capacities for CFexpress and SD cards.
| Image quality | File size (MB) | Maximum burst | ||
| CFexpress card | SD card | |||
| JPEG | L | 8.7 | 540 | 410 |
| M | 4.7 | 530 | 530 | |
| S1 | 3.2 | 530 | 530 | |
| S2 | 1.9 | 530 | 530 | |
| HEIF | L | 8.1 | 460 | 420 |
| M | 4.7 | 580 | 560 | |
| S1 | 3.4 | 590 | 560 | |
| S2 | 1.8 | 590 | 560 | |
| CR3.RAW | RAW | 29.3 | 150 | 150 |
| C-RAW | 15.1 | 420 | 320 | |
| RAW+JPEG | RAW+L | 38 | 150 | 140 |
| C-RAW+L | 23.8 | 400 | 260 | |
| RAW+HEIF | RAW+L | 37.2 | 150 | 140 |
| C-RAW+L | 23.5 | 290 | 290 | |
Photographers can add voice memos to still images, recorded as WAV audio files with the same file number as the image. Recording is initiated by pressing down the RATE/microphone button below the MENU button on the rear panel. Recording starts after approximately two seconds and the audio can be played back on the camera or a computer.
Video
While many of the video functions provided in the EOS-1D X Mark III are carried across to the R3, it misses out on support for High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), which provides more efficient compression. Switching to video is accomplished with the lever switch to the right of the viewfinder, the same position as this switch is on the EOS-1D X Mark III. Recordings are started and stopped by pressing the button on this switch. The maximum video recording quality for the R3 is 6K RAW 59.94/50.00 fps, whereas the EOS-1D X Mark III is slightly lower at 5.5K RAW 59.94/50.00 fps.
Movie recording size settings.
The R3 offers two recording formats (MP4 and RAW) plus three recording frame sizes: 4K-D with cinema-format 4096 x 2160 pixel frames and a 17:9 aspect ratio, 4K-U, the regular 3840 x 2160 pixel 16:9 format and FHD 1920 x 1080 pixels. Note that RAW movies, 4K 50p recordings and high frame rate movies using ALL-I H.264 compression can only be recorded on CFexpress cards and RAW movies can be processed with Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software, a free download.
When recording in 4K DCI 60/50p mode, the DIGIC X image processor enables precise subject tracking and AF performance and the ability to oversample from data captured in 6K delivers smoother edges, less moiré and minimal colour distortion and noise. The R3 gains Canon Log 3 and HDR-PQ recording plus support for 4K UHD in high frame rate mode.
Internal 4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ movie recording can deliver a wide tonal range and colour gamut that requires minimal colour grading and supports seamless playback HDR-compatible TVs. The EOS R3 supports Canon Log 3, which is widely used in the Cinema EOS System as well as Cinema Gamut and the standard BT.709 and BT.2020 colour gamut. These features allow the EOS R3 to be used in conjunction with other Cinema EOS cameras.
When movie cropping is disabled in the Image Area menu tab, cinema-format 4K movies are recorded using the full 35 mm frame width to yield 6000 x 3164 pixel frames with a resolution of approximately 19 megapixels. (4K-U clips are minimally cropped.) In both cases, activating the Movie digital IS stabilisation function will apply additional cropping to keep the frame in the centre of the screen. The slightly higher 6K resolution on the EOS R3 allows additional flexibility for cropping.
Users can choose between ALL-I, IPB and IPB (Light) compression, depending on whether the clips will be edited or used as-is. IPB recording supports longer recording times. The Light mode produces smaller files at lower bit rates. High frame rate movies are restricted to 25 fps frame rates without soundtracks, which are played back at ¼ normal speed.
The R3’s autofocusing functions carry across for movie shooting, with advanced predictive control for subject detection through the People Priority AF, Animal Priority AF and Vehicle Priority AF modes. The system can operate in light levels down to -4.5 EV, with viewfinder simulation supported.
Manual focusing assistance is provided via the regular Focus Peaking function, along with a Focus Guide that gives real-time feedback on whether the focus is in front of or behind the selected subject. A Zebra Display is also provided to highlight overexposed areas.
Connectivity
Built-in 5GHz/2.4GHz Dual-Band Wi-Fi allows remote shooting and easy wireless file transfer to smartphones or tablets via the Canon Camera Connect app and Digital Photo Professional (DPP) Express. The R3 also includes low energy Bluetooth and built-in GPS functions, the latter recording shooting location and time-zone coordinated metadata.
The R3 is the first EOS mirrorless model to feature a built-in Ethernet port for high-speed wired LAN file transfer. Configured for professional use, the 1000BASE-T wired LAN supports FTP, FTPS, SFTP and authentication LAN to achieve stable and secure transfer of large, high resolution RAW or video files. It also complies with the international security standards required by press, public organisations and large-scale events.
The camera also includes the normal HDMI terminal (Type D0 a USB-C port, which can be used for recharging the battery via the PD-E1 power adapter, RJ-45 Ethernet andN3 remote terminals and microphone and headphone jacks. A new multi-function shoe can provide power for external flashguns and microphones or the new radio-enabled ST-E10wireless Speedlite Transmitter or AD-P1 adapter for mounting a smartphone on the camera for fast file transfers where networks are not readily available.
Performance
As usual, we carried out our Imatest tests on JPEG and CR3.RAW files, which were recorded simultaneously, using the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM lens supplied with the camera.
The raw files were converted into 16-bit TIFF format with the latest version of our preferred raw file converter, Adobe Camera Raw. We also recorded test shots and video with the new RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM lens and the RF 600mm f/11 IS STM lens.
We were short of time due to delayed delivery of a CFexpress card. So, having found little difference in the results from HEIF and JPEG files when testing the EOS-1D X Mark III (taking into account the HEIF files were converted into 16-bit TIFF format), we took advantage of the more convenient – and more likely to be used – pairing of JPEG and raw files, although we recorded a few HEIF test shots at critical camera settings for Imatest analysis.
Our new lens testing regime has enabled us to measure resolution in the centre of the frame. So we believe this provides us with a better assessment of actual resolution performance. The graph below shows the results of our tests across the camera’s ISO range, confirming the superior performance of the higher bit depth raw files.
Low light performance was particularly good with the first signs of deterioration occurring at ISO 25600 where shadows had begun to block up and there were traces of coloured pixels in light-toned areas in the subject. These effects became more visible at higher sensitivities, although even shots taken at the H1 setting (ISO 204800 equivalent) had retained a fair degree of sharpness, although pixellation was visible and deep shadows were essentially lost.
Auto white balance performance was generally good, especially when the white priority setting was used for auto white balance measurements. The ambience priority setting retained the warm cast of incandescent lighting and also preserved a slight orange cast in shots taken under warm-toned LED lights.
Shots taken under fluorescent lighting showed no apparent colour cast, regardless of which auto WB setting was used. The manual pre-sets over-corrected very slightly but it was easy to pull colours back into line with the in-camera adjustments provided. As usual, raw files provided plenty of scope for adjustments post-capture.
Autofocusing performance was outstanding, particularly with respect to subject identification and tracking. We found very few instances where the camera failed to find focus. even with birds in flight (a challenging subject) and in low light, low-contrast situations. Eye AF was spot-on for every shot, although as usual, the best results were obtained when the AF mode was matched to the subject.
Going on a subjective assessment – backed up by examining test shots – we found the R3 could focus faster and more accurate than we found with the EOS-1D X III. Subject tracking during continuous bursts was also excellent, even at high frame rates. Note: because this camera provides more than 30 different recording options, we’ve only been able to present representative frame grabs from across the recording range.
Video quality was much as we expected, based on previous high-end mirrorless cameras. Regular MP4 footage also showed subdued contrast and saturation, which was easily correctable and the sensor was able to encompass a wider-than-average brightness range. Exposure accuracy was consistently good, indicating fast responses to changes in subject brightness and contrast. Autofocusing while shooting movie clips was as fast and accurate as it was for stills and there were few occasions where the camera hesitated to lock onto the subject.
Soundtracks recorded with the camera’s built-in microphones were generally clear and immune to external noises when the wind filter/attenuator was enabled. No interference was recorded from lens adjustments during autofocusing or zooming.
For our timing tests we used the 512GB SanDisk Extreme PRO CFexpress Type B card, which was supplied with the camera and is rated for a write speed of 1700 MB/second and a read speed of 1400 MB/second. The review camera powered-up almost instantly, taking less than half a second before the first shot could be captured.
We measured an average capture lag of 0.2 seconds when moving from severely out-of-focus to sharp focus. This delay was reduced to 0.1 seconds then the camera had a shorter range of distance to cover and was eliminated by pre-focusing the lens.
It took an average of 0.15 seconds to process a single file regardless of whether it was a JPEG, a raw file, an HEIF file or a RAW+JPEG or RAW+HEIF pair. Shot-to-shot times averaged 0.2 seconds, which was about as fast as we could keep pressing the shutter button.
With buffer depths of over 500 frames for JPEG and HEIF files, we didn’t attempt to check buffer capacity. However, we did test frame rates with both the electronic and mechanical shutter. In the high-speed continuous shooting mode with the electronic shutter, we recorded 222 Large/Fine JPEGs in 10 seconds, which equates to 22.2 frames/second, which is slightly below the specified frame rate. It took approximately 3.5 seconds to process this burst. The same frame rates applied with HEIF files, which took virtually the same time to process.
On swapping to raw file capture, we recorded 220 CR3.RAW files in 10 seconds, which is very close to the same frame rate as the JPEGs. Buffer clearance was also identical. Similar, although marginally slower, recording and processing times were found with RAW+JPEG pairs.
With the mechanical shutter, the maximum frame rate is listed at 12 fps. In our tests, we recorded 120 frames in 10 seconds, regardless of whether we selected JPEG, HEIF, CR3.RAW or RAW+JPEG quality. Processing of each burst was completed within between 1.2 and 1.6 seconds of the last frame captured.
Conclusion
Please Login or Register to access the Conclusion.
SPECS
Image sensor: 36 x 24 mm BSI stacked CMOS sensor with 26.7 million photosites (24.1 megapixels effective), RBG primary colour filter
Image processor: DIGIC X
Lens mount: Canon RF
Focal length crop factor: 1x
Image formats: Stills: JPEG (DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif Ver. 2.31), HEIF, CR3.RAW, C-RAW, RAW+JPEG, HDR PQ (Stills / Movie); Movies: MP4 (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC), CRM (RAW movies)
Audio: AAC, 48 kHz / 16-bit sampling rate; adjustable volume plus wind filter and attenuator
Image Sizes: Stills: 6000 x 4000, 3984 x 2656, 2976 x 1984, 2400 x 1600; Movies: 6K 60/30/24p, RAW Standard / Light video, 4K DCI / UHD @ 60/30/24p ALL-I / IPB (Standard) / IPB (Light); Full HD ALL-I / IPB (Standard) / IPB (Light); Canon Log3
Image Stabilisation: Up to 5.5 stops IBIS; 8 Stops with coordinated control IS with lens stabilisation (stills only)
Shutter (speed range): Electronically-controlled focal plane shutter; Mechanical shutter (30-1/4000 seconds plus Bulb; Electronic shutter: 1/2 to 1/8000 second; 1/8 to 1/4000 sec. for movies; CIPA rated for 500,000 cycles
Exposure Compensation: +/- 3EV in 1/3 or ½ EV steps
Exposure bracketing: +/-3EV in 1/3 or ½ EV steps
Other bracketing options: Focus, white balance (3 frames),
Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay
Interval recording: Yes, for time-lapse recording
Focus system: Dual Pixel CMOS AF with 4779 selectable AF points / 1053 zones for stills; 3969 points / 819 zones for movies; 100% frame coverage
AF selection: Human face-, eye-, head- and body-detection, vehicle recognition and tracking plus spot detection for Vehicle Priority AF, Eye Control AF (7560 pixel sensor)
Focus modes: AFS (Single) / AFC (Continuous) / MF
Exposure metering: 384-zone metering using signals from image sensor; Evaluative, Partial, Centre-weighted and spot metering patterns; brightness range -3 to 20 EV
Shooting modes: Fv (Flexible-priority AE, Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE, Manual Exposure plus Custom (x3)
Picture Style modes: Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Fine Detail, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Defined 1–3
Internal processing: Noise Reduction (high ISO / long exposures), Highlight Tone Priority, Lens Aberration Correction, Clarity, Auto Lighting Optimiser
Colour space options: sRGB and Adobe RGB
ISO range: Auto (100-102400), ISO 100 to ISO 102400 in 1/3 of 1 stop increments with expansion to ISO 50 and ISO 204800
White balance: AWB (Ambience / White priority), Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten light, White fluorescent light, Flash, Custom, Colour temperature (2500-10000K)
Flash: External flashguns only
Compatible Speedlites: EL/EX Series
Flash exposure adjustment: +/- 3EV in 1/3 or ½ EV steps
Sequence shooting: Max.30 frames/sec. with electronic shutter; 12 fps with mechanical shutter
Buffer capacity: With CFexpress card: Max.540 Large/Fine JPEGs, 460 HEIF, 150 RAW files, 420 C-RAW files; >1000 frames with mechanical and electronic first-curtain shutters for all formats except RAW+HEIF (max. ~300 frames)
Storage Media: Dual slots: one for CFexpress cards (Type B), one for SD, SDHC, SDXC cards (UHS-II compatible)
Viewfinder: OLED colour EVF with 5,760,000 dots, 119.88 fps refresh rate, 100% FOV coverage, 0,76x magnification, 23mm eyepoint, brightness, colour tone adjustment; -4 tp +2 dpt adjustment
LCD monitor: 3.2-inch TFT colour touch-screen LCD with 4,150,000 dots, 170-degree angle of view (H & V), 7 levels of brightness adjustment, colour tone adjustment
Interface terminals: Multi-function shoe, USB 3.1 Gen 2 / USB-C, HDMI mini Type C, 3.5mm terminals for microphone and headphone, N3-type remote control terminal, WFT-E9 connection for system expansion, RJ-45 Ethernet terminal
Wi-Fi function: Built-in Wi-Fi; Bluetooth v4.2 (Bluetooth Low Energy); GPS support
Power supply: LP-E19 rechargeable Li-ion battery; CIPA rated for approx. 620 shots with the viewfinder, 860 with monitor in power saving mode; USB charging supported
Body: Magnesium alloy with integrated vertical grip
Weather resistance: EOS-1 series level durability, dust and water resistance
Dimensions (wxhxd): Approx. 150.0 x 142.6 x 87.2 mm (excluding protrusions)
Weight: Approx. 1015 grams with battery and card
Distributor: Canon Australia; 1800 021 167
TESTS
Based upon JPEG files recorded with the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM lens.
Based on CR3.RAW files recorded simultaneously and converted into 16-bit TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw.
SAMPLES
The images below were captured with the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM lens
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting, ambience priority.
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting, white priority.
Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
Auto white balance with warm-toned LED lighting.
Auto white balance with warm-toned LED lighting, ambience priority.
Auto white balance with warm-toned LED lighting, white priority.
30-second exposure at ISO 50, f/5.6, 52mm focal length.
25-second exposure at ISO 100, f/6.3,52mm focal length.
15-second exposure at ISO 800, f/8, 52mm focal length.
5-second exposure at ISO 6400, f/9, 52mm focal length.
2.5-second exposure at ISO 12800, f/9, 52mm focal length.
1-second exposure at ISO 25600, f/13, 52mm focal length.
1/2-second exposure at ISO 51200, f/14, 52mm focal length.
1/2-second exposure at ISO 102400, f/20, 52mm focal length.
1/4-second exposure at ISO H1 (204800), f/20, 52mm focal length.
From CR3.RAW file; ISO 6400, 1.6 second at f/9, 61mm focal length.
From JPEG file; ISO 102400, 1/320 second at f/9, 61mm focal length..
The images below were captured with the RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM lens.
320mm focal length ISO 200, 1/250 second at f/8.
400mm focal length ISO 320, 1/400 second at f/8.
270mm focal length ISO 400, 1/320 second at f/8.
400mm focal length ISO 200, 1/500 second at f/8.
400mm focal length ISO 200, 1/800 second at f/8.
360mm focal length ISO 320, 1/400 second at f/8.
400mm focal length ISO 200, 1/500 second at f/8.
300mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/400 second at f/10.
400mm focal length, ISO 240, 1/400 second at f/8.
400mm focal length, ISO 320, 1/500 second at f/8.
First and last frames from a 51-frame sequence recorded at 30 fps; 214mm focal length. ISO 250, 1/350 second at f/7.1.
The images below were captured with the RF 600mm f/11 IS STM lens
ISO 800, 1/800 second at f/11.
ISO 800, 1/640 second at f/11.
ISO 400, 1/800 second at f/11.
All video clips were recorded with the RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM lens.
Still frame from C-4K 50p video clip recorded with ALL-I compression.
Still frame from C-4K 50p video clip recorded with IPB compression.
Still frame from C-4K 25p video clip recorded with IPB compression.
Still frame from UHD-4K 50p video clip recorded with ALL-I compression.
Still frame from UHD-4K 25p video clip recorded with IPB compression.
Still frame from UHD-4K 50p video clip recorded with IPB (Light) compression.
Still frame from UHD-4K 25p video clip recorded with IPB (Light) compression.
Still frame from Full HD 50p video clip recorded with ALL-I compression.
Still frame from Full HD 25p video clip recorded ALL-I compression.
Still frame from Full HD 50p video clip recorded with IPB compression.
Still frame from Full HD 50p video clip recorded with IPB (Light) compression
Still frame from high frame rate UHD-4K 100p video clip recorded with ALL-I compression.
Still frame from high frame rate Full HD 100p video clip recorded with ALL-I compression.
Additional image samples can be found with our review of the Canon EF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM lens.
Rating
RRP: AU$8599; US$5999 (body only)
- Build: 9.1
- Features: 9.0
- Versatility: 8.9
- Autofocusing: 9.2
- Still image quality JPEG: 9.0
- Still Image quality RAW: 9.0
- Still Image quality HEIF: 9.0
- Video quality: 9.1
BUY
