EOS R5

  • 20 fps electronic
  • 12 fps mechanical
  • IBIS
  • Advanced animal detection
  • Dual card slot (one CF Express)
  • 8k full frame video

Canon has released more details on its latest mirrorless camera the EOS R5.

 

This version of camera is a higher specced version of the EOS R, which was Canon’s first step into the full-frame mirrorless cameras.  With the EOS R as a wildlife photographer I found that it had a few gaps, so I found it never was able to replace my DSLRs.

 

The EOS R5 is more closely matched to the 5D Mark IV based on the specs that have been announced, with a few new and improved features compared to both the 5D Mark IV and the EOS R.

 

The two specs that I am the most excited about are the in body stabilization (IBIS) and the advanced wildlife subject tracking.

 

The IBIS will work with lenses that already have optical stabilization, so will have improved image stabilization while shooting hand-held.  I can see the benefits of this while shooting from the zodiac at Stellar Sea Lion rock haul outs, which often requires shooting in very rough water.  More image stabilization for hand-held shooting will be quite beneficial, and the Nikon shooters I know that already have it in their mirrorless camera bodies, they really like the feature, so I am excited to use it for myself…finally!

 

The advanced animal subject tracking is also quite an interesting new camera feature, but will be dependent on how well it is executed and how well it works.  If it works as advertised where it can stay on the face and eyes of animal subjects, it could be very useful for my wildlife photography, especially if action breaks out suddenly and you lose a few seconds changing your AF point location.  But again, it will depend on how well it has been executed.

 

The EOS R5 will shoot up to 20 frames per second while shooting in electronic shutter, and 12 frames per second in mechanical shutter.  I imagine that I will most often be using mechanical shutter, given my type of shooting, but even with 12 frames per second it is more than capable of capturing wildlife action.  I am going to guess that in order to get these frame rate it will require using the CF Express card slot, and may not be capable with the SD card.

 

 

Another small improvement over the EOS R is the addition of an extra card slot, with one of the card slots being CF Express.  So shooters will now have less buffering (from the faster card), and will also have the added benefit of an extra card slot to either make a backup in the field, or to have overflow in case you get too excited and fill a card.

 

The final big feature of the EOS R5 is the ability to shoot 8k video full frame (no crop).  I am not really big on video and mostly shoot it for the purposes of a quick documentary clip, and not high level production, but a lot of Canon users have been asking for this feature, so this will appeal to some users.

 

I am looking forward to getting my hands on this new camera and putting it to the test, and hopefully I will be able to take it on a photo tour or two this season.  If you have any questions, or things you want me to test when I get my hands on one, feel free to contact me,  [email protected].

This week Canon has announced a firmware update for the EOS R to version 1.4.0.

 

Clam Digging

In Canada the update is available here.

 

Some of the updates in this new firmware are as follows:

1 –  Improvements to “eye detection Auto Focus” to provide for recognition at greater distances

2 – Improvements to the Auto Focus overall, especially for smaller objects.

3 – Improvement in the lag time between the actual Auto Focus and the AF frame rate display for the images

4 – Other “fixes”

 

Obviously the feature that I am the most excited to try out is the improvements to Auto Focus overall, as I am hoping these improvements will take the camera up a notch and allow it to a more complimentary camera body to the rest of my kit.  I have updated my camera and will provide an update on what I think of the firmware update when I have a chance to go shooting (currently snowing, in September!!!). This clam digger image was shot this year in the Khutzeymateen using the EOS R, however part way through the trip I ended up not using the EOS R much because I found the autofocus too slow, so I am looking forward to this update.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email.

had the opportunity to use my mother’s dog to put the autofocus on the EOS R to the test. And it would not be an understatement to say that it was a real test of the AF system.

 

 

Super Dog

I have been extremely happy with the speed of autofocus acquisition on the EOS R.  I find that it locks on focus quite quickly, especially on more stationary or slow-moving subjects, and the number of photos in focus when shooting non-moving (or slow moving) subjects is quite high.

 

When testing the predicative abilities of the autofocus of the EOS R, using a dog running straight towards me, I noticed that the focus was not really up to the task.  It would get focus quite quickly, however it wasn’t fast enough to continuously re-focus as the puppy got closer.  While the first image was usually in focus, only sometimes was the second image, and very rarely was the third image.  The slow frame-rate of the camera was also noticeable in this scenario, because the number of shots taken while the dog was running at me was quite a bit lower than the 5D Mark IV.

 

If you are headed into a scenario where you are going to continuously have something running towards you, or driving directly towards you, such as any kind of race, then I do not think that the EOS R would be my top choice of a camera to take.

 

I also tested the autofocus while panning with the dog running right to left (or left to right), and I found that the autofocus was quite a bit more stable and held focus significantly better than when the dog was running straight towards me.  I would not hesitate to use the camera when in a scenario that I am planning to do a lot of panning.

 

I will admit, the dog was moving quite a bit faster than most wildlife subjects that I have photographed in the past, so while the EOS R has room for improvement, it is one of those situations that you probably would only notice one percent of the time, not in every day use, or at least not in the situations that I typically photograph.

 

I also did some testing on the AF Methods (area mode options) during the testing, so stay tuned to my future blog post on my thoughts on the various options.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email at [email protected].

EOS RP

  • 26.2 megapixel
  • Full frame CMOS sensor
  • Adapter allows for using EF lenses
  • Phase detect AF
  • 4,799 selectable AF Points
  • 4 fps with continuous AF (AI Servo)
  • ISO Sensitivity of 100-40000
  • No in body stabilization
  • Different battery
  • One SD Slot
  • 4k video capabilities
  • Battery life of 270 shots (EVF)
  • $1,699 CAD

Canon just announced another camera in their full-frame mirrorless line-up, the EOS RP. This is a lower priced mirrorless camera, aimed towards those photographers that are looking to step up to a full frame camera, without the price tag of the EOS R, or 5D Mark IV.  The camera comes with a full frame 26.2 megapixel CMOS sensor with phase detect autofocus and 4k video, at a very reasonable price tag of $1,699 CAD.

 

So what’s the biggest difference between the EOS RP and EOS R, or why not go with one of the traditional full-frame entry level Canon DSLR’s, like the 6D Mark II.  See below for what I think are some of the biggest differences:

 

The biggest difference between the two are the price tag. The EOS RP comes in at $1,699 CAD, compared to $2,999 CAD for the EOS R.

 

With the lower price tag, comes a little less in terms of performance of the EOR RP compared to the EOS R. The camera comes with a 26.2 megapixle, slightly less than the 30.3 megapixels of the EOS R.  It comes with the robust autofocus phase-detection system that was introduced with the EOS R, and 4,799 selectable autofocus points.   The camera also comes wth a lower frames per second, it’s 4 when using AI Servo autofocus, compared to the 5 with the EOS R.

 

A few other things that I noticed when reviewing the camera specs is that the battery life is less than half of that of the EOS R, and only advertised to be 270 shots.  So while the camera is lighter, the lightest full-frame Canon camera, weighing just over one pound, but this weight savings might be offset by all the extra weight of carrying batteries around with you. Another thing that I saw that would be slightly annoying for people with other Canon cameras (7d mark II, 5D mark III, etc) is that it uses a different battery, whereas the EOS R uses the same battery as those other cameras, so eliminates the need for an extra charger, and different kind of batteries.

 

In comparison to the 6D Mark II, the DSLR entry level full-frame camera, the EOS RP comes in at the same number of megapixels and less frames per second.  The EPS RP weighs less than the 6D Mark II, with the 6D Mark II weighing 1.51 lbs versus 1.07 lbs, and it is smaller overall.  Best of all the the EOS RP is less expensive, with the 6D Mark II coming in at $1,999 CAD.  So it really makes me wondering why you would pay more for the 6D Mark II.

 

The following tables shows a comparison of the three camera bodies:

    Specification                          EOS RP                     EOS R                     6D Mark II

Megapixels                               26.2                              30.3                               26.2

AF Points                                  4,799                            5,655                               45

Frames per second*                      4                                  5                                   5

ISO Range                         100-40000                 100-40000                 100-40000

Battery Life (shots)**                 270                              560                           1,200

Price (CAD)                             $1,699                         $2,999                        $1,999

 

*Frames per second for the mirrorless is bases on being in AI Servo AF.

**Battery life on mirrorless is based on room temperature and eco/power savings modes enabled

 

If you are in the market for a new full frame entry level camera, the EOS RP seems like it will be a nice place to start.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with me at [email protected].

I’ve had a random finding a couple times now while shooting with the EOS R while it’s snowing.  It seems to want to focus on the snow, or more really the snow pulls the focus away from the subject, and it has to work harder to keep focused on what I want focus on.

 

EOS R + 400 f/2.8L II @ ISO 3200

It is crazy how drastically it impacted my “hit ratio” of sharp shots when it’s snowing versus not snowing, it’s like I went from not missing a shot, to having a ratio of 50% if it started snowing.  In Yellowstone, I started making the decision to switch to the 5D Mark IV if it was snowing out.

 

I tried to switch to different AF Area modes to see whether there was a difference between single point, expanded point, etc., but I did not see an improvement, and as the point got bigger it seemed like it was jumping off the subject more, which makes sense.   Next time we get a good snowfall around here, I am going to go out with a stationary subject and see what they hit ratio is.

 

I saw that Canon is intending to put out a new firmware for the EOS R, and while the details of the update have not been disclosed I’m curious whether or not this will be addressed.

 

I’m curious how this finding will be impacted by heavy rain that sometimes occur on our coastal trips, and whether this camera will essentially be unusable in these situations. I will keep testing and playing around with it, and keep you updated on what I find.  Feel free to contact me with any questions [email protected].

I have owned the Canon EOS R for a couple months now, but with short days and busy schedule I have not had the chance to get out and shoot (and more importantly compare it to other cameras) as much as I had hoped.  Luckily I have some time off coming up, and in addition to testing my new 400 f/2.8 III I am looking forward to spending time with the EOS R as well.

 

Great Gray Owl EOS R at ISO 6400

The first thing I will say is that I am pleasantly surprised with the performance of the EOS R.  I had previously picked up the Sony a7iii which also surprised me, and all initial reports is that the a7iii was superior.  While I have not had a chance to compare the two head-to-head, so therefore have no opinion on which is better, at the end of the day I am very happy with the EOS R, and will be keeping it over the a7iii, with the main factor being the compatibility with all my existing lenses, and I have not been happy at all with the metabones adapter.

 

Autofocus

EOS R + 500mm f/4 ISO 3200

One thing that I don’t really have a handle on yet is the autofocus and how it compares to the Canon dslr’s and the Sony a7iii.  What I will say is that I am very impressed with how quickly the EOS R acquires focus, it is like you point your camera at the subject and it’s instantly in focus.  While I have used it with Big Horn Sheep and deer running, I still cannot say how well the focus stays locked-on and tracks with the subject, and whether there is a noticeable different with other cameras.

The number of AF points and the fact that you can move them over the entire viewfinder is a nice feature, especially for framing some shots, especially because I find that the Canon DSLR’s are quite limited on the edges.  I do find however that it is a bit slower navigating across all the points, as you can sometimes get yourself way over to the side accidentally. I think it will just take some getting used to.

 

ISO Performance
I expected the ISO performance to be “okay”, but did not have high expectations.  Well this might be one of the biggest surprises.  I have taken photos consistently at ISO 3200, and even a few at ISO 6400 that I have been extremely happy with, both in respect to noise and dynamic range.

 

EOS R + 400 f/2.8L II @ ISO 3200

In Body Stabilization
This is one feature available in other mirrorless cameras that have been released recently which did NOT come with the EOS R.  While I am not super upset about it because all my lenses that I shoot have image stabilization, the one area where I did notice that it was very beneficial on the a7III was when shooting video from a moving zodiac on rough water.  For me this is not a deal breaker, just a “would have been nice”.  I have also heard that it works quite well with the Nikon Z7.  I guess this will be a feature for the next Canon mirrorless.

 

Button Placement/Menu
I can’t say that I am in love with the placement of the buttons/size.  Having small hands, I thought that this would be nice that all the buttons are closer together, but I find some can be quite awkward to get to, especially if trying to access them while shooting and looking through the eye-piece.  I do have some difficulty going back and forth from the DSRL’s and the EOS R.

 

The other thing I found hard to “pick-up” was the menu, as I was expecting it to mirror (pun intended) that of the DSLR’s. Instead Canon has a lot of embedded menus, which can make it difficult to find things, or make changes….especially without the manual and in an area without cell coverage.  For example it took me over five minutes to figure out how to change the view so that the electronic level wasn’t showing in the middle of the image (making it near impossible to see the subject).  Again, I think this is just something that will take getting used to.

 

I’m looking forward to spending more time with the camera, and also comparing it to some of the others in my possession.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at [email protected] and if you want to see a full list of features, refer to my first blog post on the EOS R which can be found here.

EOS R:

  • 30.3 megapixel
  • Full frame CMOS sensor
  • Adapter allows for using EF lenses
  • Phase detect AF
  • 5,655 selectable AF Points
  • 5 frames per second with continuous AF
  • ISO Sensitivity of 100-40000
  • Low light focusing of EV -6
  • No in body stabilization
  • Same battery as other Canon DSLRs
  • One SD Slot
  • 4k video capabilities
  • Battery life of 350 shots (EVF)
  • $2,999 CAD

Canon Announces Full Frame Mirrorless EOS R

 

Last week I posted about the recent Canon announcement that I was the most excited about, the new 400mm f/2.8.

 

I am almost as excited about the announcement of the full frame mirrorless, EOS R.  I am excited to try this out in comparison to the Sony a7iii that I recently purchased.

 

EOS R
Priced at $2,999 CAD, Canon’s first step into the full-frame mirrorless comes with a 30.3 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor. An interesting feature of the EOS R is that when the camera is turned off the curtain is closed to protect the sensor against getting dust and dirt on it.  Dust on the sensor has been something that I have noticed quite often with the Sony a7iii, so I am interested to see how the “closing” of the sensor works, and whether it does keep dust off the sensor.

 

When it comes to autofocus, Canon is using a phase-detect system with 5,655 selectable points…no that is not a typo they are actually advertising over five thousand AF Points. With this many AF points, 100% of the vertical and 88% of the horizontal sensor is covered by autofocus points.  This is pretty impressive, and hopefully this is something that can be carried over to the DSLR, because this is one of my biggest frustrations with the 1DX Mark II, sometimes the points are not where I need them, especially in the low end.

 

Another feature of the EOS R that Canon has added is making the AF available for “nearly the entire image” when shooting at f/8 or f/11.  So this means that you could attach a 2x extender to an f/5.6 lens (turning it to f/11) and still have AF, something that cannot even be done with my 1dx Mark II.  I am interested to test this and see how it actually performs, and whether it is an available feature that isn’t really all that useful in practice.  I have used the 1.4x extender on the 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS II to see how it performed, and I found the autofocus to be incredibly slow.

 

The frame-rate is advertised as 8 frames per second. However, with closer reading that 8 frames per second is only when not using continuous AF.  When switched to continuous autofocus the frame rate decreases to 5 frames per second, and will drop to 3 frames per second if you have selected focus priority in your settings. I do not even remember what it is like to shoot wildlife with a camera at 3 frames per second.  The buffer is advertised to be 47 Raw files.

 

Low-light focusing should not be an issue with the EOS R, it has the ability to focus at EV -6, and has ISO range of 100-40000.

 

Surprisingly, and somewhat disappointing, is that the camera does not come with any in body image stabilization, a feature available in both of the competitors (Nikon z6 and Sony a7III). I am not sure what drove the decision by Canon to skip it, maybe they are trying to drive the sale of the IS lenses, and intend for all the RF lenses to be image stabilized and thought it was unnecessary.

 

For this camera Canon has created a new mount, the “RF” mount, but also has three different adapters available to use existing EF lenses with the camera.  This is a benefit over my Sony mirrorless which has a Metabones adapter that allows me to use my Canon lenses, however the autofocus is so slow that I find it is not even worth trying to use it.

 

The battery life of the EOS R has room for improvement, with life of 350 shots per charge, however that’s consistent with other full frame mirrorless cameras.  The benefit for anyone that owns another Canon camera, like the 5D Mark IV, the battery is the same, at least you do not need to bring an additional charger.  The camera only has one memory card slot, which holds an SD card, so there is no ability to record backup, or have image overflow.

 

I am really looking forward to getting my hands no my camera, which is expected to be here mid-October (of course, right after I get back from the Great Bear Rainforest). I plan to keep my Sony a7iii in order to compare the two.

 

More about the EOS R can be found on Canon’s website.  If you have questions, feel free to contact me [email protected].

Pleasant Surprises:

  • Image quality
  • ISO Performance
  • Dynamic Range (high ISOs)
  • Metering
  • Frame-rate
  • Size/Portability

Disappointments:

  • Autofocus (initial acquisition)
  • Electronic viewfinder

I have had the Sony a7III Mirrorless camera for a few months now, and while some things have surprised me, there are still a few things that I will say continue to disappoint me.

 

This blog post is by no means meant to be a true “camera test”, but more of a “in the field” and “gut-feel” assessment.

 

Pleasant Surprises:

Image Quality / Image Sharpness
I continue to be quite surprised with the overall image quality that the Sony a7III is capable of producing. I find that when the photo is in-focus they are really quite sharp.  I think I am even more surprised by this because I’m using a lower-end lens than I am used to (using the Sony 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 G OSS vs. the Canon L-Series lenses that I am used to).

 

I would like to try out the Sony with the 100-400, or even the new Sony 400 f/2.8, but with the rumours of Canon releasing it’s own full frame mirrorless sometime in the future, I have limited budget that I really want to invest in the Sony system.

 

In the future I plan to still do some head-to-head shooting with the Canon, including the Sony vs. Canon 100-400’s with the 5d Mark IV, but just haven’t had the time that is required for detailed testing and reviewing.

 

ISO Performance / Dynamic Range
For the price of the camera, I’m continued to be extremely impressed by the ISO performance of the Sony a7III. I find that it rivals that of the 5D Mark IV, and with good post-processing skills can get useable images at ISO 6400+.  This makes the camera more well-rounded than some of the similarly priced DSLRs in terms of being able to use it in darker settings (thinking the Great Bear Rainforest), or with lenses that aren’t f/2.8.

 

I have been finding that when an image gets noisy, it gets really noisy.  What I mean by that is that I feel like it goes from hardly any noise, to so noisy the image isn’t useable, I guess it’s a good thing that you are able to pus the ISOs otherwise you would be stuck with a bunch of really noisy images.

 

I am also finding that the dynamic range on this camera is incredible, even at the higher ISO’s like 5000+.

 

Metering
I find the meter on the camera to be incredible, it does a really good job at reading the scene and not blowing highlights or blocking up shadows, and I find that I’m required to do less compensation when shooting in multi-segment mode compared to what I have experienced in other camera.

 

Frame-rate
There is nothing to complain about when it comes to frame rate, the 10 fps seems to play out as advertised in the real world.  While it is no D5 of Canon 1dx Mark II, and there would be certain scenarios when you would want to manage your buffer (like a Humpback Whale breaching), it’s perfectly capable buffer size, and it outperforms the 5D Mark IV (7 fps), which I use plenty

 

One word of caution, if you turn your camera to silent mode, it is literally silent, so if you accidentally sit on the cameras shutter you will have no indication that it is taking 50 or more shots of the zodiac floor.

 

Size/Portability
The main reason I decided to buy the camera was because of the size.  Sometimes it is one thing to read the specs of a camera and think “wow, that is light (or heavy)”, but it is another thing to actually use it in the real world, because weight distribution and ergonomics can play a big role in whether something actually feels light, or heavy.

 

After using it on a trip, taking it for some walks, having it in my backpack, and generally just using it, I am still finding it to be quite light and portable. I am even able to throw it into my relatively small hydro pack with the 70-300 on it.

 

Disappointments:

Autofocus:
I said it in my initial impressions blog post (here)  and I am going to say it again, I am still disappointed with the autofocus.  And while I am aware that it is much improved over previous versions of mirrorless cameras, for me, where I am used to flagship Canon cameras I remain to be disappointed.

 

Initial acquisition of objects, especially small, quick moving objects, is still slow, causing me to miss shots. I find that after initial acquisition the autofocus does a reasonable job sticking on the subject, and locking and keeping focused.  So while it is not all bad, if you cannot acquire initial focus you will not need to worry about maintaining focus.

 

While the autofocus is a bit annoying at times, having the ability to put the AF point pretty much anywhere in the entire image is pretty awesome, although in practical terms it is likely pretty rare that you would use some of the extreme edges for the AF Point.

 

Electronic Viewfinder:
In my initial thoughts blog post it was one of my biggest annoyances, the electronic viewfinder, and if I recall I said it would take some getting used to….well I am still not used to it.  I find it to be less noticeable if I am just shooting with the mirrorless camera all day, but if I am switching back and forth between the mirrorless and DSLRs, it becomes very noticeable.

 

Conclusion:
I’m not ready to throw away all my DSLRs just yet.  They are still highly capable, and in my opinion more highly capable, than the Sony a7III, however when I want something small and light for walking around “in case” I see something, I don’t feel like I am grossly under-equipped and will be left with images no better than a cheap point and shoot camera.

 

I am looking forward to continuing to taking the Sony a7iii on my next photo tour, Marine Mammals at the beginning of August, and putting it to the test some more.  If you are considering the a7III and have any questions, feel free to contact me [email protected].

Key Specs:

  • Full Frame
  • 24.2mp Sensor
  • 10 fps
  • 693 Phase Detection AF Points
  • 425 Contract Detection AF Points
  • 4K HDR Video

Likes:

  • Size, Weight, and Portability
  • Frame rate
  • Full Frame
  • Image Quality

Dislikes:

  • Initial AF acquisition
  • AF point size
  • EVF (takes getting used to)

I have owned my camera for just a couple of weeks now, and have had the opportunity to take it to some local parks to test it out in nature.  This is no where near enough time to give a full opinion on the camera, however it is enough time to get some initial thoughts and impressions that I wanted to share (I’m not promising that these will not change as I use the camera more, for better or worse).

 

AF Points
The camera has 693 phase-decection, of which 425 of them are also contrast-detecting, AF points, and covers 93% of the viewfinder, that is absolutely incredible, especially in comparison to some of the DSLR cameras out there.

 

When I first started shooting with the camera on “single point”, I was like this AF point is HUGE, especially shooting chickadees at any distance.  What I didn’t realize, and actually didn’t see anywhere in the manual is that the single point has three sizes, small, medium, and large, and I think I was on large.  So that solved, the single AF point is actually a reasonable size.

 

I still haven’t found much use for the other AF points, other than the single point spot assist.

 

I do enjoy, especially being a frustrated Canon shooter, how much of the frame (like all of it) you can cover with the AF point.  This makes it really handy when trying to setup an animalscape type shot, and could see how landscape shooters would find this useful.

 

Autofocus
As for the autofocus itself (once I found the right-size points), was a little on the slow side, especially on the initial acquisition of focusing on something.  This can be a bit frustrating when shooting the popular “little chirpy birds” (as defined in all bird books – haha), because by the time you get the focus they are flying off to another branch, and you have to start the process all over again. I also think that this would make shooting small birds in flight, like Tree Swallows, very frustrating, but when you nail it, you will nail it.

 

I do find however that the camera is actually pretty good at keeping the focus locked on as the subject moves around, and I am not finding a bunch of blurry shots when shooting a burst.

 

Frame-rate / buffering
The camera boasts 10 frames per second, and it was one of the key advertised features is the frame rate of the camera.  While the frames per second is important, to me the more important question is how many shots can I take until the camera slows down and begins buffering.  In my normal shooting, using RAW images, SD card, and 1/1000 shutter speed I was able to get just over 25 shots before the camera started slowing down, which I think is pretty good.

 

Along the same lines as this is the blackout, you know the momentary (can be nanoseconds) where you cannot actually see anything through the viewfinder.  I do find the blackout to be a bit longer on this camera than I am used to when looking through the viewfinder.

 

Something I am finding particularly annoying is if I shoot a burst, and then want to recompose, I need to wait for images to clear the buffer (or at least some of the images) before I can get my AF point back and refocus to take another shot.  I have also noticed that while copying images to the card, you cannot access the menu, or switch from still to video shooting until all the images are cleared.  This could really be the difference between getting and missing the shot.

 

Electronic Viewfinder
I think the biggest noticeable difference for anyone that is switching from a DSLR to a Mirrorless is the electronic viewfinder. While I think they have come a long way from some that I have looked at in the past, it’s still not crisp and sharp, and the colors even seem a little distorted compared to what I am used to with the DSLR.

 

Meanwhile, the rear LCD shows a very nice view of the image, but I just can’t stand to hold the camera out in front of me while taking pictures…I feel like a tourist holding out my iPhone.

 

Image Quality
Outside some of the limitations that I noted above (assuming you aren’t waiting for your buffer to clear and miss the shot), the image quality of this camera is really quite nice.  You get a lot of fine detail, and it certainly is steps above point-and-shoot cameras, and I am very interested to see how it compares to the Canon full frame 5D Mark IV.

 

There are still many things left to test, the one thing I haven’t really tested yet but am super curious about is the ISO performance.  I have several shots at ISO 3200 that seem pretty clean.  I am hoping on the upcoming Great Bear Rainforest trip I will get some opportunities to try it out,

 

I’m excited to take this camera out on it’s first test – the Spring Great Bear Rainforest trip, and see how it holds up under real conditions.  I also still have a lot more testing to do including how it works with the metabones adapter, as well as how it compares to other full-frame cameras.  So stay tuned.

 

Feel free to contact me [email protected] if you are planning to pick one up and have any questions, or to share some of your own personal feedback.

The question of “who needs mirrors” (i.e. mirrorless camera) is one I’m hoping that I can answer in the coming months (or at least form an opinion on).

 

I’m hoping to take possession of on my new Sony A7III next week, where I will spend the next couple months putting it to the test. I will be comparing it not only to itself, but also to the my Canon DSLRs as well.  And also hoping to borrow the flagship Sony A9 to do some more comparisons.

 

In the past I have shied away from Mirrorless Cameras because the electronic viewfinder made me feel seasick, and the reviews were just never that good that it made sense for me to own one (compared to my DSLRs).  But with Sony’s latest cameras and with rumours of Canon and Nikon coming out with their own full-frame mirrorless cameras, it seems like the have taken a bit of a leap.   While trying them in the store the Electronic Viewfinder seemed to be way less nauseating than before, and the AF was really quite something.

 

I’m excited to try out my new camera when it gets here, and start reporting on my results.  I’m going into it will a completely open mind, and maybe my mind just might be blown.

 

Stay tuned to my blog for my thoughts as I put the camera to the test, and also feel free to contact me if you have any specific questions that you would like answered.