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Nikon Z6 II vs Canon EOS R6 – which is best for you?

28 Dec

Introduction

Canon and Nikon dominated the DSLR market for around two decades but the move to mirrorless saw Sony gain a significant foothold in the full-frame space before the former ‘Big Two’ weighed in.

The second-generation full-frame mirrorless cameras from both brands are hugely capable though, so in the absence of an update from Sony, the Canon EOS R6 and Nikon Z6 II are the midrange models to beat.

But which is right for you?

Ergonomics

An extra dial on the rear edge of the camera represent the R6’s greatest divergence from Canon’s DSLR ergonomics.

For many years, the biggest distinction between Canon and Nikon was their respective approaches to ergonomics: which one you found most comfortable was probably the best way to choose between them. And, to some extent, these distinctions are carried through in their latest mirrorless models.

The Z6 II hand grip will be familiar to Nikon DSLR users, as will the positioning and function of its command dials. These tend to be very ergonomic, with the dials well placed under the thumb and forefinger. It’s a smaller camera but finds plenty of room for control points without feeling cluttered.

Canon, meanwhile, has diverged a little more from tradition. The R6’s grip is still a lot like a larger Canon DSLR (less overtly hand-shaped but providing a solid, comfortable substrate to hold onto). The R6 gains a command dial on its shoulder, in addition to the vertical dial on the back plate and the dial behind the shutter button. We’ve found this latest iteration to be an improvement on a familiar setup, and appreciate the extra flexibility it gives.

Sensors

To a great extent, the biggest difference between the two cameras is in the sensors they use. The Nikon uses a 24MP BSI CMOS chip, shared with several rivals. In this instance it has an undisclosed number of pixels devoted to providing phase-detection autofocus.

The Canon uses a 20MP sensor using the older FSI CMOS technology but using Canon’s ‘Dual Pixel’ design in which pairs of photodetectors are used at each pixel, meaning the entire sensor can be used for phase-detection autofocus, and without even the minuscule risk of glitches or artifacts that comes with dispersed phase detection layouts.

In image quality terms, there’s not a lot to choose between them. The Nikon has fractionally higher resolution capture and slightly better dynamic range (less read noise, meaning there’s more information in the very deep shadows before it’s swamped by noise). However, the difference is small enough that the Canon’s finer sharpening means its out-of-camera JPEGs end up looking similarly detailed than the Nikon’s, despite the lower resolution.

Interface/menus

Both cameras use menu systems inherited pretty directly from their DSLR forebears. This is great in terms of familiarity, but both are beginning to creak somewhat with the sheer number of menu options crammed into them. Nikon’s ‘Setup’ menu has some of the best navigation cues in the business, but other sections are just long lists of options with few hints about the logic used to order the options and insufficient indications to find your way back. Thankfully both cameras have My Menu tabs into which you can collect the options you change most often.

Both cameras offer a decent degree of customization, though not to the point where every button can be reprogrammed to access any possible function. The Nikon lets you customize its ‘i‘ quick menu, with separate choices for stills and video, but it omits the useful option to assign a focus area mode (or area mode + AF-On) to a button, which the company’s DSLRs offered. The Canon lets you do this, via the ‘Switch to registered AF func’ option, though there’s less need to do so. The Canon’s quick menu isn’t customizable but you can add a series of functions to the list accessed with the ‘M-Fn’ button, for semi-fast access.

Autofocus

Canon (top) combines face/eye detection and tracking in a single, unified AF mode. Nikon (bottom) lets you access face/eye detect as an option in two AF area modes; AF Tracking is a separate mode, accessed with a custom button.

The autofocus systems of the Z6 II and R6 are likely to be seen as revelatory to most DSLR users, and will seem like a pretty big step forward to anyone whose camera is more than a few years old. In both instances, the subject tracking performance and face and eye detection is extremely impressive.

Where they differ is how simple it is to access these capabilities. On the Nikon you need to choose whether to engage subject tracking or to use face detection, and then decide whether to limit face detection to a zone within the scene, to let you pre-select which person you wish to focus on.

On the Canon, once you’ve changed the settings so that you get to choose the initial AF position, you can just point your focus point at a subject and it’ll track it, using face and eye detection if it’s a person or just using generic subject tracking if it’s not. The whole process is easier to understand and quicker to operate.

Video

Video is one of the areas in which a distinction begins to appear, though again it’s more nuanced than simply being a case of ‘camera X is better.’

The Canon has the better-looking specification on paper: there’s a slight crop to all its video but it’ll shoot UHD 4K video in 24, 30 and 60p, whereas the Z6 II will apply a significant crop when 60p capture arrives in 2021. Using a cropped region makes it harder to find a lens that gives a wide-angle view, and gives the higher noise level of using a camera with a smaller sensor (APS-C in the case of the Z6 II’s 60p mode).

The Canon can also shoot 10-bit footage internally, giving more flexible Log footage or HDR TV-ready video. The Nikon requires an external recorder to record 10-bit data, making it less flexible. That said, there’s an extra-cost option to upgrade the Z6 II to output a 4K Raw video stream, which can be encoded as either ProRes RAW or Blackmagic Raw, but the footage is line-skipped, so it gains processing flexibility but loses some quality with regards resolution, moiré and noise.

There’s not a lot of difference in the appearance of the UHD 24, 25 and 30p footage both cameras can capture, other than the Nikon having less pronounced rolling shutter distortion of moving subjects. Neither camera is great in this regard but the Canon is visibly less good.

The latest firmware for the Canon has alleviated our original concerns about video overheating. We wouldn’t necessarily choose it if you need to shoot large amounts of stills and video back-to-back in a can’t-miss-a-moment setting, like a wedding, but for most video projects where stop/start recording is the norm, it’s no longer significantly different to its peers (so long as you turn the camera completely off between clips). Both cameras will stop internal recording after 29minutes, 59 seconds, which limits their appeal for long-run capture anyway.

Video Autofocus

What’s great to see is that both cameras behave very similarly in stills and video mode, but don’t carry too many settings over from one mode to the other. Both cameras retain separate exposure settings for stills and video, and let you define different white balance, color mode and custom button settings for the two shooting styles, if you wish. This makes jumping from stills to video and back easier, since it avoids accidentally shooting a series of Log-gamma photos or video clips with 1/200th shutter speed.

Where the Nikon has a slight edge is that its AF interface behaves in exactly the same way in stills and video modes. This means you can set an AF tracking point in advance or try to trust face detection (with the risk that the camera will re-focus if your subject looks away). On the Canon, the only way to achieve AF tracking in video is to tap the rear screen, meaning you can’t prepare for a subject’s arrival in the frame and you risk shaking the camera as you select them. The performance once the cameras are subject tracking is pretty similar.

Screens/viewfinders

There’s not much to choose between the cameras in terms of viewfinders. The Nikon has an edge on paper, but it’s not a big enough difference for us to notice in real-world usage.

Both cameras use 3.69M dot OLED viewfinders, but the Nikon’s optics mean that it gives a slightly larger 0.8x magnification from the panel, rather than the Canon’s 0.76x figure. However, while both cameras default to a high-resolution, 60 fps refresh rate, the Canon also offers a 120 fps high speed mode, which can be useful when you’re trying to follow action.

The Nikon has the better rear screen, with a 3.2″ 2.1M dot touchscreen (1024 x 680 pixels) rather than the Canon’s 3.0″ 1.62M dot panel (900 x 600 pixels). But we suspect the way the screen moves – up/down tilt for the Nikon, full-articulated for the Canon – will have more of an impact on your preference than the difference in the panels themselves.

Fans of a top-panel status LCD will prefer the Nikon, since the Canon doesn’t have one.

Features

Both cameras have been packed with just about every feature their respective maker can think to offer. Both cameras offer intervalometer functions, for instance, though only the Nikon also includes a time-lapse feature that builds a high-res movie file. In return, the Canon includes a mode to shoot high dynamic range 10-bit HEIF files for use on HDR displays, which the Nikon doesn’t.

Interestingly, neither includes a multi-shot high-res mode of the sort offered by a majority of other manufacturers. If you indulge in one of the types of photography that can benefit from such modes, you’ll have to look to Panasonic.

Both cameras can charge or operate using power over a USB-C connection. The Canon is rated as offering between 10 and 24% greater battery life than the Nikon, though frankly the larger battery used in the Sony a7 range is a safer choice if this is a major concern for your shooting. Both the Canon and Nikon offer battery grips to extend shooting times as well as provide duplicate controls.

Adapters and legacy lenses

Both the Nikon and Canon are designed to attract photographers already entrenched in the companies’ respective DSLR systems, so both are available with adapters to use existing lenses.

Nikon’s FTZ adapter doesn’t include a focus motor, which means it’ll only autofocus with AF-I, AF-S or AF-P lenses that have their own focus motor. This still allows autofocus with around 90 Nikon lenses launched since 1992. The company says a further 270 lenses can be manually focused, before you even consider third-party lenses with built-in motors.

Canon, meanwhile, offers three EF-to-RF adapters: a simple pass-through tube like Nikon’s design or more expensive variants with an additional settings control ring or built-in filter mount. Because the EF mount always used in-lens AF and aperture drive, there are fewer compatibility considerations when using existing Canon lenses.

Many users report good experiences with adapted lenses, but the sheer number of lens designs, motor types and the subtle differences between DSLR and mirrorless AF systems means there’s always scope for variability in performance. While this compatibility is nice to have, we tend to find there are image quality, AF consistency and often size advantages to using lenses designed for the new mirrorless mounts.

Conclusion

Overall, there’s something almost nostalgic about how well-matched the Canon and Nikon are. But, unlike the DSLRs of a decade ago, there’s more of a price difference between them. The Canon EOS R6 retails at an MSRP of $ 2,499 whereas the Nikon Z6 II can be purchased new for $ 1,999 (body-only in both cases).

So the R6 is substantially more expensive, but for us, the ‘it just works’ nature of its autofocus, the 10-bit stills and video capture and (nearly) full-sensor 4K/60p video make the Canon a slightly more convincing and enjoyable all-rounder, hence it getting a Gold award to the Nikon’s Silver. But the differences aren’t huge: they’re both extremely good cameras.

And whereas, ten years ago, I’d have said: ‘buy the one that fits most comfortably in your hand.’ I’m again in a position where it’s not really the cameras themselves you need to focus on most. The depth of any existing investment you have in DSLR lenses and the availability of new, native versions of the lenses you expect to use most often should be the more significant factor.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon to Release an APS-C EOS R Mirrorless Camera in 2021

21 Dec

The post Canon to Release an APS-C EOS R Mirrorless Camera in 2021 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

It’s more certain than ever before:

Canon will release an APS-C EOS R model, probably before 2021 is out.

The APS-C mirrorless camera (dubbed the “Canon EOS R7” by Canon Rumors) has been rumored for months – we reported on it back in March of this year – but its existence has been hotly debated on the internet.

Why?

For one, Canon already offers a popular series of APS-C mirrorless models (the EOS M lineup), which would make the EOS R7 a bit of an oddity. And an EOS R7 could pave the way for an EOS M phaseout.

To be clear, Canon hasn’t actually acknowledged the existence of the EOS R7. But Canon Rumors has it on good authority that there is “an APS-C sensor-equipped RF mount camera…in the wild with a select group of photographers.”

And from a historical perspective, the EOS R7 makes sense. The Canon EOS 7D and EOS 7D Mark II were Canon’s two semi-professional APS-C DSLR models, designed for bird, wildlife, and action photographers who couldn’t afford a Canon 1D series camera or who simply wanted to maximize reach in the field. They offered blazing-fast autofocus, high continuous shooting speeds, and rugged bodies that could handle extreme conditions.

But the EOS 7D Mark II launched way back in 2014, and despite various rumors, no successor has ever been announced – which is what makes the prospect of an EOS R7 so exciting for fans of the 7D series.

Of course, we don’t know for certain that an EOS R7 would be a true “7D Mark III” model. But an APS-C EOS R camera would be well-placed to cater to the same type of photographers so enamored with the 7D series. An RF APS-C camera would offer the technological advancements of the EOS R series, access to Canon’s excellent (and fast-growing) RF lens lineup, plus a 1.6x crop factor (one that’ll turn the new Canon RF 100-500mm lens into a 160-800mm powerhouse!).

According to Canon Rumors, the EOS R7 “looks nearly identical to the EOS R6,” and Canon Rumors suggests that “specifications [will] be nearly identical as well.” This makes sense; while the Canon EOS R6’s 20 MP sensor offers little in the way of resolution, it makes up for it in autofocus speed, 20 frames-per-second continuous shooting, excellent in-body image stabilization, dual card slots, stellar low-light performance, 4K/60p video, and more – exactly what you’d expect from a next-gen Canon EOS 7D model.

So for any bird photographers, wildlife photographers, or action photographers looking for a relatively inexpensive but high-powered APS-C camera…

…the wait is almost over!

Now over to you:

What do you think of Canon’s decision to create an RF-mount APS-C camera? And do you think it’ll be a 7D successor? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Canon to Release an APS-C EOS R Mirrorless Camera in 2021 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Video: One man’s quest to watercool a Canon R5 into an 8K video powerhouse

04 Dec

This July, Canon released a media advisory clarifying the overheating concerns of early Canon EOS R5 and R6 users. After Lensrentals took apart the R5, we better understood the thermal constraints of the design. The camera is very tightly sealed, which is great when you want to keep water out, but not so great when you want heat to escape.

In its media release, Canon stated the approximate recording time for 8K 30p video with the R5 before the camera overheated is about 20 minutes. After letting the camera cool for 10 minutes, users can expect to record another 3 minutes of 8K footage before the camera overheats again. It’s a better, albeit similar, situation when recording 4K 60p and 4K 30p (8.2K oversampling) video. The feature set of the R5 and its performance is impressive, but in many settings, overheating is problematic.

Matt from the YouTube channel DIY Perks wanted to prevent his own Canon R5 from overheating, so he dismantled it and modified the camera’s internals. Should you feel inspired, it is worth pointing out the obvious. Dismantling your camera and modifying it will void your warranty and comes with significant risks. However, for the adventurous among you, you can see how Matt modified his camera in the video below.

Matt used some standard liquid cooling components you might find in a performance-oriented PC. He also installed thermal paste, which he believes is much better than the thermal pads that the R5 has between the main processors and a metal plate. To try to remove heat from the main processing area, he also installed copper, as it’s a good conductor of heat.

Matt used PC liquid cooling components to water cool his Canon R5. As you can see, it’s not a compact solution. However, it is remarkably effective, allowing for unlimited 8K recording times.

After making these mods, would the R5 record 8K video for longer than 20 minutes? No. Even though the camera was staying much cooler than it did before it was modified, it still shut down after 20 minutes of recording due to a timer-based heat management solution baked into the camera’s firmware.

Matt updated to a recent firmware version, which changes how the camera manages overheating, and tried the test again. This time, with firmware version 1.1.1 installed on the R5, the water-cooled R5 breezed past the 20 minute mark and Matt speculates that the camera should theoretically be able to record indefinitely. It’s worth noting that in certain situations, such as Matt’s testing area, the firmware update alone can increase 8K recording time limit. In this case, it added about six minutes of 8K recording time before overheating.

With custom-fabricated copper, the R5 becomes a much better high-end video camera.

Of course, the liquid cooling solution is not very practical or elegant. It requires tubing, a water reservoir, a pump, radiator and you must have the back of the R5 remain detached. Matt wanted to devise an improved heatsink solution and reassemble the camera completely.

Using copper, improved thermal paste, and thermal padding, he was able to get nearly 40 minutes of uninterrupted 8K recording, a significant improvement over the production camera. A five minute break allowed an additional half an hour of recording. This is a very impressive passive cooling solution and a big step up over an unmodified R5.

Combining modified internal components with copper heatsinks and an external heatsink results in unlimited recording time. It adds bulk to the camera, but the rear heatsink is removable, allowing the camera to retain its original form factor.

If you require even longer record times, coupling the passive cooling modification with a copper heatsink mounted to the back of the camera does the trick. While a heatsink adds bulk, it is also easily removed when not needed, quickly returning the camera to its original form factor. Matt also designed a 3D-printable base for the camera that includes room for a fan and batteries. The base works in tandem with the internal copper plate modification. The files for the base have not been uploaded yet, but the link will be added to the video’s description when available. To view more videos from DIY Perks, click here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon confirms August ransomware attack, notes past and current employees affected

01 Dec

In August, we reported that Canon suffered a ransomware attack that, allegedly, saw more than 10TB of data taken from Canon’s servers. At the time, a Canon representative told us the company was ‘investigating the situation,’ but the company never confirmed the attack took place. Now, three months later, Canon has confirmed in a statement that an attack did take place as well as details on exactly what information was taken from its servers.

The notice, first spotted by Canon Watch, states information of past and current employees ‘who were employed by Canon U.S.A., Inc. and certain subsidiaries, predecessors and affiliates from 2005 to 2020’ was taken. This data, which also includes employees’ beneficiaries and dependents when applicable, includes ‘Social Security number, driver’s license number or government-issued identification number, financial account number provided to Canon for direct deposit, electronic signature, and date of birth.’

A notice originally sent to Canon employees notifying them of the cyberattack.

Canon says it immediately opened an investigation, hired a cybersecurity firm and contacted law enforcement, who helped to support the investigation.

To assist with those whose information was taken in the attack, Canon is offering a free membership to a credit monitoring service to help ‘detect possible misuse of an individual’s information and provides the individual with identity protection services.’

Canon statement:

Canon statement about the ransomware attack:

Notice of Data Security Incident

Canon understands the importance of protecting information. We are informing current and former employees who were employed by Canon U.S.A., Inc. and certain subsidiaries, predecessors, and affiliates¹ from 2005 to 2020 and those employees’ beneficiaries and dependents of an incident that involved some of their information. This notice explains the incident, measures we have taken, and steps you can take in response.

We identified a security incident involving ransomware on August 4, 2020. We immediately began to investigate, a cybersecurity firm was engaged, and measures were taken to address the incident and restore operations. We notified law enforcement and worked to support the investigation. We also implemented additional security measures to further enhance the security of our network.

We determined that there was unauthorized activity on our network between July 20, 2020 and August 6, 2020. During that time, there was unauthorized access to files on our file servers. We completed a careful review of the file servers on November 2, 2020 and determined that there were files that contained information about current and former employees from 2005 to 2020 and their beneficiaries and dependents. The information in the files included the individuals’ names and one or more of the following data elements: Social Security number, driver’s license number or government-issued identification number, financial account number provided to Canon for direct deposit, electronic signature, and date of birth.

We wanted to notify our current and former employees and their beneficiaries and dependents of this incident and to assure them that we take it seriously. As a precaution, we have arranged for them to receive a complimentary membership to Experian’s® IdentityWorks^SM credit monitoring service. This product helps detect possible misuse of an individual’s information and provides the individual with identity protection services. IdentityWorks^SM is completely free to the individual, and enrolling in this program will not hurt the individual’s credit score. If you are a current or former employee, or the beneficiary or dependent of a current or former employee, and would like more information on IdentityWorks^SM, including instructions on how to activate your complimentary membership, please call our dedicated call center for this incident at 1-833-960-3574. For information on additional steps you can take in response, please see the additional information provided below.

We regret that this occurred and apologize for any inconvenience. If you have additional questions, please call 1-833-960-3574, Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Eastern Time.

¹This notice is being provided by or on behalf of Canon U.S.A., Inc. and the following subsidiaries, predecessors, and affiliates: Canon BioMedical, Inc., Canon Business Solutions-Central, Inc., Canon Business Solutions-Mountain West, Inc., Canon Business Solutions-NewCal, Inc., Canon Business Solutions-Tereck, Inc., Canon Business Solutions-West, Inc., Canon Development Americas, Inc., Canon Financial Services, Inc., Canon Information and Imaging Solutions, Inc., Canon Information Technology Systems, Inc., Canon Latin America, Inc., Canon Medical Components U.S.A., Inc., Canon Software America, Inc., Canon Solutions America, Inc., Canon Technology Solutions, Inc., Canon U.S. Life Sciences, Inc., NT-ware USA, Inc., Océ Imaging Supplies, Inc., Océ Imagistics Inc., Océ North America, Inc., Océ Reprographic Technologies Corporation, and Virtual Imaging, Inc.

ADDITIONAL STEPS YOU CAN TAKE

We remind you it is always advisable to be vigilant for incidents of fraud or identity theft by reviewing your account statements and free credit reports for any unauthorized activity. You may obtain a copy of your credit report, free of charge, once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies. To order your annual free credit report, please visit?www.annualcreditreport.com?or call toll free at 1-877-322-8228. Contact information for the three nationwide credit reporting companies is as follows:

Equifax, PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374,?www.equifax.com, 1-800-685-1111
Experian, PO Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013,?www.experian.com, 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion, PO Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016,?www.transunion.com, 1-800-916-8800

If you believe you are the victim of identity theft or have reason to believe your personal information has been misused, you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission and/or the Attorney General’s office in your state. You can obtain information from these sources about steps an individual can take to avoid identity theft as well as information about fraud alerts and security freezes. You should also contact your local law enforcement authorities and file a police report. Obtain a copy of the police report in case you are asked to provide copies to creditors to correct your records. Contact information for the Federal Trade Commission is as follows:

Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Response Center, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580, 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338),?www.ftc.gov/idtheft

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Gear of the Year: Richard’s choice – Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM

27 Nov

Dan Bracaglia

I wouldn’t usually consider myself a fan of long lenses, perhaps as the result of my early digital experiences coming on disappointing superzooms. Once I’d got over the novelty of being able to take pictures of something a long way away, I usually found I could take a better photo by simply getting closer. I’ve used long telephotos for sports shooting, of course, but in recent years my lenses of choice have been 35 and 85mm equivalents.

The Canon 800mm F11 seemed too interesting to not try, though. And that meant adapting my photography to suit the equipment. This may sound back-to-front: I spend much of my working life looking for cameras that require the least adaptation on the part of the photographer, the ones that just work.

But, restricting yourself to single focal lengths or shooting a mono-only camera can help provide inspiration, so you can push yourself to try something new. And I needed to find something that I could shoot with it.

My first thought was to play around with the compression effects you get from the greater shooting distances encouraged by long lenses. Shooting through the open patio doors, with me at the back of the common room and my subject on the far end of the roof deck, I was able to exaggerate the size of the Space Needle in my photo. Unfortunately, with a fixed F11 aperture, I didn’t have the option to stop down further to make it less diffuse.

What’s the big deal?

We’ve seen impressive things done with diffractive/fresnel optics before: Nikon’s 300mm F4 PF is an excellent lens, that I’m hoping will be re-created in the Z mount, but the Canon F11 pair is something a little different.

Think of it more like a modern alternative to the mirror lens: restrictive, in that it has a fixed aperture as well as a fixed focal length, but freeing in the sense that you can lift it and, to a much greater extent, afford it. And, unlike mirror lenses, the resultant images aren’t marred by strange doughnut-hole bokeh, which I personally find distracting (/revolting).

Add in the retractable design and light weight and the convenience of the package becomes clear. It’s not the most solid-feeling lens, by any means, but those weight savings are appreciated if you’re carrying it for more than a few hours. Ultimately, though, it’s the price of the 800mm that stands out most, to me. At F11 it lets in 1/4 as much light as the EF 800mm F5.6 IS L can, but its list price of $ 899 is less than 1/14th of the cost.

A (socially distanced) hike around the city suggested a better option. Our walk took us through the Union Bay Natural Area. At first it looked like a piece of low-lying scrubland overshadowed by a college football stadium: a messy adjunct to its gameday parking. But the more I stopped and looked around, the more interesting fauna I saw, and the more photographic opportunities.

So I went back, armed with the Canon 800mm F11, an EOS R5, took my time, wandered around, looking for things to shoot. I make no claims to being a nature photographer, and my first efforts were patchy, at best. But like all the best photography experiences, every half-decent shot I took convinced me that my next one could be better.

I tried to take photos of variety of subjects, but there were some kingfishers who would return to a number of vantage points, before diving for prey. Their speed made them a challenging subject, but one that would give me multiple opportunities, if I watched closely and waited long enough.

The need to get a diverse gallery of images in a short space of time is somewhat at odds with the patience required for good nature photos. Similarly, the diktat that we should keep ISO as low as possible for lens galleries probably left me skirting the line of motion blur, but even with imperfect results, I found myself wanting to go back and have another go. Which is the thing that I enjoyed most about the 800mm: finding myself able to try something new.

I’m not going to claim any of my shots were great, partly as a result of inexperience, partly due to basic moral failure. But I enjoyed myself and the 800mm had helped encourage me to do something I might not otherwise think to try.

You might well argue that the thing I enjoyed was being pushed to try something new, and I’d completely agree. But I think the Canon RF 800mm F11 puts that opportunity to try something new into more people’s hands. Hence it’s my pick for this year.

Yes, I should have got up earlier in the day, used faster shutter speeds, but it was an enjoyable experience. Thank you, Mr. Predictable Kingfisher.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Review: Does the Canon Rebel T8i DSLR make sense in an increasingly mirrorless world?

25 Nov

Introduction

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The Canon EOS Rebel T8i (also known as the EOS 850D or Kiss X10i in some markets) is a 24MP DSLR camera that is compatible with the company’s EF and EF-S mount lenses. It has an optical viewfinder, but it also has a usable and responsive touchscreen interface and live view experience that’s a match for the company’s mirrorless camera options.

Jump to:

For much of the world, shifting consumer preferences towards mirrorless cameras have left DSLRs looking like relics of history, though Europe and the Americas remain holdouts. Last year, Europeans still bought about 1.4 DSLRs for every mirrorless camera sold, while in the Americas the ratio was even higher at 1.7:1.

So why might you consider a DSLR in our increasingly mirrorless world? Some photographers still prefer DSLRs for their crisp, lag-free through-the-lens viewfinders, and there’s a much wider array of lenses available to DSLR shooters without the need for adapters.

ISO 2500 | 1/100 sec | F5 | Canon EF-S 18-55mm @ 44mm

Yet relatively few manufacturers are left in the consumer DSLR market. Only Canon, Nikon and Ricoh (which makes Pentax-branded DSLRs) remain, making new models few and far between. Among these, Canon’s EOS Rebel series are the biggest sellers. The Rebel T8i now sits at the top of that line, replacing 2017’s T7i.

Priced at $ 749.99 body-only or $ 900 with an EF-S 18-55mm IS STM kit lens, the Canon T8i is available immediately.

Key specifications

24-megapixel APS-C image sensor
EF or EF-S lens compatibility
ISO 100 to 25,600, extends to 51,200
7 fps continuous shooting, or 7.5 fps in live view
45 point, all cross-type phase-detect AF
0.51x pentamirror viewfinder with 95% coverage
3.0″ vari-angle touch-screen LCD
24p 4K video with 1.6x crop, or full-sensor 1080p60
800 shot battery life, or 310 shots with live view

Out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 250 | 1/100 sec | F5.6 | Canon EF-S 18-55mm @ 55mm

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What’s new and how it compares

The AF-ON button and rear dial make the T8i a more flexible camera for users to learn and grow with than lesser Rebels.

Externally, the 24-megapixel Canon T8i looks very similar to its predecessor from most angles, although there are some control tweaks to be found on its rear panel including a new rear control dial and AF-On button. While Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity remain, NFC has been dropped as the constant Bluetooth connection speeds up the connection process the way NFC used to. Lastly, the flash must now be raised manually when needed, as it can no longer pop up by itself. As we’ll see later on, this is a good thing.

On the inside, while the sensor resolution and sensitivity range are unchanged, a faster image processor allows a modest increase in burst performance. It’s now rated at 7 frames per second through the viewfinder, or 7.5 fps in live view mode, up from 6 fps in the T7i. There’s also a somewhat finer-grained 384-zone metering sensor in place of the earlier 315-zone sensor.

The Rebel T8i uses a familiar 24MP sensor with Dual Pixel AF that offers solid noise performance and resolution.

Canon has also added support for 4K movie capture, although this comes with several limitations including a significant focal length crop, contrast-detection autofocus (rather than the more reliable Dual Pixel AF you get in lesser Full HD modes) and a fixed 24 fps frame rate. And autofocus algorithms have been refined to add eye detection in live view mode, and face detection when shooting through the viewfinder.

How it compares…

Compared with two of its mirrorless rivals, the Nikon Z50 and Sony a6100, the Canon T8i offers much better battery life, so long as you stick to its optical viewfinder. The T8i is quite a bit bulkier though, despite not offering weather-sealing.

	Canon T8i	Nikon Z50	Sony a6100
MSRP (body)	$ 749.99	$ 859.95	$ 750
Sensor	24.1MP APS-C	20.9MP APS-C	24MP APS-C
Type	DSLR	Mirrorless	Mirrorless
Sensitivity (native)	100-25600	100-51200	100-32000
Lens mount	Canon EF / EF-S	Nikon Z	Sony E
Viewfinder type	Optical pentamirror SLR	2.36M-dot OLED EVF	1.44M-dot EVF
Viewfinder magnif. / coverage	0.51x, 95%	0.68x, 100%	0.71x, 100%
LCD	3” fully articulating	3.2” tilting	3” tilting
Touch-screen	Yes	Yes	Yes
Included flash	Pop-up	Pop-up	Pop-up
Weather-sealing	No	Yes	No
Max. burst	7.0 fps (viewfinder) / 7.5 fps (live view)	5 fps (mechanical) / 11 fps (electronic)	11 fps (mechanical)
Max. shutter	1/4000	1/4000	1/4000
Video	4K/24p, 1080/24-60p	4K/24-30p, 1080/ 24-120p	4K/24-30p, 1080/ 24-120p
4K crop	1.6x	None	1.2x (4K/30p)
Battery life (CIPA)	800 shots (OVF); 310 shots (Live View)	320 shots	420 shots
Dimensions	131 x 103 x 76mm	127 x 94 x 60mm	120 x 67 x 59mm
Weight	515 g	450 g	396 g

One thing that’s hard to capture in a table are the differences between the camera’s AF systems. In its optical viewfinder, the T8i’s 45 autofocus points are centrally clustered, which can get in the way of creative compositions. Switch into live view and you have autofocus points spread across the frame, the same as the other options give you on their rear screens and their electronic viewfinders.

Out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 500 | 1/60 sec | F4 | Canon EF-S 18-55mm @ 18mm

Compared to the smaller and more affordable Canon Rebel SL3, the T8i offers more sophisticated autofocus through its slightly smaller finder, though the SL3 offers you a third more shots per charge. On the mirrorless side of the equation, the T8i bests the Canon EOS M50 Mark II’s 235-shot battery life whether you’re using the optical viewfinder or live view, but the mirrorless model is lower-priced, significantly more compact / lightweight and offers faster 10 fps burst capture.

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Body, handling and controls

Although its body is plastic, the Canon T8i is very solid in-hand, with no creaks or flexing. It’s also pretty light and compact for a DSLR. The main controls are well-placed and easy to locate by touch.

The new AF-On button is ideally situated for quick autofocus adjustments with a slight thumb motion. (And via a custom setting, can be set to AF-Off instead.) The Wi-Fi button and indicator lamp are gone but won’t be missed, as you won’t need them often. We recommend connecting via Bluetooth, which maintains a constant connection that draws little power, and also makes connecting via Wi-Fi to send images a snap.

Out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 100 | 1/125 sec | F5.6 | Canon EF-S 18-55mm @ 55mm

The new rear control dial is also a nice addition, though since it’s integrated with the four-way controller, it can’t be reached without adjusting your grip. On the plus side, it’s only active when the exposure metering system is brought to life by a half-press of the shutter button or you’re in a menu, preventing accidental settings changes.

There will always be some photographers that prefer an optical viewfinder; the T8i’s is serviceable, but it’s on the small and dim end of the spectrum.

Sadly, the pentamirror viewfinder is dim and tunnel-like compared with the electronic finders of mirrorless rivals and even some rival SLRs, such as the less-expensive Pentax K-70 (which has a larger pentaprism design which is brighter than pentamirror designs).

The rear LCD is crisp and easy to see even under sunlight if you turn up the brightness. Its fully-articulated mechanism allows framing from most angles, even for selfies.

The vari-angle LCD allows selfie-shooting too, but the ergonomics aren’t ideal when holding the camera backwards. Out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 2000 | 1/60 sec | F4 | Canon EF-S 18-55mm @ 18mm

The on-screen UI is standard Canon. It’s fairly clear and logically laid-out, and can be navigated with buttons, dials or the very precise touchscreen. Your most-used options can be saved in the My Menu section for quick recall.

Battery life is excellent when shooting stills through the viewfinder, and I never needed a second battery even during lengthy day trips. (I passed 500 frames captured without the charge level indicator dropping even a single bar, which impressed me.) If you shoot a lot of video or use live view frequently, the LCD can burn through power fairly quickly, though. For that reason, the T8i goes to sleep by default after ten seconds unless in menus or live view / playback modes.

Top plate controls are fairly typical Canon, and the quick switch over to video mode is a nice touch.

A standalone charger is included in the bundle, so you can leave a second battery charging while using the camera. Unfortunately in-camera charging via USB isn’t supported, so you can’t share a charger and cable with another device when you want to pack light. As well as USB, there are HDMI, microphone and remote control ports.

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Image quality

With the same sensor resolution and sensitivity range as its predecessor, you might expect similar image quality from the Canon T8i: and you’d be right. As an affordable camera aimed at entry-level photographers, it’s good enough but won’t win any awards. That’s not to say there are no differences, however.

Out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 800 | 1/80 sec | F4.5 | Canon EF-S 18-55mm @ 24mm

Out of camera JPEGs mostly showed pleasing color both outdoors and under artificial light, although I found the latter a little more variable, with some images a tad warm and others a little on the cool side. In both the green fully-automatic mode and program autoexposure, the T8i’s metering proved pretty accurate, and at lower sensitivities there was a fair amount of fine detail as well, although I felt the default sharpening was a touch aggressive.

Comparison of ISO 100 and 25,600. See the sample gallery for a full ISO sensitivity series.

ISO sensitivity in auto mode is limited to a maximum ISO of 6400 by default, and that seems like a good cutoff point. Some noise and loss of saturation starts to become noticeable by ISO 3200, but it’s not until you reach ISO 6400 that it really begins to intrude. You’re best off avoiding ISO 12800 and above as there’s a significant loss of fine detail to noise, and colors can look decidedly washed out.

Out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 3200 | 1/80 sec | F4.5 | Canon EF-S 18-55mm @ 18mm

Of course, shooting in Raw format helps somewhat as you can rely on the greater processing power of your computer to help tame noise while still holding onto color and detail. And there’s a fair bit of scope to correct exposure within a couple of stops, as well. Raws can also be processed in-camera, which is a nice touch for making quick adjustments on the go.

We’re honestly pleased to find that the T8i’s flash must be manually raised; previous Canon Rebels would often raise their automatically in situations where it actually has a negative impact on your images.

One notable change is that the Rebel T8i no longer tends to overexpose nearby subjects by raising and firing the flash when it’s not really needed, since it can no longer pop up automatically. You need to pay attention to your shutter speeds, though, and either raise the ISO, or lift the flash yourself. Sadly, there’s no warning in the viewfinder when shutter speeds stray below the point where exposures can safely be shot hand-held.

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Autofocus

The Canon T8i’s autofocus system has two distinct operating modes, depending upon whether you’re using the optical viewfinder or live view modes. Both systems are capable of locking focus quickly and accurately in good light. In darker conditions, both take a bit longer to achieve a lock, but if I was capable of seeing the subject through the viewfinder, the camera could usually manage to focus on it within a couple of seconds.

A simplified look at the T8i’s optical viewfinder AF system.

When shooting through the viewfinder there are a total of 45 autofocus points, all of which are cross-type. As you can see in the above illustration, they only cover about two thirds of the frame width and a little over a third of the frame height. For live view mode, almost the entire frame is covered vertically, and significantly more of its width as well.

Out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 500 | 1/60 sec | F4 | Canon EF-S 18-55mm @ 18mm

Live view also offers both face and eye detection and lets you select which face or eye to focus on using the four-way controller or touch-screen. Viewfinder shooting only has face detection, and you can’t directly control which face to focus on, although if you aim directly at a particular face before half-pressing the shutter button, the camera will then try to follow that face.

Both systems detect faces pretty well, and the tracking implementation is fairly robust. In testing with my son running and riding a bike directly towards me, the T8i was able to accurately track his location and keep the focus locked on his face most of the time until he was very close to the camera. This isn’t by any means a sports shooter, but I think it’s more than capable of keeping up with amateur photographers’ needs in this respect.

Out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 100 | 1/60 sec | F7.1 | Canon EF-S 18-55mm @ 27mm

Really, my only complaint with autofocus is that it can be confusing if you’re frequently switching between live view and viewfinder shooting. Each mode is configured separately, so for example switching one mode to continuous servo AF won’t affect the other mode’s setup. On the other hand, this separation of settings could be useful if you’re switching from shooting stills in the viewfinder and video in live view. Which brings us to…

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Video

The addition of 4K video is one of the bigger changes in the Canon T8i, but it’s really rather a shame that it comes hobbled by several significant limitations.

First and most importantly, there’s that significant 1.6x focal length crop on top of the crop imposed by its APS-C sensor size. In other words, a 2.6x effective crop even before you enable digital IS, which crops in still further. In 4K mode without digital IS, the optional 18-55mm kit lens yields an effective 47-143mm range, so your wide-angle options are seriously limited.

4K video has a significant focal length crop. Both videos above were shot at the same location and focal length. Note also the false-color artifacts in the water ripples in the Full HD clip.

The longer effective focal length also means that even with both optical and digital IS active, the stabilization system can struggle to smooth camera shake in 4K, especially if you’re walking.

4K mode comes with a fixed 24 frames per second capture rate, too, and uses contrast-detection autofocus which, compared to phase detection, is slower and has slight but noticeable hunting.

Dual Pixel AF, seen in this demo, is only available in Full HD. In 4K, you can expect more distracting hunting before the Rebel locks on to its targets.

The good news is that if you can put up with those limitations, 4K image quality is fairly good, with lots of crisp detail and pleasing color. And while there’s definitely some rolling shutter effect present, causing verticals to lean during subject motion or quick pans, it’s far from the worst I’ve seen.

Enabling Movie Digital IS causes a significant focal length crop, too. Both of these Full HD clips have optical stabilization active, but the second clip with Enhanced IS still can’t entirely steady the motion of walking, even at a wide 18mm (29mm equiv.) focal length.

But I think it’s better to look at this as a Full HD camera which can also shoot 4K with more distant subjects and relatively sedate motion in a pinch. In Full HD, where you get phase detection AF and access to frame rates as high as 60 fps, there’s less fine detail but focusing is quicker and more confident, and motion is rendered more smoothly. The biggest downside is that Full HD seems more prone to moiré and false color artifacts.

The T8i lacks significant scope for slow-motion video, but does offer a time-lapse movie mode, as well as supporting manual exposure, focus peaking and external audio recording.

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Conclusion

At the end of the day, the Canon Rebel T8i leaves me with rather mixed emotions. On the one hand, for fans of DSLRs like myself, there are fewer and fewer choices on offer, and it does pack quite a lot into a fairly compact, lightweight package by DSLR standards.

But on the other hand, it trails its mirrorless camera rivals in terms of both autofocus and burst capture performance. And the feature which differentiates it most clearly from those rivals – that mirror-based optical viewfinder – gives a disappointingly small and dim view of your subject.

Out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 12800 | 1/60 sec | F4 | Canon EF-S 18-55mm @ 18mm

While 4K video capture is finally available in the Rebel T8i, it also comes with some major limitations that make it feel more as if it was added to fill out the spec sheet than for real-world use.

But with all of that said, the T8i does give you pretty good still image quality and usable high-definition video capture. And it does so at a pretty affordable pricetag, as well, and with battery life that’s in a totally different ballpark to mirrorless rivals if you tend to rely on the viewfinder.

The Rebel T8i isn’t the future for Canon, but it offers plenty of features and good ergonomics at an affordable pricetag.

There’s definitely something to be said for the vast range of Canon EF and EF-S mount lenses on offer, too; though keep in mind there isn’t a ton of variety in the more affordable EF-S range, and the EF lenses, designed for larger full-frame sensors, are bigger and pricier. And with Canon focusing on its new RF mount, we wouldn’t expect a glut of new EF and EF-S lenses to suddenly appear down the line.

Out-of-camera JPEG.
ISO 25600 | 1/25 sec | F5.6 | Canon EF-S 18-55mm @ 55mm

So, does the Canon T8i represent the future for Canon? Probably not. But does it offer plenty of camera for the money, particularly for the less experienced photographers at which it’s aimed? I’d say so, despite my reservations about its viewfinder and 4K video capabilities.

And I think that makes it a worthwhile buy, especially if you happen to spot it for sale below its list price.

What we like	What we don’t
Through-the-lens optical viewfinder is crisp and lag-free Good ergonomics and solid build Compatible with a vast range of Canon EF and EF-S lenses and accessories Excellent battery life (if you stick to the optical viewfinder) Good still image quality, albeit not as good as some newer models Fully articulating touchscreen display is very versatile	Relatively small, dim viewfinder, even by APS-C DSLR standards Wide-angle possibilities are very limited for 4K capture No PDAF and only 24fps for 4K, too Full HD video is prone to moiré and false color Less point-dense AF than mirrorless rivals No in-body stabilizer AF points for viewfinder shooting clustered near the center of the frame No ability to charge battery over USB

Sample gallery

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Scoring

Canon EOS Rebel T8i (EOS 850D / EOS Kiss X10i)

Category: Entry Level Interchangeable Lens Camera / DSLR

Build quality

Ergonomics & handling

Features

Metering & focus accuracy

Image quality (raw)

Image quality (jpeg)

Low light / high ISO performance

Viewfinder / screen rating

Performance

Movie / video mode

Connectivity

Value

PoorExcellent

Conclusion

The Canon EOS Rebel T8i is well-built with comfortable ergonomics and provides solid image quality for users that prefer an optical viewfinder. Unfortunately, its video capabilities aren't that impressive, and the viewfinder autofocus system is a little basic compared to what you get on mirrorless cameras through their electronic finders. Still, if you're in the market for a reasonably affordable DSLR, the EOS Rebel T8i is worth a look.

Good for

Amateur photographers looking for a solid camera to learn and grow with, users looking for a fairly compact camera with an optical viewfinder.

Not so good for

Photographers that want the best autofocus and exposure performance through the viewfinder, users that are looking for good 4K video and those looking for even more compact options.

80%

Overall score

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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS sample gallery

23 Nov

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Canon’s RF 85mm F2 Macro IS offers EOS R-series shooters an affordable, stabilized and fast-ish portrait prime. Its ‘Macro’ designation also reflects its close-focusing capabilities and while it falls short of true 1:1 reproduction, its 0.5X magnification gives this lens another layer of versatility. Take a look at how it handles subjects out in the real world.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Tokina announces 17–35mm F4 lens for Canon EF, Nikon F camera systems

20 Nov

In addition to releasing its 23mm and 33mm F1.4 atx-m lenses for Fujifilm camera systems, Tokina has also revealed its latest lens for Canon EF and Nikon F mount DSLR cameras, the atx-i 17–35mm F4.

If the specs of this lens look familiar, it’s because it appears to be a successor to the Tokina 17–35mm F4 AT-X Pro FX lens (also available for Canon EF and Nikon F mounts). The new lens is constrcuted of 13 elements in 12 groups, features an aperture range of F4 through F22 and has a minimum focusing distance of 28cm (.9ft).

The lens features Tokina’s exclusive One-Touch Focus Clutch Mechanism, which makes it easy to switch between autofocus and manual focus by pushing and pulling the lens barrel. On the topic of autofocus, the lens uses Tokina’s GMR sensor and Silent Drive-Module (SD-M) motor.

Other features include a 1:4.82 macro ratio, an 82mm front filter thread and ‘moisture protection,’ although Tokina doesn’t elaborate on the extensiveness of its weathersealing specifications.

The Tokina 17–35mm F4 atx-i lens will be available for Canon EF and Nikon F mounts and available to pre-order for $ 600 (Adorama). The first units are expected to ship on December 11.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon Has at Least 7 New RF-Mount Cameras in the Works

20 Nov

The post Canon Has at Least 7 New RF-Mount Cameras in the Works appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Canon is rumored to have seven new RF-mount cameras in the works, including an APS-C model, a high-megapixel model, a niche professional model, and an inexpensive model that will cost less than $ 1000 USD.

This latest round of Canon information comes from Canon Rumors, who explains that they “have attempted to piece together what is coming for the RF-mount camera lineup,” and that the information stems from “multiple known and anonymous sources.”

These new bodies will presumably debut over 2021 and 2022, and Canon Rumors specifically asserts that we will not see any new cameras drop in the last few months of this year. Instead, the EOS R camera lineup will begin to heat up in the first half of 2021; that’s when we can start looking forward to a new batch of powerful Canon models.

So what, specifically, can we expect?

First, there are a few cameras that have been rumored for months, if not longer:

A high-resolution, full-frame mirrorless model, one likely designed for serious landscape and commercial photographers and poised to compete against the Sony a7R IV. Canon Rumors explains that this may be an “R5 body with ‘twice the resolution;’” as the EOS R5 is a respectable 45 MP, that would make any high-megapixel EOS R5 at least 60 MP, but probably more in the 75 to 90 range.
A pro-level camera designed for sports and action photographers in the style of the Canon 1D X Mark III. This camera should offer blazing-fast shooting speeds, class-leading autofocus, and a rugged build.
An APS-C RF-mount model, one that will potentially cater to photographers looking for Canon 7D-like shooting capabilities in a mirrorless body.

There are also two RF-mount cinema cameras on the docket: the Cinema EOS C90 and the Cinema EOS C50. Both of these bodies are designed for videographers but use RF-mount lenses.

Canon Rumors also reports several additional upcoming models, including an “entry-level camera to replace the EOS RP,” which “will be cheaper than the current EOS RP camera body.” Since the EOS RP is currently $ 999 USD, you can expect a sub-$ 1000 USD price tag (and potentially one that’s several hundred dollars lower!). Note that this will still be a full-frame model, so if you’re looking to break into the full-frame mirrorless world but have balked at the prices thus far, this EOS RP replacement could be exactly what you’re after.

Finally, Canon Rumors predicts a model above the future sub-$ 1000 camera but below the EOS R6 in price (so somewhere in the $ 800 USD to $ 2500 USD range). Note that the Canon EOS R currently slots between the EOS RP and EOS R6, but Canon Rumors claims that the new camera is not a direct EOS R replacement.

Regardless, we’ve got quite a lot to look forward to over the next couple of years (not to mention Canon’s RF lens lineup, which should grow substantially). So keep an eye out for further news on these Canon RF-mount cameras.

Now over to you:

Which of these RF-mount camera models are you most looking forward to? Are there any that you’d love to own? Share your thoughts in the comments!

The post Canon Has at Least 7 New RF-Mount Cameras in the Works appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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Canon releases mostly minor firmware updates for five cameras and its RF 50mm F1.2 lens

20 Nov

Canon has released a barrage of firmware updates for a number of its mirrorless cameras and a single RF lens, bringing new and improved features, as well as the usual bug fixes. None of the updates offer major improvements in autofocus or other areas, but they all take care of a few ‘phenomena’ and offer support for newer Canon lenses.

Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM

We’ll go ahead and get the most minor firmware update out of the way first. The Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM lens has received a version 1.0.5 firmware update that ‘Reduces image noise when performing high sensitivity shooting with the RF50mm F1.2 L USM lens attached to the EOS C70 camera.’ How exactly a firmware update for a lens addresses noise issues is a bit intriguing, but it never hurts to have the latest update anyway. You can download firmware version 1.0.5 for the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM lens on Canon’s website.

Canon EOS R and RP

We’ve grouped these two updates together, because they offer the exact same changes, according to Canon’s changelog. Firmware version 1.6.0 for the EOS RP and firmware version 1.8.0 for the EOS R improves color balance when shooting with the Canon RF 50mm F1.8 STM lens and adds support for Canon’s newer RF 70–200mm F2.8 L IS USM and RF 100–500mm F4.5–7.1 L IS USM lenses. You can download firmware version 1.6.0 for the EOS RP and firmware version 1.8.0 for the EOS R on Canon’s respective product pages.

Canon EOS R5 and R6

As with the EOS RP and R firmware updates, the latest updates for Canon’s EOS R5 and R6 cameras are identical to one another based on the changelogs. Firmware version 1.2.0 for both cameras addresses the following changes and improvements:

When using high-speed or low-speed continuous shooting modes, in Drive Mode with [High Speed Display: OFF], the visibility of the subject within the frame has been improved when shooting moving objects.*
*During continuous shooting black frames will be inserted between frames in the viewfinder and live view. This will improve the visibility of moving subjects in live view and in the viewfinder.
Adds the [Auto] setting to the [Viewfinder brightness] menu that will brighten and dim based on ambient light conditions.
Enables 2nd curtain shooting sync during radio transmission wireless flash shooting when the Speedlite EL-1 flash is attached to the camera.
Enables manual flash output (excluding high-speed sync and optical transmission wireless flash shooting) to be selected and set up to 1/8192 from the camera menu screen when the Speedlite EL-1 flash is attached to the camera.
Improves compatibility of HEIF images recorded in the camera with MIAF (Multi-Image Application Format) standards.
Adds support for AF and release during zoom operations for some RF and EF lenses.

You can download firmware version 1.2.0 for the EOS R5 and EOS R6 cameras on Canon’s respective product pages.

Canon 1D X Mark III

Lastly, Canon has updated its flagship DSLR, the EOS 1D X Mark III. Firmware version 1.3.0 addresses the following changes and improvements:

Enables 2nd curtain shooting sync during radio transmission wireless flash shooting when the Speedlite EL-1 flash is attached to the camera.
Enables manual flash output (excluding high-speed sync and optical transmission wireless flash shooting) to be selected and set up to 1/8192 from the camera menu screen when the Speedlite EL-1 flash is attached to the camera.
Improves compatibility of HEIF images recorded in the camera with MIAF (Multi-Image Application Format) standards.
Fixes the phenomenon that may result in the occurrence of time-out under certain conditions during FTP transfer.

You can download firmware version 1.3.0 for the EOS 1D X Mark III on Canon’s product page.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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