Canon Cameras
Canon EOS R Review
Canon’s full-frame mirrorless lineup began in 2018 with the launch of the Canon EOS R, signaling the company’s commitment to a mirrorless future. At launch, the EOS R was already far behind mirrorless competitors from other brands and it quickly became outdated. It lacks IBIS and dual card slots, it has an older autofocus system, very poor high-speed shooting performance and offers only heavily cropped, lower-quality 4K video recording.
Canon EOS R is now discontinued and Canon EOS R8 serves as a much more capable entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera.
Canon EOS R System
The release of the Canon EOS R in 2018 introduced the Canon RF-mount. With a larger mount diameter, shorter flange distance and a 12‑pin electronic interface, it allowed Canon to design faster, sharper lenses with better low-light performance. Compared to older DSLRs the system is smaller and lighter while also improving autofocus speed and overall image quality. After nearly a decade, the EOS R System now provides a wide selection of lenses. Canon EF-mount lenses (older DSLR lenses) remain fully compatible with Canon R System cameras via the EF-EOS R adapter.
Canon EOS R Price
Canon EOS R Specifications
General
Canon EOS R has the same 30.3 MP CMOS sensor that was previously used in the Canon 5D Mark IV, a popular high-resolution DSLR. It’s paired with Canon’s DIGIC 8 processor, offering a slightly more advanced autofocus system compared to older Canon DSLRs.
On the back the camera features a unique touch-sensitive multifunction bar control. It allows swiping motions or tapping on the left or right side as if it was a button. Reviewers note that sensitivity is sometimes inconsistent. Like most controls, it offers extensive customization.
There is no dedicated mode dial with labeled shooting modes; instead, mode selection is controlled via the customizable dial on the top right, with the selected mode visible on the top screen.
Canon EOS R automatically closes the shutter when you turn the camera off, protecting the sensor from dust and debris – an extremely helpful feature that is still lacking in many modern cameras today.
There is no in-body image stabilization (IBIS). While electronic stabilization is available for video, it comes with a heavy crop and does not perform well.
The camera features a fully articulating LCD screen, but it’s much less responsive than those on newer models. There is also a small LCD on the top of the camera to display settings.
The camera includes only one card slot.
Autofocus
Canon’s autofocus is generally known to be a strong point in most of its cameras, but in the EOS R it is clearly much less responsive than in newer models and it trails behind competitors from other brands.
EOS R uses Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF system with solid face and subject detection in good lighting conditions. Eye-detection AF is available only in One Shot mode and performs well only when the subject is relatively still. Autofocus performance also degrades noticeably in low-light conditions and in video mode.
Performance is acceptable only for very slow-moving subjects and casual photography.
Photography
Photography is arguably the only strength of the EOS R. Image quality is great, with a lot of detail and pleasing, natural colors Canon is known for. Low-light performance is not particularly impressive due to the older high-resolution sensor.
The EOS R can only shoot at up to 3 fps in RAW with full autofocus, at about 5-6 fps with reduced autofocus performance and at 8 fps without autofocus.
Shutter options include mechanical, electronic front-curtain and fully electronic (silent) shutter modes.
Canon does not specify any reduction to 13-bit or 12-bit RAW in high-speed continuous shooting or electronic shutter modes for this model. Using the electronic shutter when photographing fast moving objects will result in severe rolling shutter distortion.
Video
Video is known to be one of the EOS R’s weakest areas.
Canon EOS R offers 4K recording at up to 30 fps, but it comes with a heavy 1.74x crop. The footage is acceptable only for smaller displays, as image quality is not impressive and rolling shutter distortion is a significant issue. In contrast, most competing mirrorless cameras, as well as Canon’s entry-level EOS R8, offer highly detailed oversampled 4K video recording without a crop.
Full HD (1080p) recording is available at up to 60 fps.
720p recording is available at up to 120 fps, but this mode lacks continuous autofocus and produces noticeably low-quality footage.
Low-light performance is not great, with a noticeable amount of noise in the shadows. There is no IBIS and while electronic stabilization is available, it comes with an additional crop and performance is certainly outdated.
Internal recording is limited to 8-bit. External 10-bit recording is available via HDMI, offering more detail and improved dynamic range. However, it requires an external recorder, increasing the overall cost.
Battery life is very good, reportedly allowing for more than two hours of video recording.
| Feature | Canon EOS R |
|---|---|
| Release Date | September 2018 |
| Megapixels | 30.3 MP |
| Image Resolution | 6720 × 4480 |
| Sensor Size | Full Frame |
| Sensor Type | CMOS |
| Image Processor | DIGIC 8 |
| IBIS | No |
| Weather Sealing | Dust & Moisture Resistant |
| Lens Mount | Canon RF |
| Body Type | Mirrorless |
| PHOTO | |
| Native ISO | 100 – 40,000 |
| Expandable ISO | 50 – 102,400 |
| Shutter Speed | 1/8000 – 30s |
| Burst Rate (Mechanical) | 5 fps RAW (8 fps without AF) |
| Burst Rate (Electronic) | 5 fps RAW (8 fps without AF) |
| Buffer | ~ 50 RAW |
| Shutter Types | Mechanical, Electronic, EFCS |
| Silent Shooting | Yes (Electronic Shutter) |
| Exposure Compensation | ±3 EV |
| High-Res (Sensor Shift) | No |
| Pre-Capture Mode | No |
| VIDEO | |
| 4K Video | 4K 30fps (1.74x crop) |
| Max Frame Rate | 4K 30fps (1.74x crop) / 1080p 60fps |
| Bit Depth | 8-bit Internal / 10-bit External |
| Recording Limit | 29m 59s |
| Timelapse Recording | Yes |
| AUTOFOCUS | |
| AF System | 'Dual Pixel CMOS AF' |
| AF Points | 143 |
| AF Coverage | 88% Frame Coverage |
| AF Joystick | No |
| DISPLAY / VIEWFINDER | |
| Articulated Screen | Fully Articulating |
| Touch Screen | Yes |
| LCD Size | 3.2" |
| LCD Resolution | 2,100,000 |
| EVF Resolution | 3,690,000 |
| EVF Refresh Rate | 60 fps |
| EVF Coverage | 100% |
| EVF Magnification | 0.76× |
| MORE INFO | |
| Card Slot 1 | SD (UHS-II) |
| Card Slot 2 | / |
| Sensor Protection System | Yes |
| USB | Type C 3.1 |
| USB Charging | Yes |
| HDMI | Type C (Mini HDMI) |
| Microphone Port | 3.5 mm |
| Headphone Port | 3.5 mm |
| Built-in Flash | No |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Battery | LP-E6N |
| Battery Life | ~ 400 frames |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Yes |
| Dimensions | 136 × 98 × 84 mm |
| Weight | 660 g |
Canon EOS R Alternatives
Canon R8
Canon EOS R8 (2023) is Canon’s modern entry-level full-frame model and a major upgrade over the older EOS R and EOS RP. It is essentially a more compact and more affordable version of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II, sharing the same 24 MP sensor and highly advanced autofocus system. The R8 offers oversampled 4K 60 fps recording in 10-bit with no crop (although rolling shutter is noticeable). It lacks IBIS, it has no full mechanical shutter and has only one card slot. It can shoot at up to 40 fps in 12-bit RAW with the electronic shutter (with noticeable rolling shutter distortion).
The R8 is one of Canon’s most well-balanced cameras and offers good value, making it an excellent entry point into Canon’s full-frame R system for any beginner interested in photography or video.
Sony A7 III
Sony A7 and Sony A7 II could be considered alternatives, as they are slightly cheaper on the used market compared to the EOS R (the A7 II is still offered as a new product in some regions). However, both are clearly inferior to all other cameras on this list. They use older non-BSI sensors and they lack many modern features, since they were released all the way back in 2013 and 2014.
Sony A7 III (2018) was a major upgrade and remains one of the most popular full-frame cameras today. It features weather sealing, IBIS, dual SD card slots, 10 fps continuous shooting, oversampled 4K video recording and it uses a 24 MP BSI sensor, enabling excellent low-light performance and strong dynamic range.
Sony A7 III is priced similarly to the Canon R8 with many cheaper used options available, since it’s more popular and has been around for longer.
Nikon Z6
Nikon Z5 II
Nikon Z6 (2018) was Nikon’s first mirrorless full-frame camera and essentially an alternative to the Canon EOS R, since both were released almost at the same time. It offers a 24 MP BSI sensor, weather sealing, IBIS, oversampled 4K 30 fps recording without a crop, external 12-bit RAW recording and 12 fps RAW continuous shooting.
A used Z6 is still a solid option for those entering the Nikon full-frame system for the very first time and is clearly superior compared to the Canon EOS R, but it’s otherwise difficult to recommend over the Z6 II or the newer Z5 II.
Nikon Z6 II (2020) retains the same 24 MP BSI sensor as the original Z6 but adds dual EXPEED 6 processors, dual card slots, improved autofocus tracking, expanded video options (including cropped 4K at 60 fps), a higher burst rate and a larger buffer. It is a strong all-around option for both photography and video, but the Z5 II improves even further.
Nikon Z5 II (2025) also features the same 24 MP BSI sensor, but upgrades to a faster EXPEED 7 processor resulting in better autofocus performance. It can shoot at up to 11 fps in RAW with the mechanical shutter (14 fps JPEG), up to 14 fps RAW with the electronic shutter (30 fps JPEG) and it can record oversampled 4K 30 fps video (internally in 12-bit RAW) and 4K at up to 60 fps with a 1.5x crop.
The Z5 II costs about the same as the Canon R8 or the Sony A7 III. As of now, the Z5 II is definitely the best entry point into Nikon’s full-frame Z system for anyone interested in photography or video.
Canon EOS R Price
Final Verdict
Canon EOS R was Canon’s first attempt at a full-frame mirrorless camera, but it quickly became outdated. It features an older non-BSI sensor, a slow burst rate, weak autofocus and offers only heavily cropped, low-quality 4K video recording. If you are considering entering Canon’s full-frame mirrorless system, the newer and much more capable Canon EOS R8 is a significantly better option.
If you are not specifically looking for a Canon camera, similarly priced alternatives such as the Nikon Z5 II and Sony A7 III may offer a more well-rounded feature set, especially for photographers. Canon EOS R8, Sony A7 III and Nikon Z5 II all represent excellent entry points into their respective systems and they are all priced similarly.
More Affordable APS-C Alternatives
If you don’t feel the need for full-frame, there are also several excellent more affordable APS-C options on the market. Canon only offers the R10, with the R7 available at a much higher price, but APS-C models from other brands are often a better choice.
Sony offers excellent cameras in its APS-C lineup (the a6000 series), particularly the a6100 and a6400, with the a6700 available at a higher price point. Sony has used the same E-mount since 2010, which means there are over 200 lenses available and a massive second-hand market. For beginners entering the Sony system, that means more options and much better prices.
Nikon Z50 and Z50 II are also excellent, more affordable APS-C alternatives. Pairing them with the two kit lenses – the 16-50mm and the 50-250mm – gives you a high-quality Nikon setup for a fraction of the price of any full-frame kit.