Organizer
Gadget news
Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C review: modular, medium format, magnificent
6:57 pm | January 25, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers DSLRs Gadgets | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C: Two-minute review

The Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C is the Swedish manufacturer's latest mirrorless medium-format camera, offering an ultra-high-resolution sensor and phase detection autofocus (PDAF) in a surprisingly lightweight design. It's got to be one of the best professional cameras for landscape and portrait photographers who work slowly and deliberately, and it harks back to a more 'traditional' approach.

Joining Hasselblad's modular system lineup, the camera is comprised of two halves: the super-thin 907X camera body and the CFV 100C digital back. It's an upgrade on the 907X 50C which launched back in 2020, and as the name suggests, it brings double the megapixel count with a huge 100MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor.

The 907X CFV 100C shares the same sensor, 16-bit color depth, PDAF, and XCD lenses as the Hasselblad X2D 100C, but it enjoys a completely different design that allows photographers to use the CFV 100C digital back – the bit that handles the image capture – in three ways. 

If you're lucky enough to own an old Hasselblad V-system film camera, this can replace the film back and allow you to recreate the look and feel of analog lenses with digital files. It can also be mounted onto technical cameras from the likes of Alpha and Arca Swiss, opening up possibilities for architectural tilt and shift applications.

A top-down view of the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

The camera combo itself is portable, although XCD lenses add significant weight (Image credit: Lauren Scott)

For sheer resolution, the CFV 907X 100C competes with the 102MP Fujifilm GFX100 II, but unlike that medium-format rival it doesn't offer any video capture at all. There's also no built-in image stabilization (IBIS), making a sturdy tripod essential for any low-light work. 

If you want a viewfinder, that's sold separately, although the new hot shoe adapter adds third-party flash triggering. There's also a huge 1TB internal SSD for storing images, as well as a CFexpress card slot for fast read and write speeds.

With a plodding continuous burst rate of 3.3fps and relatively slow autofocus, the 907X CFV 100C isn't a camera for action, sports, or on-the-go shooting. But the sheer clarity from the sensor, the tonal range from 15 stops of dynamic range, and the lifelike colors from Hasselblad's Natural Colour Solution (HNCS) more than make up for those minor limitations.

The modern camera arms race often sees faster marketed as better, and it takes a very special camera to say "Slow down, be deliberate with your approach." But the Hasselblad CFV 907X 100C is special, and the most enjoyable camera I've shot with for a very long time. Make no mistake, the CFV 907X 100C is premium in price and build, and at times slow to use; but I loved that approach, and I think many photography purists will too. 

Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C: price and availability

  • Costs $8,199 / ££6,729 – Australia pricing TBC
  • Available now across Europe and in the US

The Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C is available to buy now for $8,199 / £6,729 – we'll add pricing for Australia when that's confirmed. That price is almost 30% more than the Hasselblad 907X 50C. However, it’s still competitive for a professional camera when you consider that the Sony A1 is around $6,500 / £6,499 / AU$10,499 (body-only), and the 102MP Fujifilm GFX100 II is about $7,499 / £6,999 / AU$12,599.

By regular mirrorless camera standards, the 907X CFV 100C is expensive. But this premium tag is typical of modular systems like the Phase One XF; and to my mind, if you're a commercial photographer who's prepared to invest in the very best tools, it's to be expected.

If you want the 907X Optical Viewfinder (OVF) or 907X Control Grip they're both sold separately. If you're going to be handholding the camera frequently, I'd say the grip is almost essential, especially with longer, heavier lenses – I came to rely on it during testing. If you'll be investing in new lenses too, another point to consider is that Hasselblad's (stunning) XCD lens lineup cost around double the Fujifilm GFX equivalent.

  • Price score: 4/5

Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C: Specs

Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C: design

  • Modular design of camera body and digital back
  • Bright and responsive 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen
  • Viewfinder isn't built in but sold separately
Image 1 of 5

A separated look at the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

The CFV100C digital back (left) and the 907C camera body combine as a modular system (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 2 of 5

The Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C being charged via USB-C

The 907X CFV 100C can be charged and tethered via USB-C (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 3 of 5

The card and battery on the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

On the right, a sturdy door slides open to reveal the battery and CFexpress card slot (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 4 of 5

Unboxing the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

Unboxing the Hasselblad 907X & CFV 100C is a premium experience (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 5 of 5

Unboxing the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

The stylish and thoughtful design extends to the packaging of the 907X CFV 100C (Image credit: Lauren Scott)

Hasselblad is known for its beautifully crafted cameras, and the 907X CFV 100C's machine-milled aluminum exterior oozes quality – even unboxing the camera felt like a premium experience. Although it hasn't been given an official weatherproof rating, the camera is operable in temperatures of 14-113F / -10-45C, and up to 85% humidity.

Accessories inside the box include the Li-on rechargeable battery, hot shoe adapter for flashguns, focusing screen mask, 30W USB-C charger, USB-C to USB-C cable (supports charging and tethering), a shoulder strap, and a flash sync input cable.

As you'd expect, the digital back and camera body are packed separately, and the back has a plastic clip-on cover to protect it during storage. Once removed, the 907X mounts securely and snugly via two metal pins at the top, and I had no worries about the two coming apart.

There's a hidden USB-C input on the left side of the CFV 100C digital back, which is covered by a flap when not in use. On the back's right side, sliding back a reassuringly solid door reveals the flush battery and CFexpress card slot. The mount for the new hot shoe adapter is unsurprisingly found on the top of the camera. 

A top-down look at the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

The 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen can be hard to view in bright overhead light (Image credit: Lauren Scott)

The 907X CFV 100CV has an iconic look, although you don't get a waist-level viewfinder unless you buy one separately. I prefer using Live View over an EVF with my usual workhorse camera, and I came to rely on the CFV 100CV's gorgeous 3.2-inch tilted rear screen, which pulls out and up to either a 40-degree or 90-degree angle.

Coming from a vari-angle touchscreen, I thought I'd find the tilting mechanism limiting. However, 90 degrees is the perfect angle to look down on for low-level landscape compositions, and I can't imagine a scenario where you'd want the screen to face you. The only complaint I have is that at times I found the screen difficult to see from above in bright light.

Thanks to its 2.36 million-dot resolution, the display itself is crisp and colorful, and the touchscreen is very responsive to your input. This is a good thing, as the camera menus are designed to be navigated purely by touch, tap, and pinch gestures; there are no joysticks or control wheels here. The weather was very cold for a large part of my testing period, but I was still able to change settings easily on the touchscreen with thick gloves on – something that will please many landscape photographers.

Image 1 of 5

The Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C menu

The camera's touchscreen is one of the slickest and simplest I've seen (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 2 of 5

The face-detection menu on the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

Face-detection can be set to auto, manual or off completely (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 3 of 5

Setting the white balance on the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

White balance can be set manually, automatically or from presets (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 4 of 5

Setting the metering method on the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

There are three metering methods to choose between (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 5 of 5

Setting drive mode on the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

The drive modes include exposure and focus bracketing (Image credit: Lauren Scott)

I adore the simplicity of Hasselblad's menu systems, and the CFV 100CV is no exception. In the main menu you get every setting in one view, so there's no toggling between tabs or delving into submenus to find the setting you need to change.

Physical buttons on the camera itself are minimal unless you buy the control grip, which adds four customizable buttons. There are five small buttons under the screen, dedicated to the menu, delete, display toggle, playback, and power. These are slightly less easy to operate with gloves on, as they're almost flush with the body.

The shutter button is on the front-right of the camera, which seems odd at first until you realize it's where your fingers naturally sit when you cradle the camera. Pressing the shutter button down lightly will set the autofocus, while a full press fires the shutter. 

The camera is so solidly built that firing the shutter doesn't cause any detectable shake or wobble. The shutter button is surrounded by a tactile rotating control wheel, which can be set to change the aperture or shutter speed as you prefer. There are only two other buttons: one on the top of the camera to release the back, and one on the front to release the lens. 

A photographer using the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C handheld

The 907X CFV 100C's shutter is at the front under the lens (Image credit: Lauren Scott)
  • Design score: 4.5/5

Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C: features and performance

  • 1TB built-in SSD storage
  • No in-body image stabilization
  • 294-point phase-detection autofocus

Hasselblad's modular cameras aren't built for speed, but rather to facilitate a methodical and planned approach to image-making. Even so, the 907X CFV 100C moves on from the 907X 50C in several ways.

It takes around four seconds to power up and down, which is about twice as fast as the previous generation – although there aren't definite specs to confirm this. With less lag, you're less likely to miss a golden moment, but there's still a small wait before you can start shooting, and I was more likely to leave the camera on in between frames because of this.

The camera's improved 100MP sensor is paired with 294 phase-detect focusing points covering 97% of the frame. The addition of phase-detect autofocus is undoubtedly an improvement over the slower contrast-detection system, but you still won't find this camera responsive enough to capture fast movement. 

On paper, the focus speed should be the same as the Hasselblad X2D 100C, which in our review we noted was a dramatic upturn for Hasselblad, although it still lags behind what an old DSLR (I compared it to the Nikon D800) is capable of.

Image 1 of 2

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 2 of 2

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)

The first thing I did was test the camera's new face-detection autofocus mode – available with a firmware update – to see how it compared to my Canon EOS R6. With a static subject, a large box appeared around the face within a few seconds; but as she or I moved around, the tracking was slower to follow, compared to my Canon, or to the best autofocus systems generally.

The CFV 100C isn't advanced enough to offer eye detection, and isn't bolstered by the same autofocus algorithms you see in flagships like the Sony A1. Yet I'd say that 90% of my static portraits in even light were sharp in just the right places. When backlighting my subject in high-contrast winter light, the autofocus system hunted, and struggled to lock onto her face at all, but using touch gestures to select the AF point on the screen sped things up. As for exposure, spot metering was better than center-weighted in this situation.

I use my dog as a test subject for every camera that comes into my hand. She's convenient, but also fast-moving, and so a good test of an autofocus system. Although I found it helpful to be able to move the AF point around, it's too big to focus precisely at shallow apertures; at f/2.5 on the XCD 2,5/90V lens, my sliver of focus was often misplaced.

Image 1 of 5

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 2 of 5

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 3 of 5

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 4 of 5

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 5 of 5

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)

Of course, magnifying the on-screen focus helps with this; it just takes some practice. Manual focusing using the XCD lenses became incredibly intuitive in situations where the focus was critical, but I found it best reserved for landscape work on a tripod.

Hasselblad quotes the battery endurance at 420 images, and I'd estimate that I got around three hours or 350 images of solid shooting from one charge – and that was in very cold conditions. While many pros will use the camera in a tethered workflow, making the duration less important, landscape professionals heading out for a dawn-to-dusk day of shooting would be wise to take a couple of spare batteries with them.

Without any image stabilization at all, you need to be mindful of your shutter speed and tripod usage to avoid camera shake. I can usually push my Canon EOS R6 and RF 24-70MM F2.8L IS USM lens to around 1/30 sec handheld, but I was hesitant to dip below 1/125 sec handheld with the 907X CFV 100C, especially with a longer lens. I definitely noticed camera shake under 1/60 sec.

It's baffling that more camera manufacturers don't offer built-in storage. The 907X CFV 100C's 1TB internal drive is a real plus, although it's bound to fill up quickly with 100MP 3FR raw files which average 200MB in size. With write speeds up to 2370MB/s and read speeds up to 2850MB/s, I never found it lagging when processing images, and exporting images to Hasselblad's Phocus desktop app via USB-C was also painless.

Overall, the 907X CFV 100C's performance is slow and measured, and it forces you to think about what you're doing, and what settings you're using – and if anything, I think this improved my images. Rather than sticking everything on auto and rattling through a burst of frames, I set up my images, interacted with my subjects in a meaningful way, and got only a few frames that I was happy with – which is exactly how the camera is designed to be used. 

  • Features and performance score: 4/5

Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C: image quality

  • 16-bit color depth in 3FR raw format
  • Film-like image quality with natural tones
  • 15 stops of dynamic range

If my analysis of the 907X CFV 100C's features sounded lackluster, then let me go overboard with admiration for its image quality. Put simply, I was blown away by the level of detail you get from the camera's raw files. The 100MP sensor offers double the resolution of the 50C, enabling you to crop in much more closely to images.

The CMOS sensor is also now back-illuminated, which improves low-light imaging and readout speeds. The lowest ISO setting is 64 and it maxes out at 25,600, and I didn't start to notice noise in the shadows of my images until I reached at least 3,200. Beyond resolution, with another stop of dynamic range (for 15 stops in total) you can recover plenty of detail from the highlights and shadows of images, something I found particularly impressive when photographing a bright sky at sunrise.

Are the images better than those from my full-frame Canon EOS R6 or Canon EOS R5? Absolutely, and even to the untrained eye, with the hallmark clarity you only get from medium-format sensors, even if that clarity is hard to define.

Image 1 of 3

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 2 of 3

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 3 of 3

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)

There's less to cover in this section than with a hybrid camera, as the CFV 100C doesn't shoot video, nor does it offer any filters or film simulations to change your images in-camera. The only real ability to change the look of photos comes from the white balance setting and standard presets like cloudy, shade, and tungsten, among others. 

I relied on the camera's automatic white balance – the usual approach for me, as I like to change color temperature at the editing stage. Most of all, I noticed how naturally and accurately the 907X CFV 100C renders skin tones. Whether in warm daylight or during an incredibly cold sunrise, the colors had just the right levels of saturation, blush, and tone.

All of the sample images below are unedited, save for me converting them from the 3FR raw format to JPEG to add them to this review; although I should note that when I did start editing some of my test shots I hardly needed to do anything to them. The 907X CFV 100C has a 16-bit color depth for 3FR raw files, which is around 281 trillion colors, and close to what the human eye can record. For HEIF, a much smaller file format, the bit depth drops to 10.

Image 1 of 3

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 2 of 3

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 3 of 3

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)

Every camera brand talks about its unique color profiles, but I think Hasselblad has cracked the science more than any other. It's Natural Colour Solution is an involved and highly technical process, built from a look-up table (LUT), Hasselblad Film Curve, and pixel processing that adapts to different lighting conditions. 

As Hasselblad explains it, the captured color data gets transformed and remapped to give rich saturation and contrast, even for skin tones. I've never experienced such true-to-life results as I have with the 907X CFV 100C. Portraits in particular pop off the screen, and can be enhanced further with Hasselblad's Phocus software, which is sympathetic to the file type.

Having tested the 907X CFV 100C with Hasselblad's latest XCD 2,5/90V and XCD 4/28P lenses, I detected negligible levels of fringing, distortion and vignetting. As I've mentioned elsewhere in this review, Hasselblad’s XCD lenses are expensive in regular camera terms, and more expensive than Fujifilm's GFX lineup. But they're first-rate, both optically and in the way that they're constructed.

Image 1 of 6

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 2 of 6

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 3 of 6

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 4 of 6

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 5 of 6

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
Image 6 of 6

Sample images from the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C camera

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)
  • Image quality score: 5/5

Should you buy the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C?

A top-down look at the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

The 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen can be tilted at 40 or 90 degrees (Image credit: Lauren Scott)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C Scorecard

Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C: Also consider

If you're not sure that the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C is for you, here are two similar alternatives.

A female photographer with the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C on a tripod

(Image credit: Lauren Scott)

How I tested the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C

I had the Hasselblad 907X CFV 100C for just under two weeks, and I tested it with the recent XCD 2,5/90V and XCD 4/28P lenses, plus the Hasselblad 907X handle control grip, which adds extra controls and makes handheld shooting more comfortable. The camera isn't really designed to be a carry-anywhere affair (although it is very portable), and I used it for planned portrait sessions in the city, landscape shoots for frosty sunrises, and out in the woods for low-light work. I mounted the 907X CFV 100C on a sturdy Manfrotto tripod for around half of the images I took.

I shot in raw format. Then, as part of the testing process, I used Hasselblad's free Phocus software to import my sample images before exporting them as smaller JPEG files. I tethered the 907X CFV 100C to my iMac and used Phocus software to control the camera. Finally, I connected the camera to my iPhone 15 via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and used the Phocus Mobile 2 app to import images directly across for sharing.

First reviewed in January 2023.

Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome review: one love
7:12 pm | October 23, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers DSLRs Gadgets | Comments: Off

Two-minute review

Leica has been at it for years, but strangely, no other camera manufacturer has followed suit, until now. I’m talking about making cameras that only capture black and white images, which is something of a niche, and now Pentax has joined this hitherto exclusive club with the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome.

Producing cameras that only capture black and white photos has the technical benefit of greatly improved ISO handling, so photographers can confidently shoot at much higher ISOs with lower levels of noise, greatly improving image quality. And from a creative point of view, these types of cameras allow the photographer to abstract scenes from color to focus more on light, shadow, texture and form.

The K-3 Monochrome is a Pentax K-3 Mark III that, other than only shooting mono, is identically featured to the color version of the camera, albeit marginally less expensive. The K-3 Monochrome isn’t cheap though, coming in at $2,200 / £2,249 / AU$3,490. Sure, it’s not as expensive as Leica M or Q-series Monochrom models, but it’s still a lot of cash to part with for a camera that lacks the versatility of one that captures raw files and JPEGs in color, but with the option to convert those to black and white during post-processing.

Image 1 of 3

Prouct photo of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome with a 16-50mm f/2.8 attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 3

Prouct photo of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome with a 16-50mm f/2.8 attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 3

Prouct photo of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome with a 16-50mm f/2.8 attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)

This is always a fact that strikes me when I review these types of cameras, but I have to confess that when I do use them, I enjoy being limited to shooting only in monochrome; it’s a little like putting a roll of black-and-white film into a film camera, and having to finish it before you can change the film to a different stock. I’m used to this experience now, even if I wouldn't necessarily buy a camera of this type myself; but there's something else that struck me even more while using the K-3 Monochrome.

I haven’t used a DLSR for at least six years now, possibly longer, so moving back to what is essentially old technology felt slightly strange. Pentax has stoically continued to develop and manufacture DSLRs rather than moving into mirrorless cameras, which is, in its own way, just as eccentric as producing a camera that only shoots black and white. I guess in such a crowded and competitive market such as cameras, anything that makes you stand out from the crowd can be seen as an advantage.

Despite being a DSLR, the K-3 Monochrome is packed with modern features, and the overall handling of the camera is great. It would be better if it were a mirrorless camera, with all of the advantages mirrorless confers. But with excellent build quality, comfortable ergonomics, and conveniently positioned direct access controls for commonly used settings, as well as an LCD screen on the top plate that shows current settings at a glance, handling can’t be faulted. However, the weight of 29oz / 820g body-only makes the camera quite hefty, even more so when a 16-50mm f/2.8 or a 70-200mm f/2.8 is attached.

In keeping with its functionality, the design of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome is black and white, and this extends into the menu, which is a nice touch, although exposure warnings, for instance, show in red when using Live View on the 3.2-inch 1620k-dot rear LCD screen, which makes them stand out prominently. Unfortunately, the LCD screen is fixed rather than articulating.

When it comes to features, the K-3 Mark III Monochrome certainly isn’t lacking, with the ability to track stars when the O-GPS1 GPS Unit is mounted using the camera’s shifting sensor. The sensor also provides 5-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS), and Auto Horizon Correction and Composition Adjustment functions. 

An HDR feature merges bracketed exposures into a single raw file in-camera, while Depth-of-Field Bracketing and Motion Bracketing of aperture or shutter speed are also available, alongside Interval Shooting and Multiple-exposure. These are all incredibly useful features for photographers, as are the dual SD card slots. For videographers, the K-3 Monochrom can capture video in 4K at up to 30fps, and Full HD at up to 60fps.

Image 1 of 4

Prouct photo of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome with a 16-50mm f/2.8 attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 4

Prouct photo of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome with a 16-50mm f/2.8 attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 4

Prouct photo of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome with a 16-50mm f/2.8 attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 4 of 4

Prouct photo of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome with a 16-50mm f/2.8 attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)

Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome photo samples

Image 1 of 7

Black & white photo of a Ferris wheel taken with the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 2 of 7

Black & white photo of a derelict boat taken with the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 3 of 7

Black & white photo of shipping containers taken with the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 4 of 7

Black & white photo wood detail taken with the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 5 of 7

Black & white photo of beach huts taken with the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 6 of 7

Black & white photo of a container ship in dock taken with a Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome

(Image credit: James Abbott)
Image 7 of 7

Black & white photo of stacked shipping containers taken with the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome

(Image credit: James Abbott)

This is an APS-C camera with a 25.7MP monochrome CMOS sensor that's been specifically designed to capture images in black and white. Image quality is excellent, with impressive ISO handling throughout most of the ISO 200 to 1,600,000 range. Once you go over ISO 102,400 the image becomes broken up by grain, but even ISO 51,200 provides sharp and usable images with a pleasing grain.

Despite being a large and heavy DSLR, the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome is a pleasure to use, and provides Pentax users, and photographers in general who couldn’t justify the cost of a Leica Monochrom, with a realistic alternative, even if the package as a whole is more than a little eccentric.

Should I buy the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome?

Prouct photo of the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome with a 16-50mm f/2.8 attached

(Image credit: James Abbott)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome

I tested the Pentax K-3 Mark III Monochrome over several shoots covering different subjects to test features, handling and image quality. Most images were shot simply to see how the camera performed in different situations, while others were shot specifically for being able to assess the results.

This approach provides the ability to test all aspects of the camera in a real-world environment that’s closer to how photographers will use the camera, rather than relying on statistics and lens charts that provide incredibly useful information, but do so in a way that removes the element of subjective interpretation.

With nearly 30 years of photographic experience and 15 years working as a photography journalist, I’ve covered almost every conceivable photography subject, and used many of the cameras and lenses that have been released in that time. As a working photographer, I’m also aware of the factors that are most important to photographers, and aim to test cameras and lenses in a way that reflects this.

First reviewed October 2023

Canon EOS R7 review
11:43 am | August 3, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers DSLRs Gadgets | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: May 2022
• Canon's first flagship APS-C model for mirrorless
• Launch price: $1,499 / £1,349 / AU$2,349 (body only)
• Official price now: $1,399 / £1,379 / AU$2,469

Update: February 2024. Canon has filled out its APS-C range of cameras for EOS R mount mirrorless, but the EOS R7 remains the flagship model that still offers excellent value if you don't need full-frame. No other camera in this crop sensor format can better the EOS R7's 32.5MP resolution, and that class-leading detail is supported by excellent in-body stabilization, rapid high-speed shooting and superb autofocus performance. In short, the EOS R7 remains an excellent camera for wildlife and sports photography. Unfortunately there's still a sore lack of native RF-S lenses to choose from. If you're keen on wildlife and looking for a high performance telephoto lens, you'll need to use one of Canon's full-frame RF offerings, like the RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 or the pricier RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L. The uncertainty surrounding the system's lenses is worrying, but the EOS R7 itself is a certainty as one of the best mirrorless cameras in its class. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Canon EOS R7: Two-minute review

If you're a keen amateur photographer who also likes to shoot video, the Canon EOS R7 is one of the best cameras you can buy and also the sweet spot in the camera giant's EOS R range for amateur shooters. 

Sitting in between classic DSLRS like the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and EOS 90D, it combines Canon's latest Dual Pixel CMOS AF II autofocus system with speedy 15fps burst-shooting speeds (or even 30fps speeds, when you use its electronic shutter). It's pricier than the Canon EOS R10, but the R7's higher-resolution 32.5MP sensor, in-body stabilization, deeper buffer and dual card slots will justify the cost for many.

Unlike Canon's full-frame cameras, the EOS R7 has an APS-C sensor. While these can't gather as much light as the full-frame sensors seen in cameras like the Canon EOS R6, they do bring a few benefits – including a smaller, lighter overall camera system and a lower price tag.

For its price, the EOS R7 delivers an impressive range of features that show why it's now Canon's flagship APS-C camera. Unlike the EOS 90D, you get in-body image stabilization (IBIS), which helps preserve image quality when you're shooting handheld. You also get two UHS-II card slots and a solid range of video-shooting specs, including headphone and microphone inputs, plus the ability to shoot uncropped 4K/60p video.

The Canon EOS R7 camera sitting on a stone step

(Image credit: Future)

Together, these features make the EOS R7 one of the best mirrorless cameras who can't justify Canon's full-frame models, which share the same RF-mount. But this mount is also, currently, the EOS R7's main weakness – at the time of writing, there are only two native RF-S lenses for this camera's sensor.

One of these lenses is an 18-150mm 'all-rounder' that comes available in a package with the EOS R7, with the other being an 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 kit lens. Other than these two lenses, you have two choices when it comes to optics – use existing full-frame RF lenses, or use either EF or EF-S lenses via the optional EF-to-RF adapter. Neither solution is ideal for keeping things on the light and small side, but hopefully as the system ages, it will also grow to include more options.

Confusingly, you might already be aware of Canon’s 'other' APS-C mirrorless system, which uses the EF-M mount. Lenses from this system are not compatible with the EOS R series' APS-C models, and there’s no way to mount them via an adapter either. Canon has yet to outwardly admit that it’s going to stop making EF-M models. But the arrival of the EOS R7 and EOS R10 means the EF-M series has now likely reached its end.

Aside from this limited range of native lenses, the EOS R7 is otherwise an excellent all-rounder. With up to 30fps shooting combined with Canon’s latest autofocus wizardry, it’s a dream for wildlife, action and sports photographers – especially as that crop sensor will allow you to get closer to the action with your long lenses.

Canon EOS R7 specs

Sensor: 32.5MP APS-C CMOS
AF points: 5915 manually selectable, 651 automatic selection
Video: 4K/60p, Full HD/60p, High-speed 120p Full HD
Viewfinder: 0.39-inch OLED 2.36m-dot resolution
Memory card: Double SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II
LCD: 2.95-inch vari-angle touch 1.62m-dot
Max Burst: 15fps mechanical shutter (buffer 224 JPEG / 51 raw), 30fps electronic shutter (buffer 126 JPEG / 42 raw)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Size: 132 x 90.4 x 91.7mm
Weight: 612g (inc. battery and SD card)

You also get in-body stabilization (IBIS), something that was missing from Canon's mid-range Canon DSLRs. With up to eight stops of compensation, this is ideal for shooting handheld with slower shutter speeds or in low light. 

The EOS R7 is also a nice little camera to use. You get a reasonably solid and chunky grip, plus a good range of dials and buttons that make it enjoyable to change the settings in different situations. Its vari-angle touchscreen is also helpful for shooting from different angles – and while the electronic viewfinder is a little pedestrian, it does the job. 

Dual UHS-II card slots are a nice bonus for a camera like this (and at this price), hinting it might also be favored by pros looking for a good, fast backup model to their main full-frame body. A range of useful video specifications, including uncropped 4K/60p video, round out the specs sheet nicely to make the R7 a great little all-rounder.

In our real-world tests, the camera produced lovely images in a range of conditions, though as we’d expect it’s not quite on par with full-frame siblings when it comes to low-light or high ISO shooting. 

The main problem is that lack of a real lens system to harness the EOS R7's potential. Having to compromise on lenses from the get-go isn’t ideal, particularly when the likes of Sony and Fujifilm have a solid set of lenses to back up APS-C cameras like the Sony A6600 and Fujifilm X-T5. But if the R7 and R10 prove to be as popular as Canon surely hopes they will be, that lack of native lenses should become less of a problem in time. 

Canon EOS R7: release date and price

  • Available to order now
  • $1,499 / £1,349 / AU$2,349 (body only)
  • $1,899 / £1,699 / AU$1,959 (with 18-150mm lens)

The Canon EOS R7 is pretty aggressively priced to make it much more appealing to those on a budget, compared to full-frame models. It also compares favorably to other APS-C big-hitters, too. 

The EOS R7 is just a shade more expensive than the three-year-old Sony A6600. It’s also significantly cheaper than the higher-spec Fujifilm X-H2S, another flagship model with fast-shooting and quick-autofocusing smarts. 

It’s a little closer in price to the Fujifilm X-T5 – the EOS R7 edges it on autofocusing but loses on native lenses, so a decision between the two very much depends on your existing lens collection.

The Canon EOS R7 camera sitting on a stone step

(Image credit: Future)

Older full-frame Canon tech, such as the full-frame Canon EOS RP, is available for less than the EOS R7, but uses much older technology that means autofocusing and video is not a patch on the R7.

We’re yet to see a direct 'entry-level' full-frame replacement for the Canon EOS RP, and it's possible that one could be coming in 2023. Right now, there's no real evidence to suggest an EOS RP successor is imminent, and the EOS R7 nicely fills the gap as an affordable mirrorless camera for hobbyists, as long as you prefer the advantages of APS-C cameras over full-frame.

Canon EOS R7 review: design

  • Combined control wheel and joystick
  • Vari-angle screen and modest viewfinder
  • Weather-sealing to same standard as EOS 90D DSLR

Canon has combined elements from both its DSLR line-up and its existing EOS R series cameras to make the EOS R7 both portable and intuitive.

If you’ve used a Canon EOS camera before, you’ll likely be very at home. But even if this is your first time with the brand, it won't be too difficult to find everything you need. Impressively for such a small camera, the EOS R7 manages to include a deep chunky grip, which should prove popular among photographers. At the same time, the overall size of the camera isn't too big for travel shooting.

As you’d expect for a mid-range cameras you don’t get a top-plate LCD for quickly checking settings. The same is true of the full-frame EOS R6, so APS-C users shouldn’t feel too hard done by here. What you do get is a sensibly laid out control system, which includes a mode dial to the right of the viewfinder, a control dial just behind the shutter button and dedicated buttons just behind that for ISO and video recording. 

The Canon EOS R7 camera sitting on a stone step

(Image credit: Future)

Flipping to the back of the camera, there’s a joystick-cum-control wheel hybrid that some will love, and others may well hate. It does take some getting used to, especially if you’re an existing Canon owner. But after a few days in its company, it works quite well in tandem with the principal control dial. The dials can be used to adjust shutter speed and aperture – depending on the shooting mode you’re in – as well as flip through menu items and images in playback.

The joystick is ideal for moving the AF point around the frame when shooting through the viewfinder, though you can also use the screen to do this so long as you have 'Touch and Drag' enabled in the main menu.

Other buttons include a four-way d-pad, a useful ‘Q’ button for quickly accessing your common settings, and buttons for playback and deleting photos. Almost all of the controls are found on the right-hand side of the camera, which is ideal for one-handed operation, with the small size of the body meaning everything is within easy reach of your thumb.

The Canon EOS R7 camera sitting on a stone step

(Image credit: Future)

If you’re moving to the EOS R7 from a DSLR, one thing you might find yourself getting used to is an electronic viewfinder. The R7’s is arguably a little dated, offering 2.36m-dots, 1.15x magnification and a 120fps refresh rate. But if you’ve never used anything better, then you’ll likely find it perfectly serviceable. Those switching from a DSLR can also switch on OVF (optical viewfinder) simulation, which might help ease you in if you’re not totally convinced about EVFs just yet.

The fully articulating touchscreen is just shy of three inches, but being able to maneuver it into whatever position you need is helpful for video and awkward angle shots. It’s also nice to be able to fold the camera's screen in on itself when carrying it in a bag to keep it free of scratches. A similar standard of weather-sealing to the EOS 90D means the EOS R7 should be able to stand up to a light sprinkling of rain, but we’d probably keep it away from heavy downpours or extensive sea-splashes where possible.

Some had expected the EOS R7 – a camera for wildlife/sports fans – to include a CFexpress slot for ultra-fast shooting. Instead, we get double UHS-II slots. On the one hand, it’s a shame not to have the speeds of CFexpress, but it’s not particularly surprising for an APS-C camera at this price, and it’s undeniably a more straightforward setup. It’s also a lot cheaper to buy SD cards for now, so it’s a better setup for those on a budget.

  • Design score: 4.5/5

Canon EOS R7 review: features and performance

  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, subject recognition and eye-detection
  • Up to 30fps shooting with electronic shutter
  • 500-shot battery life

The Canon EOS R7 is being heavily targeted towards wildlife and sports shooters, thanks to its high-quality autofocusing and burst-shooting prowess. If you’re coming across from an older DSLR, it's this technology that's likely to impress you the most. It also outshines some of the older EOS R entry-level models, as well as Canon’s EOS M APS-C models, too. 

This power is ably supported by Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, which is Canon’s latest autofocusing system. Broadly speaking, this is something we’ve seen on more advanced full-frame models like the EOS R5 and the EOS R6, which means you get very good performance for the price.

The Canon EOS R7 camera sitting on a stone step

(Image credit: Future)

Covering the whole frame, Dual Pixel CMOS AF II also includes clever and useful technology such as intelligent subject-tracking, which can identify animals (dogs, cats and birds), vehicles and people. 

Pro cameras like the EOS R5 and R6 have more AF zones (1,053) than the R7 (651 when the camera is left to automatically select them), so it isn't exactly the same system as Canon's pricier models. But in our tests it kept up extremely well with whatever subject we were trying to follow across the frame, almost unfalteringly so. 

As well as subject-tracking, you'll also see face and eye-detection kick in when you're photographing animals or humans. This also works impressively well  – during our tests, it was able to pick out a bird’s eye from a few hundred meters away and easily track it around the frame.

Similarly, when photographing a dog running around the beach, it did exactly the same – keeping up with a dark eye surrounded by dark fur. Human eyes are just as easily picked out, making it ideal for sports photography and portraits.

Of course, you also need fast shooting speeds for sports and wildlife, and the EOS R7 offers this, too. You get up to 15fps with the mechanical shutter, which is pretty good in itself, but switching to the electronic shutter you get around 30fps. Considering this includes raw shooting and continuous AF, that's excellent for the price. The trade-off is the risk of rolling shutter – which can give slanted vertical lines – but this isn’t something we experienced much.

The Canon EOS R7 camera sitting on a stone step

(Image credit: Future)

While 30fps is great, what you don’t get is the same deep buffer such as you’d see on a more expensive model like the EOS R6 or the R5. At 30fps, the camera will need to take a pause after just 42 raw files. But as long as you aren’t too trigger happy and practice controlled bursts, this will be enough for most hobbyist users hoping to catch a specific moment.

It’s worth noting that to take full advantage of these speeds, you’ll need a fast UHS-II memory card. We found when photographing a fast running dog, more shots were in focus than weren’t, making photographing wildlife, sports and action easier than ever before at this price. That said, it's worth noting that the EOS R10 offers a similar hit-rate and is even cheaper than the EOS R7.

The 500-shot quoted battery life is decent for a mirrorless camera. Remember also that this is a lab-specification – in real-world shooting, you can also always eke out more shots if you’re careful with power saving or if you're not doing something power intensive (like shooting 4K video). 

In our tests, the camera always lasted a full day without dropping more than a couple of bars of battery. You can also charge the camera via USB, so if you were particularly concerned, you could always carry a battery pack for power bursts on the go. 

  • Features and performance score: 4.5/5

Canon EOS R7 review: image and video quality

Canon EOS R7 review: image and video quality

At 32.5MP, the EOS R7 has a high megapixel count for an APS-C camera. The advantages of this are that images are beautifully detailed, plus you’ve got good scope for cropping – which often comes in handy when shooting wildlife and action-type subjects. 

The downside of all those pixels crammed onto a fairly small surface area is that low-light shooting can’t compete with full-frame models, or even APS-C models with more modest resolutions. That might not be too much of an issue for most photographers, but there are some instances where it can lead to less than perfect imagery. For example, during our test, we used the RF 600mm f/11 lens.

Image 1 of 2

A pink flamingo in front of other flamingos at a nature reserve

The R7’s subject detection and eye-recognition picked out the eye on this bird from quite some distance away, following it easily around the scene. (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 2

A flamingo shaking its head and releasing water droplets

Shooting with lenses like the 600mm f/11 and an APS-C sensor means that you might have to shoot at high ISOs even in relatively good light – some image smoothing can be seen here. (Image credit: Future)

While this is a great lens for wildlife shooting, thanks to its compact size and long reach (960mm equivalent when mounted to the R7), having f/11 as its maximum aperture generally means using fairly high ISOs, even when light is pretty abundant. 

The resulting photos show a reasonable degree of noise and image smoothing. This isn't too bad when looking at images at small sizes, but is pretty apparent as soon as you view them at full size or scrutinize them closely.

On the whole, though, we’ve been very impressed by the EOS R7's image quality. Colors are rich, warm and attractive, just as we’d expect from Canon. The automatic white balance setting proved a winner in every lighting scenario we threw at it - and you can even ask it to prioritize warm tones or cool tones depending on your preference.

Image 1 of 5

The petals of a white flower in a field

You can still achieve attractive shallow depth of field effects even with the smaller than full-frame sensor and shooting at reasonably narrow apertures. (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 5

A dark street leading to a high-rise building

Evaluative metering does a good job of providing well-balanced exposures, even when there are areas of high-contrast. (Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 5

A small dog running on the beach

The R7 easily keeps up with fast moving subjects. This image has been cropped slightly for better composition - something which the 32.5 megapixel sensor gives you plenty of scope to do. (Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 5

A small dog running on a beach

ye-recognition works very well for animals, keeping the image sharp where you want it to be. (Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 5

A tomb inside a church

Shooting in low light reveals some loss of detail, plus some image smoothing, but it’s still perfectly usable at normal sizes. This image shot at ISO 10000. (Image credit: Future)

The all-purpose metering mode (known as evaluative metering for Canon cameras) worked well to produce well-balanced exposures, even when presented with high-contrast scenarios.

Raw files show a good amount of scope for making adjustments, allowing you to pull back a good degree of missing detail in lowlights and highlights when you need to. You can also change the balance of smoothing and noise if you’d prefer to see a little more detail than the JPEG output provides.

Image 1 of 3

A man looking away in front of a graffitied wall

Colors, including skin-tones, are rendered very nicely in straight out-of-camera JPEGs. (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 3

The interior of a large church

The EOS R7’s sensor is capable of capturing plenty of detail. (Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 3

The roof of a stadium in front of a cloudy sky

(Image credit: Future)

Video quality is also good, with the benefit of uncropped 4K/60p video with 4:2:2 10-bit color depth. We’ve been critical of Canon’s mid-range (EOS M) mirrorless options for their video limitations for some time, so it’s nice to see a good hybrid camera at a reasonable price. 

Content creators may want to consider the EOS R7, especially considering other useful features include the flip-out screen, mic and headphone sockets. One downside of video is that there’s no 4K/120p mode for slow-mo shooting, but that won’t be a deal-breaker for most. 

  • Image and video quality score: 4/5

Should I buy the Canon EOS R7?

The Canon EOS R7 camera sitting on a stone step

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Canon EOS R7: Also consider

If our Canon EOS R7 review has you considering other options, here are three more mirrorless cameras to consider...

Testing scorecard

Sony A7 IV review
1:35 am | February 4, 2022
Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers DSLRs Gadgets | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: February 2022
• Yet to be replaced
• Launch price: $2,499 / £2,399 / AU$$4,299
• Official price now: $2,499 / £2,399 / AU$3,499

Update: February 2024. History would tell us that the Sony A7 IV, announced in October 2021, could be updated with a fifth-gen model at the end of 2024 – Sony's typical three year product cycle for this line of mirrorless camera. Of course we don't know that for sure, and until a potential successor comes the A7 IV remains one of the best mirrorless cameras around for the money. Leading retailers are selling the A7 IV for closer to $2,000 / £2,000 / AU$3,500 and for that price you're still getting superb autofocus performance (although the pricier Sony A7R V stepped things up with an AI autofocus chip and improved subject detection). You're also getting a lovely blend of photo and video skills; 33MP stills vs the typical 24MP in rival models still be launched today, plus an accomplished 4K video performance, even if there's better elsewhere. If you love photography and video, then the A7 IV offers excellent bang for buck. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Sony A7 IV: Two-minute review

The Sony A7 IV is the best mirrorless all-rounder you can buy right now. It isn't as powerful as the Sony A1, as fast as the Canon EOS R6, or as affordable as the Fujifilm X-T4, but it does offer a brilliant blend of photographic power and video versatility. By effectively combining two cameras in one, it's the best example so far of the hybrid convenience that modern mirrorless cameras can offer.

Three years on from the classic A7 III, the A7 IV brings improvements across the board, including a new 33MP sensor, Bionz XR processor and significantly upgraded video skills. 

Its autofocus system may have now been trumped by the AI-powered tracking of the Sony A7R V, but it still offers some of the best AF skills we've seen outside of professional sports cameras. Whether you're shooting photos or video, the Sony A7 IV does an unerringly good job of sticking to your chosen subject and, in the case of people and animals, locking focus onto their eyes.

With a cropped 4K/60p mode and rolling shutter issues, it isn't quite the perfect video camera. But with support for 10-bit video, no recording limits and new tricks like focus breathing compensation, it does offer more than enough quality and flexibility for photographers who are increasingly looking to shoot an equivalent amount of video.

The front of the Sony A7 IV camera with a zoom lens

(Image credit: Future)

As always with all-rounder cameras, there are some small compromises on the A7 IV. Its outright image quality isn't actually a big jump up from the Sony A7 III, with the extra detail from that resolution boost somewhat counter-balanced by some understandable noise at higher ISOs. This means that you may well want to look out for discounts on the A7 III in the Black Friday camera deals, as well as E-mount lenses in the Black Friday deals.

The A7 IV's battery life, in-body image stabilization and burst shooting speeds are also merely average rather than class-leading. This also isn't exactly a discreet camera for travel or street shooting either, nor a light one for long landscape hikes. If that's important to you, we'd recommend checking out APS-C cameras like the Fujifilm X-T4 (and imminent Fujifilm X-T5).

Sony A7 IV specs

Sensor: 33MP full-frame
AF points: 759-point hybrid phase/contrast-detect
Video: 4K/30p, or 4K/60p with Super35 crop
Viewfinder: 3.69 million-dot Quad VGA EVF
Memory cards: 1x CFexpress Type A/SD UHS-II, 1x SD UHS-II
LCD: 3-inch fully articulating touchscreen, 1.04m dots
Max burst: 10fps, up to 828 raw+JPEG (with CFexpress Type A card)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Size: 131.3 x 96.4 x 79.8mm
Weight: 658g (with card and battery)

And then there's the price tag. At $2,499 / £2,400 / AU$$4,299 (body only), it's moved into another bracket compared to the entry-level A7 III. For those who are new to full-frame cameras, it's arguably overkill when you consider the existence of the Nikon Z5 ($1,699 / £1,719 / AU$3,099) and Panasonic Lumix S5 ($1,999 / £1,799 / AU$3,199). That spare change could buy you a very nice lens to support your preferred style of photography or video.

But if you do shoot a fairly balanced mix of photos and video, and need a powerful hybrid camera that'll last you for years, then the Sony A7 IV should be right at the top of your shopping list. 

With Sony's latest G Master lenses on hand to make the most of that 33MP resolution, it offers pro-level quality that just about gives it the edge over the Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R6, even if those cameras do offer superior burst-shooting speeds. It's undoubtedly one of the best cameras for photography, and a fine choice for video, too. Read on for our full Sony A7 IV review.

Sony A7 IV release date and price

  • Available to buy now for $2,499 / £2,400 / AU$$4,299
  • A price jump from the Sony A7 III
  • Similar price to the Canon EOS R6

The Sony A7 IV went on sale in December 2021 for $2,499 / £2,400 / AU$$4,299. Early stock levels were quite low, but at the time of writing those issues have now eased and the camera is widely available.

The A7 IV's price is a hike of around 20%-30% over the Sony A7 III, depending on which region you're in – this pushes the A7 IV away from its 'entry-level' full-frame heritage, though it remains a more affordable all-rounder than the Sony A1 and new high-resolution Sony A7R V.

The front of the Sony A7 IV camera with a zoom lens

(Image credit: Future)

This premium may lead many photographers and videographers to think twice before hitting the 'buy' button, particularly as lower-powered but impressive alternatives like the Nikon Z5 are less than half the price.

But when you consider the A7 IV's across-the-board upgrades, and its impressive hybrid power, that price tag isn't too excessive compared to the competition. Its closest rival is the Canon EOS R6 ($2,499 / £2,499 / AU$4,499), which is lower-resolution at 20MP, but offers faster 20fps burst speeds. 

Sony A7 IV: design

  • Modern 3.69-million dot electronic viewfinder
  • Useful vari-angle touchscreen with Sony's latest UI
  • Takes CFexpress Type A cards, which are rarer than Type B

The Sony A7 IV might look like a clone of its predecessor, but there are quite a few subtle upgrades that collectively make it a much more enjoyable camera to use.

On the top you'll find an improved electronic viewfinder (EVF) with a 3.69-million dot resolution and 120fps refresh rate. While this is now fairly standard at this price – you'll find an almost identical viewfinder on the Canon EOS R6 – it is a much-needed upgrade and performs particularly well when you're trying to track moving subjects.

The Sony A7 IV's vari-angle screen flipped forwards

(Image credit: Future)

Below the EVF there's a new vari-angle touchscreen. This can swivel around to face the direction you're shooting in, which is a big bonus for solo video shooters. Photographers may prefer the more old-school tilt-screen found on the Sony A1, though. 

Delve into the menus on this screen and you'll find they also have Sony's latest UI, first seen on the Sony A7S III. These are a major improvement on the labyrinthine menus seen on older Sony Alpha cameras and respond to touch.

In the hand, the A7 IV's grip feels more substantial than its predecessor, but otherwise it'll be comfortably familiar to anyone who's used an Alpha camera before. Beneath the mode dial, there's a new ring that lets you flick between stills, movies and 'S&Q' mode (for recording slow-mo footage and timelapses). There's also a new dedicated red 'record' button for shooting video and a lockable exposure compensation dial.

Image 1 of 3

The Sony A7 IV camera's top dials and controls

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 3

The Sony A7 IV's rear screen showing a photo of Canada geese

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 3

The side of the Sony A7 IV camera showing its ports

(Image credit: Future)

Elsewhere, everything is where you'd expect to find it, with a nicely-balanced joystick for choosing AF points, a pronounced AF-On button for back-button focusing, and a rear scroll wheel that has a useful resistance to stop you from accidentally changing your shutter speed.

One additional bonus on top of the A7 IV is Sony's Multi-Interface hotshoe. This means you can plug in external microphones like Sony's ECM-B1M and ECM-W2BT without needing any extra cables or a power source. It's another big string to the A7 IV's video-shooting bow, compared to its predecessor.

But the news is slightly more mixed when it comes to the A7 IV's card slots. Unlike the Sony A7 III, it does now have a CFexpress Type A slot. These newer cards give you write speeds of up to 700MB/s, which effectively gives you an unlimited buffer during continuously shooting. 

But CFexpress Type A cards are also rarer and pricier than the Type B cards favored by Nikon, Canon and Panasonic, so you'll have to weigh up whether you really need them. Speedy UHS-II SD cards may well be enough for you, and A7 IV's second card slot does only support SD cards.

Sony A7 IV: features and autofocus

The Sony A7 IV isn't quite the game-changer that its predecessor was for full-frame mirrorless cameras, but its upgrades bring it close to the Canon EOS R6 – which means it's a fine choice for everyone from wildlife shooters to wedding photographers.

The key to these performance boosts is the Bionz XR processor, which is the same as the one in the Sony A1. Unlike the Sony A1, the Sony A7 IV doesn't have a stacked sensor, so it can't quite unlock the same burst-shooting performance. But the two obvious improvements this processor brings are Sony's latest autofocus smarts, and a much-improved buffer depth when burst-shooting.

Because the Sony A7 IV has now jumped up to a 33MP resolution, its top burst-shooting speed (10fps) is actually the same as the A7 III. If you want to shoot lossless raw files, this falls to only 5fps or 6fps. This makes it significantly slower than the Canon EOS R6, which can hit top speeds of 20fps when you use its electronic shutter. But the A7 IV's autofocus speeds and buffer do a lot to compensate for this.

The top plate of the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)

We tested its burst shooting skills with a UHS-II card and the buffer is more generous than most people will need. When shooting JPEGs, the A7 IV consistently hit speeds of 9fps for over a minute. It also managed the same speeds with raw files for the first eight seconds, dropping down to a still-decent 6-7fps after eight seconds. In both cases, it was heading towards Sony's claimed 828 shots (for CFExpress cards) before our memory card filled up.

In all likelihood, you won't need to shoot continuously for that long, because the A7 IV's autofocus skills ensure a very good hit-rate. It has Sony's latest AF system, which means you get Eye AF for humans, animals and birds, in both stills and video. This is a big upgrade from the A7 III and is the most reliable AF system you'll find in any camera, even if the Canon EOS R6 isn't too far behind. It sticks to subjects like glue, even with distracting foregrounds.

The front of the Sony A7 IV camera showing its viewfinder bump

(Image credit: Future)

The A7 IV is clearly a very capable stills camera, but what about video? It makes even bigger leaps here. For filmmakers who like to color-grade their videos, the jump to 10-bit 4:2:2 color sampling (from 8-bit on the A7 III) is a big one. The maximum video bit-rate has also jumped from 100Mbps to 600Mbps, and you can shoot 4K/30p video using the full width of the sensor.

Perhaps the only slight disappointment is that the A7 IV's 4K/60p mode is only available with a 'Super 35' crop (which is similar in size to an APS-C sensor). Naturally, Sony wants video shooters to upgrade to cameras like the Sony A7S III, but that might still be a slight disappointment to those who were hoping for a completely uncompromising hybrid camera.

To sweeten the video deal, Sony has included a host of other bonuses on the A7 IV, including a 'Focus Map' (similar to focus peaking, only it uses colored blocks to show you what's in focus) and the popular S-Cinetone picture profile, which mimics the look of Sony's cinema cameras. Like all great hybrid cameras, the Sony A7 IV is just as comfortable shooting videos as it is stills.

Sony A7 IV: performance

  • Generous buffer for burst shooting
  • Moderate burst-shooting speeds of 10fps (compressed raw)
  • Battery rating of 520 shots (CIPA rating)

As we discovered in the features section above, the Sony A7 IV isn't a true speed demon when it comes to burst shooting. Sony's decision to boost its resolution to 33MP has effectively cancelled out any power gains of its new processor, which means its offers the same 10fps top speed as the A7 III (and that's with compressed raw files).

Still, while the Canon EOS R6 is likely a better choice if you spend a lot of time holding down the shutter and shooting speeding objects, the A7 IV is still more than good enough for wildlife shooting. 

It's also worth factoring in the benefits of its class-leading autofocus system and deep buffer – when a camera so consistently nails focus, you don't necessarily need to rattle off frames at 20fps to capture a moment. Thanks to a firmware update in September 2022, you can also now choose 'S' and 'M' file sizes (in addition to 'L') when shooting lossless compress raw files.

A deer shot on the Sony A7 IV camera

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/400s at f/4.5, ISO 160 (Image credit: Future)

Other areas where the Sony A7 IV achieves 'good enough' status are in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and battery life. Its Active Stabilization mode, which adds a steadying electronic hand to its mechanical IBIS, is certainly decent and helpful for handheld shooting or vlogging. We managed to go down to shutter speeds of around 1/20s, before our micro-jitters started obscuring fine details.

That's by no means class-leading, though, and it certainly won't replace either a tripod or a gimbal if you want clean shots or smooth video in challenging conditions. Sony's Active Stabilization mode also incurs a crop of around 15%, creating a much narrower field of view. A good alternative is applying stabilization in post-production using Sony's Catalyst Browse software, which uses the camera's gyroscopic data to smooth out your footage.

The Sony A7 IV's rear screen showing a photo of a squirrel

(Image credit: Future)

This works particularly well for more challenging scenarios like walk-and-talk vlogging, and can also help suppress one of the Sony A7 IV's other weaknesses: rolling shutter. Because the camera lacks a stacked sensor, its read-out speeds aren't as fast as the Sony A1's – which means quick panning motions can lead to warped verticals in video or stills, if you're using the electronic shutter (like in our sample video below). This is unlikely to be a huge issue for most shooters, though.

Battery life is, again, solid rather than spectacular. The official CIPA rating is 520 shots per charge (when using the electronic viewfinder). While that's actually a 15% drop from the Sony A7 III, we found that estimate to be a little conservative and it can shoot 4K video for around two hours. In our tests, it managed to shoot 4K/60p for two hours and 20 minutes with no overheating, and a few minutes longer in 4K/24p mode before the battery died.

Sony A7 IV: image and video quality

  • Image quality isn't a dramatic step up from Sony A7 III
  • Excellent oversampled 4K/30p video quality with 10-bit 4:2:2 option
  • S-Log 3 and S-Cinetone profiles for video editors

If you'd hoped the Sony A7 IV's new 33MP sensor might dramatically improve its image quality from the A7 III, you may be disappointed. 

That extra resolution is handy for those who like to regularly crop into their photos, but in general the A7 IV's improvements are geared more towards versatility rather than absolute image quality.

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

See the full-size image (Image credit: Future)

More megapixels means smaller photosites on the A7 IV's sensor, so Sony has used image processing to help in areas like low-light performance. 

As you'd hope, it produces clean results low ISOs, but noise becomes fairly prevalent from ISO 6400 upwards. That's understandable for a relatively high-megapixel sensor, but it's fair to say that the Sony A7 IV leans more towards capturing detail than being a low-light monster.

Image 1 of 10

The inside of Southwark Cathedral

Sony A7 IV with FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM, 1/250s at f/3.5, ISO 8000 (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 10

A bride and groom embracing

Sony A7 IV with FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM, 1/320s at f/4.6, ISO 100 (Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 10

A autumnal tree in London's Bushy Park

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/800s at f/2.8, ISO 100 (Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 10

A bird perched on a fence post

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/640s at f/4, ISO 320 (Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 10

A smiling bride and groom

Sony A7 IV with FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM, 1/250s at f/4, ISO 320 (Image credit: Future)
Image 6 of 10

A pink flower photographed on the Sony A7 IV camera

Sony A7 IV with FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM, 1/800s at f/3.2, ISO 100 (Image credit: Future)
Image 7 of 10

An entertainer breathing fire from an instrument

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/500s at f/5, ISO 1600 (Image credit: Future)
Image 8 of 10

A bride and groom in a park

Sony A7 IV with FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM, 1/250s at f/4, ISO 250 (Image credit: Future)
Image 9 of 10

An organ's pipes in Southwark Cathedral

Sony A7 IV with FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM, 1/30s at f/4.5, ISO 400 (Image credit: Future)
Image 10 of 10

Autumnal trees is London's Bushy Park

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/640s at f/4, ISO 200 (Image credit: Future)

Still, the impressive dynamic range gives you plenty of leeway when it comes to boosting shadows in raw files, even if this can reveal some noise in gloomier scenes. And we also found the straight out-of-camera JPEGs to have pleasing, true-to-life colors and nicely-rendered skin tones.

Image 1 of 12

A bride and groom in a park

Sony A7 IV with FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM, 1/800s at f/3.2, ISO 320 (Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 12

A group of deer shot on the Sony A7 IV camera

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/1000s at f/3.5, ISO 100 (Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 12

A white bird perched on a branch on water

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/400s at f/2.2, ISO 200 (Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 12

A duck photographed by the Sony A7 IV camera

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/1000s at f/4, ISO 500 (Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 12

A chandelier in Southwark Cathedral

Sony A7 IV with FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM, 1/320s at f/2.8, ISO 1250 (Image credit: Future)
Image 6 of 12

A candle in the dark shot on the Sony A7 IV camera

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/250s at f/2, ISO 200 (Image credit: Future)
Image 7 of 12

Three deer photographed on the Sony A7 IV camera

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/400s at f/4, ISO 100 (Image credit: Future)
Image 8 of 12

A sticker on the side of a streetlamp

Thanks to the stabilization, you can comfortably handhold shots down to 1/20s or 1/10s (Image credit: Future)
Image 9 of 12

A statue in Southwark Cathedral

Sony A7 IV with FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM, 1/320s at f/2.8, ISO 5000 (Image credit: Future)
Image 10 of 12

The inside of Southwark Cathedral

Sony A7 IV with FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM, 1/320 at f/4.5, ISO 12800 (Image credit: Future)
Image 11 of 12

A bird perched on a branch over water

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/100s at f/4.5, ISO 125 (Image credit: Future)
Image 12 of 12

A deer shot on the Sony A7 IV camera

Sony A7 IV with FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, 1/800s at f/3.2, ISO 100 (Image credit: Future)

The bigger step up from the Sony A7 III, though, is undoubtedly the A7 IV's video quality. Because it oversamples its 4K/30p video from the sensor's 7K resolution, you get an impressively sharp, noise-free image even up to ISO 12800. The ability to shoot 4K in 10-bit 4:2:2 also gives color graders much more flexibility than on the Sony A7 III.

To really squeeze the best video quality out of the Sony A7S III, you'll want to shoot in the flat S-Log3 profile, as that provides the most dynamic range. But a quicker alternative is the S-Cinetone profile, which comes with much of the saturation and contrast baked in. It's worth familiarizing yourself with the quirks of these two profiles, as both have different dual native ISOs – for S-Log3 they're at ISO 800 and ISO 3200, while the ones for S-Cinetone are much lower at ISO 125 and ISO 500.

This gives the Sony A7 IV a lot of flexibility and depth for different shooting situations, marking it out as a true hybrid camera that's pretty much the equal of the Sony A7S III if you don't need high frame-rate modes. But if you're relatively new to video, the excellent autofocus means it's also easy to shoot some excellent video without delving into any color grading, like the sample clips above.

Image 1 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 6 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 7 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 8 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 9 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 10 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 11 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 12 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)
Image 13 of 13

Sample photo taken in London on the Sony A7 IV camera

(Image credit: Future)

The A7 IV's in-body image stabilization (IBIS), which now claims up to 5.5-stops of compensation, also lets you shoot with shutter speeds as low as 1/10sec and still get pretty sharp results. This is also a potential bonus for those who regularly use polarizing filters, because it allows you to handhold the camera rather than reach for the tripod. 

Should I buy the Sony A7 IV?

The Sony A7 IV camera sitting on a wooden bench

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Sony A7 IV: also consider

If our Sony A7 IV review has you wondering about alternatives, here are three rivals to consider.

Canon EOS R6
With a similar price to the Sony A7 IV, the EOS R6 is its closest rival. The main difference between the two is burst shooting speeds, with the EOS R6 hitting speedy 20fps top speeds. That said, the A7 IV offers a 33MP resolution that's better for cropping than the 20MP EOS R6.

First reviewed: March 2022

Canon EOS R5 review
8:07 pm | April 28, 2021
Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers DSLRs Gadgets | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: April 2021
• No new model released
• Launch price: $3,899 / £4,199 / AU$6,899
• Official price now: $3,399 / £4,299 / AU$6,349

Updated: February 2024. When Canon announced the EOS R5 in July 2020, it made headlines and it's still a popular camera nearly four years on, staying put in our best camera roundup. There are rumors of a Mark II coming in 2024, but details are thin on the ground. Despite now being a few years old, the price for the body hasn't changed a great deal, dropping most in the US and a little in Australia, but is strangely listed for a higher price in the UK on Canon's official site and retailers like Jessops. Retailers, however, regularly discount this camera and, going by what we saw during Black Friday 2023, we think you shouldn't be paying more than $2,999 / £2,300 / AU$4,500 for the EOS R5. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Canon EOS R5: two-minute review

A lot has happened in the camera world since we first reviewed the Canon EOS R5 in August 2020 and labelled it 'Canon's best ever stills camera'.

That statement still stands and the EOS R5 remains the best mirrorless camera that Canon has made so far. It's almost certainly the best Canon camera on the market right now too. But with the Sony A7S III and Sony A1 now here, and Canon responding with firmware updates for the EOS R5 and the announcement of the Canon EOS R3, is it already on the verge of being overshadowed?

Not quite yet. We've tested the Canon EOS R5's firmware upgrades, and they improve the camera and smooth out its rough edges, albeit without fundamentally changing its character. It's a fantastic stills camera, one of the best you can buy, but the verdict on its video skills is a little more nuanced. 

In short, if video is your priority, you should test out the Canon EOS R5 in situations that are as close as possible to your real-world workflow - you may still find it to be one of the best video cameras you can buy. Those looking to shoot long, extended takes might be better served by the Sony A7S III. But if you look at the Canon EOS R5 as a stills camera that you'll occasionally use to shoot high-quality video, you'll likely never run into any overheating problems.

Canon EOS R5 articulating screen

(Image credit: Future)

For stills photographers, though, there isn't much wrong with the Canon EOS R5. The combination of a next-generation autofocus system, excellent image quality and fast 12fps/20fps continuous shooting means this is a camera that is just as comfortable (and capable) in professionally-lit studios as it is shooting breaking news stories at dusk.

The EOS R5's autofocus deserves a special mention. Its eye-detection is incredibly accurate and sticky, while its subject-detection and tracking is similarly impressive. As we found on our wildlife shoot, the animal detection is simply mind-blowing and a huge selling point on its own, if you regularly indulge in that kind of photography. 

What about battery life? If you're coming from a traditional DSLR, this is an obvious constriction. But we managed about four hours of very intensive shooting, while using the EVF. On a standard shoot, this means going through two (or, at a push, three) batteries in a day. With spares easy and relatively cheap to come by, plus backwards compatibility with the older LP-E6N battery, it’s not quite the impediment it firsts appears.

If you’re a high-volume, high-speed filmmaker, you might find the EOS R5's heat constrictions a little onerous. But during our half-day documentary shoot, where we shot in a variety of formats, we didn't see any overheating warnings. 

The video footage was also sharp and flexible for color grading, while a recent firmware update has added the Canon Log 3 (or C-Log 3) format to help its footage slot into cinematic workflows. The combination of stabilized RF-mount lenses and in-camera image stabilization (IBIS) also makes it possible to get reasonably smooth shots without a gimbal.

Canon EOS R5 Animal Eye AF in action

(Image credit: Future)

As you'd hope at this price, the Canon EOS R5 brings lots of smaller treats, too. The electronic viewfinder (EVF) is superb and practically indistinguishable from the optical ones found in DSLRs, at least to our eyes. And weather-proofing is right up there with the 5D series, if not quite as indestructible as the Canon EOS 1DX Mark III.

Canon has pulled out all the stops with the EOS R5, but it had to. It was relatively late to the mirrorless party and the competition at the pro level is now fierce. But it's Canon's best camera for stills shooters, and a more-than-capable hybrid option for those who like to mix that up with some video, too. 

Professional filmmakers who are looking for a small, hybrid camera whose priority is 4K video shooting should consider the Sony A7S II instead. And non-professionals of any kind should check out our Canon EOS R6 review. But even if, like us, you can't afford justify the Canon EOS R5's price, it's certainly an exciting example of what happens when Canon fully commits to mirrorless.

Canon EOS R5 review: price and release date

The Canon EOS R5 was released on July 30, 2020 with a body-only launch price of $3,899 / £4,199 / AU$6,899.

It was initially difficult to find stock, with demand outstripping supply for the first few months of its life, but the EOS R5 is now widely available worldwide.

Canon EOS R5 ports

(Image credit: Future)

Of course, that price tag is a big investment, but it's in the ballpark of its nearest rivals. It's only a shade more than the lower-resolution, 4K-only Sony A9 Mark II and the Sony A7S III in most regions, and is also very much in the region of the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV's original pricing, which started at $3,499 / £3,599 / AU$5,060 when it launched in 2016.

Is the Canon EOS R5 expensive? Yes. Unjustifiably so? Probably not...

Canon EOS R5 review: design and handling

  • Weighs 738g without a lens
  • Rear AF joystick instead of Touch Bar
  • Impressive 5.76-million pixel EVF

Design-wise, we’re not looking at a game-changer with the Canon EOS R5. But given the usability of the Canon EOS R, which it's heavily based on, that’s no bad thing. 

In terms of width and height, the EOS R5 is all-but identical to that latter camera; three mysterious millimeters have been added to its depth, and 70g has been added to its weight. 

Significantly, the EOS R’s touch bar – the touch-sensitive strip on the top-right of the camera – is gone, perhaps testament to its lukewarm reception. In its place is a chunky, knurled joystick for navigating autofocus points and menus, along the lines of the control on Canon’s other high-end cameras. 

Canon EOS R5 top display for shooting info

(Image credit: Future)

Pick up the EOS R5 and the first thing you’ll notice is that it practically floats in the hand. Its 738g weight with a card and battery compares extremely favorably to the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV’s 890g, and even more favorably to the tank-like Canon EOS 1D X Mark III’s 1.4kg kerb weight.

The EOS R5 is still substantial-feeling, with a deep grip that makes it easy and comfortable to hold, but it’s also easy to tote around without it feeling burdensome. Weather resistance is said to be up to the standard of Canon's 5D series, which professionals will tell you means the R5 should withstand troublesome weather better than some photographers. We’d be confident in most situations.

Canon’s adroit touch when it comes to building cameras that are quick and easy to use is much in evidence. Along with that four-way joystick, which makes diddling through menus or selecting autofocus points a breeze, you also get a click-wheel on the back, plus a dial behind the shutter button and a ring around the mode dial. 

Don’t forget that RF-mount lenses also have a control ring, so getting the EOS R5 set up just-so is easy. If you’re coming from another of Canon’s cameras, the learning curve is basically flat – the R5 is easy to adjust to. Newcomers will find the menus responsive, intuitive, and powerful, whether you’re a power user or launching into photography for the first time.

A square display on the top right-hand shoulder of the camera displays your current shooting information. This is a good way to keep the rear monitor turned off between shots, and the secondary display has a backlight that you can turn on and off manually. The touchscreen monitor is a good ‘un, too, measuring a generous 3.15in and offering a 2.1MP resolution. It’s also vari-angle, which is handy for video.

But goodness gracious, the electronic viewfinder. The only thing that beats it for resolution right now is the 9.44-million pixel EVF seen on the Sony A7S III and Sony A1. And while the R5 might only offer 5.76-million pixels, in use we could barely distinguish it from the true optical viewfinders found in traditional DSLRs. 

Beautifully smooth and with an incredible amount of fine detail, it makes the normal bugbear of mirrorless cameras – being able to tell when an image with slim depth of field is actually focussed – a thing of past. It’s really easy to tell, and with focus peaking available in manual focus mode, it conspires to make the R5 very easy to use.

Canon EOS R5 had a standard SD card slot and CFexpress slot

(Image credit: Future)

Canon EOS R5 review: specs and features

  • 45MP (effective) full-frame sensor
  • Same DIGIC X processor as the EOS 1D X Mark III
  • 8K video recording

On paper, the EOS R5 might be the best hybrid mirrorless camera on the market. It’s both high resolution and full-frame, producing 8,192 x 5,464 resolution files that weighed in, on average, at about 60MB each. 

That means, at the R5’s fastest continuous motor mode, you’re shooting about 1.2GB per second. In other words, make sure you’ve budgeted for extra storage, both in your camera and at home.

Speaking of storage, the R5 brings a pro-level solution to the table, offering both a standard SD card slot and a CFexpress slot. This allows you to either boost your camera’s available storage, shoot to two cards for real-time backup, or shoot raw files to one card and JPEGs to the other.

Memory cards take on more of a bearing if you plan to use the R5’s movie-shooting abilities. Its higher-end video modes, including 4K 10-bit HEVC (which is what you’ll shoot in Canon LOG or HDR PQ), 4K ALL-I 50/60fps, 4K 100/120fps or 8K ALL-I or raw, all require a CFexpress card. We shot exclusively with SanDisk’s 512GB Extreme PRO card, which is rated at 1,400MB/s write speed, and found that the buffer refilled at virtually the rate it was depleted, making in-the-field workflow completely hassle-free.

Canon EOS R5 articulating screen

(Image credit: Future)

Powering everything is Canon’s DIGIC X processor. It’s the same chip as the one you'll find in the powerhouse 1D X Mark III and it kept everything ticking over as our EOS R5 voraciously gobbled up light and churned out data.

The sensor is a new model, and this is Canon’s first body to feature in-body image stabilization (IBIS). In combination with the high speed data throughput of the RF mount, this can combine with the image stabilization in a lens to offer, in the right circumstances, up to eight stops of image stabilization.

You get all the expected mod cons, and then some. Wi-fi is there, of course, but in exotic 5GHz as well as 2.4GHz. There’s an FTP client built-in, allowing press photographers to offload images to remote servers as they shoot. 

Just about the only thing not present is a proper Ethernet socket – the Sony A9 Mark II does have one of these and pro sports photographers might lament its absence here. If you want one, you’ll need to dig out your wallet for the Canon WTF-R10B –this upgrades the R5’s FTP client to one that supports SFTP, while also adding two MIMO antennae for stronger connections and a Gigabit Ethernet port. Those are pretty niche features that will only be desirable for full-time agency photographers, though.

Of more interest to the rest of us is the EOS R5's new battery – the LP-E6NH has about 14 per cent more capacity than the slightly older LC-E6N. Those who already own Canon kit should note that the older model of battery is still compatible with the R5. You can also use a Power Delivery supply to charge the R5 via its USB-C port, saving you popping the battery out when it’s time to recharge.

Flick the mode selector to video and you’re greeted with yet more out-of-this-world performance. 4K, naturally, but up to 120fps, and with the option of shooting raw. 

Or, the headliner: 8K video. Again, the option of shooting raw is there, at 30, 25, 24 or 23.98fps, and at a galactic bitrate of approximately 2,600Mbps. Opting to shoot H.265 files, at the same settings, lowers the bitrate to about 1,300Mbps, while H.264 lowers it further to 300Mbps. 

Of course, these headline figures are only part of the video story, and Canon was forced to subsequently recalibrate expectations a little by publishing estimated recording times for each of the EOS R5's modes. We've included that information in the table below.

Perhaps even more significant than these recording times, particularly if you're planning to use the Canon EOS R5 as your main video workhorse, are the 'cool down' recovery times it needs after shooting extended scenes. Most mirrorless video cameras overheat, but not as many need quite as long to recover as the EOS R5.

We re-tested the Canon EOS R5's video performance after the arrival of its 1.1.0 firmware update, which promised to "extend video shooting times in some situations". You can read the full results of our video tests here, but the short answer is that while it slightly improves recovery times in some modes and situations, it's not a radical change from the original figures quoted for the EOS R5.

For example, when shooting 8K/30p, a 10-minute rest will then give you only three minutes of recording time, while letting it cool for an additional 20 minutes will give you an extra eight minutes of recording.

That's fair enough for 8K, a mode that no other mirrorless camera offers, but even if you're shooting 4K/60p on the EOS R5, a 10-minute rest will only give you another 10 minutes of recording time. So for both of the EOS R5's most demanding modes, you're still restricted to relatively short bursts. 

Canon EOS R5 rear screen and controls

(Image credit: Future)

Canon EOS R5 review: autofocus

  • 5,940 AF zones
  • Animal and face-detection
  • 100 per cent horizontal autofocus coverage

The Canon EOS R5’s autofocus is very nearly unbelievable. Its eye-detection is practically infallible, grabbing hold of human faces and holding on even with subjects moving rapidly forwards or backwards through the frame. Subject detection and tracking is similarly impressive. 

The new animal detection mode is out of this world, as we raved about in our wildlife test, with the R5 detecting and tracking non-human eyes and faces in some very demanding circumstances.

The R5 uses a new version of Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus, which means focussing is done on the sensor itself. This allows you to manually choose from 5,940 different AF points across 100 per cent of the sensor’s horizontal dimension and 90 per cent of its vertical. 

You can cut things however you want; splitting the sensor into large autofocus zones, allowing it to pick entirely for itself, or opting for tiny individual autofocus points using either the joystick or by dragging your thumb across the touchscreen monitor. Once you’ve got a zone picked, the R5’s autofocus will blow you away.

The animal recognition currently works for dogs, cats and birds, but it naturally isn't blind to other species, too. We're looking forward to seeing where this autofocus system goes next, but Canon's certainly made a very impressive start on the EOS R5.

Canon EOS R5 card slots

(Image credit: Future)

Canon EOS R5 review: performance

  • 12fps mechanical shutter/20fps electronic shutter
  • Backwards-compatible batteries
  • High-speed video modes

With the Digic X processor on board, it’s fair to expect good things of the R5’s performance – and so it proved in our tests. 

With our SanDisk Extreme Pro card we found the buffer cleared almost as fast as we could shoot, writing multiple frames per second when we’d finished shooting a burst of raw files. The EOS R5 will shoot 12fps using the mechanical shutter, or up to 20 with the electronic shutter. 

Purists who are concerned about the jello-effect of electronic shutters can put their minds at rest – we saw very little evidence of it. It was possible, on frames with tall elements in them, to detect a very small amount of distortion, but even with incredibly fast subjects, frames shot with the electronic shutter were just as usable as with the mechanical option. Another plus: the electronic shutter is totally – literally – silent. Wedding photographers and wildlife photographers, rejoice.

Battery life gets a significant thumbs-up as well. It’s still well down on traditional DSLRs, of course, but we managed about four hours of extremely intensive shooting (approximately 2,000 raw frames, all shot using the power-sucking electronic viewfinder) on a single charge. 

On a fairly intensive shoot we’d anticipate going through perhaps two batteries in a day, maybe three at a push. Because the R5 is backwards-compatible with the LP-E6N battery – first seen on the 2009 EOS 7D – it’s possible that many upgraders will already have a few spares.

Canon EOS R5 review: video and image quality

Video performance

Video performance is excellent as well. We tested the EOS R5 on a small half-day documentary shoot (see above), capturing just over 240GB of 4K video for a total of a shade over 55 minutes overall. 

Of that, about just about 38 minutes was shot in 4K, All-I, 25fps in 10-bit Canon LOG, with the rest (a hair under 17 minutes) shot at 50fps, still in All-I and in LOG. Of note is that the shoot happened on the warmest day of the year with the ambient temperature resting at an uncomfortable 32-degrees. We didn’t see any overheating warnings. 

Canon’s own claim is that the R5 will shoot up to 35 minutes at 50/60fps before it overheats, at which point it will recover at the rate of one shootable minute per minute of cool down. Not ideal, perhaps, if you want to shoot a documentary at 4K and 60fps, but those shooting 24 or 25fps films with a smattering of 60p for slow motion clips it’s quite possible you could use the R5 fairly intensively and never see an overheating warning. Canon claims that 25/30fps full-frame 4K video has no heat limitation.

Putting those slightly overhyped overheating claims to one side, it's far more useful –and fun – to look at the results that the Canon EOS R5 is capable of. 4K video is gorgeously sharp and the LOG files we shot were incredibly flexible when it came to grading. 

It's also worth noting that a recent firmware update, version 1.3.0, has brought the very useful Canon Log 3 (C-Log 3) format, which lets you achieve wide dynamic range and means its slots nicely into workflows that also include footage shot on Canon's EOS Cinema cameras. The update also brings a slo-mo 120p option for Full HD recording, though sadly the 30-minute recording limit for video files remains. 

Still, the combination of stabilized RF-mount lenses and in-camera IBIS ensures that, if you tread softly enough, you can create reasonably smooth tracking shots on the EOS R5 without a gimbal. Our selection of RF-mount lenses – the RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM, RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM and RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM – all provided sound-free tracking autofocus. For single-crewed shooters, or those tasked with filming BTS (Behind the Scenes) or B-roll, the EOS R5 could be an incredible addition to any toolkit.

A quick note – if you’re shooting 10-bit files, you’ll be wanting a proper editor. Those using BlackMagic’s free version of Resolve will need to upgrade. We edited and graded with Premiere Pro on an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.

Image quality

As you'd hope for the price, the R5 shoots excellent images. Up to about ISO 4000 you should have very few concerns, which is incredible. Push further and you’ll find fine-grained speckling in your images – we suspect editorial photographers won’t mind it much, but those with an eye on producing art prints might be a bit more cautious. 

Image 1 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 5 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 6 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 7 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 8 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 9 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 10 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 11 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 12 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 13 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 14 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 15 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 16 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 17 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 18 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 19 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)
Image 20 of 20

Canon EOS R5

(Image credit: Future)

For those dedicated to capturing once-in-a-lifetime moments, whatever the light, the R5 will shoot ISOs up to 102,400. We shot in anger up to ISO 51,200 and while the results were undoubtedly grainy, there was no color shift to contend with and there was plenty of detail. 

Having a camera that produces outstanding, high-resolution images in perfect light but which is capable of shooting usable shutter speeds in the dark again marks the EOS R5 out as an exceptional photographic tool. For a more in-depth look at the EOS R5's Animal Eye AF performance, check out our feature on a wildlife photographer's visit to a bird hide.

Should I buy the Canon EOS R5

Canon EOS R5 front

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Canon EOS R6 review
2:40 am | September 23, 2020
Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers DSLRs Gadgets | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: September 2020
• Newer Canon EOS R6 Mark II now available
• Launch price: $2,499 / £2,499 / AU$4,499
• Discounted officially but stock may still available at retailers

Updated: February 2024. According to Canon, the EOS R6 was one of its most popular cameras since its launch, prompting it to release the Mark II version in November 2022. The original EOS R6 has since been discontinued, with listings from Canon's official regional sites either removed or listed as out of stock. That said, some new stock is still available to buy from authorized retailers for about $1,999 / £1,399 / AU$2,800. The original review remains as previously published.

Canon EOS R6: two-minute review

Canon’s new EOS R6 may have been overshadowed by its more expensive EOS R5 sibling, but given its impressive feature set, it might become Canon’s most popular camera. It fills the hole left between the EOS R’s pretty impressive skills and the top-end specs of the EOS R5 (which, admittedly, might be too much of a camera for the average user).

To put it simply, the EOS R6 is essentially a more affordable R5, albeit with a significantly lower sensor resolution and more limited (but still excellent) video recording capabilities. And, despite being classed as an enthusiast-level camera, the EOS R6 comes with features that rival Canon’s professional-level – and extremely expensive – models. All of that adds up to make the R6 one of the best Canon cameras available right now.

Taking a leaf, or two, out of the EOS 1D X Mark III playbook, the EOS R6 inherits the same 20MP sensor resolution as the DSLR but not quite the same sensor. The difference is in the architecture as an upgraded version of Canon’s tried-and-tested Dual Pixel CMOS autofocusing system has been incorporated onto the sensor. This has markedly improved autofocus and tracking performance, with the EOS R6 now able to match, and sometimes outperform, Sony’s Real-Time Tracking Autofocus.

20.1MP is a step down from the 26.2MP pixel count in the EOS 6D Mark II and EOS RP (or the 30MP one in the EOS R), and that’s evident in side-by-side comparisons, although you will have to look really close to be disappointed. However, it’s the dynamic range that’s disappointing – images taken in bright sunlight appear flat, with a lack of detail in highlights and shadows. In comparison, the EOS 6D Mark II performed better in the same situation. That said, image quality is still pretty darn good and shooting with the EOS R6 is an absolute pleasure.

Its ergonomic design makes it comfortable for all-day use, no matter how large or small your mitts are, and you can shoot handheld at shutter speeds as high as 2 seconds and still get remarkably sharp images (provided you have steady hands).

It’s Canon’s first try at in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and, boy, has the company nailed it! It also makes shooting video an absolute pleasure. Yes, there are limitations when shooting 4K footage – and you aren’t going to get the R5’s impressive 8K option here – but Canon has made it very clear that the EOS R6 is first and foremost a stills camera.

Then there’s the marked improvement in speed – while it can’t quite match the 1D X Mark III’s blitzing 16fps burst with the mechanical shutter, the R6 is capable of 12fps bursts. Switch to its electronic shutter and it will match the sports DSLR’s whopping 20fps continuous shooting speed – more than enough for wildlife or sports photography.

Overall, the EOS R6 is a massive upgrade from either the EOS 6D Mark II or even the EOS R and the EOS RP, and is deserving of its place in our guide to the best cameras for photography. But all that impressive performance doesn’t come cheap, with higher resolution full-frame mirrorless models now available at a similar price point.

Canon EOS R6

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Canon EOS R6 review: price and availability

  • Announced July 2020
  • Available right now for $2,499 / £2,499 / AU$4,499
  • Limited stock in most markets

Although Canon announced the EOS R6 (and the EOS R5) in early July, the camera didn’t begin shipping until late August. Even then, there were – and still is – very limited stock reaching retailers worldwide due to the current pandemic affecting supply lines. You may be able to book an EOS R6 with authorized Canon retailers right away, and they will be able to let you know when your unit will ship.

The R6 will set you back $2,499 / £2,499 / AU$4,499, which isn’t cheap by any means. That’s an upper-midrange price tag for a camera Canon has classified as enthusiast-level, but costs about as much as other high-end contenders for the best mirrorless camera crown like the Nikon Z7 or the Sony A7R III, both of which have high-resolution sensors.

That said, given the R6’s feature set, it’s a competitive price point that’s only slightly higher than the $2,299 / £2,349 / AU$3,349 launch price of the EOS R.

Canon EOS R6

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Canon EOS R6 review: specs and features

  • 20.1MP full-frame CMOS sensor
  • IBIS with up to 8 stops of compensation
  • Head- and eye-detect AF for animals

There have been so many cameras aimed at video makers that it’s refreshing to know manufacturers haven’t forgotten stills photographers. Canon’s target market for the new EOS R6 is “photographers more focused on stills” who may want to take videos occasionally, with the camera inheriting some top-end features from the EOS 1D X Mark III, starting with its processor.

Canon’s latest Digic X imaging engine works alongside a slightly redesigned 20.1MP full-frame CMOS sensor that, the manufacturer says, is “similar” to the one used in the sports DSLR. The updated sensor incorporates Canon’s second-generation Dual Pixel autofocus architecture (called Dual Pixel CMOS AF II). This has improved phase-difference detection autofocusing in Live View on the R6, and also allows for faster readout speeds during fast continuous shooting and while capturing 4K video at high frame rates. In theory, this should even reduce rolling shutter distortions when using the sensor-based electronic shutter.

20.1MP might seem like a step down for a camera that’s meant to be an all-rounder, but it’s all about the markedly improved speed. The R6 can shoot bursts of 12fps when its mechanical shutter is in use – a remarkable number for a camera that’s aimed squarely at enthusiasts and hobbyists. If that’s not fast enough for you, just switch over to its electronic shutter and the R6 will match the EOS 1D X Mark III’s top speed of 20fps.

Lower pixel count also means bigger pixels, which translates to better light sensitivity and higher signal-to-noise ratio, giving the EOS R6 a native ISO range of 100-102,400 that can be expanded either side to ISO 50 and ISO 204,800 – a massive step up from the EOS R’s native ISO sensitivity of 100 to 40,000. Canon says the decision to use a lower resolution sensor is also to help event photographers manage their workflow – lower pixel count means the file sizes are smaller, thus speeding up transfer rates.

Canon EOS R6

(Image credit: TechRadar)

The headline feature, though, is the addition of in-body image stabilization, something Canon has historically shied away from. The newly designed 5-axis system, Canon says, offers up to 8 stops of compensation when working in tandem with a stabilized lens, although the shutter speed compensation will depend on which lens is being used. For example, with the RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens which has 5-stops of image stabilization, you’ll get 8 stops of coordinated control; however, with the RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM lens, which is longer and heavier but has the same 5-stop stability, you’ll get a combined 6.5 stops of stabilization. 

This latter is the lens we used during most of our testing and were able to shoot handheld at a shutter speed of 2 seconds at an effective focal length of 24mm – pretty much matching Canon’s claim. And if you use a lens without IS (like the RF 28-70mm f/2), you’ll still get a full 8 stops of stabilization.

The R6’s autofocus system has also been given an impressive boost. There are 6,072 user-selectable AF points covering 100% of the frame – an improvement over the EOS R’s 5,655 AF point system. Canon also claims the R6 (and the R5) have the “world’s fastest AF for a full-frame camera” measured at 0.05 seconds, although the EOS R also lays claim to the same AF acquisition speed. That said, Sony has beaten Canon with the APS-C format Alpha A6400 that has an AF acquisition speed of 0.02 seconds.

Like the 1D X Mark III, the EOS R6 also has HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) file support. That means images are captured in 10-bit RGB color for wider dynamic range and color gamut. This format also uses a more efficient compression algorithm that saves a lot more information than traditional JPEGs and is a great alternative to anyone who doesn’t shoot in RAW.

In terms of video, the R6 is clearly not competing with the R5. 4K/60p capture is the best you can get here, and in UHD only. There’s no DCI support for a more cinema-like look, but Canon hasn’t designed this camera for videographers. That said, being able to shoot 4K video while utilizing the full width of the sensor is a huge advantage the R6 has over the EOS R and RP.

Canon EOS R6

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Canon EOS R6 review: design and handling

  • Deep, ergonomic grip
  • Joystick multi-controller
  • Dual card slots

Physically, the EOS R6 doesn’t offer a huge size advantage over its 6D Mark II DSLR cousin. It’s only marginally lighter and smaller at 680g (compared to the 765g weight of the latter) and dimensions of 138mm x 98mm x 88mm (as opposed to 144mm x 111mm x 75mm for the 6D II). In real-world use, you’ll barely register the difference. 

Thanks to its deep grip, the R6 is wonderfully ergonomic for holding and using for long periods of time. And for those worried about the elements, the R6 is weather sealed. In fact, the EOS R6 (and the R5) have the option of keeping the shutter closed when the camera is powered off to minimize dust damage, something you can set up within the menu system.

The body resembles the older EOS R in most ways but there are a few obvious differences – the main one being the return of the joystick multi-controller on the camera’s rear. The touch bar on the rear panel of the EOS R was a sore point of contention amongst many users and it’s good to see that it’s gone. The textured joystick is easy to find without taking your eye off the viewfinder. You can use it to find your choice of AF point easily or to navigate the menu system if you’re not keen on Canon’s touchscreen functionality. 

Canon EOS R6

(Image credit: TechRadar)

The other difference on the rear control setup is the return of the Quick Menu (Q) button which was also missing in both the EOS R and the RP. If you’re an existing Canon user, the control layout will, for the most part, be very familiar to you, as will the menu system. For those coming from a completely different system, Canon’s setup has always been very intuitive and easy to use, and just a few minutes spent familiarizing yourself will have you up and running.

On the top, the R6 misses out on the LCD display that’s available on the EOS R and R5 (and also on Canon’s DSLRs) but gets a traditional mode dial that will be familiar to most Canon DSLR users.

The R6 also misses out on the high-resolution viewfinder that’s on the R5, instead getting a 3.69-million dot EVF (matching the EOS R). While a higher resolution EVF would have been grand, there’s absolutely nothing to complain about here – a refresh rate of 119.8fps means you’ll barely notice any blackout.

If you’re not keen on using the EVF, you can always shoot in Live View and frame your image using the 3-inch 1.62-million dot rear touchscreen. This vari-angle display is slightly smaller than the one on the EOS R5, which is 3.2 inches thanks to thinner bezels.

Canon EOS R6

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Another major improvement the R6 brings is dual card slots, both of which support SD UHS-II format. You can record to both simultaneously if you wish or one at a time.

On the opposite side to the memory card slots are all the other ports you’ll need. There’s 3.5mm headphone and mic jacks, a 3.1 Gen 2 speed USB-C port, a micro HDMI port, and an E3 remote shutter terminal. The USB-C port can be used to charge the camera while on the go.

Speaking of charging, both the R6 and the R5 also benefit from a new battery – LPE-6NH – which not only offers better battery life (about 510 shots as per CIPA’s conservative rating) but is also compatible with any Canon body that uses LP-E6N or LP-E6 batteries (like the 6D Mark II, for example).

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Canon EOS R6 review: autofocus

  • 6,072 AF points
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF II
  • 100% horizontal frame coverage

Like the pro-level 1D X Mark III and the more expensive EOS R5, the R6 is remarkably quick and accurate, with autofocus performance that’s arguably best in class. Starting with subject detection, locking onto a face or eye and then tracking the subject – it was all spot-on pretty much every single time we tested it. 

Bursts of a seaplane flying show every single frame in sharp focus, as does sequences of shots we took of birds. If the animal or person we were shooting turned away from the camera, the R6 promptly increased the focus box size and locked on to the back of the head. In fact, if the subject turned back to face the camera again, the R6 was able to lock onto an eye without so much as a blink.

Canon's AF system is best-in-class and the only time we failed to capture a sharp image is when we ourselves weren't able to keep up with our subjects

Canon's AF system is best-in-class and the only time we failed to capture a sharp image is when we ourselves weren't able to keep up with our subjects (Image credit: TechRadar)

Canon says the animal recognition on the R6 is currently only for cats, dogs and birds, but that doesn’t stop the camera from focusing on anything it thinks is an eye or a head. For subjects as small as bees, the R6 was able to find the insect’s head and stick with it as long as it was on a flower. However, we failed while trying to track the bees as we were too slow to follow the busy bodies, and the out-of-focus images were no fault of the camera but the user's inability to keep up.

Canon’s new Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system allows focusing to be done on-sensor and gives you a whopping 6,072 AF points to choose from – higher than the R5’s 5.940 user-definable points. These points cover the entire horizontal frame and 90% vertically, which is more than what most intermediate-level cameras offer.

Long story short, there’s no other camera in this class that can do what the R6 does in terms of autofocus, at the speed at which it does, and, arguably, at the price point that it does.

Canon EOS R6 review: performance

  • Best-in-class full-frame IBIS
  • Up to 20fps burst speed
  • Improved battery life

With Canon’s latest Digic X imaging engine under the hood, you’d expect the R6 to be a top performer like the 1D X Mark III where the processor debuted. And our tests prove that it is.

The R6 is capable of capturing 5472x3648 pixel images (as compared to the larger 8192×5464 size on the R5) in JPEG or 14-bit RAW files. Compressed RAW is also available, but our file format pick is the 10-bit HEIF. To shoot in this format, you need to enable HDR PQ, which will swap JPEG out for HEIF, and you can convert back to JPEG in-camera as well.

To match the camera’s burst speed, it’s important the R6 have an equally impressive buffer memory. While a lot will depend on the memory card you’re using, the camera handled a burst of about 315 frames during our tests without even thinking about it to a UHS-II SD card. 

In fact, you’ll easily be able to save over 1,000 JPEGs or compressed .CR3 RAW files to a UHS-II card without the camera slowing down. If you’re shooting uncompressed RAW, then buffer depth will drop significantly to 240 consecutive files. Either way, that’s way more than what most people will need.

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 24mm, 1s (handheld) at f/4, ISO 800

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 24mm, 1s (handheld) at f/4, ISO 800 (Image credit: TechRadar)

But it was the image stabilization that we were most keen to test and, boy, did it impress. Paired with the RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM lens, which itself has 5-stops of image stability built in, we were supposed to get a total of 6.5 stops of compensation according to Canon’s own claims. That means that at 24mm effective focal length, we should be able to hold the camera for a maximum shutter speed of 2 seconds and, in practice, that worked. The only downside to us capturing pinpoint sharpness was the buffeting wind we were facing. However, 1.6 second shutter speed shot during the same windy evening was perfectly usable.

Canon EOS R6 mechanical shutter (left) vs EOS R6 electronic shutter (right): there's no discernible rolling shutter effect while panning 

Canon EOS R6 mechanical shutter (left) vs EOS R6 electronic shutter (right): there's no discernible rolling shutter effect while panning  (Image credit: TechRadar)

We also tested how the R6’s electronic shutter would handle itself while panning. Rolling shutter effects are common when shooting with a sensor-based electronic shutter but our tests showed no noticeable distortion while panning slowly, but we did see a significant lean when panning faster.

Canon EOS R6 review: image quality

  • Excellent color reproduction
  • Disappointing dynamic range in JPEGs
  • Good ISO performance

Most users would be concerned with the resolving power of the 20MP sensor. As long as you aren’t doing a side-by-side comparison with the R5 – which would be highly unfair – we found the R6 can hold its own. 

Images pop with color without appearing oversaturated, as has always been Canon’s trademark. Details are good for the most part but we did find the R6 struggles during bright sunlight. 

Canon EOS R6 (left) vs Canon EOS 6D Mark II (right): the DSLR captures more details and textures overall, although the R6 resolves the details within the building better

Canon EOS R6 (left) vs Canon EOS 6D Mark II (right): the DSLR captures more details and textures overall, although the R6 resolves the details within the building better (Image credit: TechRadar)

We took a series of shots on a very sunny day only to find images appearing flat, with lack of details. When compared to the EOS 6D Mark II, we found the latter’s 26MP had a touch more detail and texture than the R6, as you can see in the 50% crop side-by-side JPEG comparison pictured above.

While the R6 handled the resolution of the bars through the glass wall of the ferry wharf really well, the 6D II had more detail on the roof of the wharf and the water surface. Even colors on the R6 image appear flatter in comparison to the DSLR. 

That said, these are standard JPEGs – if you shoot HEIF files, the R6’s 10-bit dynamic range will come into play and you’ll be able to capture greater tonal range. Keep in mind that software support for HEIF is still limited, although it is the default file format for Apple’s Photos app, and you can convert all HEIFs into JPEGs in-camera.

Image 1 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 65mm, 1/400s at f/13, ISO 200

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 65mm, 1/400s at f/13, ISO 200 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 2 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/350s at f/6.3, ISO 320

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/350s at f/6.3, ISO 320 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 3 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/500s at f/9, ISO 200

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/500s at f/9, ISO 200 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 4 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/2000s at f/16, ISO 3200

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/2000s at f/16, ISO 3200 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 5 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM | 35mm, 1/250s at f/5, ISO 200

Canon EOS R6 + RF 35mm F1.8 Macro IS STM | 35mm, 1/250s at f/5, ISO 200 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 6 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/320s at f/7.1, ISO 200

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/320s at f/7.1, ISO 200 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 7 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 25mm, 1/400s at f/10, ISO 200

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 25mm, 1/400s at f/10, ISO 200 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 8 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/500s at f/10, ISO 200

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/500s at f/10, ISO 200 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 9 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/800s at f/10, ISO 200

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 240mm, 1/800s at f/10, ISO 200 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 10 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 118mm, 1/320s at f/9, ISO 200

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 118mm, 1/320s at f/9, ISO 200 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 11 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 24mm, 1/250s at f/8, ISO 100

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 24mm, 1/250s at f/8, ISO 100 (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 12 of 12

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 42mm, 1/500s at f/13, ISO 200

Canon EOS R6 + RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM | 42mm, 1/500s at f/13, ISO 200 (Image credit: TechRadar)

You’ll also find that the camera’s 20MP sensor has enough resolving power to allow for some cropping without excessive loss in quality, provided the image was shot at low ISO. As expected, you’ll find some details being lost at high ISOs, although it was only at ISO 20,000 that we began to see this problem. The R6 also handles noise quite well.

Image 1 of 2

There's still a good amount detail at ISO 10,000...

There's still a good amount detail at ISO 10,000... (Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 2 of 2

..but begin to flatten out at ISO 20,000 although the image is still usable

..but begin to flatten out at ISO 20,000 although the image is still usable (Image credit: TechRadar)

Overall, it’s a very capable camera that produces excellent images, as long as you aren’t looking to print any of them in a size larger than A3.

Should I buy the Canon EOS R6?

Canon EOS R6

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Buy it if...

Don't buy if...

[First reviewed September 2020]

Sony Alpha A9 II review
5:02 am | January 7, 2020
Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers DSLRs Gadgets | Tags: | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: January 202
• Newer Sony A9 III now available
• Launch price: $4,500 / £4,800 / AU$7,299
• Official price now: $4,499 / £4,199 / AU$6,499

Updated: February 2024. It took Sony three years to release the third-generation A9 late in 2023, but the Sony A9 II remains an excellent pro shooter even today. It's had some firmware updates since its release and slight price drop too, but if you can pick up at a discounted price, its performance is worth every penny. The Sony A9 II doesn't always get a discount, even during major sales like Black Friday, but if you keep your eyes open, it's possible to snap it up (pun entirely intended) for around $3,100 / £2,800 / AU$5,300. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Until May 2017, the kings of professional sports and press photography were two DSLRs – the Canon EOS 1D X Mark II and the Nikon D5. Then Sony launched the Alpha A9 and changed the game. Smaller, lighter and ridiculously fast, the original full-frame mirrorless sports shooter from Sony was one of the best snappers we had tested. 

Fast forward to 2019 and the second generation A9 is on the market, trying to tempt the pros to upgrade. However, Sony has mostly held on to the core specs from the first-gen A9 and has chosen to make what, on paper, seems like only incremental upgrades to the A9 II. Those little tweaks may not mean much to the average user, but professionals in the field who rely on ridiculously quick turnovers and need high-speed performance will be the ones to appreciate what the Sony Alpha A9 II has to offer. It’s these users that the A9 line of cameras was designed for, and the latest model does not disappoint. 

With so much that’s similar to the previous model, we’ve decided to list what’s great about the newer version in this review so as not to repeat ourselves. We’ve listed all the new features and then jumped straight to image quality so you can decide for yourself whether it’s worth the upgrade or not. That said, the A9 II costs a pretty penny (having launched with a price tag of $4,500 / £4,800 / AU$7,299) while the original A9 has seen a significant price drop. So, do the small changes make the Alpha A9 II a worthwhile purchase?

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Design & features

  • Larger, deeper hand grip
  • 10fps burst with mechanical shutter
  • Built-in 1000BASE-T Ethernet terminal
  • 60-second voice memo

There’s a total of 43 features that are different in the Sony Alpha A9 II as compared to its predecessor, with only a few subtle physical differences that make the newer model an absolute pleasure to use. 

One of those design changes is the larger and deeper grip that, even for those with small hands, makes the camera quite comfortable to hold and use for hours on end. The AF-ON button is now larger and more prominent, while the multi-selector joystick is now textured and thus more tactile, making it easier to find and use without taking your eye off the viewfinder.

Sony Alpha A9 II key specs

Sensor: 24.2MP full-frame Exmor RS BSI CMOS sensor
Lens mount: Sony FE
Screen: 3.0-inch tilt-angle touchscreen; 1,440K dots
Burst speed: Up to 20fps
Autofocus: Hybrid AF; 693 phase- and 425 contrast-detect points
ISO: 100-51200 (exp 50-204800)
Video: 4K/30p
Connectivity: Wi-Fi (5GHz), USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 1), Bluetooth, HDMI mini, LAN, NFC
Weight: 678g (with battery + card)

While the drive dial remains unchanged from the A9, the exposure compensation dial on the top right corner of the camera now sports a locking button to prevent accidental changes. There's also a redesigned lens lock button on the A9 II, along with better padding for shock absorption around the lens mount. The camera also has better weather sealing than the older model, with double-sealed sliders for ports, the card slots, and battery compartment rather than just hinged seals.

However, the biggest advantage the A9 II has over its predecessor is the ability to shoot continuously twice as fast – using the mechanical shutter, the Mark II can capture up to 10 frames per second, making it a better shooter to use under certain artificial lights. In fact, for sports photographers shooting in indoor stadiums, there’s a new anti-flicker mode that detects fluorescent lighting and adjusts exposure accordingly. It's worth noting that the anti-flicker mode is not available while filming videos or when using the electronic shutter.

Design changes aside, it’s the improvements to the camera’s connectivity that really makes this shooter one of the best options for pros. The most important among them is the upgraded 1000BASE-T Ethernet port that is ten times faster than the 100MB/s terminal on the original A9 (we were able to transfer a batch of 300 JPEGs with a file size of about 11MB each in just under a minute and a half). Even the USB-C port is now the faster 3.2 Gen 1 standard, while the Wi-Fi supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz as opposed to just the 2.4GHz in the original A9. These improvements in connectivity will allow photographers to transfer files directly to FTP servers quickly. Up to 10 different FTP settings can be saved to an SD card and reloaded onto the A9 II, while Sony’s Imaging Edge mobile app can save up to 20.

Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: TechRadar)
Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Another really cool feature that many photojournalists will be glad to use is the voice memo. Vocal instructions of up to 60 seconds in length can be recorded for individual images or a series of shots – a huge help for teams waiting back in the office to use the images wherever necessary. The memos can also be converted into text that get added to the JPEG file’s metadata, although this needs to be done on the Imaging Edge app.

A new low-vibration shutter design has improved image stabilization in the A9 II by half a stop, now rated at 5.5 stops. However, in real-world testing, we were hard pressed to tell the difference between the two iterations, with the A9’s IBIS still rather impressive.

Another tiny tweak that can go a long way is the slight improvement in battery life – where the A9 was rated for 650 shots when using the LCD display and 480 while using the viewfinder, the second generation shooter can manage to spit out up to 690 and 500 respectively.

Practically everything else has been inherited from the older camera and you can refer back to our in-depth Sony Alpha A9 review to find out more about the other features.

Autofocus

  • Real-time Eye AF for 4K video
  • Improved AF algorithm

We were unable to test the camera in sports arenas as people weren’t comfortable with us publishing photographs of them on a public platform, so we tried the next best thing – wildlife. This kind of photography requires a fast and precise autofocus system, especially when taking photos of birds, and the A9 II did not disappoint.

The AF on the original A9 was practically perfect – fast and reliable in equal measure. At the time we thought it wasn’t possible to make it any better but, boy, were we wrong. All it took was a tiny tweak to the AF algorithm – made possible by the new Bionz X processor – to give the new camera’s autofocus performance a boost by improving subject tracking, even when using smaller apertures with Focus Priority switched on. 

Tracking is precise and can keep up with erratically moving subjects as well (like birds flying and changing directions suddenly). The camera’s AF system does occasionally have trouble when the head of the subject disappears briefly and then reappears – we found that the AF system wasn’t able to lock back onto the subject’s head, but was more than capable of tracking the body.

The Sony A9 II can stay locked on to the main subject even when an obstacle gets in the way | Click here to see the full-size image

The Sony A9 II can stay locked on to the main subject even when an obstacle gets in the way | Click here to see the full-size image (Image credit: TechRadar)

Even when an obstacle gets in between the subject and the camera, the Sony A9 II is intelligent enough to know it needs to stay locked onto the main subject. In our case, this was demonstrated when we were photographing a tower of giraffes at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo. While we were focused on one animal, another ambled past between us and the giraffe we were shooting, and the A9 II didn’t even blink, staying locked on to our main subject.

The biggest improvement to the AF system, though, is the addition of real-time eye-detect autofocus when recording 4K video, something that’s missing in the older A9 model.

A few other tiny tweaks have been made to the AF system as well, including adding the ability to move the focus frame even when the shutter or the AF-ON button is half-pressed. You can also change the color of the focus frame to whatever catches your fancy. If you prefer using the rear LCD for touch-tracking, you can do so even when using the viewfinder to shoot.

Image quality

  • Expandable ISO range of 50 - 208,800
  • Excellent ISO performance
  • Decent dynamic range

Like its predecessor, the A9 II delivers some superb results. The 24.2MP sensor delivers images that are sharp, with great colors and plenty of details. However, RAW files have more chroma (color) noise as compared to JPEGs due to the camera’s high rate of calculations, but nothing that can’t be fixed during post processing.

ISO performance is excellent with virtually no noise at the lower values and very acceptable levels when you climb up to 12,800 and 25,600, as seen in the below image of a bird in the water.

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/400 sec at f/5.6, ISO 12,800 | Click here to see the full-size image

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/400 sec at f/5.6, ISO 12,800 | Click here to see the full-size image (Image credit: TechRadar)

The above shot was taken at ISO 12,800 and then cropped down by 20%. The uncropped image barely showed signs of luminance, with some grain visible only after cropping to zoom in closer to the subject. While noise becomes evident at 51,200 and higher, you should still be fine taking it up to 102,400 although we’d advise going that high only if you absolutely have to and if you’re shooting JPEGs.

Image 1 of 11

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 200

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 200 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Click here to see the full-size image

Image 2 of 11

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 at f/5.6, ISO 500

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 at f/5.6, ISO 500 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Click here to see the full-size image

Image 3 of 11

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 160

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 160 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Click here to see the full-size image

Image 4 of 11

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 at f/5.6, ISO 500

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 at f/5.6, ISO 500 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Taken through a pane of glass and the camera was still able to find the subject's face | Click here to see the full image

Image 5 of 11

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 at f/5.6, ISO 100

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 at f/5.6, ISO 100 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Click here to see the full-size image

Image 6 of 11

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/320 at f/5.6, ISO 100

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/320 at f/5.6, ISO 100 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Click here to see the full-size image

Image 7 of 11

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 at f/5.6, ISO 250

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 at f/5.6, ISO 250 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Click here to see the full-size image

Image 8 of 11

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 at f/5.6, ISO 100

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/500 at f/5.6, ISO 100 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Click here to see the full-size image

Image 9 of 11

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Click here to see the full-size image

Image 10 of 11

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/640 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/640 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Click here to see the full-size image

Image 11 of 11

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/800 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

Sony Alpha A9 II with FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 OSS; 1/800 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100 (Image credit: TechRadar)

Click here to see full-sized image

The A9 II does have a decent dynamic range, although it’s still not quite a match for Sony’s megapixel monsters, but that’s only because the A7R series was designed for landscape photography. The A9 II holds its own when compared to the Canon EOS 1D X Mark II and the Nikon D5 (the latter is marvelous in low light), and plenty of details can be extracted from shadows when working on your shots later, even when just using a slider in the most basic photo editing apps.

Verdict

The A9 II was designed specifically with the photojournalist in mind. For the average user, this camera will likely be overkill, with most of the new features going unused and under-appreciated. For the target audience though, this is one heck of an upgrade over the original A9. It feels a lot more refined and a far more efficient tool for photographers in the field. 

Our only complaint would be the absence of XQD or CFexpress card slots that would see files saved to card much quicker, and the limited touchscreen functionality – both of which remain the same as in the A9. Other than adding real-time eye-AF to 4K video recording, no other improvements have been made for shooting movies. There’s still no S-Log support and the camera can only record 8-bit 4:2:0 video internally. The only way to output 8-bit 4:2:2 video is externally via the micro HDMI port.

However, Sony has released some very good long lenses that weren’t available when the A9 launched in 2017, making the A9 II a very compelling sports camera, despite the competition it’s likely going to have from the Canon EOS 1D X Mark III and the Nikon D6.

Competition

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Canon)

Canon EOS 1D X Mark III

Canon’s latest sports DSLR has plenty to offer, including a higher continuous shooting speed of 16fps when using the mechanical shutter (as opposed to the A9 II’s 10fps burst). For anyone keen on capturing video, Canon has made this an ideal hybrid shooter, with C-Log 4:2:2 10-bit in-camera recording. While we’re yet to test this new camera fully, it’s shaping up to be a formidable competitor.

Read our thoughts on the Canon EOS 1D X Mark III in our hands-on review

Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Nikon)

Nikon D5

While we wait for the Nikon D6 to make its official debut, the D5 is still the low-light king amongst sports cameras, with an extended ISO range that goes up to a staggering 3,280,000 still not found in any other shooter. While its 173 AF points might seem a tad dated right now, its AF performance is still topnotch. So until we know more about the D6, this would be a superb choice for a sports DSLR.

Read our in-depth Nikon D5 review

Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Sony Alpha A9

It would be remiss of us if we didn't include the game-changing sports mirrorless shooter here. The original A9 is still a very impressive camera – after all, the second generation model is based mostly on this snapper. And with a significant price drop since the launch of the Mark II, the A9 is a compelling choice for those without the spare change for the more expensive newer pro-level sports shooters.

Read our in-depth Sony Alpha A9 review

Canon EOS Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D review
7:24 pm | April 26, 2019
Author: admin | Category: Cameras Computers DSLRs Gadgets | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Editor's Note

• Original review date: April 2019
• Replaced in 2022 by the mirrorless EOS R10
• Launch price: $599 / £529.99 / AU$999
• Official price now: $649.99 / £630 / AU$1,249

Update: March 2024. Although it’s now four years old, the Canon EOS SL3 / 250D / 200D Mark II (depending on your region) is still one of our favorite DSLR cameras for beginners. In fact, in our round-up of the best entry-level DSLR cameras, it’s our top pick for buyers on a budget. Canon is no longer developing new DSLR models, which is evidenced by the fact that the EOS SL3’s entry-level successor – the EOS R10 – is a mirrorless camera. All the same, if you prefer the classic handling of a DSLR, we think the EOS SL3 continues to offer excellent value for learners. It’s well-built, lightweight and lovely in the hand. Due to limited stock, you’ll probably need to shop around at online retailers. There are cheaper options out there if you search hard enough, including the EOS Rebel T100 (also known as the EOS 4000D / EOS 3000D), but we think the EOS SL3 is worth the extra outlay.

Although Canon has some even cheaper models right at the bottom of its DSLR line-up in the shape of the EOS Rebel T7 / EOS 2000D and EOS Rebel T100 / EOS 4000D, neither model made much of an impression when we came to test them.

While those two cameras are still the cheapest way into the expansive EOS DSLR system – at least without looking towards the secondhand market – there's another option that gives users a few extra toys to play with, and a little more growing space. And with constant heat from affordable mirrorless cameras, that's only a good thing. 

Positioned between the EOS Rebel T6 / EOS 1300D and the more advanced EOS Rebel T7i / EOS 800D, the Rebel SL3, also known as the EOS 250D and EOS 200D II, followed on from the very capable EOS Rebel SL2 / EOS 200D that surfaced two years before it and easily made its way on to our best DSLR camera list. At the time of release, much of the Rebel SL3's core feature set was familiar to us, but it also marked the introduction of 4K video on a DSLR this cheap from any manufacturer. 

So what else can be found on the camera?

Features

  • 24.1MP APS-C sensor with Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • DIGIC 8 processing engine
  • 4K UHD video recording to 24p

Like rival Nikon, most of Canon's DSLRs are fitted with 24MP APS-C sensors, and the EOS Rebel SL3 is the latest recipient. This is believed to be the same sensor that starred in the previous Rebel SL2, and it also features a similar Dual Pixel CMOS AF system built into it.

This system uses pixels in the sensor to perform phase-detect AF, which is the way DSLRs normally focus when you use the viewfinder. By having this on the sensor, it allows the Rebel SL3 to focus quickly when using live view or when capturing videos – something we'll be exploring in more depth later.

The camera is fitted with the same EF mount that has long served Canon's EOS DSLRs, and this accepts both EF-S and EF lenses. Whichever type of optic you choose, the size of the camera's sensor means your lens is subject to a 1.6x crop factor. So, the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens that's the default kit option with the camera provides an effective focal length of around 29-88mm. Lenses with their own Image Stabilizer (I.S.) systems are particularly desirable here, given the lack of an equivalent sensor-based system inside the camera itself.

The camera can fire bursts of images at a 5fps, which is unchanged from the Rebel SL2, despite the presence of the newer DIGIC processing engine. This burst rate is fairly respectable for entry-level models, but is quite outdated compared to many mirrorless models. If you are somebody that likes to shoot action and/or moving subjects, it might not be the right model for you. Better news is that the Digic engine does, however, support 4K video capture to 24p, although there are a number of restrictions.

There are, for example, no other frame rates to choose from when capturing 4K footage. Videos are also subject to a crop factor, which means you lose a little of the wide-angle view of your lenses when you start recording, although this isn't an issue when recording Full HD or Standard HD videos. You also can't use the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system, unless you're happy to knock resolution down to Full HD. (You can still use autofocus during 4K video recording, it just tends to be less fluid.)

Image 1 of 8

Image credit: TechRadar

Image credit: TechRadar
Image 2 of 8

Image credit: TechRadar

Image credit: TechRadar
Image 3 of 8

Image credit: TechRadar

Image credit: TechRadar
Image 4 of 8

Image credit: TechRadar

Image credit: TechRadar
Image 5 of 8

Image credit: TechRadar

Image credit: TechRadar
Image 6 of 8

Image credit: TechRadar

Image credit: TechRadar
Image 7 of 8

Image credit: TechRadar

Image credit: TechRadar
Image 8 of 8

Image credit: TechRadar

Image credit: TechRadar
CANON EOS REBEL SL3 / EOS 250D KEY SPECS

Sensor: 24.1MP APS-C CMOS

Lens mount: EF mount

Screen: 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04 million dots

Viewfinder: Pentamirror, approx. 95% coverage

Burst shooting: 5fps 

Autofocus: 9-point AF system, Dual Pixel CMOS AF

Video: 4K UHD (up to 25/24p)

Connectivity: USB 2.0, HDMI, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth LE

Battery life: 1,070 shots (with viewfinder)

Weight: Black finish: approx. 449g (including card and battery); White finish: approx. 451g 

Metering is handled by a separate 63-zone metering sensor when you're using the viewfinder to compose your images, and this provides the customary evaluative, partial, spot and center-weighted average quartet of options. Those same patterns are available when using live view, although here metering is performed off the main imaging sensor, with a maximum 384 separate zones used.

Picture Styles, meanwhile, allow the user to tailor the color, sharpness, contrast and other parameters to the scene being captured. You can stick with the default Auto mode if you want to the camera to make all these decisions, although options such as Portrait, Landscape, Neutral and Monochrome can be easily called upon should you want a specific look and feel for your images.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, both of which were present on the EOS Rebel SL2, are on board, although that camera's NFC functionality has been dropped for this model. Some other smaller features make their DSLR debut here, though, such as the Smooth Skin mode that aims to give subjects a more flattering complexion.

There's a USB port on the right side of the camera as you hold it; it's the older USB 2.0 specification rather than the more recent and speedier USB 3.1, but if you only use Wi-Fi or a card reader to transfer images from the camera, this probably won't be an issue. There's also a mini HDMI socket just above this, while on the left side a door conceals a 3.5mm microphone socket and a further connection for remote releases.

One area where the Rebel SL3 impresses is battery life. This is rated to 1,070 frames per charge (when using the viewfinder), making the camera one of the best in its class in this area

One area where the Rebel SL3 impresses is battery life. This is rated to 1,070 frames per charge (when using the viewfinder), making the camera one of the best in its class in this area. 

Putting this into perspective, the Rebel SL2 offered 650 frames per charge, so the step up is significant. If you use live view or record video this figure drops to around 320 frames, which is more or less what you'll find on many of today's mirrorless cameras.

There's just a single card slot, and this is housed with the battery on the underside of the camera. It takes SDHC and SDXC cards that are rated to the UHS-I standard; UHS-II cards will also work, but without any performance advantage.

Editor's Note

• Original review date: June 2022
• Yet to be replaced
• Launch price: $399.99 / £269 / AU$699
• Official price now: $349.99 / £239 / AU$599

Update: February 2024. Although it was launched back in 2020, the Nextbase 622GW is still the top model in the Nextbase dash cam range. It also continues to occupy the top spot in our list of the best dash cams, thanks to its combination of excellent 4K video quality and a comprehensive feature set, including effective image stabilization and clever what3words integration. Those skills do come with a significant outlay, though. If you’re interested in a Nextbase camera but don’t need all of the features offered by the 622GW, it’s worth looking at its sibling models. For example, the 522GW doesn’t have image stabilization, but it records 2K video and includes support for Alexa. It’s also significantly cheaper than the 622GW. That said, if you’re looking for the very best dash cam you can currently buy, we think the 622GW is worth the money. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Build and handling

  • Aluminum alloy/polycarbonate resin chassis 
  • Largely polycarbonate resin exterior
  • World’s lightest DSLR with a moveable screen

Canon bills the EOS Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D as being its smallest and lightest DSLR. It's actually its joint-smallest – the 122.4 x 92.6 x 69.8mm dimensions are precisely the same as the Rebel SL2's – while the black option weighs 4g less than the black Rebel SL2 at 449g, and the white option is 5g lighter than the white SL2 at 451g, all of these measurements are including the battery and card. 

Nikon does manage to beat this with its D3500 model, which weighs 415g, although, as Canon points out, the Rebel SL3 is the lightest DSLR with a movable LCD screen. In any case, such a small difference shouldn't be a deal-breaker; it's small, light and no bother to carry around for extended periods of time.

The Rebel SL3's body follows much the same design as the Rebel SL2, although Canon has made a number of small tweaks. The SL3 loses some of the SL2's curves and adopts a more angular style, while some of the controls have been subtly restyled. The depth-of-field preview button has been dropped from the front plate, as has the flash button; to raise the flash you now pull it upwards from one of the grooves to its sides.

There's no longer a dedicated flash button on the body; instead, the flash is raised manually via one of two notches at its side. Image credit: TechRadar

There's no longer a dedicated flash button on the body; instead, the flash is raised manually via one of two notches at its side. Image credit: TechRadar

The Wi-Fi button that graced the Rebel SL2's top plate has also been culled, as has the Creative Auto option from the mode dial. This all makes for a simpler design, although it doesn't necessarily feel like a step in the right direction in terms of ease of use and operation.

In the hands, the EOS Rebel SL3 strikes a very good balance between portability, operation and general handling. While the body is very small, the grip is just about adequate to fit nicely into the average-sized hand, and the thumb rest also has just enough space for the average-sized thumb to sit without difficulty.

Rubber is only used for the key parts of the body, which in this case are the grip and thumb rest, but this does improve handling. The rest of the body has a smooth casing and build quality appears to meet expectations; it probably won't fall apart from general use, but it might not take a knock like a camera with magnesium or aluminum alloy used in its outer panels would.

Most of the buttons have good travel and click positively into the body, although some – notably the ISO and Disp buttons on the top plate, and the magnification buttons on the rear – don't offer quite as pleasing feedback, being smaller than the others and needing a bit more of a press. There's only one command dial on the camera, located on the top plate, and this has coarse but positive movement with very good feedback, much like the mode dial just behind it.

One small annoyance is that the power control's On position lies halfway between the Off and the Movie positions. In practice, it's a little too easy to overshoot this point when you turn the camera on, and end up on the movie mode.

Image 1 of 4

The movie mode is easy to enter accidentally as you flick the switch to power the camera up

The movie mode is easy to enter accidentally as you flick the switch to power the camera up
Image 2 of 4

The LCD screen flips out to a range of positions, and can be twisted to face forwards

The LCD screen flips out to a range of positions, and can be twisted to face forwards
Image 3 of 4

The battery and memory card are accessed though the same door at the base of the camera

The battery and memory card are accessed though the same door at the base of the camera
Image 4 of 4

The camera is fitted with USB Micro and HDMI mini ports.

The camera is fitted with USB Micro and HDMI mini ports.

One nice thing about the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens is that it manages to measure just 61.8mm without needing a retractable, locking construction. This type of design has (annoyingly) become quite common across kit lenses such as these, but the fact that there isn't one here means the you can start shooting as soon as you power up the camera, without having to constantly lock and unlock the lens.

The LCD screen has a nice deep groove above it, which allows you to grab it and pull it away from the camera easily. The fact that you can twist it around also means you can stow it with the screen facing the body to protect it from scratches when you're not using the camera.

Autofocus

  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF with 3,975 selectable points
  • Eye Detection AF and new Spot AF feature
  • 9-point AF system when using viewfinder

When you're using the viewfinder, autofocus is handled by nine AF points arranged in the familiar diamond pattern. This appears to be the same system we saw inside the previous Rebel SL2 and it is, frankly, a little disappointing. 

While it covers a reasonable portion of the frame, and may well be fine for static and more distant subjects, the low number of points and their distance from one another make focusing a bit harder when the subject is close up, and you need a point to fall somewhere outside of the nine pre-determined positions. 

It also doesn't bode well for tracking moving subjects, which relies on points being closer together, and the fact that only one point is cross-type means the other eight are only sensitive to details in one orientation – this can usually be a bit more of an issue against low-contrast and/or low-detail subjects, although the camera does surprisingly well to find focus against even quite featureless subjects. 

Again, both AF spread and tracking is something which mirrorless cameras handle much more easily, so, if you think it's something that is likely to be a deal-breaker for you - think hard about whether you might be better off with a newer system.

In good light the system does a good job of swiftly bringing subjects to focus. In very good light the camera can focus as quickly as you half-press the shutter-release button when you're using the 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM kit lens. Only when it comes to switching focus between close-up and distant subjects, or vice-versa, does the system slow to a more leisurely pace.

Dual Pixel CMOS AF is very much a tried-and-tested system, and this works very well. It's aided by a very responsive touchscreen, which allows focus to be quickly shifted between different subjects by simply pressing where they appear on the screen.

The Dual Pixel CMOS AF system allows the user to position the AF point in one of 3,975 different areas around the frame when using live view. In other words, if you want to put a point anywhere on the screen, you should be able to do that pretty easily. The fact that you can also use the camera's touchscreen to focus on a subject by pressing your finger where the subject appears should also give you an idea of just how accurately you can focus on whatever it is you're shooting.

Dual Pixel CMOS AF is very much a tried-and-tested system, and it works well here. It's aided by a very responsive touchscreen, which allows focus to be quickly shifted between different subjects by simply pressing where they appear on the screen. The camera's light weight also means that, when using either the kit lens or a similarly light optic, you can quite easily hold the body in one hand and use your other to control focus.

Also helping with accuracy is a new Spot AF feature, which is designed to help the user focus on smaller subjects by providing a smaller-than-usual AF point. The Dual Pixel CMOS AF system also now supports Eye Detection AF, which is on hand to help portraits retain sharp and focused eyes. This feature works very well in practice, quickly finding the subject's eye once face detection has kicked in. The system quite easily shifts between eyes if the subject is head-on to the camera, although in such situations focusing on one eye will likely render the other in focus too.

Performance

  • 5fps burst shooting
  • Controls are generally responsive 
  • Touch controls implemented well

While you have to pay a little more money for a camera that benefits from a dial on the back for fast menu browsing, navigating the menus is fairly effortless with the menu pad provided here – and the fact that the menu itself is color-coded and easy to read makes things even more straightforward. 

If you're a complete beginner you can even set the camera to a guided mode, in which the GUI is nicer to look at, and graphics and text help to explain what everything is and how to take specific types of images.

The camera's 5fps burst shooting mode is about as speedy as we expect for a model of this calibre, although for how long you can maintain this depends on how you have your camera set up. 

If you're happy to capture JPEGs on their own, the camera only seems to be limited by the capacity of the memory card used. Switch to shooting raw files, or raw and JPEG files at the same time, and you can typically get around 12-14 frames before the camera slows down – not too generous, but in line with what we'd expect from an entry-level DSLR.

If you're happy with compressed raw files, however, we found that you could get anything from around 20-40 frames, with each burst varying from the next in terms of duration. If you imagine you'll be shooting anything at speed and you still want to process your raw files, this is clearly the option to use, but as we've mentioned previously, there are many better options for those who want to photograph action.

As is the case with the majority of DSLRs at this level, the viewfinder's approximate coverage of 95% does mean you have to be aware of objects at the edges of the frame creeping into your shots. The viewfinder itself is fine in terms of its depiction of the scene, with the AF points flashing brightly, and plenty of space at its base for exposure information.

The LCD touchscreen is a solid performer too, being very responsive even to light presses. It works particularly well for browsing images, responding promptly to swipes, double-taps and drags of the finger. Like many other screens it can be a little difficult to view in harsh light, although the camera's excellent battery life means you can safely brighten the display a touch without having to worry about it depleting the battery too quickly.

Image quality

  • Generally reliable metering system
  • Nice colors and sound auto white balance
  • Very good 4K footage but noticeable rolling shutter

While this may be one of the most affordable DSLRs on the market, previous entry-level Canon EOS DSLRs have gotten a lot right with regards to the imaging side of things, and the EOS Rebel SL3 is no different. 

Images are generally well exposed across a variety of conditions, from outdoors when there may be a mixture of skies and foreground to indoor scenes with an assortment of highlights, shadows and midtones. Heavily clouded skies can sometimes lose a little bit of their detail, so keeping the Highlight Priority Option enabled in these conditions is worthwhile. The Auto Lighting Optimizer is also worth keeping on to lift shadows a touch in scenes with a wide dynamic range, and even on the Low setting it has a worthwhile effect.

Colors are mostly very pleasing. We generally found the Landscape Picture Style to be a better option than the Standard setting when capturing images outdoors that contained large areas of blue skies, as they could look a little undersaturated on Standard, although this option performs well otherwise. 

Images captured in quick succession show the camera's auto white balance system to reproduce the scene consistently in different conditions too. White balance can be particularly problematic indoors, and with mixed lighting, but the EOS Rebel SL3 copes very well.

We don't expect optical excellence from kit lenses such as the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM that ships with the camera as standard, and the lens does show a touch of moustache-like curvilinear distortion at its wide-angle end, and some vignetting when used here at f/4. 

This isn't severe in either case, however, and the corrections available to you in-camera, or in Canon's Digital Photo Professional 4 program that comes with the camera, make light work or rectifying these. In time Adobe's Camera Raw and Lightroom programs will no doubt also offer these corrections too, although neither program supports raw files from the EOS 250D at the time of writing.

Noise isn't too much of an issue throughout most of the ISO range, and even at ISO6400 color and saturation are maintained well in images. That said, the camera's noise reduction system can blur details quite easily at these settings, which is even more of an issue if they weren't that sharp to begin with, so it pays to use a good lens, and to either opt for the most conservative level of noise reduction or process your raw files yourself.

We generally found the Landscape Picture Style to be a better option than the Standard setting when capturing images outdoors that contained large areas of blue skies

Image 1 of 8

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 31mm, f/10, 1/250 sec, ISO100

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 31mm, f/10, 1/250 sec, ISO100

Click here to view the full-size image

Image 2 of 8

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 55mm, f/5.6, 1/250sec, ISO100

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 55mm, f/5.6, 1/250sec, ISO100

Click here to view the full-size image

Image 3 of 8

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 18mm, f/5.6, 1/60sec, ISO6400

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 18mm, f/5.6, 1/60sec, ISO6400

Click here to view the full-size image

Image 4 of 8

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 18mm, f/9, 1/200sec, ISO100, Monochrome Picture Style

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 18mm, f/9, 1/200sec, ISO100, Monochrome Picture Style

Click here to view the full-size image

Image 5 of 8

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 18mm, f/5.6, 1/640sec, ISO100

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 18mm, f/5.6, 1/640sec, ISO100

Click here to view the full-size image

Image 6 of 8

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 18mm, f/10, 1/320sec, ISO100

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 18mm, f/10, 1/320sec, ISO100

Click here to view the full-size image

Image 7 of 8

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 55mm, f/5.6, 1/100sec, ISO640

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 55mm, f/5.6, 1/100sec, ISO640

Click here to view the full-size image

Image 8 of 8

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 18mm, f/10, 1/400sec, ISO100

Canon EOS 250D with the EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM, 18mm, f/10, 1/400sec, ISO100

Click here to view the full-size image

The EOS Rebel SL3 is capable of capturing 4K video footage to a maximum 24p, and even using the kit lens it's possible to shoot pleasing, detailed footage that's relatively free from artifacts, while the provision of a microphone port – something we don't always see on this class of camera – means you can easily improve on the built-in microphone, 

Switch to Manual exposure mode and you can adjust the shutter speed, aperture and so on, and you can also use the touchscreen to set focus. Sadly the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system is unavailable when capturing 4K video, which is a shame as the contrast-detect AF system used in its place here is less than reliable when it comes to locking onto subjects. Once it does, however, it can often stick with subjects even if obstacles pass between them and the camera.

4K footage is also subject to a crop factor, and rolling shutter is very noticeable, giving footage a jelly-like stability. As long as you don't need wide-angle framing, or if you own a very wide-angle lens, and you're not moving around with the camera too much, the camera is perfectly capable. That said, this clearly won't be anyone's first choice for high-quality 4K recording, and most users will probably be better off shooting in Full HD.

Verdict

The Canon EOS Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D is a perfectly pleasing camera to use, with good handing, operation as expected and nice image quality, and the responsive touchscreen, fast start-up time and excellent Dual Pixel CMOS AF system all help to make it a very capable all-rounder.

Still, with the same sensor as an older model, and no changes to either the viewfinder or LCD screen, it's not the most significant update. 4K video is subject to limitations, and having just one cross-type point in the sparse nine-point array is rather miserly by modern standards.

Its many strong competitors only add to its woes, and mirrorless cameras in particular that either rival or easily beat the Rebel SL3 / 250D for size, specs and general performance aren't difficult to find. That said, its main selling points of superb battery life, pleasing JPEGs and compatibility with a sprawling pool of lenses, flashguns and other accessories is something that is still hard for many mirrorless cameras to completely replicate.

It's definitely a better choice than the more junior EOS Rebel T7 / EOS 2000D and EOS Rebel T100 / EOS 4000D if you're looking to enter the Canon system, but if you're not fussed about 4K video, and you're looking for a camera with a little more control for the same kind of money, you may well be better served by something like the older Canon EOS Rebel T6i / EOS 750D or Nikon's D5300, if not a mirrorless option.

Competition

Image 1 of 3

Nikon D5600

(Image credit: Nikon)

Nikon D5300

While Nikon's most junior D3500 competes with the similarly priced EOS 4000D and EOS 2000D, the EOS Rebel SL3 has the slightly more senior D5600 as its main rival. The two are evenly matched in a number of areas, with both toting 24MP sensors and 5fps burst shooting modes. The  Rebel has 4K video, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, a touchscreen and far superior battery life as its main advantages over the D5600. The D5600 has the upper hand elsewhere, though, with a dense 39-point AF system, a slightly larger screen, built-in GPS and in-camera raw processing. 

Read our in-depth Nikon D5300 review

Image 2 of 3

Canon EOS Rebel T7i / EOS 800D

Canon's EOS Rebel T7i, also known as the EOS 800D, may now be a  few years old, but it's currently only a fraction more expensive than the EOS 250D and offers a handful of advantages. These include a 45-point AF system, with every point being cross-type, and 6fps burst shooting. It lacks 4K video, however, and can't match the Rebel SL3 for battery life at just 600 frames per charge. 

Read our in-depth Canon EOS Rebel T7i / EOS 800D review

Image 3 of 3

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III

The teeny Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III might 'only' have a 16MP Four Thirds sensor at its heart and a 330-shot battery life, but sensor-based image stabilization gives it an advantage over the EOS Rebel SL3, as does a more rugged build quality and a faster 8.6fps burst rate. The electronic viewfinder that covers approx. 100% of the scene is also a help in low light, and gives you a far better idea of how your image will come out looking than an optical viewfinder can.

Read our in-depth Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III review