Death knell for the DSLR? Canon introduces full frame mirrorless EOS R (with video)

It's here - this morning, Canon formally announced the new EOS R line of full frame mirrorless cameras and lenses.  It is somehow fitting that this release took place a decade after the Photokina 2008 introduction of the world's first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, the groundbreaking Panasonic DMC-G1.

With Sony full frame mirrorless cameras outselling Nikon and Canon DSLRs, it was only a matter of time before the two biggest DSLR makers in the world saw the handwriting on the wall.

First Nikon - and now Canon have each introduced a full frame mirrorless 4K camera line and are now contenders for the 'best mirrorless camera' title.

And so, the ten year battle between reflex mirrors and electronic viewfinders is essentially over and the electrons seem to have won.

We'll have to see how this plays out in the marketplace, but my guess is that it will hard to find a full frame DSLR on the show floor at Photokina 2028.

As a still camera, the EOS R is a good value for money - its 30.3MP sensor gives it higher resolution than the comparably priced Sony A7 III and Nikon Z6.  And dual pixel AF will give it an advantage over Sony and Nikon. That said, at HCR what we really care about is video.

Video Performance

Although we were underwhelmed by the EOS R's leaked video specs (please see our previous post), the image quality from early sample videos seems to be very good.  The production values are high (much higher than the production value in the recent samples from the BMPCC 4K) and the dynamic range looks as good as a high-priced Canon Cinema EOS 4K camcorder (on YouTube and Vimeo, at least).

The first sample was shot at 4K (8-bit internal) by Devin "Supertramp" Graham with new Canon RF glass, as seen in the video and behind-the-scenes below:

The second sample was shot by Canon Ambassador Nicolai Brix.  It is 10-bit 1080p output to an Atomos recorder.  According to this morning's press release from Atomos, the EOS R's 4K 10-bit output is fully compatible with their new Ninja V recorder monitor.

Although Canon claims that the EOS R system is a "complement" to their full frame DSLRs, my guess is that this camera will very quickly outsell the 5D Mark IV and 5DS.

We have to hand it to Canon - they have come to the party late and with an under-spec'd camera (no 1080/120p slow motion, no IBIS, 1.7x 4K crop) - but Canon color, fast autofocus and compatibility with EF lenses will cause a lot of EOS shooters who were tempted to jump ship to either stay with Canon or perhaps even come home from Sony and Panasonic.

Well played, Canon - well played.

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Leaked! Spec sheet for Canon EOS R full frame mirrorless

Image courtesy of Nokishita Camera

Japanese site Nokishita Camera has posted a set of alleged specs and pics of the soon-to-be-announced Canon EOS R full frame mirrorless.

Looks like it will be a full frame 30.3MP still camera with 5,655 focus points and a maximum burst rate of 110 fps.

That said, although we're a hybrid still photo/video blog here at HCR, anyone who has spent any time following us knows that our primary interest is video - so here's our take on the video specs for this camera:

The Good:

• Codec is MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (ALL-I and IPB up to 480mbps) - no more memory hungry MJPEG
• UHD on a full frame Canon mirrorless 
• Dual pixel AF at all resolutions
• Some websites are reporting a fully articulated LCD (!)

The Not-so-good:

• Still limited to 29 minutes, 59 seconds of continuous recording
• No DCI 4K
• No 10-bit (internal or external)
• No in-body stabilization
• 60 fps slow motion limited to 1080p resolution (no 4K/60p)
• 120 fps slow motion limited to 720p resolution (no 1080/120p)
• A single (SD) card slot

Video section of the spec sheet below (click on image to expand):

 

To be honest, I'm not really impressed.  If these specs are accurate, this looks like another 8-bit camera that fixes the 5D Mark IV's most egregious problems but isn't much of a technology leap.

The new Nikon Z6 and Z7 cameras, with their 10-bit N-LOG output, will be highly competitive with this camera - and if Panasonic finally enters the full-frame fight later this month with a 10-bit internal camera, 2019 will be a great year for 4K full frame video.

If, after seeing the EOS R's specs, you've decided to go ahead and pre-order the Nikon Z6 or Z7, please click on one of the links above or the display ads at the bottom of this post.

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Updated specs and pics for new Canon EOS M50 4K mirrorless

After breaking the original leak yesterday, Japanese rumor site Nokishita has updated specs and images for the new Canon M50 4K mirrorless:

EOS M50 SPECS:

• 24.1 Megapixels APS-C CMOS
• DIGIC 8
• Dual pixel CMOS AF with greatly improved performance
• AF area is enlarged by about 38% with corresponding lens (100% vertical × 88% wide in live view image display range)
• The selectable AF point is a corresponding lens with a maximum of 143 points (99 points for non-compatible lenses)
• Pupil detection AF
• Dual Sensing IS
• Silent mode
• DLO in camera
• RAW development in camera
• Video: 4K 25p / 24p, FHD 60p, HD 120p
• Frame cutout from 4K movie is possible
• 5 Axis Electronic Image Stabilizer · Combination IS
• Standard ISO: 100-25600 (extended ISO: 51200)
• Continuous: Up to 10 frames / sec (at servo AF: up to 7.4 frames / sec)
• EVF: 0.39 type 2.36 million dot Organic EL
• 3 type 104 million dots Vari angle touch panel liquid crystal
• Wi-Fi · Bluetooth · NFC installed
• Wireless remote controller BR-E1 compatible
• HDMI HDR output compatible
• Supports the next-generation CR3 RAW format and the new C-RAW compression format
• The C-RAW format is 40% smaller in file size than conventional RAW, and it corresponds to in - camera RAW development and digital lens optimizer
• Battery: LP-E 12
• Weight: 387 g black, 390 g white (including battery and memory card)
• Color: Black / White

The most interesting new headlines here for filmmakers, videographers and vloggers seem to be (subject to the vagaries of Google Translate):

• Confirmation of the fully articulated "Variable" angle LCD
• 5-axis IBIS with dual in-body and lens based stabilization (similar to Panasonic's dual-IS)
• 4K/24 & 25 fps, 1080/60 fps and 720/120 fps.

If these specs are accurate, and Canon can bring the price in at around $1000-$1500US, the EOS M50 could be real competition for the in-body stabilized crop sensor cameras from Panasonic and Sony.

With its 24.1 megapixel APS-C sensor, this camera should deliver better still image quality than the Panasonic G85 - plus 720/120p slow motion. It is almost certain to be better in low light.

Plus, it has the fully articulated LCD the Sony A6500 lacks.

Then there's possibly the biggest selling point of all - with the EOS M50, all you'll need is a relatively inexpensive EOS-M to EF adapter for full compatibility with Canon EF and EF-S glass.

No more costly Metabones Canon to Sony "smart" adapters or Canon to Panasonic Speed Boosters - and no more checking lists to make sure your lens and adapter are compatible.

It is probably too early to say for sure, but Canon may be back in the game as an option for serious entry-level filmmakers, videographers and vloggers - especially those with a significant investment in EOS glass.

Finally.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. This costs you nothing extra. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”