The Phoblographer

The Canon EOS R5 is the company’s first major professional mirrorless camera, and it’s wonderful!

There was a time when I was angry at Canon. But when the Canon EOS R launched, that anger subsided. It was a nice entry into the serious mirrorless camera world. But the Canon EOS R5 is arguably the camera they should have launched at the start. This camera can easily become the bread and butter of any professional photographer using it. It can also be a great tool for a multimedia shooter. Better yet, the hobbyist photographer who is passionate about the craft will enjoy what this camera can do. There has been a lot of wrongful bashing of the Canon EOS R5 on the web. And in this review, we’re going to talk to the practicality of it all. Note that before you go on, we’re not sensationalizing things just for clicks. If you’re a shooter that left Canon for another system, we’re probably going to tell you a few things you don’t want to hear. So, please keep your superiority complexes in check.

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This review has been updated in August 2022.

Table of Contents

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used with the Canon EOS R5

Canon EOS R5 Tech Specs

Canon EOS R5 Ergonomics

Canon EOS R5 Build Quality

Canon EOS R5 Ease of Use

Canon EOS R5 Autofocus Performance

Update December 2021

Update July 2022

Canon EOS R5 Image Quality

JPEG Output

RAW File Versatility

High ISO Output

TimeLapse Shooting

Extra Image Samples from the Canon EOS R5

Canon EOS R5 Review Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Pros and Cons

Pros

Well built

Excellent battery life

So intuitive for a Canon shooter

Feels very good in the hand

Image stabilization is pretty much second to none

Wonderful menu systems

Excellent details

Weather sealed

Reliable

Canon’s Mobile App connection setup is as simple as ever

Doesn’t overheat with short clips

Wifi sending of full HD video is pretty fast

High ISO RAW files hold a fair amount of data. There’s great dynamic range and colors, but the noise is a bit painful.

Wireless RAW file transmission with Capture One 22

Cons

The joystick is in an odd spot

In some ways feels like an old 60D, but it’s totally not

I personally feel the magnification button is in an odd spot

Can’t transfer 8K video via Wifi

4K movie clips shorter than 30 seconds take a while to send, and then ultimately don’t end up on your phone

High ISO Raw files above 12,800 tend to get a bit messy

The price is a bit high at $3,899

Gear Used with the Canon EOS R5

We tested the Canon EOS R5 with the:

Canon RF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM

Canon RF 50mm f1.2 L USM

Samyang 85mm f1.4 AF

Profoto B10

Canon EOS R5 Tech Specs

In Brief:

High Image Quality featuring a New 45 Megapixel Full-frame CMOS Sensor

DIGIC X Image Processor with an ISO range of 100-51200; Expandable to 102400

Dual Pixel CMOS AF covering Approx. 100% Area with 1,053 AF Areas

Subject tracking of People and Animals using Deep Learning Technology

In-body Image Stabilizer can provide up to 8 stops of Shake Correction

Dual Card Slots for CFexpress and UHS-II SD Memory Cards

Built-in 0.5″ 5.76 Million Dots OLED EVF with 120fps refresh rate, Vari-angle LCD Touchscreen

2.4/5Ghz Built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Technology

Full Specs taken from the LensRentals Listing

45MP Full-Frame Sensor and DIGIC X Processor. The Canon EOS R5’s newly designed 45MP full-frame CMOS sensor works in tandem with the DIGIC X processor to produce high-resolution stills and video with plenty of speed. The native ISO range of 100-51,200 can be expanded to 100-102,400, making this camera suitable for working in a wide range of lighting conditions.

8K30 RAW and 4K 120 Video. The EOS R5’s 45MP sensor makes internal DCI 8K 30 fps RAW capture possible, in addition to 4K recording at up to 120 fps in 4:2:2 10-bit with Canon Log and HDR-PQ. Please note that DCI 8K is the only format in which you can shoot RAW with the R5—every other resolution offers All-I or IPB compression. External ...

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The 135mm lens is a magical wonder for many photographers. It’s a long lens: arguably the longest practical portrait lens. In the past, many photographers loved the lens for more than just portraits. It’s a great candid lens; you can be far from a subject before being noticed. And if you’re a certain type of photographer, it might never leave your camera. The 135mm lens has lots of desirable qualities about it, but before you make the commitment, let’s go over a few things.

Arguably the Best Portrait Lens, But They’ve Got Tradeoffs

The 135mm is considered by many photographers to be the perfect focal length for portraits. Optically speaking, no one looks bad on the other end of this lens. It gives the right compression level to faces, bodies, heads, cheeks, noses, etc. As the years have gone on, 135mm has become better, though they may be a bit too clinical for some photographers these days. Some legends of this focal length are the Canon 135mm f2 L, Sigma 135mm f1.8, Sony 135mm f1.8 G Master, Sony 135mm f1.8 A-Mount, and the Zeiss 135mm Milvus lens. We’ve used all of them in studio and on location. Shooting with a 135mm lens requires you to think differently than you would with any other lens. If that’s intimidating you, you should probably stop here.

Otherwise, continue on and check out some of the best 135mm lenses we’ve tested.

They’re Long

First off, attach a 135mm lens to your camera and you’ll realize it’s very long and thin. It’s a huge prime lens. If you’re the type of photographer who likes small lenses, avoid the 135mm and reach for an 85mm lens instead. (Eighty-fives are excellent, and something akin to a 55mm lens.) What’s more, a 135mm gets even longer when you put a lens hood on, so I’d shoot without one. The newer ones are a lot more clinical, so I’d use a polarizing filter to make colors pop a bit more. Otherwise, there’s the PrismFX stuff that we’ve reviewed.

They’re Hard to Get and Keep a Subject in Focus

135mmm lenses are notoriously hard to get in focus. If you’re on a DSLR, you need to nail the focusing point and ensure you don’t move. With mirrorless cameras, there’s face and eye detection. After you get it in focus, you need to make sure tracking is on to constantly follow the eye or the face. At f1.8, they’re super hard to get in focus. I think the easiest 135mm lens I’ve ever worked with is the Zeiss Batis 135mm f2.8. It’s an autofocus lens and the slowest of the bunch. But it’s also pretty nice with its render.

Most people have shaky hands. They’ll probably end up shooting portraits in burst mode and have to cull through hundreds if not thousands of photos later. Otherwise, you can shoot on a tripod and carefully focus. If you happen to be good at handholding a lens, you won’t have an issue.

You Need a Lot of Room to Use Them

135mm lenses render super tight if you don’t have a lot of room. If you’re shooting indoors, be sure to have at least 10 feet between you and a subject. Arguably, the best thing to do is shoot outside. If you shoot outside, you have more options with where you can shoot. But, of course, you lack the control that indoor shoots can provide.

Usually, 135mm lenses are more of a pain than what they’re worth. But I’ll admit they can create beautiful photos.

The Sony a7c is the company’s first rangefinder-style camera with a full-frame sensor at heart.

I’m incredibly elated that Sony made a camera like the Sony a7c. The entire industry is lacking rangefinder-style cameras. Putting a full-frame sensor into one is the icing on the cake. Maybe it will mean other brands follow suit. Sony made a few sacrifices to create the Sony a7c. This is a real innovation that was proven long ago with the RX1 series. But this camera is different; you can swap the lenses out. The image stabilization isn’t up to par with the other Sony a7 camera bodies. And in some ways, I feel the autofocus isn’t either. You’re also missing a joystick. But otherwise, the Sony a7c has a whole lot going for it.

Editor’s Note: Our original review was published with pre-production firmware. We’ve updated this review with firmware version 2.0.

Sony a7c Pros and Cons

Pros

It’s tiny

This is Sony’s first rangefinder-style full-frame camera, and it reminds me so much of the Mamiya 6

Good image quality overall

I adore the shutter sound

Weather resistance is excellent for shooting in the rain

The colors from the images are lovely

High ISO output is outstanding, especially in print

Focus peaking seems better than previous cameras, but it’s still not Canon’s

Cons

No joystick

I really wanted the Sony a7r III sensor: that was the most perfect one

Sony’s IBIS isn’t as good as Canon’s or Fujifilm’s

The IBIS in the Sony a7c isn’t as good as that of the higher-end Sony a7 models

No touchscreen menu

I’d really like a frontal exposure dial

Sony needs to revamp its delayed shooting option to focus on a subject right before it’s going to fire

I don’t feel like this is the same autofocus as the other Sony a7 cameras. Sony’s autofocus needs to be revamped to accurately focus on people of color with dark hair and against dark backgrounds

Needs dual card slots

1/200th flash sync

Dynamic range isn’t that great in Capture One

Sony is still prone to getting dust on the sensor with this camera

Gear Used with the Sony a7c

We tested the Sony a7c with

Sony 35mm f1.8 FE

Sony 28-60mm f4-5.6

Fotodiox M to E mount adapter

7Artisans 50mm f1.1

7Artisans 28mm f1.4

Samyang 14mm f2.8 II

Samyang 85mm f1.4 II

Profoto B10

Sony 85mm f1.4 GM

Sony a7c Tech Specs

Here are the tech specs in brief

24 Megapixel Backside illuminated full-frame sensor

20% smaller and 30% lighter than other Sony a7 series cameras

5 stop of IS

Weather sealing

4k video features

10 frame per second in mechanical and electronic shutter

The same battery as the newer Sony a7 series cameras

Variable angle LCD screen

Magnesium alloy body with weather resistance

Ergonomics

Here it is in silver! Many of us have been waiting a long time for a rangefinder-style mirrorless camera boasting a full-frame sensor. And it’s here! Admittedly, I think I made it look more gorgeous in the photos than it is in real life. Personally speaking, my heart belongs to the Fujifilm X Pro 3. And the silver on both cameras is very similar.

The front of the Sony a7c has the full-frame E mount area. There are no buttons on the front except for the lens release. I wish Sony put more buttons on the front of their cameras. It would help them feel more like, well, real-cameras! I also wish the front of the grip still had the extra dial.

The top of the Sony a7c has three controls. Around the shutter release is the on/off switch. It shares the right side with the mode dial that includes the dreaded Auto mode. There is also a video record button nestled between the shutter release and the exposure compensation dial. To the left of all this is the hot shoe.

The back of the camera is incredibly comfortable. It’s missing a joystick, and some folks won’t like that. Changing the autofocus point with the wheel at the back is more annoying and slower than a dedicated joystick. The LCD screen is the variable angle type. To the right of all this are control buttons and the other exposure dials.

To the top left of it is the EVF. It’s ni...

Ready for a fight? Don’t worry, I jest. The Phoblographer would never encourage our readers to step into the realm of combat. However, we do love combat sports, and we especially love it when photographers document the heat of battle. We’ve done many stories over the years that focus on fight photography, and below are some of the very best of them. Enjoy.

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Kevin Lynch Doucments Combat Sports and the UFC

The UFC is one of the most popular combat sports organizations in the world. It has had to work hard to be accepted, with states like New York only recently licensing fights. Beyond the tough-guy persona, the fighters are humans. They’re normal men and women, just like you and I. Photographer Kevin Lynch documented that for the best part of a decade. He made pre and post-fight portraits of the athletes and really became connected to them. It’s beautiful. Take a look here.

Katerina Gregoriou Incorporates Combat Sports Into Shattered Glass

Katerina Gregoriou is an exceptionally talented photographer. We interviewed her back in early 2020 and took a closer look at her photography series, Shattered Glass. The work aimed to uplift women who were involved in jobs and social groups traditionally reserved for men. Part of the work involved photographing a woman who sumo wrestles, a sport where you’d seldom find women. You can read about it here.

Greg Bowl Shoots Entertaining Combat Sports

Professional wrestling struggles to find its identity. Is it entertainment, or is it combat sports? Either way, it involves combat, even if it is scripted and staged. Greg Bowl was making images of pro wrestling way before it went global. He sent us his series, and we loved it so much we arranged an interview. He has many cool stories to tell and plenty of awesome photos to share. Take a look here.

Erin Lefevre Shares Fight Like a Woman

Way back in 2015, Erin Lefevre joined us to share her photography project, Fight Like a Woman. The work covered professional fighter Casey Morton. Rather than create a bunch of action shots, Lefevre delved into what happens behind the scenes in the life of a professional boxer. It’s fight photography that thinks outside the box and it’s fascinating stuff that’s certainly worth your time and attention. See the images here.

August Udoh Shows Us the World of One-Handed Fighting

Dambe fighting was born in West Africa. Back in the day, butchers and fishermen were the main competitors. However, today the sport is enjoyed by people from variant backgrounds. Unlike traditional boxing, fighters can only use one hand and fight over three rounds. Photographer August Udoh made some terrific portraits of local fighters and shared the history behind the West African sport. Take a look here.

Do You Photograph Combat Sports?

Whether you like combat sports or not, they’re here to stay. There’s something intimate about two people going into battle. If you study the sports, you’ll recognize the strong bond two fighters have after the war is over. Because of the emotions and psychology linked to combat sports, they’re a perfect subject for photographers to document. If you have some cool fight photography that goes beyond what the mainstream sees and your work shows something deeper, send it to us. You can use the form above to make contact, and if we like it, we’ll certainly be in touch.

Do you like combat sports? What do you think of the examples shown above? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!

Lead image by Kevin Lynch. All images used with permission.

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Sometimes I find myself shaking my head at what cameras can do these days. The jury is still out as to whether it’s shaken in disbelief or wonderment. That is the case with the long-awaited and fairly priced Sony a7 IV. It packs a lot of features that photographers have been asking for along with capabilities that are overkill. I think Sony’s next camera could take an entirely black or even stark white image and recover almost every detail.

Editor’s Note: This review has received updates as of July 2022.

Alas, It has been fun watching the community pine for the newest Sony a7 IV leading up to its announcement. Based on what photographers have been asking for online, they will be delighted with the versatility of this camera. Its premise is to build a bridge for hybrid shooters and make their creativity more attainable. While the video functionalities are sure to pique interest, this review will focus on its photographic capabilities. Does it live up to the beloved a7 series? There’s no question that it does. The short answer is it’s an excellent option for most genres of photography. It’s sweeping an even broader net at who this camera is for. Keep reading to find out why.

Table of Contents

Too Long Didn’t Read

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Innovations

Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Firmware Installation

Improved Camera Stability

Autofocus

Eye AF Isn’t Always Accurate (Update July 2022)

Metering

Image Quality

High ISO Images

Raw File Versatility

JPEG Quality

Extra Image Samples

Edited

Unedited

Conclusions of the Sony a7 IV

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long Didn’t Read

The long-anticipated Sony a7 IV is finally here and aims to bridge the gap for still photographers and videographers. It’s received a bit of a facelift with a beautiful, new OLED screen and a more comfortable grip. The updated face and animal detection with tracking is impressive and fun. It now comes with in-camera skin smoothing to significantly reduce post-processing time. Plus, its price is pretty great for an all-in-one option.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Face detection and tracking

Animal face detection and tracking

Bird face and eye detection

Metering

Updated OLED screen and menu

Comfortable grip

Suitable for a variety of applications

Weather-sealed and sensor dust issue is improved

Fast autofocus

Impressive Dynamic Range

Sharp – almost too sharp for some womens’ portraits

In-camera skin softening to combat incredibly sharp skin pores

Cons

High ISO performance could be better

Color noise in out-of-focus areas at lower ISOs

Shutter freezes and the camera becomes unresponsive at times when shooting bracketed

High burst mode currently only works if shooting compressed RAW

Gear Used

We tested the new Sony a7 IV with the Sony 35mm f1.4GM lens, Sony 50mm f1.2 GM lens, and Tamron 17-28mm f2.8 lens.

Innovations

As far as cutting edge, the new a7 IV isn’t revamping the world of mirrorless cameras. What it does is borrow some of the great features of the flagship a1 and is a welcome upgrade to the lower-tier lineup. The upgraded OLED screen, real-time human/animal autofocus, and impressive dynamic range are welcome additions.

Tech Specs

All technical specifications are provided by the manufacturer.

33.0 MP (appx/effective) full-frame Exmor R™ CMOS image sensor

Latest generation BIONZ XR™ image processing engine

High resolution with color reproduction accuracy & low noise

15 stop dynamic range for natural gradations

Creative Look / Soft Skin Effect

10-bit HEIF format (4:2:2 or 4:2:0)

5.5-step advantage 5-axis in-body image stabilization

828 continuous RAW+JPEG shooting

759 phase-detection AF points (94% coverage)

Improved AF-S speed / Improved low light AF down to EV-4

AF tracking for continuous shooting at f22

Real-time Eye AF for Human/Animal/Bird

More tenacious Real-time Tracking

4K 60p recording in Super35 format for slow-motion

4k 30p recording, 7k oversampling for high resolution

S-Cinetone™ and Creative Look for delivery work

10bit S-Log3 with 15+ stops o...

The Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD could be the best lens for APS-C cameras ever made.

The Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD could be the best lens for APS-C cameras ever made. It combines weather-resistance with fast autofocus and a lot of versatility. For the record, it’s more or less a 24-120mm f2.8 equivalent zoom. And for any APS-C photographer, that’s a dream. To boot, it’s also incredibly small for what it is. While it feels fantastic on Sony cameras, some Fujifilm photographers might not necessarily want to use it. However, it’s great on both camera systems.

This review was updated June 27th 2022. A whole other section was created just for the Fujifilm variant.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Small

Weather sealed

Under $1,000

Image stabilized

Basically a 24-105mm at f2.8

Lightweight

Cons

Tamron is a beautiful diamond being wasted on the sad Ringpop that is the Sony APS-C camera system.

What’s Innovative About This?

The Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD is the full-frame equivalent of a 26-105mm f2.8 lens. The depth of field will be around f4.2 in full-frame too. But the light gathering and true aperture will still be f2.8. This is the first time we’ve ever gotten a lens like this. Add onto all this the vibration compensation, sharp optics, and weather sealing features. Then realize that it’s under $1,000. To me, this sounds like a no-brainer.

It’s a truly usable large range that photographers can use with confidence every day. Sigma has their 18-35mm f1.8 lens, but it’s not as useable a range as this Tamron offering. For what it’s worth, I think this lens is wasted on E Mount. Everyone fawns over the company’s full-frame cameras. It has also come to Fujifilm X series. It could also even make the Nikon Z50 seem more useful.

Gear Used

We tested the Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD on the Sony a6600. We also used it with Profoto lighting.

Tech Specs

Specs are taken from AlphaShooters

Lens construction: 16 elements in 12 groupsAngle of view (APS-C): 79゜55′-23゜00′Number of diaphragm blades: 9（Rounded diaphragm）Minimum aperture: F22Minimum focusing distance: 0.19m (7.5 in) (WIDE) / 0.39m (15.4 in) (TELE)Maximum magnification ratio: 1:4.8 (WIDE) / 1:5.2 (TELE)Filter size: φ67mmDiameter: 74.6mmLength: 119.3mm (4.7 in)Weight: 525g (18.5oz)Accessories: Flower-shaped hood, Lens caps included

Ergonomics

The Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD is a moderately sized lens. I say this because it depends a lot on the situation you’re in. But overall, it’s simple to use thanks to the construction. You can see above that the only controls are a large zoom ring and a small focusing ring.

The exterior is made of plastic. However, the lens doesn’t feel like a bad, plasticky lens. It’s a ways better than anything Rokinon has made.

When fully zoomed in, the lens also doesn’t become much larger than it is. And that’s really great for real-life use. Of course, that also means that it isn’t an internally zooming lens.

Build Quality

Make no mistake; the Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD is a massive lens for an APS-C camera. But overall, it’s still smaller than a Canon 50mm f1.2 RF prime lens. It’s also far lighter. The lens is built solidly. It’s a plastic body that doesn’t feel cheap at all. Tamron is a specialist at constructing lenses like this. There are also nice rubber rings for grip.

Of course, this lens is also weather-resistant. We’re confident that it will outlast the Sony bodies it was designed for. Overall, this lens is built to be the only one you need. It’s lightweight and fairly small. Stuff it into a camera bag slot, and you’ll be good to go.

Again, Tamron has built one of the most perfect lenses for APS-C cameras. It’s again a shame it’s being wasted on a format that I don’t think sees its future in APS-C.

Ease of Use

Slap the lens on the camera, point, focus, and shoot. That’s all there is to it. The lens has vibration compensation built-in, which translates into better hand-holding at slower shutter speeds. And if you’re l...

Capture One is back with the newest rendition of their beloved editing software. Capture One 22 improves some of its best features and introduces several new functions photographers have been requesting. Real estate, landscape, and astrophotographers can now enjoy a powerful HDR merge function. The Panoramic Stitch feature resembles the Brenizer Method and makes it possible to create larger canvases in smaller spaces. Capture One Live adds collaboration tools, while the overall design prepares for the upcoming iPad version. Make sure you have plenty of hard drive space for these functions. You’ll see why.

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Table of Contents

Too Long Didn’t Read

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

What’s New In Capture One 22?

Ease of Use

Capture One Live

Magic Eraser and local editing

Wireless Tethering for Canon and Sony

Panoramic Stitch

HDR Merge

Auto Rotate

Performance

Conclusions of Capture One 22

Too Long Didn’t Read

The newest release of Capture One is here, and it has some worthy upgrades. After adding HDR merge and a Panoramic Stitch functionality, the photo editor now has online collaboration, an enhanced Keystone tool, and a magic eraser. Wireless tethering is available for multiple Canon and Sony cameras, and overall performance has improved. The editing program still has room for improvement with its selections, healing, and cloning functionalities.

Pros and Cons

Pros

HDR merge is pretty great

Panoramic Stitch is a nice feature

Many Canon and Sony shooters will enjoy tethering wirelessly

Performance is noticeably improved

Re-designed tool tab is easier to learn

Capture One Live has simple sharing

Customizable workspaces

Solid performance

Cons

The clone and healing masks aren’t as precise as Photoshop

There still isn’t a patch tool

The magic brush should be more accurate and functional to compete with other programs

Auto rotate isn’t geared towards verticals

The Live feature really needs notifications

Larger catalog sizes

Gear Used

We originally tested Capture One 22 on a 2019 16” MacBook Pro. The images used were captured with a Canon 5D Mark III, Sony a7 III, and Fujifilm GFX50s II. Tethering was tested with a Canon EOS R5 and EOS R. The 15.3 build of Capture One, released in June 2022, was tested on a 2021 MacBook Pro M1 Pro with images from a Fujifilm X-T4 and Panasonic GH6.

What’s New In Capture One 22?

Main feature upgrades are provided by Capture One.

Panorama Stitch

HDR Merge

Auto Rotate (AI-Driven)

Wireless Tethering for Canon and Sony

Improved Performance

Capture One Live collaboration

Magic Eraser tool

Enhanced Keystone tool

Ease of Use

Everything you already love about Capture One performs a bit better. The software has also improved how it captures data. Windows users will be pleased to see more user-friendly catalogs as they have re-engineered them. Mac users will see a quicker response when browsing through images quickly and zoom functionality.

With the June 2022 update, the desktop software is now ready for the upcoming iPad app. One of those changes includes re-designed icons in the tool tab. These icons now all finally have labels. One of the most annoying aspects of switching from Lightroom is that there are so many tabs and none of them are labeled. The update will help new users find everything quickly. The only downside is that the tools tab needs a little more space. I had to make it wider to accommodate the Color tab, which was originally hiding in the ellipsis icon.

Even with the updated design, Capture One is still very customizable. That’s one of the software’s stand-out features — being able to customize the workspace to your liking.

Capture One Live

Update June 2022 by Review Editor Hillary Grigonis

Capture One Live is a new collaboration tool that shares collections online for others to view, star, or color code. Five sessions are included with a basic subscription — sharing more sessions at once...

Photographers now can take their pick of cameras that can shoot stills fast enough to actually be movies. But Canon’s approach to a speedy flagship is arguably the most different from Sony’s and Nikon’s. Instead of creating a camera that can shoot both fast and high resolution, the Canon EOS R3 uses a less-headline-worthy 24.1-megapixel sensor. Canon is taking a gamble that the photographers who want 30 fps are also the photographers who prioritize exceptional low light performance over high resolution. And, they’re trying to sweeten the deal with an autofocus system that will just focus on wherever you’re looking.

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Will Canon’s gamble pay off, or is the R3 going to lose out to a higher resolution foe? Does the AF in this headline mean autofocus or the Urban Dictionary definition of AF? I spent a few weeks with the Canon R3, shooting everything from wildlife to equestrian to low light portraits. I was blown away by both the autofocus and the noise reduction in the dark. And limited rolling shutter distortion may actually make the R3’s top speeds useful.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Canon EOS R3 Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Innovations

Canon EOS R3 Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Autofocus

Eye Control AF

Ease of Use

Metering

Image Quality

High ISO Images

RAW File Versatility

Extra Image Samples

Edited

Unedited

Conclusion

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long, Didn’t Read

The Canon R3 has a top burst speed that’s actually useful because of a great autofocus system and a faster processor to limit rolling shutter. This camera can not only shoot in the dark but print ISO 128,000 and still look good. While the R5 may make more sense for detail work, the R3 is an exceptional low-light and fast-action camera.

Canon EOS R3 Pros and Cons

Pros

Impressive autofocus performance with both action and low light

Face recognition works phenomenally, even on birds and in dark scenes

Reduced rolling shutter distortion and 1/180 flash sync with electronic shutter

Excellent noise reduction at high ISOs

Eye Control AF

Built-in vertical grip

Lots of great controls

Weather-sealed

Cons

Resolution is lower than competitors (but this is partially why low light quality is so great)

Higher learning curve

Hot shoe adapter recommended for weather-sealing with older flashes

Heavier and larger than the R5 and R6

Pricey

Gear Used

I used the Canon EOS R3 with the 70-200 f4, 85mm f2 Macro, and 16mm f2.8 RF mount lenses. I also paired the camera with both the EL-1 flash and the Flashpoint R2 Zoom Li-Ion III and a wireless trigger. I stashed the gear in the F-Stop Ajna backpack. The reflections you see in some of the night portraits were created with Lensbaby Omni wands.

Innovations

Canon wasn’t the first to announce a sports-focused mirrorless flagship; it competes with the speed of the Sony A1 and the Nikon Z9. But, there’s still a lot of innovation here. Canon has included Eye Control AF, which was previously on some of their film cameras. This moves the autofocus point to whatever part of the frame your eye is looking at. The processor that’s behind the 30 fps top burst speed also reduces rolling shutter distortion with faster image processing.

Canon EOS R3 Tech Specs

Adorama lists the following specifications for the Canon EOS R3, shortened for clarity:

Lens Mount: Canon RF

Sensor Type: 36 x 24mm (Full-Frame) CMOS

Sensor Resolution: Actual: 26.7 Megapixel; Effective: 24.1 Megapixels

Crop Factor: None

Aspect Ratio: 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 16:9

Image File Format: JPEG, Raw, HEIF

Bit Depth: 14-Bit

Image Stabilization: Sensor-Shift, 5-Axis

ISO Sensitivity: Auto, 100 to 102400 (Extended: 50 to 204800)

Shutter Speed:

Mechanical Shutter: 1/8000 to 30 Second, Bulb Mode

Electronic Shutter: 1/64000 to 30 Second in Manual Mode; 1/64000 to 30 Second in Shutter Priority Mode; 1/8000 to 30 Second in Aperture Priority Mode; 1/8000 to 30 Second; in Program Mode; Bulb Mod...

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There’s nothing wrong with the way the traditional Leica camera worked. If anything, the Leica M series makes the photographer more aware of what’s around them. But let’s be honest, autofocus is very useful. And the Leica SL2s is probably the camera that answers the needs of the modern journalist the best. At the heart of the Leica SL2s is what Leica claims to be a newly developed 24MP BSI sensor. This variant of the Leica SL2 maintains the IP54 weather sealing rating, but it also received a speed boost.

Editor’s Note: We’ve updated this post as of May 2022.

Table of Contents

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Autofocus

Metering

Image Quality

JPEG Output

RAW File Versatility

High ISO Output

Extra Image Samples

Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Pros and Cons

Pros

The fastest autofocus on a Leica ILC I’ve seen. It’s now on par with Canon and Sony.

Autofocus profiles are cool!

Solid build quality

Easy to use

Beautiful image quality

People detection is wonderful.

Functionality-wise, the buttons are fantastic with a good layout and give you everything you need.

A camera that you truly want to carry around with you everywhere

Both Panasonic and Leica lenses have comparable autofocus speeds.

Raw files are pretty versatile in Lightroom.

FANTASTIC high ISO print capability

Cons

A tad pricey. But when you consider the weather sealing, it’s not bad.

I wish it did Qi wireless charging.

I wish this had dedicated animal face detection

There should be an option to never let the display time out. This is especially true for the EVF-Extended mode.

It needs the right strap to be comfortable for long photo walks

Still no multiple exposure mode

I wish the menu was touch-capable and that it either flipped or tilted/pivoted.

Gear Used

We tested the Leica SL2s with:

Leica 35mm f2 Summicron SL

Leica 24-90mm f2.8-4 SL

Panasonic 24-70mm f2.8 Lumix S Pro

Panasonic 16-35mm f4 Lumix S Pro

Tech Specs

A new 24 Megapixel CMOS BSI full-frame sensor. This sensor is image stabilized.

25fps in the electronic shutter mode, and 9fps in mechanical

4GB of internal memory

Up to ISO 100,000

96MP Multishot mode

4K 30p/60P video, Cinema 4K video at 30p/60p

No 29 minute filming limit

Capture One 21 support

5.76 Megapixel EVF

IP54 weather sealing rating and you can shoot with it down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit

Dual UHS II SD Card slots

Top display

USB C

Ergonomics

The Leica SL2s is pretty much identical to the SL2. The big difference is the blacked out Leica logo up top. But otherwise, this camera is very similar to its sibling. It’s still milled from a block of aluminum.

The front of the Leica SL2s has a few controls. There are two buttons near the lens release that are customizable.

Up top there are a few controls. The biggest things are the wonderful diopter control, the LCD screen, the exposure dial, shutter button, and two other buttons. We set these to ISO and white balance.

The back of the camera has little going on. It’s dominated by a large LCD screen. The left has a play button, function button, and a menu button. The power on/off switch is also located here. On the right there is another button that I set to the view mode. Plus, there’s the joystick.

And of course, a camera wouldn’t be a professional grade camera without dual card slots. And this camera has them. On the other side are other ports and the USB C terminal.

Build Quality

The Leica SL2s has an IP54 weather sealing rating. According to the web, that means it can take splashes from any direction and resist a bit of dust. Indeed, the Leica SL2s is one of the toughest and most rugged cameras on the market. I’d argue that it’s the most rugged for a photojournalist. Its predecessor quite literally saved the life of an Italian journalist. The build quality of the Leica SL2s has strengthened my beliefs in better cameras. And quite honestly, the next camera I purchase needs ...

I’m going to preface this by saying that none of the established manufacturers are making bad camera bags. We’d know; we’ve reviewed the most of any photography publication. Just take a look at our camera bag reviews! All the bags are varying degrees of mediocre to good, but none of them are truly awful. Even if they can’t be used as camera bags, they can be used for something else. But, the modern camera bag industry has a big problem.

I’m going to partially credit the idea for this post to my friend, Michael. One day, Michael said that there were too many camera bag manufacturers. Michael specified there are so many camera bags, but camera brands are making fewer cameras. While the camera industry shrunk, the camera bag industry grew.

How does that make sense? Honestly, I don’t know. But I’m pretty sure it has something to do with Kickstarter. Brands have been using Kickstarter for years to fund their products. This helps brands that otherwise might not have made it to market have a fighting chance. That’s great for them. The newer camera brands have done some innovative things which have changed the photo industry. Without them, the camera bag industry would be more plain than vanilla and Greek yogurt.

So why is this a problem? Well, it’s becoming tougher for things to be unique. This problem was already plaguing the camera world. But in the camera bag industry, manufacturers copy one another all the time. Some stand out from others through materials, while others have pretty different and innovative designs.

I think you get the point.

What do we do about it? This is a tough question. There are only a few types of bags that make sense in the camera bag industry: backpacks, slings, messenger bags, duffels, and roller bags. I haven’t seen a lot of totes do a fantastic job at being camera bags. But I did some research into what types of bags could work.

The Bucket. A bucket bag is sort of like a giant lens cloth. Just imagine it with dividers in there. It wouldn’t need to hold a laptop, but it could work as a messenger bag or sling style bag.

Randoseru. A special type of backpack with quick access. Plus, there’s a hard front shell. Who wouldn’t want this?

Battle Bag: From the same website as above, these could be modified with the right know-how. I tried to years ago, but failed.

Guitar bag: I used to carry guitars and basses with me. The bags were awesome, but creating a larger one that could hold lenses, cameras, lights, etc, could be pretty awesome if it would have a definitive shape.

Further, lots of brands don’t use materials like canvas and leather because they feel those materials are too heavy. But with the right design and support, they can work much better. Most camera bags are made from nylon. In recent years, other materials have come up. What about hemp? Or why not silk? Or how about recycled scarf materials like wool and cashmere?

I think brands need to try new things.