Big price drops on the EOS 5D Mark IV, EOS R and more

BeenThere · Oct 28, 2019

Aggressive pricing moves may be signaling new announcements.

M. D. Vaden of Oregon · Oct 28, 2019

BeenThere said:
Aggressive pricing moves may be signaling new announcements.

That's a viable prognostication !

The drop in new EOS R price also plummeted the refurbished price at Canon from $1799 down to $1620, with the new models filling last week's refurb price slot.

Presently I have one EOS R and one 5DS. It's tempting to buy another at this price, but I have enough saved already for the next RF body to be released. So I figured, why dent that fund when the next body is what I'll buy anyway.

magarity · Oct 28, 2019

It's getting harder to resist ebaying my 6D and getting a mark 2.

unfocused · Oct 28, 2019

BeenThere said:
Aggressive pricing moves ~~may be signaling new announcements~~ signal the start of the holiday shopping season.

Fixed it for you.

ritholtz · Oct 28, 2019

Is there any difference between RP and R in terms of focusing and speed? Would like to move to RP (with RF 24-105mm) from 6D mark 2 for some weight and size savings.

melgross · Oct 28, 2019

Those are pretty big drops.

criscokkat · Oct 28, 2019

ritholtz said:
Is there any difference between RP and R in terms of focusing and speed? Would like to move to RP (with RF 24-105mm) from 6D mark 2 for some weight and size savings.

Focusing should be pretty close, the processor is the same between models. The difference appears to be how fast the sensor itself can be read. There are less focus points on the RP sensor as the sensor itself is less dense pixel wise. When you have thousands of points though that's not as much of an issue. For portraits and landscapes and mild movements, they both perform fine. In fact, many users have reported that the focus speed on older lenses is even better because Dual Pixel autofocusing doesn't involve any hunting to get it right. For sports the slower burst rates and more importantly the blackout in the viewfinder can hinder things (mostly if your subject moves erratically)

When not autofocusing between shots, the R can do 8fps and the rp 5. When autofocusing between shots, the R can fo 5fps and the rp 4fps. With tracking priority engaged the r drops to somewhere around 3.5 fps and the RP just under 3fps.

Kit. · Oct 28, 2019

On the other hand, RP can do focus bracketing with RF 24-105 lens. R cannot (yet?).

SouthpawSD · Oct 28, 2019

I sold a 7D2 and some other glass & accessories over the weekend and I'm about to jump on the R at this price! I've not decided if I should get the control ring adapter or the drop-in filter one.

Random Orbits · Oct 28, 2019

SouthpawSD said:
I sold a 7D2 and some other glass & accessories over the weekend and I'm about to jump on the R at this price! I've not decided if I should get the control ring adapter or the drop-in filter one.

It depends on how much you plan on using EF glass in the future. I got the control ring adapter because it gives me the same number of rings as RF lenses, and I use the control ring for ISO.

Others opt for the drop in filter, and that is useful if you plan on using EF lenses more. Having a single CPL filter or a set of small NDs is more useful than carrying multiple filters and step up/down rings, etc. If you plan on using a front filter system (i.e. for grads) then it has less of an advantage. For lenses like the EF 11-24, the drop in filter is highly preferable to custom front filter systems. If you intend of having a mix of RF and EF glass, then you'll end up using/carrying front filters anyway, so the drop in filter may be less useful.

I plan on transitioning most of my EF glass to their RF counterparts, so the drop in filter makes less sense for me.

flip314 · Oct 28, 2019

I can still see buying the 5dIV over the R, but I really can't see paying $1199 for the 6dII when the RP is $999 at the moment. Even paying $99 for the adapter it's still cheaper... Unless you really need the extra fps in continuous, I don't see the advantage of the 6dII.

JPAZ · Oct 28, 2019

SouthpawSD said:
I sold a 7D2 and some other glass & accessories over the weekend and I'm about to jump on the R at this price! I've not decided if I should get the control ring adapter or the drop-in filter one.

If you have a lot of EF or EF-S glass you'll be keeping, I'd get the control ring adapter. I use my control ring to change ISO on my RP.

SteveC · Oct 28, 2019

JPAZ said:
If you have a lot of EF or EF-S glass you'll be keeping, I'd get the control ring adapter. I use my control ring to change ISO on my RP.

I definitely agree about the control ring adapter. The more tactile controls, I think, the better.

I'm new enough to all of this that it seems to me "intuitive" that a control ring ought to change the aperture, which after all is something done in the lens.

YuengLinger · Oct 28, 2019

SouthpawSD said:
I sold a 7D2 and some other glass & accessories over the weekend and I'm about to jump on the R at this price! I've not decided if I should get the control ring adapter or the drop-in filter one.

Six weeks of intense EOS R use here. A bit of a learning curve, but I have it set up just right for me--and I never touch the control ring on the lens. I've heard so many talk about using the ring for ISO...Not me. I use the multifunction button near the shutter button. Always pops right up to ISO and allows me to immediately dial it in with the top dial. Flawless.

The R that I bought actually included the basic adapter, but I think with the current discount, the deal is even better now. Still, I have every function I need assigned to buttons and dials, and when I occasionally want to see the level in the EVF, it is assigned to the touch-bar.

My advice: Buy a native Rf lens to go with the new R. See if you like using the control ring on the native lens. If so, you know which adapter to get!

OneSnark · Oct 29, 2019

flip314 said:
I can still see buying the 5dIV over the R, but I really can't see paying $1199 for the 6dII when the RP is $999 at the moment. Even paying $99 for the adapter it's still cheaper... Unless you really need the extra fps in continuous, I don't see the advantage of the 6dII.

I am amused that the RP, the new 90D, the 6DII, and the M6II are all "around" the same price. (bearing in mind that long time EF users like me need an adapter). If one is inclined to buy. . .and have a dozen Benjamins floating about. . . you really do have an interesting choice.

Heck. . .if you take lenses out of the equation. . .even the G5-II is almost in this price range; and the portability of that camera has strong appeal.

Michael Clark · Oct 29, 2019

YuengLinger said:
Six weeks of intense EOS R use here. A bit of a learning curve, but I have it set up just right for me--and I never touch the control ring on the lens. I've heard so many talk about using the ring for ISO...Not me. I use the multifunction button near the shutter button. Always pops right up to ISO and allows me to immediately dial it in with the top dial. Flawless.

The R that I bought actually included the basic adapter, but I think with the current discount, the deal is even better now. Still, I have every function I need assigned to buttons and dials, and when I occasionally want to see the level in the EVF, it is assigned to the touch-bar.

My advice: Buy a native Rf lens to go with the new R. See if you like using the control ring on the native lens. If so, you know which adapter to get!

On my DSLRs I have the "Set" button assigned to ISO. While pressing and holding it with my right thumb I can change the ISO with the main dial just behind the shutter button using my index finger.

Michael Clark · Oct 29, 2019

unfocused said:
Fixed it for you.

Those are big drops for mid-October. We usually don't see those kinds of discounts until Black Friday (or the week leading up to it).

criscokkat · Oct 29, 2019

Michael Clark said:
Those are big drops for mid-October. We usually don't see those kinds of discounts until Black Friday (or the week leading up to it).

It'll be interesting to see what sort of deals will happen on Black Friday. Costco just added a Z6 bundle for the Holidays, will be interesting to see if they add a RP or R bundle as well. In years past they usually had a 80d 2 kit lens bundle along with several rebel ones.

YuengLinger · Oct 29, 2019

Michael Clark said:
On my DSLRs I have the "Set" button assigned to ISO. While pressing and holding it with my right thumb I can change the ISO with the main dial just behind the shutter button using my index finger.

One reason I decided to not use the ring on the Rf lenses is because I plan to continue using my 5D IV for another couple of years, at least until Canon releases a more versatile FF mirrorless. I've already made the choice to accept muscle-memory confusion going back and for the between the 5DIV and the EOS R, to just roll with it. But I see absolutely no reason I should make it worse by having some functions on my lenses when they are on the R but not the 5DIV.

To put it another way, not using the control ring on the lens has made the transition to the R easier, and it makes using the same EF lens on both the R and the 5DIV much simpler. For me.

Regarding these price drops...Wow. Still very tempting to sell off my venerable old 5DIII and replace it with another 5DIV. That was the plan before I took a walk on the wild side and bought the R, a great decision, as my portraits are better than ever using it. However, for me, the R is now a specialty camera, strictly for portraits. (Sure, I could use it for landscapes, but the 5DIV is just as good with LiveView, and it has better weather sealing--and it can catch the unexpected bird-in-flight or other action opportunity.)

I truly understand the frustration of event and wedding photogaphers who don't believe the R would work for them. The EVF not only "loses" track of a subject that moves just a little too quickly, but it takes getting used to in other ways. For example, while you can see your exposure before taking the shot, very often, pressing the shutter button halfway down brightens the image in the EVF so it looks likes overexposure. It's quick, and the actual exposure of the image is not affected, but it is another example of how, in my opinion, this EVF simply isn't ready for prime-time use other than for static to leisurely or predictably moving subjects.

I wouldn't get a tremendous amount for the 5DIII, but it is not going to see any real use at this point. And my oldest kid won't be able to handle a FF camera for another four years or so. I think I'll sell it (camera, not kid) and wait and see: Maybe the 5DIV will come down even more. About two months ago Amazon just decided to drop the price to $2299 for about five days. Oh, I almost pulled the trigger, but couldn't resist the lure of the R and its primes.

Should I just be satisfied with the 5DIV and the R as a working team right now for portraits, frequent events and the occasional wedding? I guess I'll try for a while and see how it goes. The R would be for details and portraits, the 5DIV for all else. But any action or threat of light rain, the R, to me, is problematic.

What a great time to be a photographer! So many great cameras and lenses! So hard to go wrong if the intention is to take great pictures!