DPReview had a chance to talk to the folks from the Canon EOS R development team. They spoke with someone from each of the main parts of development, someone from physical design, optical design, UI design and the product design team. Apparently, the design team was given more freedom for the EOS R system, than any previous Canon camera project.
There were obviously design decisions that are new to a Canon EOS camera, and one of them is the lack of a mode dial.
Trying to accommodate the needs of video shooters ended up leading the removal of the camera's mode dial, says Koji Yoshida: “if you have a mode dial then the [exposure] settings will be the same for both stills and movies.”
“We consulted with a lot of different people and talked about this a lot, and decided to have different settings this time,” he says. But it's clear this isn't a decision made lightly: “[The mode dial] is a function that's been common in the past, so getting rid of that was a big decision that required a lot of consideration,” said Shintaro Oshima. “There was a lot of internal discussion about this point,” concurs Yoshida.
Interviewers always ask about future product plans from camera companies, and obviously, Canon didn't tip their hat, but we are told to expect “big things” from Canon and the EOS R system in the future.
…. When asked whether there was any chance of an APS-C RF-mount camera, Oishi was suitably non-committal: “we're thinking about it, but we can't answer in detail,” he says. But the individual engineers did all discuss what they were looking forward to.
“It gives more structural freedom in terms of design, because it doesn't have a pentamirror”, says Oishi. “I'm excited about improvements in Digic image processor and functions that create more value and make easier to use,” says Yoshida. But it's optics specialist Kato who seems most enthused: “This is just the start of the system,” he says, talking about F2.8 zooms and other possibilities, before settling on a broader-reaching point: “We want to surprise and astonish you, so please expect big things.” Read the full interview
We've been told that an APS-C EOS R camera body was in the works, but there is no timeline on when we might see one. We think it's too early to replace the EOS 7D series with an EOS R mirrorless camera, so we'd likely see a lower end APS-C EOS R camera.
The Canon EOS R is in stock and ready to ship
If the RF 24-105 L proves to be better than the EF 24-105 L, then what Canon's engineers said about the new mount is true, and there's no reason to keep investing in EF lenses and bodies.
I could replace my 6D, EF 24-105L and EF 35mm F/2 IS with a R, RF 24-105 and RF 35mm F/1.8 IS, but then I would not be able to use my M as a backup body (just in case I travel to Australia, Canada or other exotic places).
A good idea could be to replace both the 6D and the M6 with two R bodies, but there's just one option.
So… I'll wait until summer 2019 at least.
[I don't have particular needs: I'm just one of the many amateur photographers with more money to spend for gear than talent - and time - to make the best of it].
Agreed. Same thing happened with the M series, which evolved quite nicely from the simplistic M to the dial-intensive M6. I expected the R to be more like the M5/M6 though in terms of design, but perhaps Canon feel they need to make an attempt to reinvent the wheel. Which is fine and all. The risk of course in doing so is alienation.
I have already compared my thoughts on the R vs. 5D series but personally, I don’t think the R can replace an M6 either, and that’s purely due to size. The R may as well be a DSLR, at least a mid-size one. If I can take in an R, I should also be able to take in a 5D. But I have been able to get the M6 into places I couldn’t take a 5D. Now, for general travel use, I like the R/24-105 combo as a simple, single HQ camera/lens solution. But based on first impressions and reviews, unless I commit myself to a trip in the near future, I see no rush to grab one.
Is the Rs implementation the same as the 1Dx?
Is there an equivalent of the hard stop at 3C on the R or 1Dx?
Maybe the EOS R was meant to be the all-rounder (still and video) version, and the rumoured 6D-level body coming next year avoids some of the supposedly video-centric features of the EOS R?
I mean, there is some irony in the engineers saying that the novel control features of the EOS R were aimed at videographers, when a lot of the general criticism of the camera has come from that quarter.
Instead of turning the mode dial, you press the button and dial in your mode in the viewfinder. I rented the R today and already find the new mode dial extremely easy to use. Easy to change the mode while you shoot.
It means, if you physically print P Av Tv M C1 onto a mode dial, those are all the modes you can have, and you must have exactly those modes, whether you're shooting video or stills. It's kind of a stupid rationalization, at least for now, because the two are almost the same anyways. In video mode, there's no Bulb (duh), and no Fv mode. They both have auto, program, Av, Tv, M, and C1-C3, I believe. And obviously, it's possible to tell the user to turn the mode dial to something else if they're trying to shoot a video in Bulb >.<
I guess, if there were vastly different exposure modes in the future for stills vs video, it would make more sense O.O
And their attempt at explaining no mode dial is totally absurd. Wasting precious real estate on top of camera for a dial-shaped idiotic ON/OFF switch is beyond "asinine".
If they want to make UI cleaner, then just leave off "n00b scene modes" and reduce to green square Auto, P or Fv, Av, Tv, M, B, C1-C3 plus "Video" capture as one setting on the mode dial.
What I don't understand is that the rear screen was nice and sharp and high resolution and a pleasure to use. But the EVF....
The viewfinder is the interface between the artist and the scene. A step change is needed before I'd buy a mirrorless.
Ah ok, I (obviously) don't have one so I think I was misunderstanding the quote. Thought the mode dial had gone altogether and it was just a scroll through button! :eek:
Thanks for clearing that up
there is nothing in those Canon interviews to agree or disagree with. Only fluffy, fuzzy blather. Zero information. Only generic, general bullsh*t any of us here knew long before already.
well, had stupid Canon left the mode dial in place and instead implemented 4k video with no crop, they would have gotten praise from videots and stills photogs.
wasting real estate with a dial-shaped ON/OFF switch. GIVE ME A F*CKING BREAK.