Canon EOS R

Canon EOS R1 & impressions by professional sports photographer Jeff Cable

Craig
Craig
107 Comments
3 Min Read

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You may remember the name Jeff Cable. He had great coverage at the last Olympics using the EOS R3 and came away impressed, as most people are with the camera.

He has been shooting with a preproduction version of the EOS R1 and has written his initial impressions of the camera

He has some thoughts that we want to point out here.

The Canon R1 has a much improved eye control system and it is amazing! I had a chance to use the new camera a couple of weeks ago, with some other photographers at a special meeting with Canon, and we all agreed that this new eye control was light years better than the one on the R3.

https://blog.jeffcable.com/2024/07/now-i-can-talk-about-all-new-canon-r1.html

I too found the EOS R3 eye control to not work well for my eyes, and with glasses. I'll be looking forward to trying the EOS R1's eye control AF.

Jeff also comments on the pre record feature Canon finally added to its lineup with the EOS R6 Mark II. He shows an example of getting lightning strikes. They're quite hard to time, storm chasers have probably been using cameras with the feature for a while. It will also be very useful in fast sports, you can't always anticipate a moment, and they're fleeting.

He talks about how “sticky” the autofocus has been with the EOS R1.

I stated back then that I wanted even better focusing. I can tell you that when I have used the pre-production R1, the focus is extremely fast and very sticky. By that, I mean that the camera will stay focused on my subject even when another person might cross in front of them. This is VERY important to me. 

https://blog.jeffcable.com/2024/07/now-i-can-talk-about-all-new-canon-r1.html

He is excited to use the people prioritization feature at the Olympics. This feature allows you to take a photo of someone and register it in the camera, and then have the focus point stick to them. This is going to change photography for a lot of sports. I can't wait to shoot basketball with the EOS R1.

He also comments that he has seen no issue with rolling shutter. We'll have to see golf backswings and ball sports like American football.

Be sure to follow Jeff's blog when the Paris Olympic Games begin on July 26, 2024. I'm hoping he gets to shoot some basketball and give his impressions.

You can check out all of Jeff's thoughts on the EOS R1 here.

Go to discussion...

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ByCraig
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Craig is the founder and editorial director for Canon Rumors. He has been writing about all things Canon for more than 17 years. When he's not writing, you can find him shooting professional basketball and travelling the world looking for the next wildlife adventure. The Canon EOS R1 is his camera of choice.
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107 comments

  1. The R3 is more than fast enough for American football.
    Baseball and hockey will be the true test.
    The R1 will be put to the test in Olympic sports like table tennis in the next few weeks anyway.
  2. The R3 is more than fast enough for American football.
    Baseball and hockey will be the true test.
    The R1 will be put to the test in Olympic sports like table tennis in the next few weeks anyway.

    I had deformed balls in e-shutter and lighting issues.
  5. I have been following and messaging Jeff for quite some time now. Very interesting view points and shots from an experianced sports photographer for team USA. Follow his blog and you will see fotos of team USA that you may never see anywhere else. He will tell you which camera he's using and often how he got the shot. Good stuff
  6. The R3 is more than fast enough for American football.
    Baseball and hockey will be the true test.
    The R1 will be put to the test in Olympic sports like table tennis in the next few weeks anyway.
    The R3 has been used in ALL sports already. Actually the R5 too. If you go to the camera pits and down to the pitch before and after events you'll see them.
  7. The R3 is more than fast enough for American football.
    Baseball and hockey will be the true test.
    The R1 will be put to the test in Olympic sports like table tennis in the next few weeks anyway.
    Agree, I use to shoot hockey game here in Canada twice a week, and hockey + volleyball are the true test. Unfortunately the puck is very small. Hopefully they can find a way to incorporate it. The thing I am curious the most is the pre-shot. In hockey, the game is so fast that quite often, the puck is already gone before you manage to press that shutter. Also, if the eye controlled auto-focus is mature, this might help, but I am afraid we are still a generation or two behind, before we can focus as fast our eye can see.
  8. The R3 has been used in ALL sports already. Actually the R5 too. If you go to the camera pits and down to the pitch before and after events you'll see them. Heck, tennis matches, golf. Olympic sports, are sports no different than played anywhere else. Just on a grander stage and all at one place for a few weeks. But a test no different than any other time. Volleyball is pretty easy.. Spaced athletes with with a ball that is relatively slow in comparison to a baseball.
  9. Agree, I use to shoot hockey game here in Canada twice a week, and hockey + volleyball are the true test. Unfortunately the puck is very small. Hopefully they can find a way to incorporate it. The thing I am curious the most is the pre-shot. In hockey, the game is so fast that quite often, the puck is already gone before you manage to press that shutter. Also, if the eye controlled auto-focus is mature, this might help, but I am afraid we are still a generation or two behind, before we can focus as fast our eye can see.
    Actually hockey is very predictive. An experianced sports photographer knows the sports and anticipates movements. Its not as if they are suprised after shooting thousands of events. And with AI it's even easier now. At 40 fps, piece of cake. 3 - 4000 shots during a 2 hour event from prime unobstructed locations, one is bound to get one shot. They are not takiing fotos from paid spectator seating.
  10. I'll add the translated image... Thanks for sharing.

    View attachment 218306
    Well, based on the reaction threads, in a month or so you'll have to switch all the names one spot counter clockwise. 🙂


    Cable's stuff is good. Pretty balanced over the years. As generally happens, the people that USE the camera will see its value. The people that TALK about cameras on the forums will remain stuck in the spec sheets.

    Brian
  12. I always enjoy reading Jeff's post. I feel that he provides a very balanced perspective and legitimately points out the positives and areas of improvement for any piece of equipment that he uses.
  13. Actually hockey is very predictive. An experianced sports photographer knows the sports and anticipates movements. Its not as if they are suprised after shooting thousands of events. And with AI it's even easier now. At 40 fps, piece of cake. 3 - 4000 shots during a 2 hour event from prime unobstructed locations, one is bound to get one shot. They are not takiing fotos from paid spectator seating.
    Bingo! You do enough photography (i.e. with me I have been using Analog Film since 1983 and Digital since 1993 for both Video and Stills!) you can ANTICIPATE the action of various players. I usually do Skiing, Snowboarding and Hockey so once you learn who is who and their sports play style after a while, it doesn't take much to figure out WHEN and WHERE to point your lens and take the photos.

    Even my hobbyist FOH (Front of House) band imagery sees that I have learned the moves and sounds of the local singers and instrumentalists to such a point that I can now ANTICIPATE what they will do so that I can get some good photos even while doing FOH sound reinforcement functions during a set! It also helps to anticipate sound levels and tuning WHILE the band is doing a set for FOH purposes in addition to using that technique for photography. It's something YOU SHOULD LEARN how to do! Anticipate the movements and actions of the players to get a FEEL for the action so you can get the best shot!

    For FOH sets, I use Colour Film Cameras (i.e. usually Kodak Portra 800 for low-light band imagery and Fuji Pro 400H film stock when pyrotechnics and strobes are part of the show!) NOT digital for taking photos WHILE I am doing an FOH sound reinforcement set. I usually shoot a 4-burst set of shots at a time and usually I get one or two good shots out that set and I usually end up taking four to six rolls per show. I'm so good at doing both, I can anticipate an entire riff or chorus for proper sound levels and parametric tuning via my presets to make it sound superb and STILL get four shots away on film!

    Soooooooo, LEARN to anticipate what shots (or levels!) you need for video, audio and stills so that you get the BEST captures possible!

    V
  15. Actually, that first appeared on the R7, about six months before the R62 was announced.
    Not-Rudy told us that the R5II is the first R camera to have it!!!!

    (I’ve used it on my R8 already)
  16. Not-Rudy told us that the R5II is the first R camera to have it!!!!

    (I’ve used it on my R8 already)
    Maybe the Canon mouthpiece meant with individual file output? I have not bothered trying pre-capture on the R8, knowing I'd have to wallow in the mud puddle that is DPP to extract individual images.
  17. Maybe the Canon mouthpiece meant with individual file output? I have not bothered trying pre-capture on the R8, knowing I'd have to wallow in the mud puddle that is DPP to extract individual images.
    No, he was talking about pre-record for movies and the 3-5s pre-record option.
  19. No, he was talking about pre-record for movies and the 3-5s pre-record option.
    If you read Jeff's actual blog, it's clear he's referring to the 0.5 sec still image pre-capture.

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