Beautiful series, ISv.

Last Tuesday I spent ~2.5h looking for the Orange-cheeked Waxbill and didn't find it... To look for this bird between hundreds of Common Waxbills is like looking for a needle in big pile of straw. The differences are more than obvious but if the bird is not flashing orange cheeks or red rump between the grass it's almost impossible to figure out who is who from several meters! The bird is of the size of the Eurasian Wren mostly because of the longer tail!
Today: I just entered the park and there was a tight flock of 30-50 Waxbills. In ~ 20-30 sec suddenly RED RUMP (Click, I didn't ask you for jumping/dancing emoji because the chance to find that single bird was really miserable...) !!!!!!!!!!
I saved about 50 photos, here are the once where one can see the most important differences from the Common Waxbill (last posted photos of that one on page 1624 - for comparison).
After that took a burst of nicely posing White Eye and rushed home to see what I have done on big screen. To say that I'm happy now like a mice in Cheddar is like nothing to say ! Bird in the grass/shade hardly can make photos like the bird in light and colorful background but the star here is that bird in the grass!!!

Works for me. I had an EOS R I had a very love/hate relationship with. I feel like this will replace the things I hated about that with things I love, like modern performance and retro styling like my a7CII. I will definitely check it out when it's released. I've been kind of looking for a reason to come back to Canon.

David_B said:

The AI focus tech has a measurable impact on price, with an extra chip being used.

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No, it doesn’t.
All Digic X powered cameras have deep learning algorithms loaded into them.
Only two cameras actually have an extra processing unit dedicated to AI, the R5 Mark II and the R1.

David_B said:

With AI, putting smarts in the camera to pick the right target with AI for AF is Canon's goal, so that all the photographer needs to do is frame the shot and push the button.

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And how exactly is that a problem..?
You can still perform autofocus without subject recognition, using Spot AF and One Shot AF. Heck, you can even manual focus without focus assist, if you want, as well as third party RF lenses without electronic contacts.
I would expect nothing less than R8 to R6 performance level for $2000. What else would we be paying for, the sensor of a R6 Mark III with R100 features level? That’s worth $800 to $1000 at best.

David_B said:

Why is everyone saying 45mm is a retro lens? Was it released with the AE-1?

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Because it performs like a lens from the 1990’s to early 2000’s.

David_B said:

The AI focus tech has a measurable impact on price, with an extra chip being used.

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The R&D is already done, so removing it from a camera won't reduce costs. There is no extra chip used at all, except on the R5/R1. The rest of the cameras are just using normal Digic X. Actually designing and creating a new chip for a camera selling in limited numbers would increase cost, not reduce it.

I maintain that retro cameras do not need the best features, it saves on cost and the audience doesn't need high end specs anyway.

They could stick an R8 in an A-1 shaped body (with the shape of the grip attachment please), rerelease a few lenses to match the style, and it would fly off the shelves.

PinholeR5 said:

Why do you say that? Didn't Canon release several autofocus improvements for the R5/R6? For example, FW 1.5:

https://www.canon-europe.com/pro/news/new-firmware-features-explained/#:~:text=and%20EOS%20R6.-,EOS%20R5%20and%20EOS%20R6:%20Enhanced%20autofocus%20with%20vehicle%20tracking,images%20together%20in%20post%2Dproduction.

Are you saying you believe that was a "one-off" thing for the Canon R5/R6 generation, perhaps because they were still establishing a foothold in the mirrorless market, but going forward we shouldn't expect the same?

I'm hoping for some AF improvements for the R5II and R1. Don't get me wrong, I agree with you that the R5 II's AF (R1's AF) is (are) already top notch. But.... I'm always hoping for more .

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I mean yes they already improved it a lot compared to first R5, I assume they will want to keep things to push people to R5 MK3 in a few years aside global shutter, vario angle screen and better AF/ISO I can't see many things, as the R5 mk2 is already such a great camera body.

But yes of course i will be the first one happy if they improve the R5 MK2 AF but I don't really expect it.

"EOS R6 Mark III can have precapture binded to a button,"

Does this refer to customizing a button to turn the precapture on and off? That was already available in R6ii, I am surprised if it wasn't available in R5ii or R1. Probably you mean something else.

I thought the retro camera would be APS-C, because "fashion cameras" sell the best when they are affordable. Wrong again.

Exploreshootshare said:

I think your demands just lost Canon all potential customers.

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Why is that? Canon sells more single memory card cameras than it does with two and it sells relatively few large battery pack cameras.

Exploreshootshare said:

I guess two retro lenses as CR mentioned make sense.

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Why is everyone saying 45mm is a retro lens? Was it released with the AE-1?

Eloniel said:

No way canon improve AF on a body already released... That's the main selling point of the newer model at each iteration. + R5 MK2 AF is already top tier.

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Why do you say that? Didn't Canon release several autofocus improvements for the R5/R6? For example, FW 1.5:


Are you saying you believe that was a "one-off" thing for the Canon R5/R6 generation, perhaps because they were still establishing a foothold in the mirrorless market, but going forward we shouldn't expect the same?

I'm hoping for some AF improvements for the R5II and R1. Don't get me wrong, I agree with you that the R5 II's AF (R1's AF) is (are) already top notch. But.... I'm always hoping for more .

blackcoffee17 said:

Ah, this nonsense again. You don't have to use the "autofocus gimics" if you don't want to. You can just use single point, like 20 years ago or manual focus like 50 years ago.
But don't expect Canon to not add all the AI focus tech. They also won't design a completely new sensor and electronics for it, will likely be just an R8/R6 in a retro housing with a few features disabled and software changes.

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The AI focus tech has a measurable impact on price, with an extra chip being used. But to take your point, when the R6/R8 were released, nobody complained about not being able to take photos, so maybe using the 32MP plus a majority of bits from those two is a good start!

With AI, putting smarts in the camera to pick the right target with AI for AF is Canon's goal, so that all the photographer needs to do is frame the shot and push the button.

jeffa4444 said:

Having had the EOS R6 MKIII for a week and as a former MKII owner the upgrade is way bigger than the move from the MKI to the MKII.
The autofocus has improved over the MKII, I feel the 32.5 MP sensor is the sweet spot and back to the EOS R but with more refined image quality. The precapture is great for birds and so far I’ve not noticed any skewing.
I shoot landscape, wildlife and portraiture before I had the R6 MKII purely for landscape, an R10 for wildlife and the R5 for portraits. The R6 MKIII can do all three I can crop and not notice picture degradation, I can still have 40FPS in electronic shutter and have 1/250th flash sync it’s a win win with very minor down sides.

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I think I'll wait for a few sensor tests (DXO, Photons and optyczne.pl (my new sensor test goto - thanks AlanF) before I make any decisions. I've been rocking a R6ii for a few years and I'm very happy with it. I've recently bought a new R5 for very little because I had a few customers and I needed a 2nd camera urgently. However, I could flip my R5 for pretty much what I paid for it around easter and maybe consider a R6iii. But I'll want to play with a few files in lightroom and see a few test sites before I comit. In the mean time, my R6ii and R5 are taking great images.

rombe3jr said:

There are a few lenses on my radar over on the Sony "E" mount: Sirui 85mm f/1.4 ($440 USD) and the Sirui 35mm f/1.4 ($550), mostly just curious about the quality to price ratio. The Tamron 35-150 f/2-2.8 ($1,600) for its versatility. Then there are the Sony FE 50-150 f/2 ($4,000) and the Sony FE 28-70 f/2 ($3,350). The only lens that Canon has on this list to directly compete on a dollar for spec basis is the 28-70 f/2 (the "OG"), but Sony managed to get the weight down by 1.15 pounds then they went and extended the same fixed focal length to 150mm in their next lens, the FE 50-150 f/2, leapfrogging our own "OG" lens, twice really. Traditionally Sony falls a few bucks more expensive on a lens to lens comparison of "G-Master" to "L" lenses, and Sony had to go and rub salt in the wound by charging a few bucks less for the 1.15 lb lighter FE 28-70 f/2 as well. Its nice that Canon is making a 45mm f/1.2 lens for only $470 (we need kids to have a reason to climb the Canon ladder. I don't want to die being the only Canon shooter around). But I would like to see Canon working on some mid-range to high end lenses too.

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Exactly, if Canon wants my money give me the shiny toys that are currently only available for Sony's shooters.
I wonder how long we will have to wait for these new f2.0 zooms. I hope to see one in 2026 and one in 2027 but maybe I'm too optimistic.

A stripped down R3iii? That sounds a lot like an R8ii. I wonder if Canon will co-develope the R8ii and AE-1 retro together.

neuroanatomist said:

Are we expecting a 24-70/2.8 Z, given that there is already a 24-105/2.8 Z?

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I would say it's too similar to be worth it for canon. A 24-70 f2.0 Z or a 28-70 f2.0 mk2 Z on the other end.

David_B said:

And yes finally a camera for photographers, not videographers. People that don't need autofocus gimics where the camera takes the photo for you (almost.)

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Ah, this nonsense again. You don't have to use the "autofocus gimics" if you don't want to. You can just use single point, like 20 years ago or manual focus like 50 years ago.
But don't expect Canon to not add all the AI focus tech. They also won't design a completely new sensor and electronics for it, will likely be just an R8/R6 in a retro housing with a few features disabled and software changes.

Wrap an R100 in an AE-1 body and it likely would sell well at $699 or so to Gen Z and Millenial buyers more interested in the look than performance. And Retro cameras are about the look. It’s a fashion statement.

masterpix said:

I will probabaly spend my not so big account on lenses, 24-70 when the Z will come,

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Are we expecting a 24-70/2.8 Z, given that there is already a 24-105/2.8 Z?

Del Paso said:

But the 50mm should be sharp, from f/1,8. Then I could be tempted (at least by the lens...).

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That’s not true retro

The RF 45mm is a perfect contender

Del Paso said:

But the 50mm should be sharp, from f/1,8. Then I could be tempted (at least by the lens...).

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OMG, just got it.

creative1 said:

I just received mine a few minutes ago. It is still a brick until I get some memory cards, but there is one thing I noticed that is pretty concerning to me, and I am not sure if this is normal, but it feels like something is rattling when I hold the camera. Is this normal? Not that this should matter, but I have not even powered up the camera.

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Don’t you have some SD cards lying around? The camera doesn’t absolutely need CFexpress to get started…

Love it and looking forward to it. And I will likely buy it. I continue to dream though that we one day will get a Canon P style retro camera or even new school camera based off the the Canon P. I think it would be a big hit with jazzy FujiFilm and Leica shooter types….of which I am as well, but much uglier.

Berowne said:

I have an AE-1 somewhere. In fact i did like my Leicas more and always guessed, the Leica Q was a something like a retro Leica CL. Anyway, i would buy a RE-1 if it comes with a nice and small Retro-Lens, perhaps a 50mm f 1.8. Could be tempting.

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But the 50mm should be sharp, from f/1,8. Then I could be tempted (at least by the lens...).

masterpix said:

I will probabaly spend my not so big account on lenses, 24-70 when the Z will come, the 70-200Z and the 200-800...

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exactly, my camera will last me for a long time. i will be watching the canon refurbished lenses through.