Its been about a month or five weeks since I got the EOS R, and I'm trying to find the right words to describe just how I feel, without coming off as a fanboy or just gushing over things.
What I like -
Focuses in light that the 5D3 and 5D4 cannot, with lenses they wouldn't dare to even try with.
The focusing seems faster, livelier on servo, even a bit livelier on one shot.
The granularity of the configuration, whereby (almost) any setting can be assigned to different buttons.
The ramp up of viewfinder brightness in low light which gives my 60+ y/o eyes a break in low light. The OVF of the 5D3 (and borrowed) 5D4 are just so dim in low light by comparison.
The vibrationless, sort of "Leica M" exposures.
The size, or lack thereof.
Ditto for weight.
What I don't like -
The viewfinder ramp up, in low light focusing. I think what its doing is raising the gain on the sensor to "focus" then returning it back down to its set sensitivity? If you make a big change in subject distance in low light it seems to white out, focus at about the time the viewfinder catches up with the gain increase, then settle back down. This all takes a moment.
The EVF blackout when the camera is idle for a bit. I've not found a way around this, but maybe there is one. Shooting hoards of motorcycles at Bike Week, I had to learn to "activate" the EVF with a flick of the shutter release or back (focus) button, as the traffic light turned green, so I'd have the EVF on as the bikes passed. Its just one less thing I'd rather not think about, and at times the camera wasn't ready, so I just shot anyway. It focused, and exposed ok when I did that, but of course framing wasn't terribly great.
The few limitations on features and functions that can be assigned to buttons. Wha? I praised that, now I'm knocking it. Well... one thing I like to set on the fly is the metering mode, especially when I'm out all day, varying light from side light to high noon sun, varying background, varying subject, and the way I'd like to render the images. For instance, I took a break from shooting bikes to photograph some of the locals and (many) passers by at Bike Week. In the middle of that, there'd be a great custom car or bike rolling down Main Street. It was a button fiddle to reset metering modes, and so I just left it to Evaluative, and did "ok". Bracketing is not an option as the time is insufficient with moving vehicles. Anyway, the only way I've found to set the mode is to get the Q button set up in "metering mode" so its fairly accessible. That took a bit of manual sleuthing to do. This is no deal breaker, but you can't assign that "function" to other buttons.
All of that, just me of course, YMMV
Bottom line - I gave my 5D2 to a friend to get them into full frame photography. I'm sure they'll appreciate. It will go well with the 7D I gave them a few years ago.
I intentionally did not get the RF 24-105/4 L with the camera body. My concern was having two lens lines that were only interchangeable "one way". My outlook has changed. I'll probably get the RF 24-105, and just dedicate it to the R body for 90 percent of what I shoot. That's my go to lens for years. I can't see me keeping the 5D3 too much longer, maybe a two years - depending on what Canon does with the R series bodies. Switching from OVF to EVF and back, and controls being totally different, takes some getting used to.
So anyway, just my thoughts, comments welcome.
What I like -
Focuses in light that the 5D3 and 5D4 cannot, with lenses they wouldn't dare to even try with.
The focusing seems faster, livelier on servo, even a bit livelier on one shot.
The granularity of the configuration, whereby (almost) any setting can be assigned to different buttons.
The ramp up of viewfinder brightness in low light which gives my 60+ y/o eyes a break in low light. The OVF of the 5D3 (and borrowed) 5D4 are just so dim in low light by comparison.
The vibrationless, sort of "Leica M" exposures.
The size, or lack thereof.
Ditto for weight.
What I don't like -
The viewfinder ramp up, in low light focusing. I think what its doing is raising the gain on the sensor to "focus" then returning it back down to its set sensitivity? If you make a big change in subject distance in low light it seems to white out, focus at about the time the viewfinder catches up with the gain increase, then settle back down. This all takes a moment.
The EVF blackout when the camera is idle for a bit. I've not found a way around this, but maybe there is one. Shooting hoards of motorcycles at Bike Week, I had to learn to "activate" the EVF with a flick of the shutter release or back (focus) button, as the traffic light turned green, so I'd have the EVF on as the bikes passed. Its just one less thing I'd rather not think about, and at times the camera wasn't ready, so I just shot anyway. It focused, and exposed ok when I did that, but of course framing wasn't terribly great.
The few limitations on features and functions that can be assigned to buttons. Wha? I praised that, now I'm knocking it. Well... one thing I like to set on the fly is the metering mode, especially when I'm out all day, varying light from side light to high noon sun, varying background, varying subject, and the way I'd like to render the images. For instance, I took a break from shooting bikes to photograph some of the locals and (many) passers by at Bike Week. In the middle of that, there'd be a great custom car or bike rolling down Main Street. It was a button fiddle to reset metering modes, and so I just left it to Evaluative, and did "ok". Bracketing is not an option as the time is insufficient with moving vehicles. Anyway, the only way I've found to set the mode is to get the Q button set up in "metering mode" so its fairly accessible. That took a bit of manual sleuthing to do. This is no deal breaker, but you can't assign that "function" to other buttons.
All of that, just me of course, YMMV
Bottom line - I gave my 5D2 to a friend to get them into full frame photography. I'm sure they'll appreciate. It will go well with the 7D I gave them a few years ago.
I intentionally did not get the RF 24-105/4 L with the camera body. My concern was having two lens lines that were only interchangeable "one way". My outlook has changed. I'll probably get the RF 24-105, and just dedicate it to the R body for 90 percent of what I shoot. That's my go to lens for years. I can't see me keeping the 5D3 too much longer, maybe a two years - depending on what Canon does with the R series bodies. Switching from OVF to EVF and back, and controls being totally different, takes some getting used to.
So anyway, just my thoughts, comments welcome.