Canon EOS R1 prototypes are in the wild [CR3]

[Canon Rumors Guy]

The long rumored Canon EOS R1 is finally getting closer to be reality. It’s not a question of if the EOS R1 comes, as Canon themselves have stated numerous times that the EOS R3 is “not our flagship”. It’s just a question of when. We have been told by two sources to expect “some kind”

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[GMCPhotographics]

An interesting developement. It kind of says...hey the R1 is coming soon...it'll probably have a 50mp+ sensor (maybe the same MP as the new R5ii?). It'll have an improved software based AF system, but no Quad pixel architecture. It'll be big, beautiful and really really expensive. Other than that...erm no news except it's name checked and coming some time next year.

 

[Maximilian]

Resolution for the EOS R1 is unknown, but we have been told multiple times to expect at least double the resolution of the EOS R3's 24mp.

I think "at least double" is just logical, looking at all the others in the market.

We have also been told that Quad Pixel AF is not ready and will not be featured

To me this is the only real news and somehow surprising/disappointing.

 

[Maximilian]

An interesting developement. It kind of says...hey the R1 is coming soon...it'll probably have a 50mp+ sensor (maybe the same MP as the new R5ii?). It'll have an improved software based AF system, but no Quad pixel architecture. It'll be big, beautiful and really really expensive. Other than that...erm no news except it's name checked and coming some time next year.

Good summary

 

[cooldood]

Just saying

 

[EOS 4 Life]

I think "at least double" is just logical, looking at all the others in the market.


To me this is the only real news and somehow surprising/disappointing.

Especially since Olympus/OM already has it.

 

[neuroanatomist]

I'm sure it will be a nice camera. Surprised at the report that quad pixel AF won't be used, to me that was a big selling point for the R1. I don't feel limited by the 24 MP of my R3. I'm one of those for whom eye control AF works fine, but I still find that the Smart Controller is more effective.

I'll probably place a pre-order to get in the queue while I decide based on what is actually announced.

 

[FaolainWolf]

I'm sure it will be a nice camera. Surprised at the report that quad pixel AF won't be used, to me that was a big selling point for the R1. I don't feel limited by the 24 MP of my R3. I'm one of those for whom eye control AF works fine, but I still find that the Smart Controller is more effective.

I'll probably place a pre-order to get in the queue while I decide based on what is actually announced.

R3 eye control works well for me, too, but I would agree that the Smart Controller is more effective and, to me, a lot more important.

 

[john1970]

The lack of quad pixel AF is a bit disappointing and a bit surprising. I really hope there are other features besides resolution that significantly differentiates the R1 from the R3. The improvements in Eye control AF might be useful, but only if it works flawlessly for those of us that wear glasses without having to use a huge eyecup adapter.

Lastly, I really hope the rumor that the R1 has dual CF Express type C slots is wrong. CF Express type C cards are huge and I am unaware of any that are commercially available. Hopefully they utilize CF Express Type B 4.0 cards.

 

[Del Paso]

Especially since Olympus/OM already has it.

OM 1: a fascinating little camera, with a few interesting features the big ones still lack!

 

[P-visie]

The Camera insider has discovered a patent application: ”JP 2023-149423 The patent provides faster autofocus with improved prediction of moving subjects between frames for both video shooting and stills shooters.” (Link).
They state that this is likely for the R1 and R5 mark 2.

The ordinary film maker has a video in which they explain why the R1 will not have CF Express type C (Link).

 

[GMCPhotographics]

I'm sure it will be a nice camera. Surprised at the report that quad pixel AF won't be used, to me that was a big selling point for the R1. I don't feel limited by the 24 MP of my R3. I'm one of those for whom eye control AF works fine, but I still find that the Smart Controller is more effective.

I'll probably place a pre-order to get in the queue while I decide based on what is actually announced.

I've always found 20-24mp to be a really nice sweet spot. I've been in this particular MP rut for over 10 years and I've not found a good reason to go over this level. I'm sure I'd feel differently when a R5ii is available! The crop ability of 45mp sensors is a very real and quatifiable feature. However, since Lightroom relased their AI upside option, there's less of an advantage. In fact the advantage is still with the 24mp camera, because i don't need the MP baggage of thousands of 45mp images compared to 24mp images...meaning that the software AI upsize approach is slower and more cumbersom...it is more targetted and applied. My Lightroom database is smaller and more agile and my PC is less over-whelmed.

I'm sure your abilty to navigate and profile your eye control is directly proportion to your applied intelligence. Unfortunatly, not all photographers are so blessed. Canon has to dumb down the science to a point were any idiot can use it with out effort or consideration. We are living in the days where AI is assisting stupid people to competatively compete with smart people.

For me it's a feature I'm not so bothered about. It's the stacked sensor, handling, ruggedness, top tier EVF (copare it to an R7 or R8 and it's like night and day) and superior battery voltage that attract me to the R3. I used my big EF 400mm f2.8 II L with my R8 the other day. It operated fine but the lens sucked the battery dry in no time at all. My EF 100-400IIL fared almost as badly with the R8's battery.

 

[bbasiaga]

I wonder if it will be R3 sized, or larger like the previous 1s? Hopefully the former. R3 is great in the hand. And of course price....$6500? $7500? $10k?

I think with no QPAF maybe they have a hard time getting to $10k. But something tells me that's where they want to be.

Brian

 

[AccipiterQ]

I'm sure it will be a nice camera. Surprised at the report that quad pixel AF won't be used, to me that was a big selling point for the R1. I don't feel limited by the 24 MP of my R3. I'm one of those for whom eye control AF works fine, but I still find that the Smart Controller is more effective.

I'll probably place a pre-order to get in the queue while I decide based on what is actually announced.

Yeah I'm a little surprised as well...I'm not sure "more than doubling" the R3's resolution is needed, you're stepping on the R5 territory then. Unless the goal is to get people (like me) to upgrade from the R5....I will say that if the resolution is at/over 50 MP then this could be used for bird photography, without an extender even...

 

[masterpix]

The long rumored Canon EOS R1 is finally getting closer to be reality. It’s not a question of if the EOS R1 comes, as Canon themselves have stated numerous times that the EOS R3 is “not our flagship”. It’s just a question of when. We have been told by two sources to expect “some kind”

I wish they have also chosen me to try it too, but seems I am not :-(

 

[[email protected]]

Yes, quad-pixel AF was one of the few things people were thinking would be a significant improvement over the R3/R5 duo.

So what's left?
- Increased resolution versus the R3 would certainly be nice for me (it's reason I don't shoot the R3), but Canon had long tradition of disappointing on resolution increases with the 1 series.
- Better algorithm to compensate for single-axis DPAF by using multiple pixels intelligently (effective QPAF?)
- Bigger frame rate... which has rapidly diminishing rate of returns now that it's up to the rate of video capture
- Better iris AF, which is nice, but not a solve-everything solution, as sometimes you want your iris in a different place than your focus point
- Dual CFexpress Type B
- Better video codec, in-camera recording of various higher-bitrate formats
- Much better internal heat dissipation design
- A couple left-field software enhancements, such as:
- In-camera multi-frame noise reduction
- In-camera multi-frame resolution boosting (that doesn't suck)
- AF that can track birds at great distances (<2 percent of frame) against busy backgrounds
- File cookery in software to give it that 1-series look

Of all of the things above, most are unlikely, and the ones that aren't don't really make for much of a critical mass of improvement over the R3/R5.

If the resolution is bigger than the R3, I'll probably get one. I loved the R3 but for that one factor. But I'm prepared to be disappointed on that (from long practice). The great benefit of the R1 release may be the big white lens or two released alongside it. Would be super nice to get a 500mm lens that wasn't the product of teleconverter alchemy (lookin at you RF 800) or just an RF version of an older design (RF 600).

 

[john1970]

Yes, quad-pixel AF was one of the few things people were thinking would be a significant improvement over the R3/R5 duo.

So what's left?
- Increased resolution versus the R3 would certainly be nice for me (it's reason I don't shoot the R3), but Canon had long tradition of disappointing on resolution increases with the 1 series.
- Better algorithm to compensate for single-axis DPAF by using multiple pixels intelligently (effective QPAF?)
- Bigger frame rate... which has rapidly diminishing rate of returns now that it's up to the rate of video capture
- Better iris AF, which is nice, but not a solve-everything solution, as sometimes you want your iris in a different place than your focus point
- Dual CFexpress Type B
- Better video codec, in-camera recording of various higher-bitrate formats
- Much better internal heat dissipation design
- A couple left-field software enhancements, such as:
- In-camera multi-frame noise reduction
- In-camera multi-frame resolution boosting (that doesn't suck)
- AF that can track birds at great distances (<2 percent of frame) against busy backgrounds
- File cookery in software to give it that 1-series look

Of all of the things above, most are unlikely, and the ones that aren't don't really make for much of a critical mass of improvement over the R3/R5.

If the resolution is bigger than the R3, I'll probably get one. I loved the R3 but for that one factor. But I'm prepared to be disappointed on that (from long practice). The great benefit of the R1 release may be the big white lens or two released alongside it. Would be super nice to get a 500mm lens that wasn't the product of teleconverter alchemy (lookin at you RF 800) or just an RF version of an older design (RF 600).

Great list to which I would also add the following:
1) Increased buffer depth at maximum frame rate. Frankly, I am fine with the 30 fps frame rate, but make the buffer 1000 frames at the maximum frame rate. In August I spent two weeks in Alaska photographing bears fishing for salmon at 30 fps and on more than one occasion I maxed out the buffer.
2) Spot metering linked to AF point.

 

[john1970]

I wonder if it will be R3 sized, or larger like the previous 1s? Hopefully the former. R3 is great in the hand. And of course price....$6500? $7500? $10k?

I think with no QPAF maybe they have a hard time getting to $10k. But something tells me that's where they want to be.

Brian

In the US the Canon R3 is going for $4999 new from authorized retailers. I have a feeling that this will be the new R3 list price once the R1 is announced. I would speculate a R1 price of around $6999 in the US.

 

[DBounce]

No QPAF is sounding like a fail right off the bat. That’s something I was certain would have made the cut. I’m certain Sony will not be holding back with their next gen offerings. They will be bringing the highest dynamic range ever seen in this format. And their AI AF is only going to get better. What the heck Canon! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, at least I still have a lot of E-mount glass.

 

[TonyG]

So, does this mean if the R1 has a 45 MP Stacked sensor, the R5 mkii would be a non-stacked 45 MP Sensor like the current R5?
I think it's more plausible, R6 mkii and R3 are low res non-stacked and stacked models, R5 mkii and R1 are high res non-stacked and stacked models.
Otherwise, what would differentiate the R5 mkii to the R1 other then it's speed capability from having a stacked sensor?
I still think if there is a 60+MP model, it would end up being a R5s variant as the high MP sensor would cripple a lot of the video features with a ton of rolling shutter and be more photo focused.
Either way until we have announcements, it's fun to speculate and guess based on rumors.