Published Sep 14, 2021
|
dpreview staff
After several months of drip-fed details, Canon has announced the EOS R3 – the company’s new flagship mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The 24MP R3 is based around a Stacked CMOS sensor, designed and manufactured by Canon, and featuring the company’s Dual Pixel AF technology. It also sees the revival of Canon’s Eye Control, a feature that lets you choose an AF target by simply looking at it through the viewfinder.
This fast readout sensor allows shooting at up to 30 frames per second, with no viewfinder blackout and very well-controlled rolling shutter. This fast readout allows a flash sync speed of 1/180 sec and underpins an impressive video feature set that extends up to 60 fps capture in either 6K Raw or oversampled 4K taken from 6K capture.
The R3’s AF system has been updated, with enhanced subject recognition for human subjects and the addition of a ‘motorsports’ subject type, that has been trained to recognize racing cars and motorbikes. All AF area modes now feature subject tracking to automatically shift the AF point if your subject moves in the frame.
But the most eye-catching feature of the EOS R3 is its Eye Control AF system that lets you select an AF position by looking at your subject, making it easy to quickly select which subject you wish to track. The camera can then automatically focus more precisely on features such as faces and eyes as necessary.
The EOS R3 has a dual grip design with an AF joystick and the same infrared Smart Controller featured on the EOS-1D X Mark III, so there are plenty of ways to select an AF point if you’d prefer not to use Eye Control. There are also extensive Wi-Fi functions, a new multi-function hot shoe with an electronic interface, and a host of other pro-focused features.
The Canon EOS R3 will be available from November 2021 with a recommended selling price of $5999.
Given its high-end feature set, there’s too much to the Canon EOS R3 to detail here, but we’ve had a chance to shoot with multiple samples of the camera, and we’ve prepared an initial review that covers its capabilities in more depth.
Click here to read our initial review of the Canon EOS R3
The EOS Revolution Continues: Canon Officially Announces the Company’s Most Technologically Advanced Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera, the Professional-Grade EOS R3
MELVILLE, NY, September 14, 2021 – Building on the success of the EOS R camera series, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the next leap forward in full-frame mirrorless cameras – the professional-grade Canon EOS R3. The new camera leverages the advancements in technology that Canon has developed since the original EOS R launch in 2018 and bridges the gap between the immensely popular EOS R5 and the world-renowned Canon flagship EOS-1D X line. The EOS R3 is the first “3” series camera from Canon since the widely used EOS-3 film camera launched in 1998.
The EOS R3 camera’s features greatly emphasize superb AF performance and speed with fast-moving subjects. It was designed to meet the reliability and durability demands of professionals, even when working in some extremely challenging conditions.
“The launch of the EOS R3 sets a new benchmark for the Canon EOS R camera system. Canon listened carefully to the voices of professionals when developing a camera to meet their standards,” said Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, executive vice president and general manager of Canon U.S.A.’s Imaging Technologies & Communications Group. “The EOS R3 is a monumental evolution in digital imaging technology. I look forward to seeing the camera in action on the sidelines of sporting events and in the hands of nature and wildlife photographers across the globe.”
The core of the EOS R3 features a Canon designed and manufactured 24.1-megapixel back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor. The sensor is the first of its kind from Canon, and when combined with the DIGIC X processor, delivers a high-speed readout allowing for continuous blackout-free shooting1 at up to 30 fps in electronic (silent) shutter mode and up to 12 fps in mechanical shutter, with minimum rolling electronic shutter distortion. The combination also increases the high sensitivity, light-capturing efficiency of a native ISO range of 100-102400, expandable up to 204,800 for still images. Like the EOS R5 and R6, the camera features the improved Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with 1,053 AF Points and evolved EOS iTR tracking down to EV -7.5 for subjects such as eye, face, head, animals2, and select cars and motorcycles. In addition, the camera features up to 8 stops3 of in-body image stabilized (IBIS) shake correction.
Leveraging technology and performance feedback from the popular EOS R5 and EOS R6 cameras, the EOS R3 uses Deep-Learning technology to further enhance eye and body detection for even better performance during portrait and action-type shooting. Featuring a new 5.76-million-dot and 120fps blackout-free1 Electronic Viewfinder, the EOS R3 camera will provide photographers with the ability to select the initial area for AF tracking by simply looking directly at the viewfinder location where they want to begin AF. With Eye input AF2 and Servo AF activated, the camera will focus on and track moving subjects at that location in the frame. When Face Detect + Tracking is active, the camera will continue to follow moving subjects around the entire active AF area.
The EOS R3 camera doesn’t just capture spectacular still images, it also packs impressive video specs as well. The camera is capable of shooting 6K 60p RAW and 4K 120p 10-bit uncropped video with Canon Log 3 support, in addition to the possibility for oversampled 4K and RAW movie internal recording. Canon Log 3, which is frequently used in cinema production, helps to reduce the possibility of highlight blowouts. What’s more, the features such as industry standard BT.709, BT.2020 color gamuts, and cinema gamut help to maintain color and tonal consistency. Coordinated 5-axis IBIS helps to correct operator motion or shaking providing dependent video capturing even when using a lens without built-in Optical IS.
Additional features of the EOS R3 Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera include:
Canon’s next-generation Multi-Function Shoe that is compatible with a variety of accessories including the Speedlite EL-1, and new accessories such as the ST-E10 Speedlite Transmitter, External Mic and Smartphone Link Adapter
One-piece magnesium alloy design, integrating the body with a vertical grip section
Weather and dust resistance equivalent to EOS-1D camera models.
Mobile File Transmitter application for iOS® and Android® devices allows photographers to transfer their images quickly and easily without the need for wired LAN equipment
Built-in Wired LAN, 5GHz Wi-Fi®, USB and Bluetooth® technology
Dual-card slots, supporting one CF express and one UHS-II SD
The Canon EOS R3 Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera is scheduled to be available in November 2021 for a suggested retail price of $5999.00*. For more information, please visit usa.canon.com
* Specifications, availability and price are subject to change without notice. Actual prices are set by individual dealers and may vary.
1 Blackout(s) may occur in some cases; such as when the built-in memory is full or when the flash battery is fully recharged after the battery ran out during continuous shooting.
2 Effectiveness varies depending on the subject. In some cases, dogs, cats or birds may not be detected, while some animals other than dogs, cats or birds may be detected.
3 When combined with certain IS lenses such as the RF24-105mm F4 IS L USM, or when used with certain non-IS lenses as well. See individual lens product page for more information.
Canon EOS R3 specifications
PriceMSRP$5999Body typeBody typeSLR-style mirrorlessBody materialMagnesium alloySensorMax resolution6000 x 4000Image ratio w:h1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9Effective pixels24 megapixelsSensor photo detectors27 megapixelsSensor sizeFull frame (36 x 24 mm)Sensor typeStacked CMOSProcessorDigic XColor spacesRGB, Adobe RGBColor filter arrayPrimary color filterImageISOAuto, 100-102400 (expands to 50-204800)Boosted ISO (minimum)50Boosted ISO (maximum)204800White balance presets6Custom white balanceYesImage stabilizationSensor-shiftCIPA image stabilization rating8 stop(s)Uncompressed formatRAWJPEG quality levelsSuper fine, fine, normalFile format
JPEGHEIFRaw (Canon CR3, 14-bit)C-Raw (Canon original)
Optics & FocusAutofocus
Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive View
Autofocus assist lampYesManual focusYesNumber of focus points1053Lens mountCanon RFFocal length multiplier1×Screen / viewfinderArticulated LCDFully articulatedScreen size3.2″Screen dots4,150,000Touch screenYesScreen typeTFT LCDLive viewYesViewfinder typeElectronicViewfinder coverage100%Viewfinder magnification0.76×Viewfinder resolution5,760,000Photography featuresMinimum shutter speed30/11 secMaximum shutter speed1/8000 secMaximum shutter speed (electronic)1/64000 secExposure modes
Scene Intelligent AutoFlexible priorityProgramShutter priorityAperture priorityManualBulb
Built-in flashNoExternal flashYes (via hot shoe or flash sync port)Flash X sync speed1/250 secDrive modes
SingleHigh-speed continuous+High-speed continuousLow-speed continuousSelf-timer/remote control (10 or 2 sec)
Continuous drive30.0 fpsSelf-timerYesMetering modes
MultiCenter-weightedSpotPartial
Exposure compensation±3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)AE Bracketing±3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)Videography featuresFormatMPEG-4, H.264, H.265MicrophoneStereoSpeakerMonoStorageStorage typesSD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II supported) + CFexpress Type BConnectivityUSB
USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 GBit/sec)USB chargingYesHDMIYes (Type A)Microphone portYesHeadphone portYesWirelessBuilt-InWireless notes802.11ac + BluetoothRemote controlYes (via smartphone)PhysicalEnvironmentally sealedYesBatteryBuilt-inBattery descriptionLP-E19 lithium-ion battery & chargerBattery Life (CIPA)760Weight (inc. batteries)1015 g (2.24 lb / 35.80 oz)Dimensions150 x 143 x 87 mm (5.91 x 5.63 x 3.43″)Other featuresOrientation sensorYesTimelapse recordingYesGPSNone