EOS R8 Review

[mikee_j]

Can't see any real reason for upgrading to the R8 from my RP.

Am I missing anything? Unless, of course, you feel the latest camera needs to be in your bag when older models are just as capable?

Usable 4K, deeper buffer, better DR, better low light performance.

So nothing that the RP can't do, and the RP can do very very well

Dynamic range improvement of two full stops looking at Photontophotos and comparing the RP with the R6II.

4k down sampled from 6k using full DPAFII vs 1.7x cropped 4k using contrast detect AF and terrible rolling shutter.

6 fps with full AF tracking vs 3 (tracking priority) in the RP.

2 full hours FHD or 4k video vs 30 minute clip limit.

Significantly improved AF with the full complement of subject tracking.

Twice the refresh rate on the EVF

Full Electronic shutter in all modes. With full 14bit raw at 20 fps and 12 bit at 40 fps vs silent shutter only in full auto mode.

The only thing the same as the RP is the form factor, battery, and lack of IBIS.

These are just specs. Real world shooting, there is very very little difference.

And you've come to this conclusion from your extensive experience in the real world of shooting the R8? Lucky guy. So Canon flew you out to South Carolina too. It's alright for some.

Give me an RP and the R8 when its out to shoot side-by-side and I guarantee you will not know which camera captured which image/footage, and I guarantee i will not have missed anything from lack of tech/features/specs of the RP (when compared to the R8).

There are many reasons to get the R8, it looks a very excellent camera to the Canon lineup, but upgrading from RP to R8 makes very little sense. Better off working on your own technique and skills, by gaining experience with the camera you already have.

 

[BirdShooter7]

Can't see any real reason for upgrading to the R8 from my RP.

Am I missing anything? Unless, of course, you feel the latest camera needs to be in your bag when older models are just as capable?

Usable 4K, deeper buffer, better DR, better low light performance.

So nothing that the RP can't do, and the RP can do very very well

Dynamic range improvement of two full stops looking at Photontophotos and comparing the RP with the R6II.

4k down sampled from 6k using full DPAFII vs 1.7x cropped 4k using contrast detect AF and terrible rolling shutter.

6 fps with full AF tracking vs 3 (tracking priority) in the RP.

2 full hours FHD or 4k video vs 30 minute clip limit.

Significantly improved AF with the full complement of subject tracking.

Twice the refresh rate on the EVF

Full Electronic shutter in all modes. With full 14bit raw at 20 fps and 12 bit at 40 fps vs silent shutter only in full auto mode.

The only thing the same as the RP is the form factor, battery, and lack of IBIS.

These are just specs. Real world shooting, there is very very little difference.

And you've come to this conclusion from your extensive experience in the real world of shooting the R8? Lucky guy. So Canon flew you out to South Carolina too. It's alright for some.

Give me an RP and the R8 when its out to shoot side-by-side and I guarantee you will not know which camera captured which image/footage, and I guarantee i will not have missed anything from lack of tech/features/specs of the RP (when compared to the R8).

That’s totally possible depending on the type of photography you do. You can even throw the R3 in there.

There are many reasons to get the R8, it looks a very excellent camera to the Canon lineup, but upgrading from RP to R8 makes very little sense. Better off working on your own technique and skills, by gaining experience with the camera you already have.

The eye detection AF alone is enough for me. The faster readout and tons of other features are just a bonus.

 

[unhappymeal]

It's literally just the RP with a new name. Canon is beyond lazy.

The R8 is much closer to the R6/2 than the RP. It is a much better camera than the RP in just about every measure.

to be clear I mean physical appearance and parts. This kept them from adding something simple like a wheel or joystick and that’s what I felt was lazy considering the price

Canon had to leave some things out or it would steal sales from the R6/2. I think the R8 has an excellent feature set for the $1,500 price point. IMO, it is the best camera sold at its price point. There are some nice features that help to compensate for the lack of a joystick. There is a setting that allows the AF point to jump from one person to another by tapping the screen. Another huge improvement is the ES is very fast and usable. It has little rolling shutter which makes using the ES more useful in many shooting situations up to 40 fps. I am impressed with how much capability Canon gave the R8 considering its price. A big one is it has the best AF Canon has right now and exceeds many much more expensive R cameras.

I have a feeling that the slow STM in the cheap RF lenses is going to hold the AF back.

 

[KEG]

I think this confirms my guess that the R6 and R6 II are/were the successors to the original R. This is the successor to the RP. I don’t think there will be anything between this and the R6.

There may someday be a new extra entry level R9 with a vlogging form factor and no EVF and maybe not.

Didn't everyone know that?

Surprisingly no. I’ve seen many posts guessing this was an R mark 2 and thinking an R9 would replace the RP.

According to people at the launch event, Canon considers the R8 the direct replacement of the R for what that’s worth.

Canon apparently isn't taking orders for R anymore so I kind of believe that also.

Hmmmmm !

Double hmmmmmm!

From retailers, each branch office is a retailer that needs to clear out their stock.

But I also kind of believe that RP production will stop in Q2.

 

[KEG]

Can't see any real reason for upgrading to the R8 from my RP.

Am I missing anything? Unless, of course, you feel the latest camera needs to be in your bag when older models are just as capable?

Usable 4K, deeper buffer, better DR, better low light performance.

So nothing that the RP can't do, and the RP can do very very well

Dynamic range improvement of two full stops looking at Photontophotos and comparing the RP with the R6II.

4k down sampled from 6k using full DPAFII vs 1.7x cropped 4k using contrast detect AF and terrible rolling shutter.

6 fps with full AF tracking vs 3 (tracking priority) in the RP.

2 full hours FHD or 4k video vs 30 minute clip limit.

Significantly improved AF with the full complement of subject tracking.

Twice the refresh rate on the EVF

Full Electronic shutter in all modes. With full 14bit raw at 20 fps and 12 bit at 40 fps vs silent shutter only in full auto mode.

The only thing the same as the RP is the form factor, battery, and lack of IBIS.

These are just specs. Real world shooting, there is very very little difference.

Real life shooting with just R and RP yields huge difference.

If you can't get the same results with an RP and the R (and now include the R8) then I'm afraid its the person holding the camera, not the tech.

R gives me cleaner shadows and less blown highlights.

The R8 does look like a fantastic camera, but I still haven't heard anything to convince me (in my opinion) that its worth of an upgrade from the RP.

 

[KEG]

Can't see any real reason for upgrading to the R8 from my RP.

Am I missing anything? Unless, of course, you feel the latest camera needs to be in your bag when older models are just as capable?

Usable 4K, deeper buffer, better DR, better low light performance.

So nothing that the RP can't do, and the RP can do very very well

Dynamic range improvement of two full stops looking at Photontophotos and comparing the RP with the R6II.

4k down sampled from 6k using full DPAFII vs 1.7x cropped 4k using contrast detect AF and terrible rolling shutter.

6 fps with full AF tracking vs 3 (tracking priority) in the RP.

2 full hours FHD or 4k video vs 30 minute clip limit.

Significantly improved AF with the full complement of subject tracking.

Twice the refresh rate on the EVF

Full Electronic shutter in all modes. With full 14bit raw at 20 fps and 12 bit at 40 fps vs silent shutter only in full auto mode.

The only thing the same as the RP is the form factor, battery, and lack of IBIS.

These are just specs. Real world shooting, there is very very little difference.

And you've come to this conclusion from your extensive experience in the real world of shooting the R8? Lucky guy. So Canon flew you out to South Carolina too. It's alright for some.

Give me an RP and the R8 when its out to shoot side-by-side and I guarantee you will not know which camera captured which image/footage, and I guarantee i will not have missed anything from lack of tech/features/specs of the RP (when compared to the R8).

The full width 4K will look different.

Full width 4K almost the entire reason to get R8.

There are many reasons to get the R8, it looks a very excellent camera to the Canon lineup, but upgrading from RP to R8 makes very little sense. Better off working on your own technique and skills, by gaining experience with the camera you already have.

 

[unhappymeal]

same crap battery as RP and no control wheel. I'll pass.

Same battery as M3, M6 I and II, M5 and countless others, this is actually more of an advantage than disadvantage.

There is no universe where a CIPA 150 shot battery is an advantage. I have the same capacity on my GM5 and it's terrible. Ideally, you want this to share batteries with its big brothers, so you don't need two sets of batteries when out and about.

 

[KEG]

same crap battery as RP and no control wheel. I'll pass.

Same battery as M3, M6 I and II, M5 and countless others, this is actually more of an advantage than disadvantage.

There is no universe where a CIPA 150 shot battery is an advantage. I have the same capacity on my GM5 and it's terrible. Ideally, you want this to share batteries with its big brothers, so you don't need two sets of batteries when out and about.

If you own a drawer full of original Canon LP-E17s (which is bit overstating because I only own around 5) then it is an advantage that more bodies are available which use them.

It is also much easier to carry a bunch of them around than LP-E6s.

 

[unhappymeal]

same crap battery as RP and no control wheel. I'll pass.

Same battery as M3, M6 I and II, M5 and countless others, this is actually more of an advantage than disadvantage.

There is no universe where a CIPA 150 shot battery is an advantage. I have the same capacity on my GM5 and it's terrible. Ideally, you want this to share batteries with its big brothers, so you don't need two sets of batteries when out and about.

If you own a drawer full of original Canon LP-E17s (which is bit overstating because I only own around 5) then it is an advantage that more bodies are available which use them.

It is also much easier to carry a bunch of them around than LP-E6s.

Yeah, you're not going to sell me on the virtue of having a bunch of really low capacity batteries. Like I said, I experience it directly with my GM5. I went through four of them in one night when I was shooting the Christmas market here in Mainz and I kept them warm in my jacket pocket. Cold just obliterates the usefulness of those tiny batteries.

 

[VanDyck]

same crap battery as RP and no control wheel. I'll pass.

Same battery as M3, M6 I and II, M5 and countless others, this is actually more of an advantage than disadvantage.

There is no universe where a CIPA 150 shot battery is an advantage. I have the same capacity on my GM5 and it's terrible. Ideally, you want this to share batteries with its big brothers, so you don't need two sets of batteries when out and about.

If you own a drawer full of original Canon LP-E17s (which is bit overstating because I only own around 5) then it is an advantage that more bodies are available which use them.

It is also much easier to carry a bunch of them around than LP-E6s.

I have a bunch of LP-E6s for my 6D. Their weight has never been an issue, neither was worrying that they would go dead at any point when walking around. I haven't actually tracked usage, but generally I could go two-three days of casual shooting before needing to load a backup battery.

 

[cnyphotoguy]

same crap battery as RP and no control wheel. I'll pass.

Same battery as M3, M6 I and II, M5 and countless others, this is actually more of an advantage than disadvantage.

There is no universe where a CIPA 150 shot battery is an advantage. I have the same capacity on my GM5 and it's terrible. Ideally, you want this to share batteries with its big brothers, so you don't need two sets of batteries when out and about.

If you own a drawer full of original Canon LP-E17s (which is bit overstating because I only own around 5) then it is an advantage that more bodies are available which use them.

It is also much easier to carry a bunch of them around than LP-E6s.

Yeah, you're not going to sell me on the virtue of having a bunch of really low capacity batteries. Like I said, I experience it directly with my GM5. I went through four of them in one night when I was shooting the Christmas market here in Mainz and I kept them warm in my jacket pocket. Cold just obliterates the usefulness of those tiny batteries.

Benchmarking tools based on a spreadsheet of info vs real usage amounts to all sorts of misunderstandings. Just look at the recent post about the "bad" RF 35 1.8.

 

[unhappymeal]

same crap battery as RP and no control wheel. I'll pass.

Same battery as M3, M6 I and II, M5 and countless others, this is actually more of an advantage than disadvantage.

There is no universe where a CIPA 150 shot battery is an advantage. I have the same capacity on my GM5 and it's terrible. Ideally, you want this to share batteries with its big brothers, so you don't need two sets of batteries when out and about.

If you own a drawer full of original Canon LP-E17s (which is bit overstating because I only own around 5) then it is an advantage that more bodies are available which use them.

It is also much easier to carry a bunch of them around than LP-E6s.

Yeah, you're not going to sell me on the virtue of having a bunch of really low capacity batteries. Like I said, I experience it directly with my GM5. I went through four of them in one night when I was shooting the Christmas market here in Mainz and I kept them warm in my jacket pocket. Cold just obliterates the usefulness of those tiny batteries.

Benchmarking tools based on a spreadsheet of info vs real usage amounts to all sorts of misunderstandings. Just look at the recent post about the "bad" RF 35 1.8.

What? I had an RP and my GM5 has the same capacity. I've had real usage. Those tiny batteries suck.

 

[The Bad Photographer]

It's literally just the RP with a new name. Canon is beyond lazy.

This is literally the silliest comment I've ever read on DPReview.

 

[mikee_j]

Can't see any real reason for upgrading to the R8 from my RP.

Am I missing anything? Unless, of course, you feel the latest camera needs to be in your bag when older models are just as capable?

Usable 4K, deeper buffer, better DR, better low light performance.

So nothing that the RP can't do, and the RP can do very very well

Dynamic range improvement of two full stops looking at Photontophotos and comparing the RP with the R6II.

4k down sampled from 6k using full DPAFII vs 1.7x cropped 4k using contrast detect AF and terrible rolling shutter.

6 fps with full AF tracking vs 3 (tracking priority) in the RP.

2 full hours FHD or 4k video vs 30 minute clip limit.

Significantly improved AF with the full complement of subject tracking.

Twice the refresh rate on the EVF

Full Electronic shutter in all modes. With full 14bit raw at 20 fps and 12 bit at 40 fps vs silent shutter only in full auto mode.

The only thing the same as the RP is the form factor, battery, and lack of IBIS.

These are just specs. Real world shooting, there is very very little difference.

Real life shooting with just R and RP yields huge difference.

If you can't get the same results with an RP and the R (and now include the R8) then I'm afraid its the person holding the camera, not the tech.

R gives me cleaner shadows and less blown highlights.

The R8 does look like a fantastic camera, but I still haven't heard anything to convince me (in my opinion) that its worth of an upgrade from the RP.

You must struggle getting a good image from any camera that is not the latest. Great news for Canon though

 

[José B]

Looks like an excellent camera!

I don't mind paying extra for the higher specs in the R6II like IBIS, the longer lasting battery, mechanical shutter and the option of a vertical grip.

 

[BirdShooter7]

same crap battery as RP and no control wheel. I'll pass.

Same battery as M3, M6 I and II, M5 and countless others, this is actually more of an advantage than disadvantage.

There is no universe where a CIPA 150 shot battery is an advantage. I have the same capacity on my GM5 and it's terrible. Ideally, you want this to share batteries with its big brothers, so you don't need two sets of batteries when out and about.

I agree that a higher capacity battery is desirable and I’d rather have the LP-E6NH but the LP-E17 does have the advantage of being physically smaller.

 

[cnyphotoguy]

same crap battery as RP and no control wheel. I'll pass.

Same battery as M3, M6 I and II, M5 and countless others, this is actually more of an advantage than disadvantage.

There is no universe where a CIPA 150 shot battery is an advantage. I have the same capacity on my GM5 and it's terrible. Ideally, you want this to share batteries with its big brothers, so you don't need two sets of batteries when out and about.

If you own a drawer full of original Canon LP-E17s (which is bit overstating because I only own around 5) then it is an advantage that more bodies are available which use them.

It is also much easier to carry a bunch of them around than LP-E6s.

Yeah, you're not going to sell me on the virtue of having a bunch of really low capacity batteries. Like I said, I experience it directly with my GM5. I went through four of them in one night when I was shooting the Christmas market here in Mainz and I kept them warm in my jacket pocket. Cold just obliterates the usefulness of those tiny batteries.

Benchmarking tools based on a spreadsheet of info vs real usage amounts to all sorts of misunderstandings. Just look at the recent post about the "bad" RF 35 1.8.

What? I had an RP and my GM5 has the same capacity. I've had real usage. Those tiny batteries suck.

no my experience at all

 

[M4Mobility]

same crap battery as RP and no control wheel. I'll pass.

Same battery as M3, M6 I and II, M5 and countless others, this is actually more of an advantage than disadvantage.

There is no universe where a CIPA 150 shot battery is an advantage. I have the same capacity on my GM5 and it's terrible. Ideally, you want this to share batteries with its big brothers, so you don't need two sets of batteries when out and about.

If you own a drawer full of original Canon LP-E17s (which is bit overstating because I only own around 5) then it is an advantage that more bodies are available which use them.

It is also much easier to carry a bunch of them around than LP-E6s.

Yeah, you're not going to sell me on the virtue of having a bunch of really low capacity batteries. Like I said, I experience it directly with my GM5. I went through four of them in one night when I was shooting the Christmas market here in Mainz and I kept them warm in my jacket pocket. Cold just obliterates the usefulness of those tiny batteries.

Benchmarking tools based on a spreadsheet of info vs real usage amounts to all sorts of misunderstandings. Just look at the recent post about the "bad" RF 35 1.8.

What? I had an RP and my GM5 has the same capacity. I've had real usage. Those tiny batteries suck.

no my experience at all

Not my experience either. I can not see the problem having one or two extra in a pocket when needed. I don't even have a problem with the smaller LP-E12 batteries for my M100/200.

It is not like the old days when you had to change film every 24 or 36 shot.

 

[OldDaddyBear]

Just saw this on the Canon USA site regarding availability:

“Estimated arrival on: Tuesday, April 18”

 

[unhappymeal]

What? I had an RP and my GM5 has the same capacity. I've had real usage. Those tiny batteries suck.

no my experience at all

Lucky you. It has been my experience, especially in Canadian and German winter.