R for Landscapes

paulm13

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Some great pictures in here but most seem to be portraits/lifestyle shots. Is anyone using their R for landscapes?How do you find it? any issues and would you mind sharing some examples. Does anyone have any direct experience between an R and a Nikon/Sony.

thanks in advance.
 
For me, the R works great for landscape. I use the EF 16-35 f/4 L and the EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 L II adapted as well as the RF 24-105 f/4 L.

I would have to look for examples. Here is one I liked. Taken with the 100-400, processed and poorly resized for Instagram. (I need to find the original which is super sharp.)

View from the Zugspitze in the Bavarian Alps (elev. 2960 m, about 9700 ft). The mountain in the center of the second picture is the Großglockner, some 135 km (85 miles) away in the center of Austria.
View from the Zugspitze in the Bavarian Alps (elev. 2960 m, about 9700 ft). The mountain in the center of the second picture is the Großglockner, some 135 km (85 miles) away in the center of Austria.
 
I sometimes use it for landscapes when I travel. The dynamic range and the live exposure preview are very helpful in this.



Here's some examples:



49336353117_705c07d536_c.jpg






49335862146_a1d894d5f8_c.jpg






47671382651_7e0e230299_c.jpg
 
Well, I would say it works quite nicely...😊

The only complaint I have is a continued one with all Canon mirrorless cameras that feature an EVF: The way the swapping between the LCD and the EVF works.

Mapping a button to enable manual swapping is a limp solution and the sensor for the auto-swapping is way too sensitive making it a struggle not to blackout the LCD inadvertently while making selections on it.















PK

--
“Loose praise may feed my ego but constructive criticism advances my skills”
************************************************************
-------------------------------------------------
http://www.humbertoborgesfotografia.com/
http://www.pbase.com/photokhan
(PBase Supporter)
-------------------------------------------------
 
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I use my R almost exclusively for landscapes and, in general, it is excellent at that task.

I'm on record here as someone who dislikes the EOS R quite strongly. It has many faults, some of them very serious, ranging from horrible user interface design and ergonomics, through lousy battery life, to substandard viewfinder and unreliable, imprecise focus system. My R doesn't get to do anything focus-challenging (i.e., birds and wildlife) because it cannot be relied on to grab a precise focus point and lock on to it, nor anything time-critical because it is slow and awkward and fiddly to operate. So for all those more challenging tasks, the R stays in the bag and I use the 5D IV, the 7D, or the 1D IV - all three are far superior.

Landscapes, however, are another matter. Time is generally not an issue (you can spend as long as it takes fiddling around with the R's cramped and clumsy settings); you seldom or never need to focus on a single precise point (like a bird's eye for example); and you often need to focus on an area which isn't under one of the small number of fixed AF points an SLR has - somewhere way down in the bottom left corner, maybe. With the R, you don't have to focus and recompose, you can just pick the AF area you want, no matter where in the composition that happens to be.

The R also delivers outstanding picture quality, with a richness that is ideally suited to landscape work. I know it is more-or-less the same sensor as the 5D IV, and in theory the results should be identical, but I can't escape the suspicion that that R delivers something even better than the already excellent 5D IV does. It's subtle, and maybe it's just my imagination, but I really like the way the R reproduces landscapes.

Awful controls aside (and we can live with them, I've used worse - though to be fair, not in the last 12 or 13 years since I sold the 400D), the biggest problem landscaping with the R is the EVF. It is very hard to adjust to not being able to see the subject properly. In good light it's not too much of an issue, but if you are out early or late, when the sun is low and there are interesting lighting effects going on, the R's EVF copes very badly. Strong sidelight is particularly difficult. Sometimes (in difficult light) I get tired of photographing blind and swap the R out for the 5D IV or even the 5D II for a little while until the sun gets higher.

At any time, but especially in awkward light, you have to learn to do all your composition with the naked eye, only looking through the viewfinder when you have decided exactly what will be in the frame and what won't be. (Contrast with an SLR, where you can look through the VF knowing only roughly what you want, and settle on your final composition in camera.)

I should also mention the dreadful electronic level. (What were they thinking?) Not only is it unreliable (much less accurate than the electronic levels in my various other Canon cameras, including even the tiny little Powershot G9X II), it also covers practically the whole screen, making it hard to see and frame your subject. Why? It was an insane design decision. I keep expecting them to fix in in a firmware revision but they have done nothing. Oh, and there is another gotcha - the electronic level doesn't work at all unless you first disable eye-controlled focus. (Watchout! They don't make that clear in the manual.)

I haven't mentioned using the rear screen. I practically never do that, so I'll leave comment on it to someone who has experience with it.

TLDR: The R is a deeply flawed product, however landscaping is one area where it performs very well. All things considered, it's the second-best landscaping camera I own, after the 5D IV. It is reasonable to expect from what we know already that the new R5 will be an outstanding landscape camera. I would give serious thought to waiting for that one.
 
At any time, but especially in awkward light, you have to learn to do all your composition with the naked eye, only looking through the viewfinder when you have decided exactly what will be in the frame and what won't be. (Contrast with an SLR, where you can look through the VF knowing only roughly what you want, and settle on your final composition in camera.)
I would strongly advise you to use the wi-fi function and a medium tab for composition in landscape photography.

I've been using one for the last 10 years or so, even with cameras with a large OVF (1DMKIV, for instance) and even when I had to use a cable and a third party app (DSLR Controller) to achieve the task.

There might be some details in a landscape scene that can really elevate the shot to another level and there's no way these can be properly evaluated in a tiny OVF or EVF, accuracy of either aside.

PK
 
Interesting ideas, PhotoKhan! But how do you manage to see the tablet clearly in brighter light? Do you use a hood?

(I ask mainly out of curiosity. I doubt that I'd go that route myself as I'm primarily a wildlife shooter who takes casual landscapes along the way. I have more than enough gear to carry already! Still, it pays to never say never.)
 
Interesting ideas, PhotoKhan! But how do you manage to see the tablet clearly in brighter light? Do you use a hood?

(I ask mainly out of curiosity. I doubt that I'd go that route myself as I'm primarily a wildlife shooter who takes casual landscapes along the way. I have more than enough gear to carry already! Still, it pays to never say never.)
I use a dedicated old Samsung 8.4 Tab.

It is bright enough for most situations. The best light is usually low intensity, side cast daylight, so that usually gives a good balance against the display brightness.

I used one of the old cases I had for it and glued some large width velcro on the back of the case and velcro surrounding the upper area of my tripod legs.

I made a triangular section cardboard holder that travels flat and is mounted on location with that triangular cross section, all using velcro.

I attach the cardboard holder to 2 of the tripod legs and then the tab to the cardboard holder.

It then rests slightly facing up so I can see and activate the screen functions without having to juggle tripod, camera and tab in balancing acts. If needed, I use my body to provide shading to the display.

The cardboard holder and the tab add very little weight to my backpack and I love using this setup. :)

PK
 
At any time, but especially in awkward light, you have to learn to do all your composition with the naked eye, only looking through the viewfinder when you have decided exactly what will be in the frame and what won't be. (Contrast with an SLR, where you can look through the VF knowing only roughly what you want, and settle on your final composition in camera.)
I would strongly advise you to use the wi-fi function and a medium tab for composition in landscape photography.

I've been using one for the last 10 years or so, even with cameras with a large OVF (1DMKIV, for instance) and even when I had to use a cable and a third party app (DSLR Controller) to achieve the task.

There might be some details in a landscape scene that can really elevate the shot to another level and there's no way these can be properly evaluated in a tiny OVF or EVF, accuracy of either aside.

PK
Hey, sorry to barge in.

What app do you use on Android? Just the standard Canon app? Or something third-party (assuming there is such a thing.)

Thanks.
 
I have only had my R briefly, but I have been quite impressed with the ergonomics, ease of use, etc., for casual portraits, low light shots and landscapes.
 
Some great pictures in here but most seem to be portraits/lifestyle shots. Is anyone using their R for landscapes?How do you find it? any issues and would you mind sharing some examples. Does anyone have any direct experience between an R and a Nikon/Sony.

thanks in advance.
Quite frankly, it's the best Canon camera I've used for landscapes, very similar of course to the 5DMIV. This is in terms of colors, dynamic range and noise.

The Bulb mode is very user friendly. It also comes with adapter that allows drop in filters.

Personally I prefer my RP for portraits for its very natural skintones but the R is steps ahead for landscapes.
 
Some great pictures in here but most seem to be portraits/lifestyle shots. Is anyone using their R for landscapes?How do you find it? any issues and would you mind sharing some examples. Does anyone have any direct experience between an R and a Nikon/Sony.

thanks in advance.
I have no talent or skill for landscape photography, but I think the camera can certainly deliver its part.

bb0f4430f5ed4a1eb9c68d1bfb228659.jpg



143b946465214792b63edffc2518407d.jpg





9bd3fd232b694b4490c4e102a0a6ef6b.jpg





3af64b0cef9940f888bec57226fd007a.jpg
 
Some great pictures in here but most seem to be portraits/lifestyle shots. Is anyone using their R for landscapes?How do you find it? any issues and would you mind sharing some examples. Does anyone have any direct experience between an R and a Nikon/Sony.

thanks in advance.
I shoot primarily landscape/architecture, with a touch of street and portrait. I came over to the R from a Sony. I don’t regret the switch at all, and my thoughts about the future are turning out to be correct.

The R has some limitations. It’s slow. It’s a little clunky. I view it as a stop gap until I can get the R5 or RS; with that said it’s very well suited for landscape or anything where you aren’t stressed for a shot, or short on time.
 

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thanks everyone for the posts really appreciate it! I'm taking it as the R being more than acceptable for landscape - the posts and pictures show that. Some quirks certainly but most camera's have compromises. Lower dynamic range was one concern but as no one has mentioned that I'm assuming it not an issue.

Now what lens to buy :)

thanks all
 
I like it for landscapes. It is a little lighter and smaller than my 5dsr. Tight the lighter and smaller RF 24 -105 lens. This picture is a long exposure at sunrise. I also liked using my iPhone as a remote trigger for this long exposure.



274f95b38dc440d69368a9f2cb2d1fc8.jpg



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bweberphotographs.com
[email protected]
 
At any time, but especially in awkward light, you have to learn to do all your composition with the naked eye, only looking through the viewfinder when you have decided exactly what will be in the frame and what won't be. (Contrast with an SLR, where you can look through the VF knowing only roughly what you want, and settle on your final composition in camera.)
I would strongly advise you to use the wi-fi function and a medium tab for composition in landscape photography.

I've been using one for the last 10 years or so, even with cameras with a large OVF (1DMKIV, for instance) and even when I had to use a cable and a third party app (DSLR Controller) to achieve the task.

There might be some details in a landscape scene that can really elevate the shot to another level and there's no way these can be properly evaluated in a tiny OVF or EVF, accuracy of either aside.

PK
Hey, sorry to barge in.
No problem :)
What app do you use on Android? Just the standard Canon app? Or something third-party (assuming there is such a thing.)
For years, I used DSLRController which is much, much, much more comprehensive and flexible than the puny Canon app.

Unfortunately, the last camera the developer gave attention to was the 5DMkIV, because he had one.

No other interactions since, EOR R included. The last version being from August 2017.

So I am now stuck with that half-baked Canon app that adds functionalities at turtle pace...
Glad to help :)

PK

--
“Loose praise may feed my ego but constructive criticism advances my skills”
************************************************************
-------------------------------------------------
http://www.humbertoborgesfotografia.com/
http://www.pbase.com/photokhan
(PBase Supporter)
-------------------------------------------------
 
Last edited:
I use my R almost exclusively for landscapes and, in general, it is excellent at that task.

I'm on record here as someone who dislikes the EOS R quite strongly. It has many faults, some of them very serious, ranging from horrible user interface design and ergonomics, through lousy battery life, to substandard viewfinder and unreliable, imprecise focus system. My R doesn't get to do anything focus-challenging (i.e., birds and wildlife) because it cannot be relied on to grab a precise focus point and lock on to it, nor anything time-critical because it is slow and awkward and fiddly to operate. So for all those more challenging tasks, the R stays in the bag and I use the 5D IV, the 7D, or the 1D IV - all three are far superior.

Landscapes, however, are another matter. Time is generally not an issue (you can spend as long as it takes fiddling around with the R's cramped and clumsy settings); you seldom or never need to focus on a single precise point (like a bird's eye for example); and you often need to focus on an area which isn't under one of the small number of fixed AF points an SLR has - somewhere way down in the bottom left corner, maybe. With the R, you don't have to focus and recompose, you can just pick the AF area you want, no matter where in the composition that happens to be.

The R also delivers outstanding picture quality, with a richness that is ideally suited to landscape work. I know it is more-or-less the same sensor as the 5D IV, and in theory the results should be identical, but I can't escape the suspicion that that R delivers something even better than the already excellent 5D IV does. It's subtle, and maybe it's just my imagination, but I really like the way the R reproduces landscapes.

Awful controls aside (and we can live with them, I've used worse - though to be fair, not in the last 12 or 13 years since I sold the 400D), the biggest problem landscaping with the R is the EVF. It is very hard to adjust to not being able to see the subject properly. In good light it's not too much of an issue, but if you are out early or late, when the sun is low and there are interesting lighting effects going on, the R's EVF copes very badly. Strong sidelight is particularly difficult. Sometimes (in difficult light) I get tired of photographing blind and swap the R out for the 5D IV or even the 5D II for a little while until the sun gets higher.
I have never experienced such problems. What exactly is the problem in low light/sidelight. Is the viewfinder too dark? Do you see reflections? Is the contrast too high?
At any time, but especially in awkward light, you have to learn to do all your composition with the naked eye, only looking through the viewfinder when you have decided exactly what will be in the frame and what won't be. (Contrast with an SLR, where you can look through the VF knowing only roughly what you want, and settle on your final composition in camera.)
It almost sounds like you have a defective copy of it. The EVF works just fine for me for composition and fine-tuning also. It has a distinct look from an optical viewfinder when it comes to contrast and color, but arguably it has more advantages than disadvantages.
I should also mention the dreadful electronic level. (What were they thinking?) Not only is it unreliable (much less accurate than the electronic levels in my various other Canon cameras, including even the tiny little Powershot G9X II), it also covers practically the whole screen, making it hard to see and frame your subject. Why? It was an insane design decision. I keep expecting them to fix in in a firmware revision but they have done nothing. Oh, and there is another gotcha - the electronic level doesn't work at all unless you first disable eye-controlled focus. (Watchout! They don't make that clear in the manual.)

I haven't mentioned using the rear screen. I practically never do that, so I'll leave comment on it to someone who has experience with it.

TLDR: The R is a deeply flawed product, however landscaping is one area where it performs very well. All things considered, it's the second-best landscaping camera I own, after the 5D IV. It is reasonable to expect from what we know already that the new R5 will be an outstanding landscape camera. I would give serious thought to waiting for that one.
 
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I use my R almost exclusively for landscapes and, in general, it is excellent at that task.

I'm on record here as someone who dislikes the EOS R quite strongly. It has many faults, some of them very serious, ranging from horrible user interface design and ergonomics, through lousy battery life, to substandard viewfinder and unreliable, imprecise focus system. My R doesn't get to do anything focus-challenging (i.e., birds and wildlife) because it cannot be relied on to grab a precise focus point and lock on to it, nor anything time-critical because it is slow and awkward and fiddly to operate. So for all those more challenging tasks, the R stays in the bag and I use the 5D IV, the 7D, or the 1D IV - all three are far superior.

Landscapes, however, are another matter. Time is generally not an issue (you can spend as long as it takes fiddling around with the R's cramped and clumsy settings); you seldom or never need to focus on a single precise point (like a bird's eye for example); and you often need to focus on an area which isn't under one of the small number of fixed AF points an SLR has - somewhere way down in the bottom left corner, maybe. With the R, you don't have to focus and recompose, you can just pick the AF area you want, no matter where in the composition that happens to be.

The R also delivers outstanding picture quality, with a richness that is ideally suited to landscape work. I know it is more-or-less the same sensor as the 5D IV, and in theory the results should be identical, but I can't escape the suspicion that that R delivers something even better than the already excellent 5D IV does. It's subtle, and maybe it's just my imagination, but I really like the way the R reproduces landscapes.

Awful controls aside (and we can live with them, I've used worse - though to be fair, not in the last 12 or 13 years since I sold the 400D), the biggest problem landscaping with the R is the EVF. It is very hard to adjust to not being able to see the subject properly. In good light it's not too much of an issue, but if you are out early or late, when the sun is low and there are interesting lighting effects going on, the R's EVF copes very badly. Strong sidelight is particularly difficult. Sometimes (in difficult light) I get tired of photographing blind and swap the R out for the 5D IV or even the 5D II for a little while until the sun gets higher.

At any time, but especially in awkward light, you have to learn to do all your composition with the naked eye, only looking through the viewfinder when you have decided exactly what will be in the frame and what won't be. (Contrast with an SLR, where you can look through the VF knowing only roughly what you want, and settle on your final composition in camera.)

I should also mention the dreadful electronic level. (What were they thinking?) Not only is it unreliable (much less accurate than the electronic levels in my various other Canon cameras, including even the tiny little Powershot G9X II), it also covers practically the whole screen, making it hard to see and frame your subject. Why? It was an insane design decision. I keep expecting them to fix in in a firmware revision but they have done nothing. Oh, and there is another gotcha - the electronic level doesn't work at all unless you first disable eye-controlled focus. (Watchout! They don't make that clear in the manual.)

I haven't mentioned using the rear screen. I practically never do that, so I'll leave comment on it to someone who has experience with it.

TLDR: The R is a deeply flawed product, however landscaping is one area where it performs very well. All things considered, it's the second-best landscaping camera I own, after the 5D IV. It is reasonable to expect from what we know already that the new R5 will be an outstanding landscape camera. I would give serious thought to waiting for that one.
Apparently I like R more than you. I have also 7d2, and when I'm going to shoot static birds or ice hockey, I always use R instead of 7d2. R's AF does also pretty good with BIF, but EVF makes it harder to track fast flying birds. I get less pics with R (5fps vs 10 fps), but I get more sharp pics with R. And those sharp 7d2 pics are not as sharp as sharp R pics. Yes I have done MFA with 7d2. Cannot wait R7 or R5 to replace 7d2... And yes R is absolutely the best landscape and portrait camera I have ever owned.
 
Well, I would say it works quite nicely...😊

The only complaint I have is a continued one with all Canon mirrorless cameras that feature an EVF: The way the swapping between the LCD and the EVF works.

Mapping a button to enable manual swapping is a limp solution and the sensor for the auto-swapping is way too sensitive making it a struggle not to blackout the LCD inadvertently while making selections on it.















PK
Nice work, and on your website too.

I have never used the rear display much on a DSLR other than for an image review and an occasional change of settings that could not be done any other way. On the R, I do not use it at all, and use the EVF exclusively. Then there are no issues with switching between the display and the EVF, and I seem to be able to do everything in the viewfinder. It almost burnt me once when I wanted to upgrade the firmware, looking as usual into the viewfinder. After starting the process, the EVF froze up. I thought I had bricked the camera, but then it occurred to me to open the rear display and the instructions continued there. I was relieved.:)
 
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I use my R almost exclusively for landscapes and, in general, it is excellent at that task.

I'm on record here as someone who dislikes the EOS R quite strongly. It has many faults, some of them very serious, ranging from horrible user interface design and ergonomics, through lousy battery life, to substandard viewfinder and unreliable, imprecise focus system. My R doesn't get to do anything focus-challenging (i.e., birds and wildlife) because it cannot be relied on to grab a precise focus point and lock on to it, nor anything time-critical because it is slow and awkward and fiddly to operate. So for all those more challenging tasks, the R stays in the bag and I use the 5D IV, the 7D, or the 1D IV - all three are far superior.

Landscapes, however, are another matter. Time is generally not an issue (you can spend as long as it takes fiddling around with the R's cramped and clumsy settings); you seldom or never need to focus on a single precise point (like a bird's eye for example); and you often need to focus on an area which isn't under one of the small number of fixed AF points an SLR has - somewhere way down in the bottom left corner, maybe. With the R, you don't have to focus and recompose, you can just pick the AF area you want, no matter where in the composition that happens to be.

The R also delivers outstanding picture quality, with a richness that is ideally suited to landscape work. I know it is more-or-less the same sensor as the 5D IV, and in theory the results should be identical, but I can't escape the suspicion that that R delivers something even better than the already excellent 5D IV does. It's subtle, and maybe it's just my imagination, but I really like the way the R reproduces landscapes.

Awful controls aside (and we can live with them, I've used worse - though to be fair, not in the last 12 or 13 years since I sold the 400D), the biggest problem landscaping with the R is the EVF. It is very hard to adjust to not being able to see the subject properly. In good light it's not too much of an issue, but if you are out early or late, when the sun is low and there are interesting lighting effects going on, the R's EVF copes very badly. Strong sidelight is particularly difficult. Sometimes (in difficult light) I get tired of photographing blind and swap the R out for the 5D IV or even the 5D II for a little while until the sun gets higher.

At any time, but especially in awkward light, you have to learn to do all your composition with the naked eye, only looking through the viewfinder when you have decided exactly what will be in the frame and what won't be. (Contrast with an SLR, where you can look through the VF knowing only roughly what you want, and settle on your final composition in camera.)

I should also mention the dreadful electronic level. (What were they thinking?) Not only is it unreliable (much less accurate than the electronic levels in my various other Canon cameras, including even the tiny little Powershot G9X II), it also covers practically the whole screen, making it hard to see and frame your subject. Why? It was an insane design decision. I keep expecting them to fix in in a firmware revision but they have done nothing. Oh, and there is another gotcha - the electronic level doesn't work at all unless you first disable eye-controlled focus. (Watchout! They don't make that clear in the manual.)

I haven't mentioned using the rear screen. I practically never do that, so I'll leave comment on it to someone who has experience with it.

TLDR: The R is a deeply flawed product, however landscaping is one area where it performs very well. All things considered, it's the second-best landscaping camera I own, after the 5D IV. It is reasonable to expect from what we know already that the new R5 will be an outstanding landscape camera. I would give serious thought to waiting for that one.
Apparently I like R more than you. I have also 7d2, and when I'm going to shoot static birds or ice hockey, I always use R instead of 7d2. R's AF does also pretty good with BIF, but EVF makes it harder to track fast flying birds. I get less pics with R (5fps vs 10 fps), but I get more sharp pics with R. And those sharp 7d2 pics are not as sharp as sharp R pics. Yes I have done MFA with 7d2. Cannot wait R7 or R5 to replace 7d2... And yes R is absolutely the best landscape and portrait camera I have ever owned.
It's.... it's a good overall camera. It's not great, let's not get into hyperbole. When I switched from Sony I did miss the extra little bit of DR, and I have noticed some banding issues with exposures pushing the lower limit (which is an area I like to dabble in).

I dumped Sony for Canon because I love using my R, and I believe in Canon and the future of the system, and while your statement that it's the best landscape/portrait camera you've ever owned is valid, because it's your experience, let's not get carried away.

The R is not, in any way, the best body (by objective measures) at... well, anything. It doesn't have to be for someone to make incredible content, or be happy with the product. It's a really good little camera, that's a joy to use, and can produce professional level output.

That said, I just had a buddy of mine ask me if he should buy the R or wait for the new body, and my advice was that if he could spend 4k on a body, and wait until Summer, he'd probably be MUCH happier with waiting.
 

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