Camera Gear Review News (Page 22)
Just posted:
Canon RF 1.4x Extender Review.
I plan to update these reviews when higher-performing compatible RF lens models become available.
The Canon RF 1.4x Extender is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
The Canon RF 2x Extender is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
Rent the Canon RF 1.4x Extender and Canon RF 2x Extender from Lensrentals.
Just posted: Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens Review.
The RF 800 is very similar to the Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens and the reviews, completed simultaneously, will also read similarly, each tuned to the specific lens. I plan to circle back with some comparisons, but choose between these two lenses based on the focal length that works best for you.
The Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
Rent the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens from Lensrentals.
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Just posted: Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens Review.
I plan to have the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens Review completed later this week.
The Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
Rent the Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens from Lensrentals.
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Disclaimer: Use of this information is at your own risk, and "All" is more likelihood than fact as I have only tested a small percentage of the available lenses.
In a recent article, I answered the question, "Can Canon RF Extenders be used with the EF-EOS R Mount Adapter?"
That answer was "No."
The Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R (basic and control ring versions) has no optics. It simply moves the EF mount forward, offsetting the short back focus design of the RF mount, and provides the communication connections required for the lens to function as native. Hoped for was that the open space in the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R would permit an RF extender to fit into the back of it, ideally making all EF and EF-S lenses extender compatible. Unfortunately, the Canon RF extenders do not fit into the Canon mount adapter.
However, the baffle physically preventing this installation appears to be plastic, and plastic is easily modifiable. I couldn't spare a Canon adapter for this mod (they are unavailable as I write this), but after studying the Vello Auto Lens Adapter for Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Canon RF-Mount Camera product images, I suspected the relatively large inside diameter of this adapter could more easily be modified to permit fitting of the Canon RF 1.4x Extender and Canon RF 2x Extender. B&H was up for this challenge and sent me an adapter to potentially destroy.
Not surprising was that the RF extenders do not fit into the back of the Vello adapter out of the box. Thus, some modification was necessary. Basically, the plastic on the raised interior section housing the communication pins needed to be removed down almost to the wires. To protect the adapter and to keep it clean, I gaffer taped everything I didn't want to remove — most of the adapter. Next, a rotary tool (I substituted a drill) with a small abrasive sanding cylinder was used to remove the plastic. A rounded file could also be used.
After removal of enough plastic for the extenders to fit (this took two tries for my first attempt), the adapter was cleaned and mounted. Being able to mount the extender behind the adapter was the first test to pass. Having the extender function properly in conjunction with EF lenses was the bigger question in my mind. Fortunately, the modified adapter passed that test also.
How good is the image quality? We haven't lab tested the modified adapter and more testing needs to be done, but this combo seems to deliver very good quality images with a high quality lens in front of it. The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens seemed to perform especially well with the image periphery perhaps becoming slightly softer. Here is a 100% crop from a Canon EOS R5 image processed from RAW in Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP) using the Standard Picture Style with sharpness set to "1" (0-10 scale).
Note that this setup does not report the reduced aperture and increased focal length to the camera, but the camera continues to work normally.
The adapter modification was not hard to make. Buy a Vello Auto Lens Adapter for Canon EF/EF-S Lens to Canon RF-Mount Camera and follow the steps shared above. I suspect that the greater good of this project was testing the concept. Watch for commercially available adapters designed to fit on a Canon RF extender in your favorite store soon.
Image quality test results have been added to the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens Review page.
Here is the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens compared to the Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens.
We have not tested the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Lens on the Canon EOS 5Ds R, so some discernment is required in the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens vs. the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Lens comparison.
Keep in mind that results from a lower resolution camera such as the Canon EOS R6 will show less sharpness degradation from diffraction.
The Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
Rent the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens from Lensrentals.
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I was recently asked which EF lenses should be replaced first in the DSLR to MILC (Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera) migration. Fortunately, Canon has made the Mount Adapter EF-EOS R available to significantly ease that transition. With this adapter, EF lenses continue to perform at least as well on an RF mount as they do on an EF mount. Still, many of us will be upgrading our kits to RF lens models.
Here is a list of the available (or announced) RF lenses in priority* order.
- Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
- Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
- Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
- Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens
- Canon RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Lens
- Canon RF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens
- Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM Lens
- Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM DS Lens
- Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro IS STM Lens
- Canon RF 35mm f/1.8mm f/1.8 IS STM Macro Lens
- Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens
- Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens
- Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM Lens
- Canon RF 24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM Lens
- Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM Lens
- Canon RF 1.4x Extender
- Canon RF 2x Extender
* Disclaimer: photographers have greatly varying needs, and therefore, the priority number for each of us may vary greatly, and my numbers may have little meaning for you.
The easy answer to the "Which RF lenses should I upgrade to first?" question is "Replace your most-used lens." All of the RF lenses have advantages over their EF counterparts, and replacing the most-used lens makes a lot of sense, providing the most value.
Also making sense is upgrading to an RF lens that has a desired capability, such as the image stabilization feature in the RF 24-70, much better image quality such as found in the RF 50 L or RF 85 L, or a super-telephoto length at an affordable price.
Why The Above Order?
The trinity of professional-grade f/2.8 L lenses are listed first, and they are listed in order of use frequency for many photographers. These are the lenses this site's audience considers most important overall.
I dropped the RF 100-500 into the 4th slot on this list. This focal length range is extremely useful, includes very long focal lengths, and has professional-grade build and optics without reaching an extreme price level.
For some, the RF 24-105 f/4 L could have a top position on this list. This lens is great for travel and has great general purpose utility. The professional-grade 24-105 L is less expensive and lighter than the RF 24-70 f/2.8 L.
Bring in the primes. The RF 50 L is the 50mm full-frame lens that many of us have long awaited. It is the first Canon 50mm lens I've personally purchased in (probably) over a decade. Both RF 85 f/1.2 models are phenomenal portrait lenses, and people are the most important photo subject. With stock photos unavailable for most people, portrait photography remains a revenue-generating pursuit. The RF 85 f/2 IS promises solid performance at a lower price, and this lens's close-focusing capabilities will be very welcomed in a kit.
The RF 35 is small, light, bright, close-focusing, inexpensive, and fun. Just get one.
An f/11 fixed aperture lens? Sounds like a crazy idea to many of us. However, getting these extreme focal lengths into the size, weight, and price point Canon achieved is remarkable. The image quality is not bad, especially from the lower resolution imaging sensors.
Having an f/2 aperture available over an entire general-purpose focal length range is awesome. The RF 28-70 is large, heavy, and expensive, but for the niche that needs this lens' advantages (think wedding and event photographers), this lens is priceless.
There are times when only a single lens can be chosen for multi-purpose needs. The RF 24-240mm lens's 10x zoom range covers those needs much of the time.
When small, light, and inexpensive are critical lens attributes, the RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 raises its hand to fill the need.
I listed the RF extenders last. At this time, only the RF 100-500, RF 600, and RF 800 are compatible with the RF extenders. The cost of the extenders is approaching the cost of these two low-priced prime lenses that already have very long focal lengths, and the narrow max apertures of these lenses reduces the benefits an extender can provide. Using the 1.4x on the not-yet-available RF 100-500 is going to make a lot of sense, but I'm less sure about the 2x. I expect the extenders to have significantly greater value when high-end RF telephoto prime L lenses become available.
I plan to migrate all of my Canon lenses from EF to RF where similar models exist (except for those required for testing purposes). If your budget enables upgrading, I recommend doing so.
What is your RF lens plan?
OK, maybe not "finished" as I will likely continue to update these reviews for a long time, but these reviews are now extensive enough to be called finished for the moment. As the R5 and R6 are similar in many regards, selecting the review of your preferred model and reading the comparison will likely give you the information you need. Get a coffee and start reading:
Should I Get the Canon EOS R5, EOS R6, or EOS R? An Extensive Comparison
I have not been this excited about a camera in a long time — two R5 bodies are now part of my kit. It will now be hard to go back to a DSLR.
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Get in line for the Canon EOS R5:
Body: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
w/ RF 24-105 L: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA
Preorder the Canon EOS R6:
Body: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
w/ RF 24-105 STM: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
w/ RF 24-105 L: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA
Rent the Canon EOS R5 from
Lensrentals.
Rent the Canon EOS R6 from Lensrentals.
Image quality test results have been added to the Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens page.
This is an interesting lens from numerous perspectives, but focal length per dollar (euro, pound, etc.) is one, and focal length per lb (kg) is another. Here is a comparison with Canon's other 600mm lens, both set to their widest apertures:
Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens vs. EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens
At f/11, the RF 600 is already being impacted by the softening effects of diffraction. Another interesting comparison is between the same two lenses at f/11.
Canon RF 600mm vs. EF 600mm f/4L IS III Lens at f/11
The Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
Rent the Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens from Lensrentals.
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Image quality, vignetting, and distortion test results have been added to the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens page.
This is a top-selling lens. Our review of the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens was interrupted by the new Canon gear arrival, but the test results are very helpful in telling this lens's story.
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens vs. Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens vs. Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD Lens
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens vs. Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Art Lens
The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
Rent the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Lens from Lensrentals.
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The Canon EOS R5 Review and Canon EOS R6 Review are works in progress with the latest updates being the AF section and the addition of frame rate examples. Scroll down one of the two reviews (same frame rate, same AF technology, same content in each) until a horseback riding image shows in the performance section.
These cameras are very impressive performers. The sample image included in this post shows the eye-tracking AF point following the galloping horse rider near the edge of the frame during a 20 fps capture.
Resolution test results have been added to the Canon EOS R5 Review page.
Resolution test results have been added to the Canon EOS R6 Review page.
These cameras are very sharp — I think you will like these results.
The R5 and R6 results were processed using Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP) and the same low contrast, low sharpness settings (Neutral Picture Style, Sharpness = 1) as all of the other Canon camera test results included in the comparison tool. Use these results to compare the camera's resolution and sharpness to any other camera tested with the same lens using the same aperture setting (use f/5.6). I'll get your comparisons started:
Canon EOS R5 vs. Canon EOS 5Ds R
Canon EOS R5 vs. Canon EOS 5Ds
Canon EOS R5 vs. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Canon EOS R6 vs. Canon EOS-1D X Mark III
Canon EOS R6 vs. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Time to order your Canon EOS R5:
Body: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
w/ RF 24-105 L: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA
Time to order your Canon EOS R6:
Body: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
w/ RF 24-105 STM: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
w/ RF 24-105 L: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA
Good news is that B&H is now indicating that the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens will arrive Aug 28th. This lens was formerly expected in September.
Order the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens at: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
As with the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens, several of you have been asking for a glimpse of the image quality that the new Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens is capable of. I spent half of yesterday chasing birds with these two lenses. The 600mm spent its time on the Canon EOS R6, so this image was captured with the higher-resolution Canon EOS R5 upon return from the trip.
This coneflower image is a 100% crop from near the center of the frame. This tripod-captured image's settings were 1/100 sec., ISO 100, and you know the aperture. The RAW image was processed with sharpness set to "2" (0-10 scale).
As with the 800mm crop just shared, this result exceeds my expectation. Add slightly more sharpening (try it yourself — copy and paste this image into your image processing software) and the result is especially sharp.
The Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens is in stock at B&H and Amazon USA.
Canon Europe has the Canon EOS R5 owner's manual available to download.
Can Canon RF Extenders be used on the RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens, even at 200mm?
Sorry folks, that answer is "No."
With some of Canon's EF lenses specified as not EF extender compatible, such as the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L, the rear element moved far enough forward to provide clearance for the extender to fit, and these combinations worked fine (as long as the impact was avoided). The Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens came with the minimum RF extender compatible focal length specified (300mm), showing Canon now taking advantage of the partial range of rear element clearance.
All of Canon's EF 70-200mm lenses are compatible with EF extenders, but the RF 70-200 was not on the RF extender compatibility list. The question on many of our minds was if the RF 70-200mm lens would indeed be compatible, at least at the long end, despite being omitted from the list.
I've tried twice (just to be absolutely sure) to mount an RF extender to the RF 70-200 at 200mm, the focal length with the most rear element clearance. The RF extender does not fit into the back of this lens.
Another great idea was to mount an RF extender to the back of a Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. The idea is that all EF lenses suddenly become extender compatible. Sorry, but this answer is also "No." The RF extender does not fit into the mount adapter.
That said, the baffle physically preventing this installation appears to be plastic, and plastic is easily modifiable. I can't spare an adapter for this mod right now, but if you have a donor adapter you want me to try modifying, let me know.
Thanks to Canon USA, the rest of the end-of-July-arriving new gear is in-house, including:
Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM Lens
Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM Lens
Canon RF 1.4x Extender
Canon RF 2x Extender
Battery Grip BG-R10
My first impression is that these super-telephoto lenses are amazingly compact and light.
Again, please feel free to ask questions — I can't promise to get to every one, but will attempt to answer many.
Also again, this photo was created using the Canon EOS R and RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens combination.
As you've likely read, I've been using the Canon EOS 5Ds R as my primary camera since it first became available. While I still love the image quality this camera produces, the 5Ds R is beginning to feel aged. In particular, I wanted to know how the dynamic range of the new Canon EOS R5 compared to that of the 5Ds R. Some additional testing, over and under-exposure captures from the 5Ds R, makes that comparison now available in the site's camera noise comparison tool:
Canon EOS R5 Dynamic Range Comparison with 5Ds R
In that 2-stop-overexposed comparison, the R5's dynamic range is clearly superior (keep in mind that the brightest color value is below RGB 255,255,255 in the base exposure).
As expected, the +3 EV comparison more clearly shows the R5's improved performance.
Learn more about the Canon EOS R5.
When photographing fast action while counting on the camera's frame rate to capture the perfect point in time, the buffer depth must be adequate to cover the period during which the potential best image could happen. Therefore, buffer capacity matters.
To obtain the best-available buffer capabilities, the EOS R5 and R6 were configured to manual mode (no AE time lag) using ISO 100, a 1/8000 shutter speed (no waiting for the shutter operation), a wide open aperture (no time lost due to aperture blades closing), and manual focus (no focus lock delay). The lens cap remained on (insuring a black image with the smallest file size), the battery was near full charge, and freshly-formatted fast memory cards were used.
The ProGrade Digital 325GB CFexpress 2.0 Cobalt Memory Card and a ProGrade Digital 64GB 200 MB/s UHS-II V60 Memory Cards were used for this testing.
Here are the results for the R5:
| Test | Image Count | Seconds |
| 12 fps RAW > CFexpress | 405 | 33.8 |
| 12 fps RAW > SD | 182 | 15.0 |
| 12 fps RAW + RAW | 175 | 14.6 |
| 20 fps RAW > CFexpress | 146 | 7.3 |
| 20 fps RAW > SD | 110 | 5.5 |
| 20 fps RAW + RAW | 104 | 5.2 |
Even at 20 fps, the R5 can capture an impressive over 7 seconds of action when using the CFexpress card, and the 5.5 seconds of 20 fps capture with an SD card is still very good. The penalty for recording to two cards simultaneously is minor at 20 fps, but more significant when capturing at 12 fps. That said, the need to record at 12 fps for longer than the 9 seconds provided by the SD card is reaching a niche level.
Here are the results for the R6:
| Test | Image Count | Seconds |
| 12 fps RAW + RAW | >1,900 | >158 |
| 20 fps RAW | 180 | 9.0 |
| 20 fps RAW + RAW | 165 | 8.3 |
Yes, ADHD kicked in after capturing a crazy-high 1,900 images in the 12 fps R6 test. The camera would likely continue at that frame rate until the cards were filled, achieving a number of images adequate for everyone. Even at 20 fps, the R6 can capture 9 seconds of action when using this SD card. The penalty for recording to two cards simultaneously at 20 fps is minor.
The numbers in the table above are excellent, adequate for most professional purposes. Switch to CRAW, JPG, or HEIF image formats, and the numbers go far higher (if possible).
Speed matters when selecting a memory card, and a memory card upgrade can be a low cost method of improving camera performance. These buffer capacities should be considered best-possible for the referenced cards, and your in-the-field results will likely vary.
The R5 and R6 clear the buffer quickly, and memory cards format almost instantly, both important aspects for camera selection.
Comparing same-size imaging sensors, the lower the resolution, the larger the photosites. Larger pixel wells can collect photons at a higher rate than smaller ones, generating a higher SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) that results in lower noise levels. Therefore, do not expect pixel-level noise performance from an ultra-high-resolution imaging sensor to match that from a similar generation low-resolution imaging sensor.
That said, the final output size is what matters in the real world. To make the Canon EOS R5 vs. Canon EOS R6 comparison relevant, the R5 image (oversampled in this case) must be reduced to 20 MP. An R5 image can be very simply downsized to R6 image dimensions, and then the R5 noise levels appear at least as good the R6 noise levels. DPP was used for downsizing the R5 images in that example.
In this comparison, Photoshop's Image Size method (using the default auto setting) was used for resizing. In this case, the R5 results are sharper than the R6 results, with noise becoming very slightly more apparent from the sharpening.
Noise levels do not appear to be a good differentiator between these cameras — noise levels at high ISO setting are not a good reason to buy the R6 over the R5.
Noise test results have been added to the Canon EOS R5 Review page.
Noise test results have been added to the Canon EOS R6 Review page.
Create the comparisons relevant to you.
These reviews are a work in progress, being updated as I go. Commentary regarding noise performance is now included.
Time to order your Canon EOS R5:
Body: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
w/ RF 24-105 L: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA
Time to order your Canon EOS R6:
Body: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
w/ RF 24-105 STM: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA | WEX
w/ RF 24-105 L: B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA
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