Canon has announced the launch of two new cameras, EOS R8 and R50, for content creators. The EOS R8 is Canon’s lightest full-frame mirrorless camera that combines many of the powerful video and still shooting features of the EOS R6 Mark II, such as Canon Log 3 and up to 40 fps continuous shooting with the portability of the EOS RP.
The EOS R50 is a new compact, lightweight APS-C mirrorless camera set to replace the EOS 77D and EOS M50 Mark II. The entry-level camera is packed with many fun, creative tools and automated features, allowing users to create high-quality vlogs and images easily with minimal camera operation. The EOS R50 is available in black and white.
The EOS R50
The EOS R50, a new compact, lightweight APS-C mirrorless camera set to replace the EOS 77D and EOS M50 Mark II. The entry-level camera is packed with many fun, creative tools and automated features, allowing users to create high-quality vlogs and images easily with minimal camera operation.
“The new EOS R50 will deliver great outcomes for new users with smart features that enhance their photographs and videos. We want to empower content creators with the ability to focus on storytelling without feeling overwhelmed by the technical aspects of the camera,” said Edwin Teoh, Head of Marketing, Singapore Operations, Canon Singapore.
“While equipped with strong technical functionalities from higher-end models in our EOS R system, the new EOS R50 remains small, mighty, and simple to use.”
The EOS R50’s APS-C format image sensor is three times larger than the 1-inch sensor on the latest smartphones. This mean sharper, more detailed images and videos, and less noise (graininess) even in low light. Users can also look forward to beautiful, natural-looking bokeh (shallow focus) effects.
With 24.2 megapixels, the EOS R50 is also capable of producing high-quality cropless 4K 30p video oversampled from 6K worth of data. Oversampling means more information to reduce artefacts and other issues, so despite your vlogging experience and skill, the image quality will look pristine and professional.
With ample modes and features that simplify shooting, the EOS R50 is designed for vloggers who want the image quality of a dedicated camera without the learning curve that usually comes with having to operate one.
The Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system, which detects and tracks people, animals (dogs, cats, and birds) and vehicles (motorsports cars and motorcycles) based on their characteristics just got even smarter.
For close-up demos, the Movie for Close-up Demo mode quickly and automatically switches focus to the subject closest to the camera. You can showcase your new gadget or online shopping loot in one smooth take, with the focus where you want it to be.
A host of new intelligent creative features make it even easier to make the most of the camera’s imaging capabilities, even if you are not familiar with technical photography terms and complicated post-processing.
Some notable new functions are the Advanced A+ feature which allows you to automatically capture and blend exposure-bracketed images for a better night and backlit portraits, and focus-bracketed images for images that are in focus from front to back.
The Creative Bracket feature automatically generates multiple versions of a shot taken by the user with different brightness and colour tone settings. The settings of the autogenerated shots are shown so that users can learn.
A subject blur guide is available in the Panning SCN mode which helps the user practice panning and improves the success rate of panning shots.
The EOS R8
The EOS R8, is a new entry full-frame camera that combines many of the powerful video and still shooting features of the EOS R6 Mark II, such as Canon Log 3 and up to 40 fps continuous shooting with the portability of the EOS RP.
20g lighter than the EOS RP at approximately 461g (with battery pack and SD card), the compact and lightweight EOS R8 keeps users agile, giving them an edge when it comes to creative camera angles and transitions.
“Video is the norm in today’s digital and social media landscapes. The EOS R8 provides an affordable entry point for content creators who want to get serious about videography and improve their production capabilities,” said Edwin Teoh, Head of Marketing, Singapore Operations, Canon Singapore.
“With its compact form factor, the EOS R8 is Canon’s lightest full-frame mirrorless camera. Combined with the affordability, we are confident that this camera will appeal to budding content creators.”
From run-and-gun event coverage to documentaries and short films that require more post-production work, the EOS R8 is well-equipped to tackle the different requirements and workflows to produce stunning video.
The quality of a video is largely dependent on the quality of the source footage. The EOS R8’s newly developed 24.2-megapixel CMOS image sensor enables 6K data to be obtained from its entire width, producing high-quality cropless oversampled 4K UHD footage at up to 60p.
For productions where you need to leave the camera rolling, the EOS R8 has heat suppression measures which allow you to shoot up to 4K 30p with no recording time restriction, and up to 30 minutes at 4K 60p.
For more dramatic scenes, shooting in Full HD at as high as 180p will produce 30p output with action slowed down to 1/6 the speed. Rolling shutter distortion is reduced to almost half that on the EOS RP when shooting at 4K 30p/25p.
Besides normal 8-bit recording, the EOS R8 offers two options for recording 10-bit 4:2:2 high dynamic range video. HDR PQ provides amazing dynamic range and beautiful colours straight out of camera when viewed on a HDR display.
Other features include advanced visual aids for exposure adjustment and setting (zebras), aspect marker display for easier framing of video to fit various social media dimensions and Plug-and-play direct transmission of audio and Full HD video to a computer with just a USB connection making it ideal for live streaming.
New lenses – RF24-50mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM and RF-S55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM
In addition, Canon also announced two new additions to the RF lens lineup, both of which offer up to 4.5 stops’ equivalent Optical IS and support for focus breathing correction.
Weighing approximately 210g and measuring 5.8cm when retracted, the RF24-50mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM complements the compact EOS R8, to form a 671g combination that is lighter than the EOS R5 body alone.
Equipped with 4.5 stops’ Optical IS, the lens will empower users to explore new angles. It also supports enhanced stabilisation through Coordinated Control IS with cameras that feature Movie Digital IS and In-Body IS: for the latter, up to 7 stops’ IS is possible.
The RF-S55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM, which weighs approximately 270g, provides a full-frame equivalent angle of view of approximately 88 to 336mm, with semi-macro capabilities (up to 0.28x magnification) and close-up shooting (closest focusing distance of 0.73m) at the tele end.