Canon R1 has been announced

[Kayaker72]

Bryan has finished his R1 review. Definitely worth a look.

As for a quick update, I am still getting the feel for the R1 vs my R5. My increasing suspicion is that they are incredibly good cameras, are much more alike than different, and you may need to desire a specific feature to select anything more expensive than the R5 or even perhaps the R6II.

I am very impressed with what you can do at high ISO with the R1. Two examples:

ISO 8000 in some good light (processed using LRc denoise)
0M3A0983-Enhanced-NR by kayaker72, on Flickr

ISO 10,000 is some poor light (again, processed)
0M3A1221-Enhanced-NR by kayaker72, on Flickr

I've run images up to 25,600. I begin to see a loss of DR, especially in highlights, and color fidelity. But you still have good resolution. ISO 12,800 are definitely usable, IMO.

But....I have started taking similar images with my R5...and the R1 does appear a bit better...but it is only a bit, especially when downsized.

That said, I also do not find myself craving the resolution of 45 MP. Using 150 ppi as a threshold I could get 15-16 in prints of either of the above images...which is larger than most of the wildlife prints in my house. If I wanted to blow it up, there is still more resolution there than a 24x16 print I have taken on the 5DIII. It is not like I do not see benefit of additional resolution, but it gets down to where on the diminishing returns curve you want to be. I would prefer 30-36 MP...but 24 seems acceptable.

That said the smaller file size is evident while processing. Everything during processing feels faster. Maybe not always by much, but it is quicker.

I am still deciding on the AF. Both are great, but I really have not tested it much as most of my images are at my bird feeder with the 500 f/4 II, which does not miss much at all with the R5...so, how do you differentiate something near perfection? BIF against complex backgrounds....that will be a test. I will say, I do think the faster readout speed is helping AF. The "near perfection" statement is really about birds not moving much on a perch at ~28 ft distance. I am getting more hits with the R1 as the birds move around. I still need to fine tune before getting keepers, but that is one place where the R5 struggled, as soon as little birds jumped, it would lose focus. The R1 is keeping up much better. If I give a bit more DOF and up my shutterspeed, I suspect I'll get a few keepers.

But here is an AF benefit for the R5. At least my impression, but spot AF picks up bird’s eyes especially if partially hidden behind something like leaves or branches. I need to read more to see if there is a setting I can adjust, but it just seems the R5 spot is smaller than the R1 single AF "spot" point.


I love the Smart Controller on the AF-On button. I know the math on the batteries, but I am still working off my first charge on the LP-E19 and it is around 50%. All my menu work, intensive reviewing of photos, etc. That would not happen on the R5, which was drained much more by viewing and operation activities compared to taking pictures. I like the addition controls, even the split level options you get with the Mfn button (2 levels of 4 options to adjust instead of 1 level of 4 on the R5). Additional Mfn buttons are welcome. The viewfinder is better, especially in bright conditions. Programing the different shutter speeds is very nice.

But, it is not like I picked up my R5 and instantly did not like it. Quiet the opposite, I used it for family photos over Thanksgiving and very much enjoyed it. The buttons did feel so much smaller, which is the biggest difference. Overall, it was very comfortable in my hand.

Anyway, that is more of an interim update. I am still forming my thoughts. I need to get it out and test it more.

But, no doubt, amazing camera.