Canon EOS R1 Preview: Sorry Canon…This ISN’T the “FLAGSHIP”

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This is a preview of the Canon EOS R1 Flagship Camera. Canon calls this a flagship, but it’s hard to call it that when it’s more of an update to the R3. Now that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing, it just means it’s not as “flagship” spec wise as many were expecting. I had a chance to preview the camera for a few hours on a press trip in Phoenix Arizona.

When you compare the specs of the Nikon Z9, Sony a1, Sony a9 III to the R1, there’s good and there’s not so good. I point everything out in this video. I will tell you it has the greatest Auto Focus in the history of auto focus. But does it fall short of what a flagship has been in the past?

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[froknowsphoto]

I wanted to take a second to talk about the megapixels real fast. As I said in the video, I am perfectly fine with 24. I pointed out making 4 feet by 6 feet prints from 12 megapixel cropped sensor Nikon's without issue. Mind you I do not crop my images. When I talk about megapixels or flagship vs not flagship, I am looking at a comparison to what's in the market already. Nikon has a 45 megapixel Z9, Sony as a 50 megapixel A1 and a 24 megapixel A9 III. My statements are based on comparing what's out there to what is exactly in front of me with the R1. If the R1 was standing alone 5 years ago, we would be having a different discussion.

Now lets talk about me calling it the R3 Mark II. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the R1 and if it were calling an R3 Mark II I would have been totally fine with that based on the upgrades. The R1's bigger body doesn't impress me and I don't think in this day and age it impresses everyone else. I don't want to see Canon make a tiny dinky body, but the R3 body was light, rugged and fit amazing in the hands. Sony on the other hand doesn't have any big bodies whatsoever and pros continue to use them in extreme shooting situations.

There are pros and cons to every system. As I stated in the video, the R1 has the best auto focus in the history of auto focus. The action priority mode was mind blowing period. The EVF amazing. The high-iso image quality, at least based on jpegs out of the camera is fantastic. That's the difference between higher megapixel bodies like the R5 II and the R1. 4000 on the R1 and 4000 on the R5 II are going to be completely different. Because the R1 is 24 megapixels, you're going to be getting extremely clean files at higher ISO ranges. But for me, it's about that 4000-8000 range. If 4000 and 8000 look like 2000 and 4000 of the R3, that's impressive. We have to wait and see that when we get production units.

My harshness in certain situations is based on waiting so long for certain features that a flagship would have, but they end up being half baked. 40 FPS is great, it's more than enough, but an a9 III can do 120 RAW. Pre Shooting is great, but why can't I dial in how many shots I want. That's where my harshness lies. You can say, but it will be updated in firmware, but i can't preview based on future possibilities, I can only look at what it can do today. What it can do today is still amazing and the pros that use it will love it. I will be using an R1 over a R5 Mark II. Better EVF, better AF, faster shooting, more pre-shots if needed, bigger bolder body. That all works for me.

For people with R3's it's a tougher sell. IT's a worth while upgrade as I say in the video, but each photographer needs to make their own decision. Some want more megapixels to crop and I don't agree with them. I don't think they are needed, relying on cropping and more megapixels is lazy in some situations. I understand in other's they feel they need to crop, but if you want the cleanest best frame, don't crop.

There's a lot more videos in the works, comparisons, AF reviews and such. I just wanted to come on here and make sure people understand where I'm coming from in this video. As a photographer who so happens to also make youtube videos, I have to point out the good with the bad as well as paint the picture for the people who want to know. I give you my thoughts based on real life experiences and you can decide what you'd like to do from there.

I can't wait for the R1 to land in my hands. I also can't wait for a firmware update to bring the things you would expect to be in a flagship at launch.

Oh yea, many people will bitch and complain in the comments about how bad the R1 is for this reason or that reason. Yet they don't own an R3, have no intention or ability to get an R1, but somehow feel slighted by canon. The people who need this video, know who they are.

[hzifber]

So, they released the R1 and called it R3, and now they released R3 II and calling it R1

[PizzlesTechTime]

I already know that Jared is not going to get the recognition he deserves for being brutally honest even though he uses Canon everyday to make his bread and butter. You will see so many other content creators beat around the bush. 😊 Jared gives it to you straight and I appreciate that. Although I can understand why Nikon has there apprehensions lol

[SPECTRA]

Can't believe we waited 4 years for this

[matthewedison]

I've started a drinking game and taken a shot everytime you say "Flagship". I'm now absolutely stoned.

[sr]

Congratulations Canon. This is the biggest, heaviest and most expensive 24MP camera in the world.

[PrincePorter]

Can't believe we waited 7 years for this

[Brkz]

when I heard Peter Mckinnon describing the specs for this camera I was like "welp!... my hype to buy this camera is gone".

[bernardlanguillier]

Sounds like an excellent R3 mkII. What's remarkable is how completely overblown and wrong all the rumors were. This is really unique to Canon, Sony and Nikon Rumors are mostly spot on.

[carjac]

What a turntables. The last time a flagship camera got in this situation, it was the Nikon D6

[WilliamTrostelPhotography]

After reading these comments from Canon users, it’s crazy to see how us Nikon users did a 180 in how we feel about the company, opposite of canon users. I fucking love my Z8.

[visionmauto]

Motorsports photographer/videographer here. As much as people have their thoughts about the 24mp, I've been able to see the upscaling power of the R5 Mark II so far and the difference is absolutely indistinguishable between the regular image, and the upscaled version, the sharpness and clarity is maintained, just at a 10k x 16k resolution image, I was insanely impressed. I actually see this as a benefit for the R1, because I can keep the speed I want to make sure I never miss a shot, BUT I'm able to pick and choose the images I want to upscale in-camera. This saves me card space, hard drive space, allows me to have more opportunities for "winner" images, etc.

I totally understand the initial wincing at 24MP, absolutely. But there's more to consider than the face-value resolution you get, being able to upscale ONLY the images I care about to 96MP to send over to clients asap without really any quality loss is phenomenal, and is mostly what I want in "my" toolkit.

[davidericksonmedia]

Everything you said at the end is spot on Jared! As an R3 owner, I was hoping for more megapixels too. Especially as a “flagship.” This is just kinda underwhelming and I was hoping for more. Definitely feels like an R3ii.

[donschiffer]

Canon wouldn’t be so severely judged if not for their pricing. This is being released at $700 more than the Z9 and $300 more than the a9 III. At $5500 the R1 (R3ii) would be competitive.

At this price Canon is shooting themselves in the foot. Again..

It’s odd because the R5ii is so good.

[juergen]

R1 is a big disapointment. That's an R3 Mark II.

[kevingarcia]

I love this guy, the honesty he has makes him an awesome reviewer!!

[MGNphotography]

There was so much hype over the last year that the R1 would be The Camera for ALL Pro Photographers. The difference between 30 & 40 fps is negligible, but the addition of MP can open all kinds of doors. I've been happy with my R3, but very eager for the R1 because I thought it would give me options. Why couldn't there have been a stepped system built in to the R1, similar to Leica's SL series? Select your resolution from 3 choices with corresponding fps for each. We could all have won with the R1.

[arunashamal]

Nikon totally broke canon when they came out with a shutterless 45mp, 8k raw video camera for cheaper than r3, 3 years ago... that totally threw a wrench in their plans!

[frankartale]

Payboo is the bomb. I was surprised how simple and fast it was to spend money🤑

[ConnorTrimble]

Hitting the nail on the head, so disappointed by Canon... Pre-ordered it because I'm locked in to RF glass, but regretting not switching to Sony who actually is pushing it more technologically when I went EF/mirrored->RF/mirrorless