Canon EOS R

£2,349/$2,299 (body only) A good buy, or a missed opportunity?

Price-wise, the EOS R is pitched between the 6D Mk II and the 5D Mk IV. It has a practically identical megapixel count to the latter, and a newergeneration image processor than both. Headline attractions include an upgraded version of Canon’s Dual Pixel AF autofocus system with a slightly bonkers 5,565 phasedetection points, covering almost the whole image frame. It can practically see in the dark, with a range stretching down to -6EV, beating all other cameras on test.

Handling highlights include a simple yet intuitive interface, with a customisable M-fn bar just above a high-res 3.2-inch touchscreen. It’s the only camera in the group to feature a fully articulated rear screen, which also gives access to Canon’s intuitive Quick menu. The maximum burst rate is faster than in the 5D Mk IV, at 8fps instead of 7fps, and with a larger buffer. There’s less shutter lag than with the Z 7, but drive speed drops to just 5fps with Continuous AF. The 0.5-inch OLED viewfinder has the same 3,690k resolution as the Z 7, giving a similarly super-sharp image – and the same slight blurring when panning.

Image quality is every bit as good as from the 5D Mk IV, and high-ISO shots are similarly clean. However, unlike every other manufacturer of mirrorless cameras on the planet, Canon has elected not to fit IBIS to the EOS R. Even late adopters Panasonic and Fujifilm have started doing this. Like the 5D Mk IV, 4k movie capture is hampered by a fairly severe crop factor that reduces the potential for wide-angle capture.