The now four-year-old Canon EOS R kickstarted the mirrorless revolution for Canon fans, but its time is coming to an end.
Cast your mind back to 2018. Sony had already asserted its dominance over the camera market thanks to its fantastic mirrorless cameras. Canon and Nikon were still mostly playing with DSLRs and were seemingly reluctant to embrace the new technology apart from in some entry-level crop sensor cameras. Then, out of nowhere, the full-frame EOS R came into existence.
At launch, the EOS R was laughed at for its meager specs compared to the Sony a7 III. The EOS R had a single card slot, a slow autofocus system and old sensor technology. However, the Canon EOS R proved very capable over the years. In fact, we recently concluded that the EOS R was still a great buy in 2022 for those who need a full-frame camera on a budget.
Still, as we all know, the camera market is ever-changing. So while the Canon EOS R might still be a good camera for those looking at their first full frame option, the camera that was behind the times in 2018 is even longer in the tooth now. Don’t worry, though; if an article on Canon Rumors turns out to be accurate, we might see Canon getting ready to release a successor to the EOS R very soon, which means good news for those who don’t want to sell body parts to get a new camera.
A new full-frame camera model
So, what do we know about the successor to the Canon EOS R? Unfortunately, not a whole lot right now. According to Canon Rumors, the next camera to be released by Canon will be an APS-C model. This new camera will likely be the vlogging camera we talked about here. After this release, the EOS R replacement will likely be announced.
Word on the street is that we may hear about the new camera by the end of the year. If that time passes, then it will be announced early in 2023. Interestingly, the successor to the EOS R will likely not be called the EOS R Mark II. The EOS R’s replacement will fall beneath the Canon EOS R6 but will still sit above the Canon EOS RP.
We’re not entirely sure what designation Canon could give this new camera seeing as the EOS R3, R5 (read our review here) and R6 already exist. With its APS-C cameras, Canon has already used the monikers EOS R7 and EOS R10. The R1 is slated to be Canon’s high megapixel offering, and it would make no sense to call it the R4 as decreasing numbers in Canon’s backward world indicates higher specs. So, we might end up seeing a completely new camera line.
What the EOS R could look like
It’s tricky to know exactly what specs Canon would give a full-frame camera that sits below the EOS R6. I can see the new Canon EOS R sporting a single SD card slot, which would be a significant differentiator to the R6. Canon would likely do away with the top LCD panel found on the current EOS R to cut costs as well.
Canon could also use an inferior IBIS system compared to the offering in the EOS R6. I am sure video modes will also be highly nerfed compared to the EOS R6. There could be a slower max shutter speed (1/4000s instead of 1/8000s), and burst modes could also be slowed.
A nerfed R6
Downgrades aside, I think the new EOS R will likely otherwise be similar to the R6 in other ways. I’d like to see the new camera feature Canons’ Dual Pixel II AF system as it’s one of the best systems on the market. Regarding the image sensor, I can see Canon opting to use the same sensor found in the R6. It wouldn’t make sense for Canon to offer a higher megapixel non-BSI CMOS sensor at a lower price point.
I expect the new Canon EOS R to feature weather sealing, a vari-angle LCD, and a mid-spec EVF. In simple terms, expect the new Canon EOS R to be a slightly slower, more anemic version of the R6 that puts it on parity with the Nikon Z5 but well behind the Sony a7 IV. As for pricing. I can see the camera keeping the same price point as the current EOS R. The $1,799 price point is liked by many.
Of course, only time will tell what Canon has in store for their new not-quite entry-level full-frame mirrorless camera. What would you like to see in the replacement for the Canon EOS R? Let us know in the comment section below.
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