Canon EOS R8 and RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM Announced

Camera News

by Francesco AndreolaFebruary 8^th, 2023

Canon has just unveiled the lightest full-frame camera in their EOS R series, called the EOS R8, along with a new “all-rounder” full-frame standard zoom lens, the RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM. The camera features a 24.2MP CMOS sensor, oversampled 4K60p 4:2:2 10-bit video recording capabilities, Canon Log 3, and Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with people, animals, and vehicle recognition.

Last year Canon’s EOS R mirrorless ecosystem expanded quite a bit with the release of the video-centric EOS R5 C, which was soon followed by two “entry-level” APS-C models, the EOS R7 and R10, and eventually a prosumer full-frame body, the EOS R6 Mark II (our review here).

For the Japanese tech giant, 2023 starts in full swing with the addition of two camera bodies and two zoom lenses. This article focuses on the EOS R8 and RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM, but make sure you don’t miss our EOS R50 and RF-S 55-210mm F5-7.1 IS STM coverage as well.

Canon EOS R8: overview

At the core of the new Canon EOS R8 is a full-frame CMOS sensor with the same 24.2MP resolution as the EOS R6 Mark II. The sensor is packed in what Canon claims to be their lightest mirrorless body to date.

The EOS R8 is clearly aimed at hybrid shooters that need to prioritize portability or those looking to embrace a full-frame EOS R imaging system for the first time. On the photo side, the camera can shoot bursts of RAW/JPEG images at up to 40fps using the electronic shutter.

But let’s jump straight to CineD’s specialty: video mode. The EOS R8 can shoot H.265 10-bit 4:2:2 4K60p videos, which are oversampled from the 6K sensor, as well as FullHD at up to 180fps. According to Canon, the camera can continuously shoot in 4K at standard frame rates (25/30fps) for up to 2 hours without overheating, while 4K60p recording mode is limited to about half an hour. Canon Log 3 is also available, along with support for HDR PQ.

Autofocus system

The new EOS R8 inherits the extremely capable Dual Pixel CMOS AF II autofocus system from the EOS R5 and EOS R6 Mark II. This can automatically detect and track people, animals, or vehicles. Also, when working with human talents you can choose to track their head, face, or eyes. But not only that: you can also decide which eye deserves more attention.

Furthermore, when shooting videos with selected Canon lenses, the camera can automatically compensate for focus breathing, thus maintaining the lens’ angle of view constant throughout the whole focusing range.

Body and connectivity

The camera features a lightweight and compact body, which is a reminiscence of the design concept behind the EOS RP. The body weighs approximately 461g, including an SD card and battery, and measures 132.5×86.1x70mm in size.

On the back, we can find a 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder with a refresh rate of 120Hz. Moreover, the body features a dedicated button to quickly switch between stills and video mode. Files generated by the camera are stored on an SD UHS-II memory card.

The EOS R8 also packs 2.4GHz Wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity, thus allowing users to remotely control their camera or quickly offload files on smart devices using the dedicated Camera Connect app (iOS/Android). And last but not least, the USB-C connector supports the UVC and UAC protocols, so the EOS R8 can easily be turned into a full-frame webcam for live streaming.

Canon RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM: “all-rounder” zoom

Along with the EOS R8 comes the announcement of a new “all-rounder” standard zoom for full-frame RF mount camera bodies, the RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM. According to Canon, the lens’ optical image stabilization system provides up to 4.5 stops of compensation, but this number can reach 7 stops when in-camera stabilization is also active.

Touted to be small and featherlight, the new RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM features an STM autofocus system that should provide smooth results even when shooting videos. Moreover, the lens is compatible with the in-camera focus breathing compensation function.

Price and availability

The new Canon EOS R8 is now available to pre-order from B&H for $1,499 and is expected to start shipping towards the end of April 2023. The new RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM lens is also available to pre-order for $299, while the body + lens kit retails for $1,699.

For more information, please visit Canon’s website here.

What do you think of the new Canon EOS R8? Do you think it can be a good “gateway” camera to the EOS R full-frame ecosystem? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!