We share our experience with the Canon EOS R8 photography-focused 24.2MP mirrorless camera with the 24-105 kit lens.
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Canon EOS R8 with 24-105 Kit |
Canon originally brought the EOS R8 to the Philippines in March 2023. After a year, we managed to get our hands on the camera for several weeks as our main camera.
The new R8 takes hints from the earlier EOS RP but adds features. It has a 24.2MP Full-frame CMOS sensor and a Digic X processor. It has a 2.36 million-dot fully articulating touch screen and a 1.62 million-dot electronic viewfinder with a 0.7x magnification.
It can capture photos and save them to either RAW or JPEG. It can also capture up to 4K at 60fps video to either MOV, H.264, or H.265.
In the Philippines, the Canon EOS R8 body is priced at PHP 107,998.
Let's take a deeper look at the hardware.
Meet the Canon EOS R8!
We received the camera from Canon Philippines without the box and documentation. We got the camera body, body cap, battery, battery charger, power plug and cable, and 24-105 lens with lens cap.
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The body only |
At first glance, the external appearance of the EOS R8 is similar to the previous generation EOS RP with minor changes. Even though the EOS R8 is slightly taller, it is lighter at 461 grams.
On the left are the handgrip, the shutter release button, and the AF assist light. In the middle are the microphones, Canon logo, lens mount, sensor, and CPU contacts while on the right are the lens mount release and EOS R8 logo. Above the Canon logo is the hot shoe mount.
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Rear side |
In fact, the rear has almost no changes when compared to the EOS RP. The locations of the buttons, sensors, and screens are nearly identical.
The EVF, eye sensor, articulating touch screen, and buttons are at the back.
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Top view |
On top are the Photo/Video dial, Hot shoe, camera mode dial, primary and sub-dials, On/off/lock switch, shutter release button and the record button.
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Bottom View |
At the bottom are the battery hatch and the tripod screw mount.
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Battery hatch
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Inside the battery hatch are the battery compartment, the SD card slot, and the microSD card slot.
The camera uses the LP-E17 with a rating of 290 shots per charge.
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Left side view |
On the right are the shutter release port, the microphone port, the headphones port, the USB-C port and a mini HDMI port. Above them is the right strap lug.
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Right side view |
On the left is the hand grip and the left strap lug.
What we liked most about the EOS R8 body is its lightweight and beefy yet functional hand grip. The size of the grip is just right for our hand and it makes carrying small or larger lenses easier.
The camera also supports USB-C charging which is a godsend in the field. This means we can charge the battery with a power bank.
Camera Samples
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Bright, vibrant, and warm colors |
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Smooth transition from the in-focus to out of focus areas |
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The 24-105 lens can be used for panning shots |
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Texts in photos are crisp! |
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Incredible detail in the shadows |
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Warm tone while being sharp and detailed |
Quick thoughts
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Zoom extended |
The EOS R8 is an incredibly capable camera for its size and weight. You get a 24.2MP full-frame sensor while getting the latest AF system and Digic X processor.
Aside from its size and image quality, what stood out to us was the subject detection and autofocus on this camera. No matter which subject and no matter the distance it is from the camera, the camera's AutoFocus always detects the correct subject and always snaps into focus. This is one of the easiest-to-use AF systems I've handled. It is even a huge improvement over the
EOS R6 we used several years ago.
The body's ergonomics also made it easy to hold the camera. We tried varying-sized lenses and it didn't matter, the grip fit our hands like a glove and made it feel like an extension of our body.
The buttons and dials have a satisfying feeling when pressed or rotated. This feedback when pressed or rotated is reassuring every time.
Canon has decided to store files on an SD card and microSD card. We get that there is not a lot of space inside the camera for a second SD card slot but we would appreciate it next time.
Overall, this is our favorite photography-focused Canon Mirrorless camera to date. Our only gripe with the camera is the short battery life with only 300+ shots per charge and the lack of In-body image stabilization. We missed the ability to handhold shots at slow shutter speeds. The inclusion of IBIS can add to the over kit. We hope Canon adds this in the future too.
What do you guys think?
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