Canon EOS R8 Mark II Announced: Our thoughts and reaction

Primary Journalistic Dispatch & Direct Reporting

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Canon has officially announced the EOS R8 Mark II , a ground-up redesign of the popular EOS R8. The new design language has received a lot of attention, some love it, some like it and some don't like it at all.

In-Depth Developments & Factual Context

I like it and I will be ordering one because I think it is phenomenallyspecced for a sub-$2000 camera. The addition of IBIS, Pre-Shooting and the Joystick are worth the price of admission on their own. Is it a sports and wildlife camera? Sure, you can shoot anything with anything, but that's not what Canon has done here. The EOS R6 Mark III , R5 Mark II and R1 exist for those shooters.

If I want an ergonomic masterpiece, that's what the EOS R1 is for. The R8 Mark II is going to be a camera that will always be with me. I will pair it with the RF 28mm f/2.8 STM for most use cases, but I think it's going to pair well with all the VCM primes that I use.

I'll have to wait and spend time with the camera to figure out which zoom lens is going to be the best way to go. It doesn't have to be an L, it just has to be well balanced.

Industry Impact & Strategic Analysis

The new Sigma 20-60mm f/2.8-4 Contemporary would likely fit the bill, but……… yeah.

The lightest camera in the EOS lineup with In-Body Image Stabilization, built around a 24.2MP full-frame sensor in a new flat-surface, travel-ready design.

If you just want a full-frame camera for everyday use, I think they hit it out of the park on the spec sheet. I do look forward to having the camera in hand, and those I have talked to that have been hands-on with the camera came away impressed.

Forward Outlook & Market Perspective

I think the ergonomic grip was a really good idea, and with my larger hands, I will be getting that as well.

Canon is going to sell a ton of R8 Mark IIs. Is the design language influenced by Sony? Perhaps. Maybe Canon's market research has discovered that there is a large potential customer base that prefers what Sony and Fuji do with their body design. Different strokes and all.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. has announced the EOS R8 Mark II , a new full-frame mirrorless camera, alongside a lineup of companion accessories aimed at photographers ranging from newcomers to full-frame shooting up through advanced enthusiasts and content creators.

The camera is Canon's lightest EOS body yet to include in-body image stabilization, pairing a 24.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with 5-axis IBIS, Dual Pixel CMOS AF II subject tracking with Register People Priority, and an electronic shutter rated up to 40 fps with pre-continuous shooting that can capture frames before the shutter is fully pressed. Canon reports notably longer continuous bursts than the original EOS R8 - roughly a 30% increase in RAW and 58% in JPEG. Video capabilities include oversampled 4K at 60p and uncropped 1080p recording up to 180fps, along with new Filmtone color profiles for stills and video.

Alongside the camera, Canon is introducing two new accessories: the EG-E2 Extension Grip, a screw-on grip designed to improve handling with larger lenses without blocking the battery door or tripod mount, and the Speedlite EL-5 Ver.2, an updated flash for Canon's Multi-Function Shoe cameras with extended wireless range and a fast-recycling battery pack. Canon is also releasing a free Windows application, the Dual Pixel 3D Converter, which can generate 3D photos, subject-isolated 3D models, and 3D video clips from Dual Pixel RAW files or depth-tagged JPEGs captured on the R8 Mark II.

Canon expects the EOS R8 Mark II body to ship in late October at an estimated retail price of $1,899, with a kit bundling the RF 24-50mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens priced at an estimated $2,099. The EG-E2 Extension Grip and Speedlite EL-5 Ver.2 are also expected in late October, at estimated prices of $99.99 and $379, respectively.

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