Small size, super reach: Canon unveils the first of its APS-C EOS R family

As they continue to shift their focus to mirrorless cameras, the folks at Canon are filling a significant gap in the EOS R lineup—APS-C size sensors, and lenses made specifically to cover that size. The APS-C EOS M50 Mark II still offers the most affordable entry point into Canon mirrorless photography, but the newly-announced EOS R7 and EOS R10 (along with two RF-S zoom lenses) benefit from the latest innovations in Canon technology and from sharing a mount with other EOS R cameras.

Both camera bodies and both lenses will be available by late 2022, with the EOS R7 tentatively leading the charge in June. Read on for more details!

Two new EOS R APS-C cameras

The first question one might ask is, “why would I choose an APS-C camera over a full frame?” There are three main reasons!

• Price: APS-C cameras are universally more affordable than full frame cameras with comparable specifications.
• Size/weight: these cameras are quite a bit smaller and lighter than comparable full frame cameras, as a general rule, and the reduction in size and weight of lenses made for the smaller imaging area can be even more significant.
• A longer reach: using lenses designed for full frame sensors provides a more zoomed-in effective field of view. Since a physically smaller sensor takes up less space within the same image being projected, the image it records appears as if the focal length were 1.6x higher—e.g. using a 50mm lens on an EOS R7 would take photos encompassing the same area as an 80mm lens on an EOS R5. Because of the way the sensors record images, this is not the same as taking a full-frame photo and cropping it, so some people use an APS-C body as a sort of permanent teleconverter.

The two new cameras share some eye-catching base features. Both feature the robust “EOS iTR AF X” autofocus tracking system, as found in the EOS R3, which is capable of Eye Detection and automatic tracking of people, animals, and vehicles. Both offer up to 15 fps still image capture when using the mechanical shutter, and RAW Burst Mode offers 1/2-second pre-shooting so you never have to just miss it. Both are powered by Canon’s DIGIC X processor and Dual Pixel CMOS technology.

Low light performance should be quite effective with a native ISO range of 100–32000, expandable to 51200. Content creators will be able to post even faster with vertical video mode, and longer-form videographers can rejoice knowing that there is no 30 minute clip restriction on either camera! A redesigned, ergonomic interface and multifunction hot shoe round out the sheer usefulness of these compact yet effective tools.

Sample footage

Two new RF-S APS-C lenses

Of course, as I mentioned, you can’t take full advantage of the compactness of APS-C without attaching compact glass to match. Canon is starting with two RF-S zoom lenses, but I have no doubt that more will come.

Full frame camera users, these lenses are compatible with your cameras as well. Using any RF-S lens on a full frame EOS R camera will automatically enable the 1.6x crop mode to prevent unsightly vignetting in your images.