Canon EOS R8
Full-Frame 24 MP @ 40/6 FPS, ISO 100~102,400 (50L~204,800H), 4K60
World's Lightest Full-Frame Camera
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories USA Version
R3 R5 R5C R6 II R6 R R8 RP R7 R10 R50 R100
Bodies Compared RF Lenses EF Lenses Flash
Canon EOS R8 (16.3 oz./461g with battery and SD card, $1,499) and RF 24-50mm IS STM. bigger. I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield, or about $1,100 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you take the chance of getting it elsewhere. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, dropped, incomplete, gray-market, store demo or used camera — and my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new R8. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new R8 before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
January 2024 Better Pictures Canon Reviews Mirrorless RF Lenses EF Lenses Flash All Reviews
NEW: Canon EOS R vs EOS R8 vs RP
Canon EOS R, RP, R5 & R6 compared
Sony vs. Nikon vs. Canon Full-Frame
Sample Images top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories USA Version
(more at High ISOs)
These are just snapshots; my real work is in my Gallery.
These are all shot hand-held as NORMAL (▟ stairstep icon) JPGs; no tripods, FINE (quarter circle) JPGs or RAW CR3 files were used or needed.
Speed Yellow Porsche Turbo, 9:44 AM, Saturday, 12 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 24mm at f/6.3 at 1/125 at Auto ISO 100, +0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 12.4), as shot. bigger.
Blue Ford Mustang GT-350 7" Sealed-Beam Headlight, 9:53 AM, Saturday, 12 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 50mm at f/7.1 at 1/80 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 12.0), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger.
Blue and White Ford Mustang GT-350 Interior, 9:54 AM, Saturday, 12 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 50mm at f/11 at 1/60 at Auto ISO 200 (LV 12.0), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 5 MB JPG file.
Ferrari Ceramic Brakes with Yellow Caliper, 9:56 AM, Saturday, 12 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 47mm at f/11 at 1/80 at Auto ISO 250 (LV 12.0), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 5.4 MB JPG file.
It's got so much resolution that even with the most basic RF 24-50mm we easily can see me kneeling down in the street reflected in the lug nuts:
1,200 × 900 pixel (5× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 5.4 MB JPG file.
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same large magnification would be about 10 × 15" (25 × 38cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 20 × 30" (50 × 75cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same insanely high magnification would be about 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters).
2005 Ford GT, 10:00 AM, Saturday, 12 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 50mm at f/9 at 1/125 at Auto ISO 100, +1.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 13.4), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo), split-toned print. bigger or camera-original 24 MP © 3.1 MB JPG file.
Red Ford GT-350 Graphics, 10:04 AM, Saturday, 12 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 50mm at f/6.3 at 1/60 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 12.0), as shot. bigger.
The Mustang's fender flares cause the drooping on the lower right; it's not lens distortion.
Cadillac Eldorado, 10:10 AM, Saturday, 12 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 24mm at f/11 at 1/100 at Auto ISO 100, +1.0 stop exposure compensation, (LV 13.6), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger.
Shell Mini Mart, 10:45 AM, Saturday, 12 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 24mm at f/5 at 1/80 at Auto ISO 160 (LV 10⅓), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger.
Tile Mural, 11:33 AM, Saturday, 12 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 24mm at f/11 at 1/100 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 13.6), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger.
King Tut, 12:32 PM, Sunday, 13 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 50mm wide-open at f/6.3 at 1/80 at Auto ISO 400 (LV 9¾), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger.
Specialty Produce, 12:36 PM, Sunday, 13 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 46mm wide-open at f/6.3 at 1/80 at Auto ISO 640 (LV 9.1), Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo). bigger.
Magenta Hibiscus, 12:32 PM, Sunday, 13 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 50mm at f/22 at 1/60 at Auto ISO 640 (LV 12⅓), as shot. bigger.
BMW X5M Competition by the Shipyards, 12:56 PM, Wednesday, 16 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 50mm at f/11 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 250, -1 stop exposure compensation (LV 14.6) Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo), perspective correction and other creative input in Photoshop CS6 (from 2010). bigger or full-resolution.
Ice Cold Beer Here, 1:37 PM, Wednesday, 16 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, RF 24-50mm IS STM at 50mm at f/7.1 at 1/60 at Auto ISO 250, +0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 10.3) Perfectly Clear (now sold as Radiant Photo, perspective correction in Photoshop CS6 (from 2010). bigger.
I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below. |
Introduction top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories USA Version
The R8 is a wonderfully compact, ultralight, high-speed full-frame mirrorless camera.
This R8 has the same resolution same high-ISO performance and has the same picture quality as Canon's most expensive EOS R3 that costs way over three times as much.
This R8 shoots faster, at 40 FPS versus the R3's slower 30 FPS with full autofocus and exposure tracking. While the R3 claims a trick 195 FPS mode, it only works with locked exposure and focus — which is useless for action. In the R3's defense, the R3 has no rolling-shutter distortion while this R8 does, which can distort objects moving around the frame with the electronic shutter.
What we lose in this R8 compared to more expensive cameras isn't any sort of performance or picture quality. The R8 is smaller, lighter and has room for fewer dedicated controls than the more expensive cameras. It's not built as tough to resist professional abuse as more expensive models, the R8 works great with in-lens IS but has no sensor-shift IS (most Canon lenses have IS anyway), it has tinier buttons, it has a smaller battery, and a smaller and dimmer finder — none of which have anything to do with image quality.
If you want an ultralight, ultra-high performance camera, here you go!
I got my EOS R8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield, or about $1,100 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
The R8 is a huge upgrade to 2019's EOS RP:
New since the EOS RP intro top
40 FPS, up from 5 FPS, with full tracking autofocus and auto exposure.
Maximum regular ISO is now 102,400, up from ISO 40,000.
Maximum extended ISO is now 204,800, up from 102,400.
Now has automatic finder brightness control, a necessity for every mirrorless camera, but it wasn't in the EOS RP and isn't in the EOS R100.
1/16,000 top shutter speed in Tv and M modes, up from 1/4,000.
1/8,000 top shutter speed in all modes, up from 1/4,000.
The level finally works at the same time as Face Detect (oddly you couldn't have both working at the same time in the RP).
Focus Stacking (Depth Compositing) now works in-camera to create a single image with everything in focus from an automatically focus-bracketed series of images. The RP needed a lot of external processing in a desktop computer while the R8 now can do it itself. Bravo!
21-pin digital dedicated hot shoe for mics and other goodies (also has the regular E-TTL II shoe).
1/200 flash sync speed, up from 1/180.
Only C1 and C2 modes on top dial; the RP's C3 setting is replaced by a two-circles and an Auto Movie mode in this R8. (The RP's MOVIE mode setting has moved to where the power switch used to be on the RP.)
Video Lens Breathing correction.
Electronic video stabilization.
AI FOCUS autofocus mode that looks at the subject and picks either ONE SHOT or SERVO modes automatically.
No more "ghost focussing" mode which made the RP focus continuously even without your finger on the shutter. This mode drove me nuts and I always turned it off in the RP.
The world's lightest full-frame digital camera ever, now down to just 16.3 oz./461g with battery and SD card. (The RP was 17.0 oz./481g.) Nikon's Z5 is a porker at 23.6 oz/670g. Today's inferior Sony A7c costs more and weighs more at 17.9 oz./504g. Sony's very inferior and discontinued A7 and A7R, were previous record holders but still weighed more at 16.7 oz./474g. Sigma isn't a serious brand, but they do make a foolish "brick" style Sigma fp body that weighs a little less at 14.9 oz./422g, but it doesn't even have a viewfinder or a marked mode dial.
More complete menu system with a separate AF and Networks sections, like most Canon cameras (The RP had a simplified menu system).
24 MP, down from 26 MP. So?
Good intro top
Full-frame quality at a cropped-sensor price.
Quality Made in Japan.
Ultra high 40 FPS frame rate for stills with full tracking auto focus and exposure.
Focus Stacking (Depth Compositing) works in-camera to create a single image with everything in focus from an automatically focus-bracketed series of images. Bravo!
Canon suggests using a tripod with Focus Stacking, but my R8 works great for this even hand-held!
Great ergonomics: fun, fast and easy to use and shoot.
Easy to use the rear LCD as a fast and precise AF area selector during viewfinder shooting.
World's lightest full-frame camera.
Inexpensive.
Shooting displays rotate in the finder (but not on the rear LCD).
1/16,000 electronic shutter in some modes.
Square, 4:3 and 16:9 as-shot crops.
C1 and C2 modes on top dial.
Works flawlessly with every Canon EF, EF-s, RF and RF-s lens made since 1987 (EF and EF-S use an EF to RF adapter).
No artificial 30 minute limit to video take length; you're limited by storage, power and heat at the crazier rates.
Dust and water resistant.
Wi-Fi.
Bluetooth.
100% U.S.A.-based high-quality technical support at (800) OK-CANON.
Bad intro top
Oddly in the Fv mode Auto ISO seems to ignore any auto or manually set minimum shutter speeds below about 1/60. Weird, but it has been this way ever since Canon invented the Fv mode.
Bottom-placed card and battery door makes the card more difficult to reach than with card slots on the side. Good news is that once you open the bottom flap the card is much easier to reach than other bottom-entry cameras.
Small battery delivers only a limited number of shots per charge - so bring a spare if you care.
Finder is great indoors, but has limited brightness so it's not as bright outdoors as larger cameras.
40 FPS works great with full auto focus and exposure tracking, but there can be rolling-shutter distortion of in-frame motion.
The buffer is only 120 frames at 40 FPS, which means that you only can shoot for 3 continuous seconds before it fills.
Missing intro top
No Fn buttons under your fingers between lens mount and grip.
Small battery delivers only a limited number of shots per charge - so bring a spare if you care.
While you can get to 1/16,000 in Tv and M modes, there are no 1/10,000 and 1/12,500 shutter speeds. It jumps directly from 1/8,000 to 1/16,000.
No big rear dial common to many larger Canon cameras; it's the top rear dial instead.
No fully mechanical shutter; fully electronic or electronic first-curtain shutters only. So?
No in-camera sensor-shift Stabilization for still images. (Works great with every optically stabilized IS lens.)
Can't save camera settings to a card.
The rear controller only works in 4 directions; you can't scroll around images or select AF areas at 45º angles as you can with an 8-way controller (so use the touch screen).
No built-in flash.
Flash doesn't work with electronic shutter (works great with the first-curtain electronic shutter, which is limited to 6 FPS).
Very similar to the EOS RP, the tiny LP-E17 battery is rated for only 220 shots with the viewfinder or 370 shots with the rear LCD.
No battery percentage meter, just a 3-segment icon.
No battery charge shot counter.
File name prefices are fixed as IMG_; you can't set them to something to read like like DOE_1234.jpg.
No automatic brightness control for rear LCD.
Like most cameras, no illuminated buttons.
Like most cameras, advance mode icons are simply labeled as L, H and H+ instead of their actual frame rates (3 FPS, 10 FPS, etc.).
Not threaded to use a standard threaded cable release.
No GPS.
No smart playback rotate, as every iPhone does. You can set it to "Rotate Tall," but nothing moves when you rotate the camera on playback.
Menus don't rotate when held vertically (Shooting displays do rotate in the finder).
No advance mode lever.
No shutter speed dial.
No ISO dial.
Specifications top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories USA Version
I got my EOS R8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield, or about $1,100 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
Lens Compatibility specifications top
Lens Mounts
The R8 works with Canon's RF lenses.
With an EF-RF adapter, it works flawlessly with every EF and EF-s lens made since 1987.
It won't work with any EOS-M lens.
The R8 is NOT compatible with the STEREOSCOPIC RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual 190º Fisheye. The dual fisheye only works with the R5 and R5C.
Lens Formats
This is a full-frame camera and works best with full-frame lenses, which are Canon's RF lenses and EF lenses.
It works fine with APS-C RF-S lenses (and EF-S lenses on an EF-RF adapter). It crops the full-frame sensor down to just the APS-C image area, so while everything looks normal in the finder, your images will only be at 9 MP rather than the full 24 MP. The finder images will look normal, however the final image files will have lower resolution.
Image Sensor specifications top
24 MP: 6,000 × 4,000 pixels native.
23.9 × 35.9 mm CMOS.
6.0 µm pixel pitch.
3:2 aspect ratio.
1.00 × crop factor.
Ultrasonic cleaner.
ISO specifications top
ISO 100 ~ 102,400 (expands to ISO 50 (L) ~ 204,800 (H)).
Auto ISO.
Image Sizes (Same as R6 II) specifications top
6,000 × 4,000 pixels native (Large 24 MP) in JPG, CR3 Raw and HEIF.
3,984 × 2,656 (M JPG, 10.6 MP).
2,976 × 1,984 (S1 JPG, 5.9 MP).
2,400 × 1,600 (S2 JPG, 3.8 MP).
Cropped Aspect Ratios
4:3, Square 1:1 and 16:9 cropped from the above sizes.
1.6x "APS-C" crop inside the above sizes.
2× and 4× "Digital Teleconverter" options crop and interpolate.
Lens Corrections specifications top
Falloff (vignetting or peripheral illumination).
Distortion.
Lateral color.
Diffraction.
Digital Lens Optimizer.
Breathing (for video).
Still Formats specifications top
(JPG or HEIF) and/or CR3 raw.
sRGB and Adobe RGB.
Video specifications top
File Formats
.MP4
Canon Log 3
Frame Sizes and Rates
3,840 × 2,160 (4K)59.94, 50, 29.97, 25 and 23.976 FPS progressive.
1,920 × 1,080
179.82, 150, 119.88, 100, 59.94, 50, 29.97, 25 and 23.976 FPS progressive.
Audio specifications top
Recorded only along with video.
LPCM or AAC depending on video format.
Not recorded at time-lapse and slo-mo frame rates.
S - t - e - r - e - O microphone built in.
Mic-in jack with plug-in power overrides built-in mic.
Headphone jack.
Autofocus specifications top
Points
4,897 phase-detection points (cropped to 4,067 for video).
Range
Stills: LV -6.5 to +21 with an f/1.2 lens. (same as LV -4 to +21 with an f/2.8 lens.)
HD Video: LV -4.5 to +21 with an f/1.2 lens. (same as LV -2 to +21 with an f/2.8 lens.)
4K Video: LV -4 to +21 with an f/1.2 lens. (same as LV -1.5 to +21 with an f/2.8 lens.)
Light Meter specifications top
384 zones evaluative (24 × 16 areas).
Center-weighted, 6% central, 3% spot.
Face-weighted.
LV -3 to +20 (stills).
LV -1 to +20 (video).
Finder specifications top
0.39" OLED.
2,360,000 dots.
0.70× magnification with 50mm lens.
33º apparent angle.
-4 to +1 diopters.
22 mm eyepoint.
Shutters specifications top
Multiple exposures available with all lenses.
No fully mechanical shutter; fully electronic or electronic first-curtain shutters only.
Electronic First-Curtain Shutter
1/4,000 ～ 30 seconds and Bulb.
1/200 flash sync speed.
Silent Electronic Shutter
1/8,000～ 30 seconds and Bulb.
1/16,000 also available in Tv and M modes, but without the 1/10,000 or 1/12,500 intermediate speeds above 1/8,000.
Electronic shutter won't work with flash, HDR, multiple exposures, Multi Shot Noise Reduction, AE Bracketing, HDR PQ, anti-flicker, Dual Pixel RAW or with the Digital Lens Optimizer set to High.
The sensor has the usual slow readout, so the electronic shutter has the usual rolling shutter effects and you can't use flash with it. Things can bend while panning, and if used under flickering light like dimmed LEDs you may see banding, and on the red carpet at Cannes you might see random bright bands on your subject lit by other people's flashes.
Remote Releases specifications top
Use the free app to control the R8 over Bluetooth.
~ or ~
There's a 2.5mm socket for the Canon RS-60E3 or similar 2.5mm remote cords
~ or ~
Use the Canon BR-E1 Wireless Bluetooth Remote Control.
Still Frame Rates specifications top
To 40 FPS, electronic shutter with tracking autofocus (but no flash).
To 6 FPS, first-curtain electronic shutter with tracking autofocus and flash.
To 5 FPS, Continuous Low, electronic shutter with tracking autofocus (but no flash).
3 FPS in Continuous Low, first-curtain electronic shutter with tracking autofocus and flash.
Buffer (Burst) Sizes specifications top
40 FPS
120 JPG or HEIF.
51 raw.
6 FPS
1,000 JPG or HEIF.
85 raw.
Flash specifications top
No Built-in Flash.
External Flash
The R8 has both traditional 5-pin contacts for use with pretty much any Canon flash, as well as the latest 21-pin Multi Function Shoe for use with the newest flashes like the EL-5:
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E-TTL II.
1/200 sync speed.
Works with EL- and EX- series flash, as well as Speedlight Transmitter ST-E10/ST-E3-RT (Ver.2), ST-E3-RT/ST-E2 and the Off-Camera Shoe Cord OC-E3.
21-pin digital dedicated hot shoe.
5-pin traditional dedicated hot shoe.
No Prontor-Compur (PC) terminal; use a hot-shoe adapter for corded sync.
LCD Monitor specifications top
Canon EOS R8 Swivel LCD. bigger.
Flippy swivel mount.
3" (76 mm) diagonal.
1,620,000 dots.
3:2 aspect ratio.
No automatic brightness control.
Connectors specifications top
USB-C.
HDMI Micro-D (no CEC).
3.5mm stereo mic input.
3.5mm stereo headphones output.
2.5mm Remote terminal for Canon RS-60E3 or similar 2.5mm remote cords.
Wi-Fi specifications top
802.11b/g/n.
No MIMO.
No 5 GHz.
Bluetooth specifications top
4.2 low energy, like some people I know.
GPS specifications top
None; use the app or just guess when you look at your pictures later.
Storage specifications top
One slot.
SD (up to 2GB), SDHC (up to 32GB) and SDXC (up to 2TB) cards.
UHS-II, UHS-I, UHS speed class, SD speed class compatible
Won't work with Eye-Fi or MMC Multimedia cards.
Body specifications top
Magnesium alloy inner frame.
Dust and water resistant.
Quality specifications top
Made in Japan.
Power & Battery specifications top
Battery
The included LP-E17 rechargeable Li-Ion battery is rated for 220 shots with the viewfinder (370 shots with the rear LCD).
or
40 minutes of 4K video
or
about 2 hours of HD video.
It's the same battery as the R50, R10 and some of the Rebel DSLRs.
7.2V, 1,040 mAh.
1.30 x 0.55 x 1.94."
33 x 14 x 49.4mm.
1.59 oz. (45g).
Battery Meter
3-segment icon.
3-dot battery health check.
Charging
Via USB-C or included Battery Charger LC-E17:
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Back, Battery Charger LC-E17. bigger. |
LC-E17 folding plug 100-240V 50-60 cps charger included in U. S. A.
In other areas you may get the LC-E17E charger with a detachable cord.
2.65 x 1.09 x 3.63."
67.3 x 27.7 x 92.2 mm.
3 oz. (85g).
Rated 2 hour charge time.
AC Adapter
Optional AC Adapter AC-E6N and DC Coupler DR-E18.
Size specifications top
3.39 × 5.22 × 2.76 inches HWD.
86.1 × 132.5 × 70.0 millimeters HWD.
Weight specifications top
16.3 oz. (461 g) with battery and card.
14.6 oz. (414 g) stripped.
Environment specifications top
Operating
0º ～ 40º C (32º ～ 104º F).
0 to 85% RH.
Canon's Model Numbers specifications top
R8 Body
5803C002 (5803C001 in Japan).
JAN: 4549292-204834.
R8 Body & RF 24-50mm Kit
5803C012 (5803C011 in Japan).
JAN: 4549292-204872.
Included specifications top
R8 body.
RF-5 body cap.
LP-E17 Rechargeable Li-Ion battery.
Strap.
Hot shoe cover.
Maybe the RF 24-50mm IS STM lens with a kit.
Announced specifications top
08 February 2023.
Promised for specifications top
18 April 2023.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
15 January 2024
I got my EOS R8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield, or about $1,100 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
19 December 2023 ($200 off)
R8 Body: $1,299 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
About $1,200 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
March ~ August 2023
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
February 2023
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama and at Amazon.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama and at Amazon.
Box, Canon EOS R8. bigger.
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Box, Canon EOS R8. bigger. |
Box, Canon EOS R8. bigger. |
Optional Accessories top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories USA Version
I got my EOS R8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield, or about $1,100 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
Canon RF Lenses
Canon EF and EF-s Lenses
Canon Flash
RS-60E3 Wired Remote Release or similar 2.5mm remote cords.
Canon BR-E1 Wireless Bluetooth Remote Control.
Canon OC-E3 Flash Shoe Extension Cord
Canon DM-E1D Programmable Microphone
Digital-direct hot shoe mounted.
90º or 120º stereo or mono settings.
Furry windscreen included.
Canon DM-E1 Programmable Microphone
Corded shoe-mount microphone. Less expensive, but needs a cord.
90º or 120º stereo or mono settings.
Windscreen included.
Canon DM-E100 Stereo Microphone
Corded shoe-mount microphone. Much less expensive, but needs a cord.
One fixed stereo pattern.
Windscreen included.
Getting a Legal U. S. A. Version top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories USA Version
I got my EOS R8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield, or about $1,100 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
This section applies in the U. S. A. only.
Canon USA Warranty Card. bigger.
Your R8 must include a U. S. A. warranty card like the one shown above from Canon U.S.A., Inc. It should be on top inside your box as you open it. The serial number on the card must match the serial number on the bottom of your R8.
If you have no card or the serial number doesn't match, you got ripped off with a gray market version from another country. This is why I never buy from any place other than my personally approved sources. You just can't take the chance of buying elsewhere, especially at any retail store where strangers have probably opened your completely unsealed box and played with your camera, because non-U. S. A. versions have no warranty in the U. S. A., and you probably won't be able to get firmware or service for it — even if you're willing to pay out-of-pocket for it when you need it!
Shifty dealers may include copies of a card from a legitimate U. S. A. product in a gray-market box, hoping you won't check serial numbers and catch their fraud. A card with the wrong serial number means nothing other than that you have no warranty coverage.
The serial number on the UPC sticker on the box doesn't have to match, but it should. It will be hidden someplace on the sticker with all the bar codes. If not, it means a shady dealer took things out of boxes and was too sloppy to put them back correctly — and it means you got a used lens if anyone other than you took it out of the box.
Canon puts the serial number on a sticker which "seals" the bag holding your R8, but it's easy to open and reseal:
Canon EOS R8 bag. bigger.
If a gray market version saves you $600 the risk might be worth it, but for $200 or less I wouldn't risk having no warranty or support.
Always be sure to check yours while you can still return it, or just don't buy from unapproved sources and never at retail so you'll be able to have your camera serviced and get free updated firmware as needed. Get yours from the same places I do and you won't have a problem.
Performance top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories USA Version
Overall Autofocus Manual Focus Focus Stacking
Auto ISO Auto White Balance Color Rendition
Crop Modes Ergonomics Exposure Finder Flash
Frame Rates High ISOs Lens Corrections
Long Exposures Mechanics Video Weather Sealing
Rear LCD Playback Data Power & Battery
I got my EOS R8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield, or about $1,100 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
Overall performance top
The R8 has unbeaten image quality in the world's lightest body for a full-frame camera at a bargain price. Its High-ISO performance is as good as any other more expensive Canon camera, if not better.
What you don't get at this bargain price is that this tiny camera has fewer dedicated knobs, dial and buttons, which means some settings take longer to make if they don't have a dedicated button, the finder isn't quite as bright as more expensive cameras outdoors (it's perfect indoors) and that the tiny battery lacks the longer life of the larger cameras. If you're a heavy shooter, you may want to bring spare LP-E17 batteries.
This is an extraordinary camera for ultralight travel, nature, portrait and landscape shooting.
But wait - it also runs silently at a full 40 FPS with full autofocus tracking and auto exposure tracking, so likewise it's great for sports and action. There isn't really anything the R8 can't do. People pay more mostly out of disbelief or wanting a beefier camera to lug around. The only gotcha is at 40 FPS is that there can be rolling-shutter distortion, which goes away at 6 FPS with the first-curtain shutter option.
It's not 2018 anymore; technology has advanced to the point today that $1,500 does it all and the only reason to pay more for a camera is creature comforts, not picture quality or capability.
Autofocus performance top
Autofocus is excellent, no news here.
Typical for Canon it works great for landscapes and for tracking action. Canon has been number one in autofocus since 1992 when the fast autofocus of the EOS-1 stole the professional market away from Nikon.
Far better than Nikon's $4,000 Z8, it's easy to set the rear LCD to work as a wonderfully fast and precise AF zone selector while using the viewfinder. In other words you can set your R8 to use the rear LCD as a live AF area selector for use with viewfinder shooting.
Manual Focus performance top
Manual focus is the usual, with peaking and magnification and a new "focus guide" option that shows how to turn the ring and a box that turns green when you're in focus.
Focus Stacking & Depth Compositing performance top
Focus Stacking (Depth Compositing) now works in-camera to create a single composited image with everything in focus from an automatically focus-bracketed series of images. The RP needed a lot of external processing in a desktop computer while the R8 now can do it itself in a few seconds.
It works if things blow in the wind and it works hand-held. Bravo!
One frame of an automated series shot on Canon R8. bigger.
Not that you'd want everything this sharp for a flower photo, but if you do, here you go:
Final in-camera composite image from R8. bigger or © camera-original composite from about 100 frames.
Magenta Hibiscus, 9:45 AM, Wednesday, 15 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro on EF to RF control ring adapter on a tripod in the wind at 0.11× macro ratio (1:9) at 6.2 feet (1.9 meters) wide-open at f/3.5 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 160 (LV 10.6), exactly as shot.
Even the background greenery very far back is in perfect focus. If you don't want the background in focus, use fewer images so the focus doesn't rack that far back (see my R8 Users Guide).
If you look closely you'll see a pink shadow around the flower because it was blowing in the wind. Not everything is quite in perfect focus either as I had the lens at f/3.5 to keep the exposures short to stop motion blur. Obviously I can't stop frame-to frame motion, which was a lot and for which the R8 compensated brilliantly.
Ideally you'd have no wind or use a wind blind which would eliminate the pink shadow caused by the flower blowing around in the wind. Also I'd suggest using f/8 so will be enough in focus in each image so it can all be composited well with relatively few shots. If you want to use f/3.5 I'd try this again with more frames shot in the series, or use a higher ISO to use f/8. No big deal; what's important here is that I simply walked outside and shot this right away without thinking all this through and still got this ultra-sharp image on my first try!
This is HUGE. In olden days with the RP it was one big offline science experiment so I only used it once, and now with the R8 it just works easily so I can make real use of it in the field.
See my R8 Users Guide for how to set all this.
One frame from Canon R8. bigger.
At f/8, only the focus ring is sharp. I could shoot at f/22 or f/32, but that still wouldn't get everything sharp but it would dull everything due to diffraction.
Instead, it's now trivial to use in-camera focus compositing et voilà:
Final in-camera composite from R8. bigger or © camera-original composite from about 100 frames.
Nikon FM and AI NIKKOR 105mm f/1.8s, 4:01 PM, Tuesday, 15 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro on EF to RF control ring adapter on a tripod at 0.25× macro ratio (1:4) at 3.7 feet (1.13 meters) at f/8 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 400, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 12.0), exactly as shot.
This is a perfect example of getting something you want to be sharp all in perfect focus. In this case you can see every microscopic speck of dust and bacteria from the tip of the filter to the back of the rewind crank and its release lock.
To keep the background soft, simply restrict how many (or which) images are included in the composite. See my R8 Users Guide for instructions.
Not only do I not need a tripod, even my unstabilized EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro works great handheld at close distances! While it takes the R8 longer to composite hand-held images because it's working harder to frame-shift them into alignment and it has to crop more, it WORKS!
Here's how much it has to crop if you've hand-held the unstabilized EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro at a very close distance looking at patio furniture fabric almost life-sized. My hands wandered around so much at this tight magnification that the R8 cropped a lot, and miraculously got it all sharp, even here at f/3.5!
|
|
One frame. bigger. |
Final In-Camera Composite. bigger. |
Patio Furniture Fabric, 3:40 PM Tuesday, 15 August 2023. Canon EOS R8, EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro on EF to RF control ring adapter hand-held at 0.6× macro ratio (1:1.75) at 2 feet (0.6 meters) wide-open at f/3.5 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 320 (LV 10.0), exactly as shot.
Auto ISO performance top
Auto ISO is the usual excellent system, with ±3 stops of shift programmable in the automatically-selected minimum shutter speed.
Oddly in the Fv mode Auto ISO seems to ignore any auto or manually set minimum shutter speeds below about 1/60. Weird, but it has been this way ever since Canon invented the Fv mode.
Auto White Balance performance top
Auto White Balance is the usual excellent performer.
Color & Tonal Rendition performance top
Color rendition is how pictures look in the real world. Real-world color rendition has nothing to do with color accuracy measured in a lab. Color rendition is dependant on how a maker programs all the color matrices, curves, and look-up tables to generate color from the data read from the sensor, and varies widely between makers once you set a camera away from its defaults. I never shoot at defaults.
I love the color rendition I get from my Canon cameras. My R8 seems to match all my other Canon digital cameras; set it the same and the results match between camera models. Bravo!
If you shoot raw then your colors and tones aren't created until you process the raw data later in software, and your choice of software will have as much effect on your images as the camera itself.
It's like pianos: anyone can talk forever about how pianos are made, but to most ordinary players the subtle variations between different samples of a Steinway Model D are eclipsed by their own limitations in playing, but when you're a virtuoso even subtle differences become obvious to the seasoned master. That's why when you buy, or choose a Steinway for your tour as a Steinway Artist, you go to Steinway's Astoria factory and pick from among several samples of the same model which suits your style best. To a master, the subtle details are everything, just like subtle differences in color rendition between different brands of camera. Art is not the duplication of reality; art is the expression of imagination.
I'm a working artist, not some online tweaker, YouTuber or tech blogger. Color is my life. I'm pickier about color than almost anyone; I see things most people don't.
This is just me; your preferences and results will vary.
Crop Modes performance top
Crop modes include square, 4:3 and 16:9.
I program my red button near my shutter to give me quick access to this setting.
Ergonomics performance top
Ergonomics are excellent, limited by the fewer controls and dials on this small camera.
The touch screen works great for entering text, which I do for my copyright information.
While the card goes up the bottom like many small cameras, thankfully it's far enough from the door hinge so that it's easy to get, and its label correctly faces you (the back of the camera) as you insert it. The bottom door also has a proper spring-loaded latch, so it locks as soon as you close it with no need to slide the latch home.
The power switch is excellent, but designed backwards for our European friends. Down (towards you) is ON and up (away from you) is OFF.
Its biggest limitation is that it has no rear nubbin; you have to use the 4-way rear controller instead, meaning you need to lift your finger over the OK button each time you want to swap direction. A nubbin joystick would make it easier, but there's no room on the tiny R8.
Exposure performance top
Exposure accuracy is very good, as we expect from mirrorless. No news here.
Finder performance top
The finder is swell, but it's smaller than larger cameras and its biggest shortcoming is its limited maximum brightness.
It's great indoors, however it can run out of steam and not be as bright as I'd like shooting outdoors in bright light.
Flash performance top
Flash works swell, but only with the electronic first-curtain shutter option, which only runs as fast as 6 FPS.
Due to the rolling shutter flash won't work with the electronic shutter.
This said, compatibility is great. It has new 21-pin contacts for the newest flash like the EL-5, and its traditional 5-pin contacts work great with my old EX-series flash like my 320EX, 220EX, 420EX (2000-2005) and 580EX II.
Frame Rates performance top
It really does run at 40 FPS with full tracking with the electronic shutter.
Here are the speeds I measured:
L |
H |
H+ |
|
Electronic 1st-Curtain |
3 FPS |
6 FPS |
6 FPS |
Silent Electronic Shutter* |
5 FPS |
18 FPS** |
40 FPS*** |
* Won't work with flash.
** Canon probably specifies this as 20 FPS and that's probably what it does; I wasn't being that precise. Speeds slow down a bit if AF has to do a lot of tracking between shots.
*** Works great with both RF lenses and EF lenses on an EF to RF adapter, but for some odd reason it only runs at 14 FPS if focus has to track with my EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro. If I set my 180mm lens to Manual or ONE SHOT AF it also runs at 40 FPS.
High ISO Performance performance top
High ISO performance is superb. You can pay more for a camera, but you can't get better High ISO performance.
There's no mystery to comparing cameras; I shoot this same test at all the ISOs of every other camera I review so you can compare for yourself. Caveat: I repainted these walls white from their previous tan as of January 2023, so colors and lighting won't match older reviews.
Complete Images details flat field dark detail performance top
As seen at normal image sizes below, the R8 pretty much makes the same images from ISO 50 (L) to ISO 51,200.
ISO 102,400 gets a little blotchy and noisier and is usable if I need it for normal-sized images.
ISO 204,800 (H) gets softer and even blotchier and noisier and looks pretty crummy. Like every higher ISO, I'd avoid it unless you really need it for some reason. While it's crummy at ISO 204,800 (H), no camera is any better.
This is magnificent performance, getting usable images at six-figure ISOs.
Click any for the camera-original © LARGE FINE JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original 24 MP © JPG files (about 15 MB each).
Fine Details: 600 × 450 Pixel Crops (10× magnification) High ISOs details dark detail performance top
Here are crops from the same images as above, showing the clock on the right.
What we see at the high magnifications below is that fine details go away as the ISO increases. This happens with all cameras (and our own eyes) and is an artifact of the noise reduction working harder as the ISO increases.
In the R8, the most detail is at ISO 50 (L), and becomes softer at every higher ISO. This is normal and how noise reduction works in every camera.
ISO 50 is a "pull" ISO, and thus has more highlight contrast. This usually increases perceived highlight detail, and can lead to clipped highlights if you have too much subject contrast, as in the case of the window reflection in the glass of the clock face and the white window frames seen in the complete images.
By ISO 12,800 most of the detailed scrollwork between the clock numbers is gone.
By ISO 51,200 the minute marks are mostly gone.
By ISO 102,400 all the detail is gone from the clock face, leaving only the numbers.
At ISO 204,800 (H) even the second hand is mostly gone.
It's normal for details to go away at higher ISOs in all digital cameras.
These are 600 × 450 pixel crops that vary in size to fit your browser window.
If these are about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 20 × 30" (50 × 75 cm) at this same high magnification.
If these are about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters) at this same extreme magnification.
If these are about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 80 × 120" (2 × 3 meters) at this same insanely high magnification.
Click any for the camera-original © JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original 24 MP © JPG files (about 15 MB each).
Dark-Area 600 × 450 Pixel Crops (10× magnification) High ISOs details dark detail performance top
Here are different crops from the same images as above, now showing the dark grillwork of the fireplace.
ISO 50 (L) is a "pull" ISO, and throws much more light into the shadows and thus gives them the most detail.
Higher ISOs greatly reduce the details in the shadows, as we expect.
Note how the most detail in the fine screen is at ISO 50 (L), getting softer even at ISO 100.
The bricks behind the grill go away by ISO 6,400.
The screen is gone by ISO 12,800.
At ISO 102,400 the iron bars are mostly gone, and at ISO 204,800 (H) the fireplace is just dark noise.
What's impressive is how ISO 204,800 (H) only has dark noise, no hot pixels or sparkles or other artifacts that I usually see. This is exceptional performance.
Again, it's normal in all digital cameras for details to go away at higher ISOs.
These are 600 × 450 pixel crops that vary in size to fit your browser window.
If these are about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 20 × 30" (50 × 75 cm) at this same high magnification.
If these are about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters) at this same extreme magnification.
If these are about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, the complete images would print at 80 × 120" (2 × 3 meters) at this same insanely high magnification.
Click any for the camera-original © JPG files:
Click any for the camera-original 24 MP © JPG files (about 15 MB each).
Lens Corrections performance top
There are options to correct for falloff (Peripheral Illumination Correction), Distortion and a Digital Lens Optimizer which correct for a suite of other aberrations.
If you turn off the Digital Lens Optimizer, you are then offered à la carte ON/OFF options for Chromatic Aberration Correction and Diffraction Correction.
Long Exposures performance top
You can set BULB on the top dial and use a remote release the old fashioned way
~ or ~
You can use the Bulb Timer, invented by Canon, to program the desired exposure time, up to 100 hours, and walk away. Use the self-timer and there's no need for a remote release or a stop watch; set and go.
Ideally I'd prefer that all cameras simply provide a complete range of manual shutter speeds out to 18 hours or so rather than forcing us to piddle in menus, but as of 2024 Bulb timers are the state of the art.
There's no traditional TIME setting.
Mechanical Quality performance top
It's mostly lightweight plastic, with a metal mount.
Metal
Strap lugs, multi-purpose (hot) shoe, lens mount, tripod socket, battery door pivot ad internal support.
It claims a magnesium alloy inner frame.
Plastic
Everything else.
Rubberized
Grip material.
Connector cover flaps.
Glass
LCD touch screen cover.
Serial Number
Printed on a sticker glued into recess on the bottom.
Date Code
None found.
Noises When Shaken
None, it's a tight little camera.
With no internal sensor-shift stabilization there's nothing to flop around.
Made in
Made in JAPAN.
Video performance top
Video works fine. It easily recorded for 33 minutes and 33 seconds at 1,080/23.976 and the battery was still fine.
Audio isn't great; the stereo effect is minimal with the built-in mic. Try an external mic for serious stereo.
Autofocus was slow, as are all larger-format cameras like this. Due to a much smaller sensor size any iPhone autofocuses far faster. AF is accurate in this camera, and silent with the RF 24-50mm IS STM, but it's much slower than an iPhone or our eyes in terms of it taking a second or two before it starts to refocus when pointed at something else.
30 minutes at 1,080/23.976 made a 3 GB file in the smaller file-size option.
The rear LED blips a couple of times per second as it's rolling.
Weather Sealing performance top
Canon claims some weather sealing and the connectors are all covered with rubber flaps, but I don't see any inside the bottom battery and card door.
So?
No cameras other than dedicated underwater cameras claimed this up until a few years ago. "Weather sealing" is mostly a marketing feature to get you to pay more for more expensive cameras.
People worry way too much about this ever since camera companies started FUD campaigns to make us think that our gear will dissolve unless it has weather sealing. How do you think we shot in the rain for the first 190 years of photography?
Rear LCD Monitor performance top
Canon EOS R8 Swivel LCD. bigger.
No news here. It's the same little manual-brightness controlled little LCD as on everything else, in the usual flippy mount.
It has what seems to be a glass cover and the touch functions work great.
Playback performance top
It will let you "Rotate Tall" so vertical shots blindly display vertically when held horizontally, but it's clueless and does not rotate images as you rotate the camera on playback, as every iPhone does.
The rear controller only works in 4 directions; you can't scroll around images at 45º angles as you can with an 8-way controller.
Data performance top
Card Formatting
Cards are titled as "EOS_DIGITAL."
JPGs
JPG file sizes correctly vary with image complexity.
24 MP LARGE NORMAL (▟ stairstep icon) JPGs have a median size of 5.3 MB, ranging typically from 2.2 to 11 MB.
24 MP LARGE FINE JPGS run about 13 MB.
The SHOTS LEFT counter is smart enough to vary its prediction based on ISO settings, knowing that faster ISOs have more noise and therefore larger file sizes and thus fewer shots left on the card.
JPGs are tagged as 350 DPI.
ISOs read read flawlessly from ISO 50 to ISO 204,800 in Photo Mechanic.
File name prefices are fixed as IMG_; you can't set them to something to read like like DOE_1234.jpg.
Power & Battery performance top
The battery gauge is just an icon which I don't trust to give me much advanced notice for it dying. The simpler, smaller battery lacks the technology to display actual percentage of charge left.
For all-day shoots I'd suggest carrying a spare LP-E17 battery.
It charges over USB-C and in the included external charger. You don't need the external charger unless you have a spare battery, in which case each night you charge one in the camera and the other in the charger.
It works great charging from a USB-C source with any USB-C to USB-C cable, but won't charge with a USB-A to USB-C cable from an old-style USB-A source.
It needs to charge from a USB-C source like a USB-C PD charger, a USB-C PD power bank or even a USB-C PD solar panel, but not a USB-A source.
It draws about 6 W (1.2 A at 5 V) over USB-C while charging, and 60 mW (5V at 12 mA) when done.
While powered by USB-C for shooting, it draws 3.3W while idle (LCD) or 4.5W (finder), at 9V.
While autofocusing with the shutter half-pressed it draws 4.5 W (LCD) or 5.2 W (finder), at 9V.
It draws about 6W shooting at Continuous Low, which is 3 FPS with the mechanical shutter or 5 FPS with the electronic shutter, finder or LCD.
It draws about 9W shooting at Continuous High+, which is 6 FPS with the mechanical shutter or 40 FPS with the electronic shutter, finder or LCD.
Clock Accuracy performance top
Every sample is different, but mine is typical, gaining 350 ms/day (10.5 seconds per month).
This matters when you shoot multiple cameras (or this camera and an iPhone) and then sort all the images based on capture time to compare the similar views of each scene. The more accurate a camera's internal clock, the less often you need to reset it.
You probably can have it set itself automatically to GPS with Canon's app; I haven't tried.
Compared top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories USA Version
I got my EOS R8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield, or about $1,100 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
NEW: Canon EOS R vs EOS R8 vs RP.
User's Guide top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories USA Version
I got my EOS R8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield, or about $1,100 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
See my own Plain-English EOS R8 User's Guide.
Recommendations top
Sample Images Intro New Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories USA Version
I got my EOS R8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 Body: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield, or about $1,100 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,699 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
The R8 is an ultralight, ultra-high performance and high-speed full-frame camera. While its tiny battery doesn't give as many shots as do the larger cameras, its finder is smaller and dimmer, the rolling shutter might not be optimum for sports at 40 FPS and it doesn't have all the external controls and toughness of larger cameras, the R8 has identical image quality to Canon's most expensive cameras and weighs nearly nothing.
This tiny camera is the one to grab for fun, hiking, travel, documentary and cross-country trips.
For not that much more money, this EOS R8 is far beyond 2019's EOS RP.
If you need more battery life, pop a tiny spare LP-E17 battery in your pocket and you're good to go. Bring the included charger to charge the spare and charge the other inside the R8 via USB each night and you'll have two fresh batteries ready each morning.
Lens Suggestions recommendations top
The tiny RF 24-50mm IS STM lens makes a great little combo with the R8, and also comes as part of a kit at a discount. The RF 24-50mm IS STM is a swell "starter" lens, but you'll probably want a longer lens soon afterwards, so why bother?
Personally I LOVE my RF 24-240mm IS STM, which does everything in just one lens. I'd get the R8 body-only and the RF 24-240mm IS STM and be done.
If you don't want the RF 24-240mm IS STM, the RF 24-105mm IS STM is an ultralight, high-performance lens; it just doesn't go to 240mm.
Very few people know How to Use Ultrawide Lenses, but if you need an ultrawide lens, the RF 15-30mm is ultralight, ultrasharp and inexpensive. The RF 14-35mm f/4L IS is another favorite, but heavier and over twice as expensive. Since the R8 is small and inexpensive, the 15-30mm matches this perfectly as well as having superb optics. Even smaller and lighter and less expensive is the magnificent RF 16mm f/2.8, which is about the size of a lens cap and optically superb!
I got my EOS R8 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon or at Crutchfield, or used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 Body: $1,299 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield, or about $1,200 used if you know How to Win at eBay.
R8 with RF 24-50mm IS STM: $1,499 at B&H, at Adorama, at Amazon and at Crutchfield.
My Plain-English R8 User's Guide.
Canon's EOS R8 User's Manual
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Ken.
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