Canon EOS R8 Mk II
Stabilized 24 MP Full-Frame, ISO 100~102,400 (50L~204,800H), Silent 40 FPS, 4K/60 (2026 ~ today)
Introduction New Same Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories Recommendations
R1 R3 R5II R5 R5C R6III R6II R6 R6V R R8II R8 RP
Canon: Bodies Compared RF Lenses EF Lenses Flash
Canon EOS R8 Mark II (19.3 oz./546g with battery and SD card, $1,899) and RF 24-50mm IS STM. bigger.
I ordered mine at B&H. I'd also order it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
Body-Only: $1,899 at B&H and at Adorama.
Kit with RF 24-50mm IS STM as shown: $2,099 at B&H.
My junk-free, all-content website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to the places I use myself when you get anything, and it costs nothing more. I've bought from these places for over 100 combined years because they have the best service, the best selection, the best prices, and usually 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new goodies. As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner Network Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks! Ken.
September 2026 Better Pictures Canon RF Lenses EF Lenses Flash All Canon Reviews All Review
Better Pictures: FART Vision Cameras Don't Matter
Introduction top
Introduction New Same Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories Recommendations
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I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below. |
This Mark II adds internal sensor-shift image stabilization, a new rear thumb nubbin and a third C3 memory position on the top dial, but it costs 41% ($550) more than the perfectly good original EOS R8.
Sadly this new R8 II has squared-off its styling as an affront to the original R8 and RP's more organic shapes, which could make this R8 II less comfortable in actual shooting, like Sony's VCR-inspired camera designs.
Thank goodness the R8 II retains traditional flash contacts for use with every Canon flash made in about the past 20 years.
The most important improvement is the addition of in-body sensor-shift image stabilization (IBIS), however I've not found that IBIS adds anything significant if your lens already has optical stabilization, as almost all of Canon's lenses do.
Likewise, if you have an unstabilized ultra-speed lens, you're probably using it to catch action in low-light, for which stabilization can't help you. Thus for Canon, the only real benefit to IBIS is if you're shooting fixed subjects with fixed lenses in the dark, which is very few of us. All Canon's RF zooms are very well stabilized on their own.
Wondering if the $550 price increase is worth it? See Is It Worth It, and also see Recommendations at the bottom of this page for what I'd really buy instead.
I ordered mine at B&H. I'd also order it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
Body-Only: $1,899 at B&H and at Adorama.
Kit with RF 24-50mm IS STM as shown: $2,099 at B&H.
New Since the Original R8 intro top
Sensor-shift stabilization!
New rear thumb nubbin!
Adds a C3 preset mode (original R8 had only C1 and C2).
Squarer industrial design with sharper corners (less curved and organic than the original R8), which may make it less comfortable in actual use.
Only 4,368 AF points, down from 4,897. Like you're counting?
AF now a stop less sensitive for stills (down to LV -5.5, degraded from down to LV -6.5), but a stop better for video. No big deal, either will focus under moonlight.
5 GHz WiFi. So?
Bluetooth 5.3, up from 4.2 (I never use any of this).
3.9mm taller, 1.1mm narrower and 9.7mm deeper.
3.0 oz./85g (18%!) heavier. The original R8 weighs less with battery and card than this new R8 II weighs stripped naked!
$550 (41%!) more expensive!
Same as the Original R8 intro top
Same still image resolution and format options.
Same video format & resolution options.
Same ISO settings.
Same electronic finder.
Same 40 FPS electronic and 6 FPS electronic 1st-curtain (for use with flash) frame rates.
Same shutter options, shutter speeds and flash sync speeds.
Same rolling electronic shutter which won't work with flash (use the 1st-curtain electronic option).
Same still image crop options: 4:3, square and 16:9.
Same light meter.
Same connectors, just slightly differently positioned.
Still takes but one SD card.
Same flippy LCD.
Same audio options.
Same battery life using the finder.
Same battery and charge methods.
Good intro top
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 even my old my R8 works great for this 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.
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, C2 and C3 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
No big rear dial common to most larger Canon cameras, making some adjustments much slower and more cumbersome.
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.
R8 finder was great indoors, but had limited brightness so it was not as bright outdoors as larger cameras. I'm waiting to see if this Mark II is any better; I doubt it.
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 not more than 190 frames at 40 FPS, which means that you only can shoot for not more than 4.5 continuous seconds before it's full.
Missing intro top
Flash doesn't work with electronic shutter (works great with the other shutters).
No Fn buttons under your fingers between lens mount and grip.
Very similar to the original EOS R8 and EOS RP, the tiny LP-E17 battery is rated for only 220 shots with the viewfinder or 340 shots with the rear LCD - 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 most larger Canon cameras.
No fully mechanical shutter; fully electronic or electronic first-curtain shutters only. So?
No search ability in menu system.
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).
I don't use the HSS ("High Speed Sync") flash sync mode, and I suspect that the lack of a mechanical focal-plane shutter means that this mode isn't in the R8 II.
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 battery percentage meter, just a 3-segment icon.
No battery charge shot counter.
File name prefixes 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. Use the app or the Canon GPS Receiver GP-E2.
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
Introduction New Same Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories Recommendations
I ordered mine at B&H. I'd also order it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
Body-Only: $1,899 at B&H and at Adorama.
Kit with RF 24-50mm IS STM as shown: $2,099 at B&H.
Lens Compatibility
Works with all of Canon's RF and RF-s lenses.
With an EF-RF adapter, it works flawlessly with every EF and EF-s lens made since 1987.
While the Stereoscopic RF-S 3.9mm f/3.5 STM Dual Fisheye, Stereoscopic RF 5.2mm f/2.8L Dual 190º Fisheye (optimized for the R5 and R5C) and RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM Dual Pseudo-Stereoscopic mount, I'm unsure if they'll give you stereo (3D) or not.
It won't work with any EOS-M lens.
Image Sensor specifications top
24 MP.
24.0 × 36.0 mm CMOS.
6.0 µm pixel pitch.
1.5:1 aspect ratio.
1.00 × crop factor.
Ultrasonic cleaner.
Image Sizes specifications top
6,000 × 4,000 pixels native (24,000,000 pixels).
3,984 x 2,656 Medium (10.6 MP).
2,976 x 1,984 Small 1 (5.9 MP).
2,400 x 1,600 Small 2 (3.8 MP).
Cropped Aspect Ratios
4:3, Square, 16:9 and 1.6× APS-C crops from any of the above sizes.
ISO specifications top
Stills
ISO 100 ~ 102,400.
Pulls to ISO 50 (L) and pushes to ISO 204,800 (H).
Video
ISO 100 ~ 25,600.
Pushes to ISO 102,400.
Still Formats specifications top
JPG or HEIF and/or raw.
sRGB and Adobe RGB.
Video specifications top
Additional electronic stabilization in a few different strengths.
Files & Formats
Makes MP4 files holding any of XF-HEVC S YCC422 10-bit, XF-HEVC S YCC 4:2:0 10-bit, XF-AVC S YCC 4:2:2 10-bit or XF-AVC S YCC 4:2:0 8-bit data.
Resolution
4K at up to 59.94 FPS.
1,080 at up to 179.8 FPS.
Longest Take Lengths
Subject to battery capacity:
Data Limits
6 hours at up to 59.94 FPS.
2 hours at up to 100 FPS.
Thermal Limits
None at up to 29.97 FPS.
33~35 minutes at up to 59.94 FPS.
Audio specifications top
LPCM 24-bit 4 channels or AAC 16-bit 2 channels.
Recorded only along with video.
S - t - e - r - e - O microphone built in.
Mic-in jack with plug-in power overrides built-in mic.
Headphone jack.
Stabilization specifications top
Moving Sensor.
Autofocus specifications top
Light Range
LV -7.5 ~ +21 with an f/1.2 lens, stills, center AF point.
LV -5.5 ~ +21 with an f/1.2 lens, 4K video.
LV -5.0 ~ +21 with an f/1.2 lens, 1,080 video.
AF Zones
Auto-selection: 1,053 zones (39 x 27).
Manual selection: 4,368 zones (78 x 56) still; 3,588 zones (78 x 48) video.
Light Meter specifications top
384 zones (24 × 16)
LV -3 ~ +20, stills.
LV -1 ~ +20, video.
Finder specifications top
0.39" OLED.
2.36 M dots.
0.70× magnification at 50mm.
33º diagonal apparent angle.
Auto brightness control.
-4 ~ +1 diopters.
22 mm eyepoint.
Shutter specifications top
Mechanical Rear-Curtain Shutter (Stills only)
There are no mechanical front curtain or fully mechanical shutter modes; only an electronic front curtain/mechanical rear curtain mode:
1/4,000～ 30 seconds + Bulb.
1/200 flash sync speed (up to 1/250 in APS-C crop).
Silent Electronic Shutter (Stills or Video)
1/8,000～ 30 seconds + Bulb.
Also there is an extra 1/16,000 speed (only) in Tv and M modes. These is no 1/10,000 or 1/12,500 setting.
Frame Rates specifications top
To 40 FPS with tracking autofocus with electronic shutter.
To 6 FPS with tracking autofocus with electronic front-curtain shutter for use with flash.
Buffer (Burst) Sizes specifications top
>1,000 shots in raw, JPG or HEIC with the electronic front-curtain shutter.
190 JPG or 180 HEIF or 73 raw with the electronic shutter (which runs up to 40 FPS!).
Remote Releases specifications top
Use the free app
~ or ~
There's a 2.5mm socket for the Canon RS-60E3 or similar 2.5mm remote cords.
Flash specifications top
Both traditional 5-pin and the newest 21-pin connectors for anything.
1/200 sync speed (1/250 in APS-C crop).
E-TTL II control.
Built-in Flash
None.
LCD Monitor specifications top
3" (76 mm) diagonal.
1.62 Mdots.
1.5:1 aspect ratio.
Manual brightness control only.
Connectors specifications top
3.5mm Ø S - t - e - r - e - O Mic-In.
3.5mm Ø S - t - e - r - e - O Headphone out.
2.5mm Ø E3 socket for Canon RS-60E3 or similar 2.5mm remote cords.
Micro-D HDMI.
USB-C 10 Gbps 3.2 gen 2.
Wi-Fi specifications top
IEEE 802.11b/g/n/a/ac/ax.
2.4 and 5 GHz.
No 6 GHz.
NFC specifications top
None.
Bluetooth specifications top
5.3.
GPS specifications top
None, use the app or the Canon GPS Receiver GP-E2.
Storage specifications top
One slot for an SD, SDHC or SDXC card.
SD (up to 2GB), SDHC (up to 32GB) and SDXC (up to 2TB) cards.
UHS, UHS-I and UHS-II compatible.
Won't work with Eye-Fi or MMC Multimedia cards.
Power & Battery specifications top
Battery
The included LP-E17 rechargeable Li-Ion battery is rated for 220 shots with the viewfinder (340 shots with the rear LCD)
or
150 shots with the viewfinder or 270 shots with the rear LCD if you set the Live View to the high frame rate (smooth) setting
or
40 minutes of 4K/59.94 video
or
2 hours and 40 minutes of 1,080/29.97 video.
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 optional Battery Charger LC-E17:
|
|
Back, Battery Charger LC-E17. bigger. |
LC-E17 folding plug 100-240V 50-60 cps charger 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.
Charging
Charges in-camera with any USB-C PD "Power-Delivery" rated charger or in the optional LC-E17 Battery Charger.
Size specifications top
3.543 × 5.173 × 3.138 inches HWD.
90.0 × 131.4 × 79.7 millimeters HWD.
Weight specifications top
Rated 19.3 oz. (546 g) with battery and card, 17.6 oz. (499 g) stripped.
The original R8 weighs less with battery and card (16.3 oz./461g) than this new R8 II weighs stripped naked!
Environment specifications top
Operating
0º ～ 40º C (32º ～ 104º F).
0 to 85% RH.
Model Numbers specifications top
Product code: 7503C002 (7503C001 in Japan).
JAN code: 4549292-257274.
Included specifications top
RF-5 body cap.
Eyecup.
Hot shoe cover.
ER-100B strap.
LP-E17 rechargeable Li-Ion battery.
Announced specifications top
9 PM, Tuesday, 15 September 2026.
Promised for specifications top
29 October 2026.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
15 September 2026 (Introduction)
Body-Only: $1,899 at B&H and at Adorama.
275,000 ¥ in Japan.
Kit with RF 24-50mm IS STM as shown: $2,099 at B&H.
Optional Accessories top
Introduction New Same Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories Recommendations
I ordered mine at B&H. I'd also order it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
Body-Only: $1,899 at B&H and at Adorama.
Kit with RF 24-50mm IS STM as shown: $2,099 at B&H.
Canon RF Lenses
Canon EF and EF-s Lenses
Canon EF to RF Adapters
Vello for Canon RF Extension Tubes
Flash
Canon Flash
Speedlight Transmitter ST-E3-RT (version 2)
Canon OC-E3 Flash Shoe Extension Cord
Canon OC-E4A Off-Camera Multipin Digital Flash Shoe Extension Cord
Remotes
2.5mm Ø socket for Canon RS-60E3 or similar 2.5mm remote cords.
Canon RC-6 Wireless Infrared Remote Release.
Canon BR-E2 Wireless Bluetooth Remote Control.
Power
LC-E17 Battery Charger (optional).
LP-E17 rechargeable Li-Ion battery (spare).
GPS
Canon GPS Receiver GP-E2.
Mics
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.
Recommendations top
Introduction New Same Good Bad Missing
Specifications Accessories Recommendations
Be sure to get yours only from my recommended sources so that you can just send it back if you don't love it. You never have to guess about how well it will work for you; order it and see for yourself. That's why I've used B&H and Adorama since I was a kid in the 1970s: I can try it in my own environment with my own other gear and if I don't love it, back it goes:
I ordered mine at B&H. I'd also order it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
Body-Only: $1,899 at B&H and at Adorama.
Kit with RF 24-50mm IS STM as shown: $2,099 at B&H.
Personally I wouldn't buy this camera because if size, weight and cost are critical, the original R8 works just as well, costs 41% less and is 18% lighter!
The new features are nice if you just want to read about them, but if you shoot every day as I do, the in-camera stabilization doesn't add anything significant if your lenses are already stabilized and it's 99% the the same camera otherwise.
If you know how to use all your settings like White Balance and ISO, the R8 and R8 II's biggest shortcomings are the lack of a third rear dial. When we need to optimize settings for every shot, the R8 II's lack of a third rear dial as Canon's larger cameras have slows me down. No bueno!
I have not gotten my R8 II yet, but seeing how much, including the finder, is specified exactly the same as the original R8, and that the finder of the original R8 was inexpensive and didn't have enough brightness for use outdoors (it's too dim outdoors), a far better purchase than this compromised R8 II is to get an R6 II for only $100 more, and the R6 II runs rings around the R8 II with a much brighter finder, more buttons, dials and controls and overall supremacy and ease-of-handling in actual use.
The R6 II is a far more capable camera for only $100 more, has a bigger battery for more than double the shots per charge and it weighs only 23.6 oz. (670g) compared to the R8 II at 19.3 oz. (546g), or only 23% more weight.
Here's where Canon outdid itself: the R8 was super popular because it was (and still is) the world's lightest full-frame mirrorless, and it was (and still is) inexpensive. The R8 II is heavier and much more expensive. Likewise, the R6 III is bigger, heavier and more expensive than the earlier R6 II, so all said and done the R6 II isn't much heavier or more expensive than this new R8 II, and the R6 II is still sold new for a bargain price.
If you think you'll like the R8 II, you'll LOVE the R6 II!
The R8 II is a swell camera, but Canon is so good that if you want light weight or high performance, there are already better choices.
Lens Suggestions recommendations top
The tiny RF 24-50mm IS STM lens makes a great little combo with the R8 II, 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 USM, which does everything in just one lens. I'd get the R8 II body-only and the RF 24-240mm IS USM à la carte and be done.
If you don't want the RF 24-240mm IS USM, the RF 24-105mm IS STM is an ultralight, high-performance lens; it just doesn't go to 240mm. The RF 24-105mm IS STM is far more useful than a RF 24-50mm IS STM.
You're in luck if you want an ultra-telephoto. The RF 100-400mm IS USM is inexpensive, light weight and optically superb.
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 my favorite, but heavier and over twice as expensive. Since the R8 II 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 ordered mine at B&H. I'd also order it at Adorama, or get it used at eBay (How to Win at eBay), or get it used at KEH.
Body-Only: $1,899 at B&H and at Adorama.
Kit with RF 24-50mm IS STM as shown: $2,099 at B&H.
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. 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, gray-market, store demo or used R8 I — and all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new R8 II. I've used many of these stores 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 II before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken.
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