What made you switch to Canon RF mirrorless?

[Bryan Conner]

I have been a Canon digital shooter since the Canon D30 back in the early 2000's. I progressed through various Canon APS-C cameras until switching from a 7D to a full-frame 6D a couple of years ago. I loved the full frame sensor, but hated the auto focus. I had also been using a Sony RX-100 as my pocket/carry around camera and really liked the tilting lcd screen.

So...I wanted better auto focus, full frame and a tilting lcd screen and also wanted a touch lcd screen. So, I bought an EOS R and I love it. I don't have any RF glass yet and am completely happy with my EF lenses with an adaptor. So, mirrorless Canon was one of the best camera decisions I have made in my almost 30 years of photography.

I actually don't want to try one of the newer full-frame Canon mirrorless camaras because I know that I will want one badly. So I will resist a bit longer and probably buy a good used one in the next year or two.

 

[Bear]

With all the different brands, systems, and formats out there, what made you specifically choose a Canon RF mirrorless camera? I hope this might be insightful to others searching out there and confused by all the choices.

As for my story, I had a Nikon D750 DSLR for 6-1/2 years and then decided to switch to mirrorless. I chose the Canon R6 because I was absolutely SHOCKED at the speed and accuracy of the AF, something that people weren't actually raving about regarding the Nikon Z6 II or Z7 II. Why not Sony? I CANNOT STAND their ergonomics and their bodies are just not comfortable for me to grip.

I also wanted to stick with full-frame despite the bigger size, weight, and cost versus APS-C or Micro Four-Thirds. Full-frame images have less noise at high ISO and there's so much more post-processing latitude.

So my main reasons for switching were 1) what I perceived to be the phasing out of DSLRs in short order and 2) the insane(!!!) AF of Canon RF mirrorless. Oddly enough, a third reason why I went with the R6 was the fully-articulating LCD.

The transition was a little rough at the start. It took me quite a while to wrap my brain around how to configure the various AF modes Canon-style, but once it all 'clicked' I realized actually how simple it is. Although it was far easier on my D750 to select what items to add to My Menu versus the R6 equivalent, I like that I can choose more items than on the D750. I love how there are so many buttons on the R6 that can be customized with all sorts of different options – and just the customizability of the camera in general. I like many of the littler things about the R6, like how custom shooting mode settings can be auto updated if one chooses.

The two things I didn't expect to be blown away by is the capabilities and responsiveness of the LCD touch-screen and the absolutely amazing MF peaking mode when using manual focus. No more trying to figure out the hyperfocal distance with landscapes - you see exactly what's going to be in focus and what isn't!

If there's only one thing I'm a little nervous about, it's the inability to back-up your camera settings. This is inexcusable at this price point and I was able to do this even on the much-older D750. If one ever has the camera reset for whatever reason, they can't simply import the settings from a backup SD card. They have to set everything up from scratch. I've created a couple of docs with all my setting choices if it should ever come to this, but what a time-consuming hassle!

The bottom line is that I liked how the D750 was like the "multi-tool" or "Swiss Army knife" of cameras - it did a whole lot of things really, REALLY well. I wanted the equivalent in mirrorless and I believe I found it in the R6, yet to a way better degree overall. I have very little regret about the switch, in other words.

A year of researching Nikon, Sony and Canon. I was moving from film to digital and encouraged to go mirrorless. After researching I leaned to the Canon RF system and have been happy with my choice since purchasing my R5. Very pleased with the camera and choice of RF lenses/gear.

 

[PhotoJim58]

The main reasons I switched to the R5 from my old 5D and 7D was the eye focusing and fast from rates for bird photography. With that being said I wanted to stay with Canon because I love their ergonomics and build quality. Also top notch customer service.
What has blown me away about the R5 and mirrorless system was the ability to see a good approximation of what the image will look like in the viewfinder a big help in bird photography. The viewfinder in the R5 is top notch.
I was looking at the R6 because I didn't think I needed the megapixels of the R5 but I really wanted the better weather sealing so that is why I went to the R5. Now that I understand how much those extra pixels handle cropping for faraway birds I am, glad I made that choice.
The R5 and R6 both have much better dynamic range than the older DSLR's and handle noise much better as well.
The one negative is battery life, although not terrible in not as good as my older cameras.
I have shot on the R5 for over 2 years now and will never go back to DSLR's even though I loved them.

 

[Bryan Conner]

With that being said I wanted to stay with Canon because I love their ergonomics and build quality.

I forgot to say this same thing in my post. We have a friend that is a Nikon shooter and I have fiddled around with pushing buttons, looking through the viewfinder etc., and I am always reminded that I am a Canon shooter. I know that I could learn to "communicate" with a Nikon, but a Nikon camera and I don't really "understand" each other. Sort of like when I moved to Germany 13 years ago and was a beginner German speaker.

Could I learn to use and enjoy a Nikon? Probably...but everytime I handle a Nikon I always get some sort of skin rash on my hands....

 

[RedCobra]

Hoo boy...
Am I a traitor?
Just added a OM system OM-1 with a M.Zuiko 300mm f/4 lens to my gear.
I opted for this as it is FF equivalent 600 mm f/4 and was less money than a RF 600 f/4 and the camera and lens is half the weight of the RF 600 alone.
First shot. And no I won't post anymore OM pics in the RF forum.

• OM-1
• OLYMPUS M.300mm F4.0
• 300.0 mm
• ƒ/4
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 1250

 

[Dave Williams]

Traitor? Don't be silly, brand loyalty is in itself stupid as the brand doesn't care about individuals. You have to decide what's the best route to travel on a personal basis and go with what ever is the best value for money route at the time you make a decision on a potential purchase.
I also don't understand the need of individuals to brag about what gear they own, who cares!

 

[PhotoJim58]

Hoo boy...
Am I a traitor?
Just added a OM system OM-1 with a M.Zuiko 300mm f/4 lens to my gear.
I opted for this as it is FF equivalent 600 mm f/4 and was less money than a RF 600 f/4 and the camera and lens is half the weight of the RF 600 alone.
First shot. And no I won't post anymore OM pics in the RF forum.
View attachment 13261

as long as you are having fun photographing anything any camera you like is just fine.

 

[PhotoJim58]

I posted earlier on this thread but forgot to talk about IBIS. Just would like to say that I have a few handheld images shooting @ 500mm and a 1/15 exp. Maybe not the sharpest of my images but defiantly usable. IBIS in congestion with lens IS is a BIG winner for me.

 

[RedCobra]

as long as you are having fun photographing anything any camera you like is just fine.

Well since this is an RF forum, I wanted to make sure Timothy didn't throw me out. LOL.

 

[Bear]

Hoo boy...
Am I a traitor?
Just added a OM system OM-1 with a M.Zuiko 300mm f/4 lens to my gear.
I opted for this as it is FF equivalent 600 mm f/4 and was less money than a RF 600 f/4 and the camera and lens is half the weight of the RF 600 alone.
First shot. And no I won't post anymore OM pics in the RF forum.
View attachment 13261

Not a traitor. You go with what you’re comfortable using. Well done with photo included.