EXCLUSIVELY COVERING CANON CAMERAS
Mount adapters
Using EF and EF-S lenses on mirrorless cameras
Image cropping
The impact of sensor size and image cropping
Lens firmware
A firmware update is not just for cameras
July to September 2021
NEW PRODUCTS EOS R3 preview
RF 400mm f2.8L IS USM RF 600mm f4L IS USM RF 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM
ELEVATING YOUR EOS PHOTOGRAPHY TO THE EXTRAORDINARY
ALL-CANON
EOS
TRAINING ACADEMY
TAILORED TUITION FOR CANON EOS PHOTOGRAPHERS
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Why EOS Academy? • Courses tailored to your camera and to your needs • Extensive course materials • Tutors all trained at Canon • Choice of locations • Different course types to suit your learning style • Small groups
Ensuring your safety All of our training courses will follow current government guidelines, with enhanced flexibility over your booking
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Contactus us Contact EDITOR EDITOR Angela August Angela August angela@eos-magazine.com angela@eos-magazine.com TECHNICAL EDITOR TECHNICAL EDITOR Nina Bailey Nina Bailey nina@eos-magazine.com nina@eos-magazine.com CONSULTANT EDITOR CONSULTANT EDITOR Robert Scott Robert Scott robert@eos-magazine.com robert@eos-magazine.com SUBSCRIPTIONS SUBSCRIPTIONS Linda Gilman Linda Gilman subscriptions@eos-magazine.com subscriptions@eos-magazine.com EOS MAGAZINE SHOP EOS MAGAZINE SHOP Caron Oliver Caron Oliver Tamsin Bass Tamsin Bass shop@eos-magazine.com shop@eos-magazine.com ACCOUNTS ACCOUNTS Pam Bass Pam Bass pam@eos-magazine.com pam@eos-magazine.com ADVERTISING ADVERTISING Brian Hall Brian Hall brian@eos-magazine.com brian@eos-magazine.com PUBLISHER Claire Barrett PUBLISHER claire@eos-magazine.com Claire Barrett claire@eos-magazine.com WRITE TO EOS magazine, The Old WRITE TO Joinery, Ball Lane, Tackley, The Kidlington, OX5 Ball 3AG,Lane, UK EOS magazine, Old Joinery, Tackley, Kidlington, OX5 3AG, UK TELEPHONE 01869 331741 (+44 1869 331741) TELEPHONE open331741 Monday(+44 to Friday to 5pm 01869 1869 9am 331741)
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EOS magazine readers are early adopters. We know that you love the technical side of your photography, but in this issue we also have a more quantitative analysis. The results of our survey (see pages 12 to 13) – our first since 2014 – show that 19% of those who responded use an R-series model as their primary camera. And the majority of this figure is made up of the EOS R5 or R6 cameras (14%). While the M-series mirrorless cameras have not been a massive hit in the UK, they are very popular in Japan. However, the uptake of the R-series has perhaps caught even Canon by surprise, as the company has revised its projection for camera sales for 2021 upwards by 100,000 units. Canon is clearly committed to mirrorless. We are being fed, bit by bit, tantalising facts and figures regarding the soon-to-be-released EOS R3. See pages 22 to 25 for our summary of what we know for certain so far, along with the firm announcement of three more RF lenses. Mirrorless cameras are quite different beasts to DSLR models. Wildlife photographers particularly are commenting how they are now able to achieve a higher percentage of pin-sharp images. If you are wondering how mirrorless cameras can boast several thousand focus points while even a topof-the-range EOS DSLR can only manage 61, it should all become clear after reading the article, ‘Stay focused’, on pages 40 to 45. Over the last few issues it has been heartening to hear how you have continued to enjoy your photography in these testing times. We have been afforded a unique opportunity to reassess things... in fact, everything really. Professional photographer Patrick Stubbs has reconsidered his style, approach and subject matter, unleashing new-found creativity (see pages 14 to 19). Perhaps over the same period you have turned your photographic hobby into a new career? If so, we’d love to hear from you. We are delighted to announce that we are very cautiously, very carefully, restarting our EOS Training Academy courses from 21 June. Initially, we will only be running practical events for small groups of up to five delegates that can be conducted outside. For up-to-date information on courses, locations, cost and availability, call 01869 331741 or visit www. eostrainingacademy. co.uk
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Welcome
Angela August, Editor Taken with the new RF 400mm f2.8L IS USM lens (page 24).
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Contents MOUNT ADAPTERS
Subscriptions
REGULAR FEATURES
p34
06 World of EOS
EOS magazine is published quarterly and print subscriptions run for four issues. We will invite you to EOS magazine is renew when nearing the end published quarterly of your subscription. and can be enjoyed in If you have a UK bank a variety of formats. Each account, you can pay for magazine is packedon full your subscription a of tips, tricks and techniques recurring payment method so of you can Debit get more Direct (DD). This from youryour Canon EOS means subscription will camera and improveplus your run uninterrupted, you photography. benefit from the best annual rate. Contact us for more PRINT details. You will be notifi ed of Get four gloriously glossy any changes to theto annual magazines delivered your DDevery subscription door year. fee at least one month in advance of Rates any change. Ongoing DD payments UK £24.95 are not notified or acknowledged except in International £32.95 the case of a change to the subscription fee or renewal DIGITAL date. DD mandates can be Pay-as-you-go and buy cancelled by contacting your single issues to add to your bank, but please also let us digital library, accessible know so that we can update viaour a browser records.and in the free dedicated app for iOS, Android and Kindle.
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Want the best of the magazine, with it at your disposal wherever you are? Print for home, digital for the desktop, and app for on the go. Yep, we’ve got a bundle to suit you. Choose PLUS for the current year only or PREMIUM for full library access. Both give you theEvery printcamera, edition lens and and access listed in our viaSpeedlite a browseris and dedicated ‘Everything EOS mag app. EOS’ system guide, along with the many Rates Canon EOS accessories. You PRINT PLUS from can download this£26.95 49-page PRINT guidePREMIUM for free from EOS above). Extra! from (see £31.95 YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE CANON EOS SYSTEM
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20 EOS Shop Camera gear and accessories for your EOS photography.
68 Ask the EOS experts Readers’ questions answered.
72 EOSpedia Acronyms, terms and EOS photographic trivia.
74 Forum The pros and cons of EF 1.4x and 2x Extenders.
NEW PRODUCTS 22 Latest equipment A preview of the EOS R3 camera plus three new RF lenses.
EOS SURVEY 12 Reader survey results How much do you have in common with your fellow subscribers?
Mount adapters Cover and pages 34-39. “Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire looks spectacular shot upwards using a Fisheye lens. For this type of image symmetry is needed, so I positioned myself as centrally as possible. With the camera mounted on a tripod, I used the 10-second self-timer as I had to crouch down below the level of the lens to avoid being in the image myself. The camera’s flip screen is invaluable in such circumstances, allowing you to view the image much more easily.”
ON THE COVER & p34
Nina Bailey EOS R, EF 8-15mm f4L Fisheye USM lens, Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, 6.2 seconds at f11, ISO 100.
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CAMERA FEATURES 26 Creative balance
CREATIVE BALANCE p26
Try experimenting with unconventional white balance settings to give your images more warmth or drama.
40 Stay focused We look at how focusing has evolved to produce such accurate results with the latest DSLR and mirrorless cameras.
46 Image cropping We clear up the confusion about image cropping and how this affects your images.
50 Reset your camera There are many reasons why you might want to reset your camera to its factory defaults.
CANON FIRMWARE 64 Lens firmware We look at the firmware updates that are available for an increasing number of EF, EF-S, EF-M and RF lenses.
EOS CONTEST 58 Reader challenge Results of our reader photo competition, plus details of the next challenge.
EOS PROJECT 14 Lincoln in lockdown The pandemic gave Patrick Stubbs an opportunity to reconsider his photographic style.
EOS ACCESSORIES 34 Mount adapters A mount adapter allows you to attach EF and EF-S lenses onto the EOS M-series or EOS R-series mirrorless camera bodies. We take a look at these accessories.
EOS PROJECT p14
Who’s who in this issue?
Claire Barrett Publisher
Nina Bailey Technical Editor & EOS Training Academy tutor
Robert Scott Consultant Editor
Patrick Stubbs Family and wedding photographer
Jeremy Flint Travel and location photographer
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World of EOS news • information • images
Discontinued lenses Canon concentrates on RF optics It seems likely – though as yet unconfirmed – that by the end of this year Canon will have discontinued close to 30 lenses. The lenses due to cease production are all EF or EF-S optics, many of which have already been replaced by an RF version – for example, the EF-S 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM (below left) has been usurped by the RF 24-240mm f4-6.3 IS USM (below right). The lenses to be axed come from across almost the entire focal range, from the EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM right up to the EF 800mm f5.6L IS USM. While there may be some concerns about whether – and for how long – discontinued lenses can be serviced and repaired, it is worth remembering that Canon has said that it will support its EOS DSLR system for as long as there is demand for it. There is no shortage of any of the EF or EF-S lenses at the moment (indeed, you may be able to grab yourself a bargain with a second-hand EF/EF-S optic as photographers switch to mirrorless) and initially discontinuing lenses that are mirrored in the RF range will allow Canon to concentrate on the production of RF lenses as demand for its mirrorless system escalates. Canon manufactured a similar number of DSLR and mirrorless cameras in 2020, despite the faltering production of both the EOS R5 and R6. Techno System Research noted that a total of 3.26 million mirrorless cameras were produced in Japan last year, compared to 2.39 million DSLR models. Canon led DSLR production with 1.71 million units (with Nikon a well-beaten second with 650,000 units), and was second to Sony when it came to mirrorless production, with a total of 1.05 million units.
Next generation
50th anniversary
Student development
Aspherical lens element
Now in its fifth year, the Canon Student Development Programme offers 250 students from across Europe, Middle East and Africa the opportunity to participate in its educational programme designed to enhance students’ visual storytelling skills and advance their careers. Each successful applicant will be partnered with a mentor over the summer from whom they will receive one-on-one preparation time, ahead of having their curated portfolios reviewed within a group review session in September. This year, expert coaching will be provided by some of the world’s leading photo professionals, including Canon Ambassadors, such as Laura El-Tantawy and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Muhammed Muheisen. Alongside the portfolio reviews the programme will also include a series of inspirational lectures, taking place digitally from worldrenowned experts including photographers, picture editors and publishers, who will share practical advice as well as their thoughts and perspectives over trends and developments in the industry. Since 2017, over 800 students have attended the Programme, resulting in real success stories of talents that have gone on to establish incredible careers. Alumni such as Ksenia Kuleshova (2017), who has since gone on to become a successful photojournalist, works regularly for publications including The New York Times, while Michele Spatari (2018) is an award-winning documentary and news photographer for AFP (Agence France-Presse) who has captured some of the most significant events in recent history. Since attending the programme, both photographers have also gone on to become Canon Ambassadors.
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This year marks the 50th anniversary of the release in 1971 of the FD 55mm f1.2AL (below), the company’s first lens for SLR cameras to employ an aspherical lens element (above). Aspherical lens elements are not only used in Canon’s SLR cameras, but also broadcast lenses, semiconductor lithography systems, telescope mirrors and a wide variety of optical products. Before the advent of aspherical lenses, in order to correct spherical aberration multiple spherical lenses had to be placed in a specific configuration. However, thanks to their unique properties, the same results can be achieved using only a single aspherical lens. Their curved surfaces, shaped differently to spherical lenses, help reduce a variety of aberrations. In 1963, Canon embarked upon a program of sophisticated lens research and development in order to evolve this ‘dream lens’ that could focus all incident light on a single point and create a consistent, clear image.
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WORLD OF EOS Two TIPA Awards
Canon boom
iF Design Awards
For Canon camera and lens
Mirrorless boosts sales
Gold standard design
Canon picked up just two awards from the Technical Imaging Press Association (TIPA) for the 2021 season. Surprisingly, the EOS R5 and R6 cameras were overlooked, despite their specification and performance, but TIPA has given awards to Canon in the following categories: Best APS-C Camera Entry-level: EOS M50 Mark II Best Prime Telephoto Lens: RF 600mm f11 IS STM The EOS M50 Mark II follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, the EOS M50, which won the Best Mirrorless CSC Enthusiast category in 2018. The TIPA board noted that “mirrorless introductions have all but replaced what was once a full-house of DSLRs. The influence of vloggers and content creators made for new categories in both cameras and accessories.” For more information visit: bit.ly/3prmcEM
Canon’s financial report for the first quarter of this year made encouraging reading with just over a 34% increase in camera sales. Canon attributes this largely to strong sales of the EOS R5 and R6 full-frame mirrorless cameras, which were released in July and August 2020 respectively. This was echoed with our own findings in our recent survey, with 14% of respondents using an EOS R5 or R6 camera. According to Canon, “For the full year, reflecting the situation surrounding sales in the first quarter, we not only raised our projection for camera unit sales by 100,000 to 2.9 million, but also raised our projection for revenue.”
No less than nine Canon product designs have been recognised by iF International Forum Design GmbH with prestigious 2021 iF Design Awards. Notably, Canon’s PowerShot ZOOM telephoto-type camera was selected for the iF Gold Product Design Award 2021, the highest honour in the product category. Other awards were won by the EOS1D X Mark III, EOS R5, and the RF 800mm f11 IS STM and RF 600mm f11 IS STM lenses. This year is the 27th consecutive year that Canon has won at iF Design Awards.
Food Photographer of the Year
18 years at No. 1
World’s best food photographs served up
Gold standard design
It is fitting that the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year competition received a record number of entries in 2021, its tenth anniversary. Almost 10,500 entries were submitted from over 70 countries around the world. Thong Nguyen from Vietnam won the Food at the Table category with his image of people at a market enjoying pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup. The image was taken using an EOS 5D Mark II, EF 17-40mm f4L USM lens at 27mm, 1/125 second at f4, ISO 200. “The fair is held once a week on Sunday. People come from different ethnic groups; they come to the market not only to buy and sell – the fair is also a unique cultural and culinary exchange,” says Thong. To view winning entries visit www.pinkladyfoodphotographeroftheyear.com
We love EOS cameras – and so, it seems, does the majority of other photographers! Canon’s interchangeable-lens digital cameras (digital SLR and mirrorless cameras) have maintained the No. 1 share of the global market for 18 consecutive years from 2003 to 2020. Back in September 2003, Canon launched the first sub-£1000 DSLR, opening the sector to a much wider market. And in July 2020 the launch of the EOS R5 and R6 has similarly opened up the mirrorless market to new devotees. Canon will continue to refine its diverse imaging technologies based on its core optical technology, while further strengthening and expanding the EOS series of cameras and RF/EF series of lenses. You’ll find every camera, lens, accessory and Everythin g EOS Speedlite listed magazine in our unique Everything EOS guide, available exclusively to subscribers. Download your free copy at bit.ly/3vPhWRR Compiled by E
OS
Every Can on EOS camera, and acc essory fromlens, Speedlite 1987 to 2020
YOUR CO
© THONG NGUYEN / FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2021
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MPLETE
GUIDE TO
THE CAN
ON EOS
SYSTEM
EOS magazine July-September 2021 preview EOS magazine July-September 2021 | |7 7
EOS PROJECT Lincoln explored
Lincoln in lockdown Keeping local during the pandemic gave Patrick Stubbs an opportunity to reassess his photographic style.
About Patrick I know everyone says it, but my father really did introduce me to photography. He bought me a Cosina CT-1 for my twelfth birthday and I’ve been hooked ever since. However, I ended up in a career in accountancy. I had some interesting jobs, including working in Africa, but on returning to the UK the idea of getting another job as an accountant didn’t appeal, so I started Natural Expressions Photography.
What sort of photography are you primarily known for? I specialise in family and wedding photography. I started Natural Expressions Photography in 2004, unsure of what direction I was heading. Initially I took any photography work that would pay. Slowly that evolved into specialising in family portraits and weddings, but I’ve also been commissioned for a lot of corporate work. I decided to concentrate on family and weddings simply because I love photographing people. My style is a more natural approach, especially when photographing children. I’m a huge believer in photographing our whole lives, from the start to the end. My daughters were my inspiration – I realised how much I enjoyed family photography, and also how important it is. Why did you decide to embark on a different genre of photography? I was very busy until March 2020, then when lockdown hit everything stopped overnight.
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Above EOS 5D Mark IV, EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM lens at 200mm, 1/320 second at f16, ISO 250.
Love my work I love the fact that I earn my living from photography, and still have to pinch myself from time to time! The 15-year-old me would have been so excited to hear about the future me! I’ve travelled all over the world and have been paid for it, and I really can’t think of anything else I would rather do. Photography opens up so many doors and opportunities. You never know just what the next phone call or email will be.
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Because I’d been so busy pre-Covid I’d had little time for my own personal photography. It was something that I’d started to miss. So, gradually, Covid opened a new door for me. We were locked down, so obviously I couldn’t travel, but I decided to take my camera with me on my ‘exercise allowance’. Taking my camera on daily walks there was no pressure from clients, no deadlines, no having to market and sell my work – just photographing exactly what I liked and what I thought would make a good photograph. As lockdown eased I found myself wandering around with my camera more and more – and loving every minute of it. I’m not a photographer who needs or likes loads of equipment, so I just took one camera and one lens. What was your aim? My initial thought was to document very early lockdown, but I felt uncomfortable doing it. If you remember the feeling back then, it was all extremely intense. It felt like I was doing something wrong. As the weeks went on, my photography evolved into being something that just got me out, keeping me busy and outdoors as much as possible. Also, it kept me using my camera so that I would retain the muscle memory, otherwise I would have problems when my commissions picked up again.
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Left EOS 5D Mark IV, EF 70200mm f2.8L IS USM lens at 115mm, 1/320 second at f22, ISO 160. Right EOS 5D Mark IV, EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM lens at 100mm, 1/320 second at f13, ISO 100.
Project kit list EOS 5D Mark IV EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM One battery Two cards (one as a back-up)
I had no particular aim, other than simply to get out with my camera, capturing day-to-day life how I saw it. Since I live in Lincoln I was obliged to photograph in the city, but the more I was out and about the more ideas and concepts started to develop. Furthermore, one aspect of my street photography project has been about using the EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM lens, trying to depict people as part of the environment rather than snatching a moment, which is more typical of the genre. Pedestrians might appear only small in the image, blurred, with their back to the camera perhaps or, in some cases, there are none at all. I realised that many of these photos had a feeling of isolation and loneliness, and I felt that was perfect for the last 12 months. Why did you decide to limit yourself to the 70-200mm focal length? If you read anything about street photography it will recommend using wider lenses, such as 24mm or 35mm. Walking around Lincoln I initially took a 24-70mm standard zoom with me, and it made me realise that I hadn’t experimented and changed things around enough over the past 15 years. When a job came in I would pick up my usual Canon gear without really thinking about it. I knew the equipment I needed to get the job done. I would say that 80% of the time I would
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PREVIEW
EOS R3
CANON TEASES A ‘HIGH SPEED AND HIGHLY SENSITIVE’ CAMERA Similar to last year’s piecemeal announcement of the EOS R5 camera, Canon has once again taken the step to release snippets about its next evolution in camera design. Let’s delve into the details released so far about the EOS R3, a new professional full-frame mirrorless camera that is due for launch later this year. Let’s start from the top. Or the bottom. We can see at-a-glance that this is definitely a pro camera body. That’s evident fr om the design, given that it features a built-in camera grip, with a second set of controls for vertical shooting. Canon has confirmed that the EOS R3 will sit between the EOS R5 and the flagship DSLR, the EOS-1D X Mark III.
Borrowing another feature from the 1D X Mark III, the R3 is the second camera to deploy a Smart controller. Essentially, this is an AFON button on steroids – it is touchsensitive and can be used to move the AF point around the frame with the touch of a finger or thumb. If you’ve used a trackpad on a laptop, then you’ll be familiar with the idea.
Pro-specced
Sensor first
The EOS R3 may not be a 1-series camera, but it shares many of the pro features. The body is made from magnesium-alloy and has the same level of weather resistance. There are dual card slots; one SD, one CFexpress. For faster workflow, there’s a wired LAN port and 5G Wi-Fi, and the R3 is compatible with Canon’s new Mobile File Transfer app. The EOS R3 even shares the same LP-E19 battery as the EOS-1D X Mark III.
While we don’t yet know the sensor resolution, what we do know is that the EOS R3 is the first Canon camera to use a back- illuminated stacked (BSI) CMOS sensor. We’ll have to wait for more details, but the benefits of moving to a BSI sensor could include better lowlight performance – and Canon has already said the R3 focuses down to -7 EV – less noise, faster read-out speeds and improved electronic shutter performance (see right).
As well as the Smart controller (circled), there’s another notable feature – a vari-angle screen. This is the first time that an EOS camera with a built-in grip has offered this, making it an even more versatile tool.
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Primarily for stills? Canon isn’t making much of the R3’s video capabilities, after going big on the 8K announcement for the EOS R5. In fact, the first announcement made no mention of video. However, it has since said that the R3 will be able to capture oversampled 4K video, as well as capture RAW footage internally. For serious production sets, Canon Log 3 is natively available in-camera. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the same subject AF tracking features (see opposite) are available for video as well as stills shooting. And for stills? Well, we know from Canon that the electronic shutter feature (see EOS magazine ‘Silent shutters’ article, July-September 2020, pages 52-57) is being improved, with the aim to reduce distortion for moving objects when in use. It will also enable flash sync with a Speedlite, something which previously caused banding. The R3 can shoot at 30 frames per second (fps) – even for RAW files – when using the electronic shutter. And all of this is powered by Canon’s latest generation of processor, DIGIC X.
“
The EOS R3 truly is a hybrid, next generation camera for the sports and news photographers of today and tomorrow.
“
Canon Europe press release, 14 April 2021
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Motorsports AF added
EYE CONTROL AF
With the EOS R3 shaping up to be primarily a sports camera, focusing performance is key so that fast action is captured pin-sharp. Canon has made mention of several key features that will aid this, calling the EOS R3 ‘ultra-responsive’. One of the big stories for the R5 and R6 cameras was the addition of Animal AF. The R3 has its own new subject AF tracking, in the form of vehicles – specifically cars and motorbikes – making it ideal for capturing fast-paced motorsports. There are a number of ways in which to control the focusing position. The Smart controller is one way; there’s also a multi-controller on the rear controls. In addition, Eye Control AF (see right) will provide an alternative way to move the AF point simply by moving your eye, ideal for switching quickly between subjects. We don’t know as yet whether Touch & Drag AF will be available, but it’s likely.
In the first product reveal, Canon stated that the EOS R3 would feature ‘a pioneering new autofocus Eye Control Function’. This means that you will be able to set the focus point in the viewfinder simply by looking at it. Eye control focus was first used by Canon in 1992 on the EOS 5 – its purpose back then was to reduce the need for manual focusing point selection. Wherever you looked on the focusing screen was the point on which the camera would focus the lens. Move your eye and the focus changed instantly. It worked by using two infrared light-emitting diodes (iREDs) to illuminate your eye, which in turn were used to calculate the position of the centre of the pupil. There were actually up to eight iREDs in total, positioned around the eyepiece frame – and we suspect that’s why the viewfinder on the R3 (below left) appears to be so much larger than the EOS R5 (below, right). Of course, this is only conjecture at present, albeit based on past fact. For more details, visit: bit.ly/eye-control The original version wasn’t perfect. Initially it only worked when shooting in horizontal format, and some users couldn’t get on with it at all. In total, six EOS film cameras offered Eye Control AF. The R3 is the first digital camera to do so. Canon has already said that the feature may not work in all shooting conditions or for all people, particularly those who wear glasses or hardtype contact lenses – even eye shape can be a factor.
IBIS Like the EOS R5 and R6, the R3 offers up to 8 stops of combined image stabilisation (IS) – using both in-body IS (IBIS) and optical IS. This will be a powerful combination with the promised better low-light focusing and performance.
The viewfinder of the EOS R3 (right) looks significantly larger than that of the EOS R5 (far right), possibly to accommodate hardware needed to enable Eye Control AF.
So, what don’t we know?
The EOS R3 offers vehicle tracking alongside Animal and People subject detection, which makes shooting events such as motocross much easier. NINA BAILEY
The two press releases – the first on 14 April and second on 2 June 2021 – have given us a fair few details about the EOS R3. However, there’s quite a bit yet to uncover: • Sensor resolution – our best guess is that it’ll be along the lines of the 1D X Mark III or R6. Shooting at up to 30fps means you need to prioritise the power for processing speed, not processing huge files. But with no real detail shared about the new BSI sensor as yet, this is up in the air. • Eye Control AF – will it work the same as for film SLRs? • Price – clearly higher than the R5, but how much more? • New accessory shoe – Canon has hinted at this, stating only that there will definitely be a new accessory of some kind coming for the R3. Maybe for streaming, or other type of output?
What’s in a name? Despite its pro status, note that this camera is not a 1-series. Instead its nomenclature harks back to the days of film. The EOS 3 was launched in September 1998 and had many innovative features. It incorporated the world’s first area AF system, higher-speed Eye Control AF than its predecessors, and improved high speed focus tracking. (There was no EOS 3D... for obvious reasons.) Recognise any of that in the EOS R3?
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EOS magazine July-September 2021 preview 11 EOS magazine July-September 2021 | |23
CAMERA FUNCTION White balance
Creative balance Setting the correct white balance is one of the first camera functions you should consider when you go on a shoot, especially if you work with JPEG files. But sometimes your images can benefit from the unconventional, says Jeremy Flint, who encourages you to experiment with different presets. ALL PHOTOGRAPHS: JEREMY FLINT
Our eyes and brain automatically adjust to differences in colour temperature, so that a sheet of white paper appears white whether you view it under the warm evening sun or cold fluorescent light. The purpose of your camera’s white balance setting is to help it correctly record all the colours in your images – not just white – but tweaking the white balance can also be a useful creative tool. Changing the white balance setting from the standard preset for the prevailing lighting conditions to an alternative can have a significant impact on the colour and outcome of your images. You can break the convention of correcting colour casts and use the white balance setting to add drama to your images.
JPEG and RAW An important point to remember is that if you are shooting JPEG files you cannot change the white balance setting later in post-production, although it is possible to make other colour adjustments. With RAW files, however, you can make white balance adjustments in post-production using
DPP. You can then save any number of images at different white balance settings, or indeed custom settings. When making white balance adjustments in post-production you will benefit from knowing which creative effects work best and when, but it is also a matter of personal taste.
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Tokyo photographed at dusk, with fluorescent white balance (top), giving a cool image with a magenta cast, and AWB Ambience (above). EOS 5DS R, EF 24-70mm f2.8L II USM lens at 70mm, 1/45 second at f2.8, ISO 1000.
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White balance presets EOS cameras offer a number of different preset white balance settings, depending on your model. Each setting enables the camera to reproduce accurate colours determined by the temperature of the prevailing lighting conditions. The latest cameras have eight white balance settings: daylight, shade, cloudy, tungsten light, white fluorescent light and flash, plus two auto white balance presets – ambience priority and white priority (see chart, page 31). Each setting is programmed at a specific Kelvin value – Kelvin (K) being the base unit of colour temperature. For example, the daylight preset has a colour temperature of around 5200K, and tungsten can cope with artificial lighting from about 3000K to 3400K. In addition to these presets, you can also set the white balance manually using the custom white balance or colour temperature options (see page 30).
Auto white balance The auto white balance (AWB) setting tries to match the ambient lighting for a natural-looking result, so sunsets are rendered warm while overcast days are cooler. Usually, AWB achieves the correct white balance, realistically reproducing the colours as they were at the time of shooting. But although convenient to use, AWB might not give the most visually interesting result. While AWB does not neutralise the colour of a sunset, neither will it enhance it, so in some cases you might want to choose a different white balance setting to accentuate certain colours for creative purposes.
Mis-matching white balance Intentionally mis-matching the white balance setting in order to influence the colour tone of an image is a bit like having an in-camera filter. Rather than the colours being technically correct, you can create a different vibe for different scenarios by making an image look cooler or warming it up. • Cooling down The fluorescent or tungsten white balance presets are designed to correct an overly warm image, so that white tones are recorded as white rather than with warm yellow tones. Both tungsten and fluorescent settings have the effect of cooling down an image. Tungsten makes it look more blue while the fluorescent setting makes it slightly cooler, but also with more magenta as it is designed to correct for the green colour cast of fluorescent lights (see image facing page, top). Dialling in a tungsten white balance, a setting intended for shooting indoors to correct artificial light under tungsten lights, combined with slight underexposure, can produce an image that looks as though it has been taken in dusky blue evening light, similar to that of a moonrise. Other subjects and situations that are suited to a cooler colour temperature include mist, winter scenes, the moon and adverse weather conditions. • Warming up You can create a warm tone by selecting a white balance preset that has a higher temperature than the prevailing ambient light. For example, the cloudy or shade white balance adds an orange hue to an image. Although these presets are designed to correct the colours in shade on overcast days, they also work well for boosting the colour of sunsets, giving the impression of warmer light. These presets can work equally well during autumn to enhance foliage colours and in winter by reducing the blue of a winter scene. If you are shooting in the midday sun they can also improve the vibrancy of a beach or landscape scene. Portraits can be improved by selecting a higher colour temperature, such as cloudy white balance, even when it is not overcast. Skin tones can benefit from a gentle orange cast, resulting in a more flattering portrait.
Colour match
Try to ensure the white balance setting you choose matches that of the scene or subject you are photographing. If the main colour in a scene is red or orange select a warmer preset, such as daylight or cloudy, to accurately reflect this colour. Alternatively, if blue tones are more prominent in an image, select a tungsten or fluorescent white balance to enhance these shades. For this portrait of a Maasai warrior, I chose daylight white balance to ensure the colourful clothing appeared bright (near left) compared with the cooler colours of the image with auto white balance applied (far left). EOS 5DS R, EF 85mm f1.2L II USM, 1/3200 second at f1.2, ISO 100.
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EOS magazine July-September 2021 preview 13 EOS magazine July-September 2021 | |27
ACCESSORIES Mount adapters
A mount adapter allows you to attach EF and EF-S lenses onto EOS M-series or EOS R-series mirrorless cameras. We look at what these accessories do, and why you might need one.
A mount adapter is an optional camera accessory which fits between the camera body and lens. Its function is to allow a lens from one Canon camera system to be attached to a camera body from another Canon system. A mount adapter does not usually have any optics. It is basically a hollow tube with contacts that allow communication between the camera body and the lens. There are three mount adapters available for R-series cameras and one for M-series models. They enable you to attach both EF and EF-S lenses to R-series and M-series bodies, which natively accept RF and EF-M lenses respectively.
model. This distance between the lens mount and the surface of the image sensor is known as the flange distance, which on EOS DSLR models is 44mm. Since mirrorless cameras do not have a mirror assembly the sensor can be much closer to the lens mount – at 20mm the flange distance is less than half that of a DSLR model. The mount adapter is effectively a spacer and at a depth of 24mm it takes up space that would normally be used by the mirror box, allowing lenses from the DSLR system to focus when used on a mirrorless body.
Different lens mounts Canon currently has several systems – EOS fullframe DSLR, EOS APS-C DSLR, EOS full-frame mirrorless (R-series) and EOS APS-C mirrorless (M-series) – and each has a different lens mount. There is a good reason for this and it lies in the difference between the construction of a DSLR camera and a mirrorless model. A DSLR uses a reflex mirror to facilitate viewing through an optical viewfinder. This mirror flips up out of the way as the image is taken. It is housed in a mirror box, inside the camera. Because of the space taken up by the mirror box, the distance between the lens mount and the image sensor is greater on a DSLR camera than it is on a mirrorless
Motocross racing at Farleigh Castle circuit taken soon after the release of the EOS R, when there was a very limited range of RF lenses available. EOS R, Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens at 200mm, 1/1300 second at f5.6, ISO 800.
The blue line represents the position of the sensor in a DSLR camera. The circle at the end of the line highlights the focal plane indicator engraved on the exterior of the camera body. The distance from the sensor to the lens mount (flange distance) is 44mm.
There is no reflex mirror in a mirrorless camera, so the sensor can be closer to the lens mount. The flange distance is 20mm, less than half that of a DSLR camera.
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NINA BAILEY
Mount adapters
RUNNING HEAD Running head light
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EOS magazine July-September 2021 | 35 EOS magazine July-September 2021 preview | 15
IMAGE TECHNIQUE Cropping and resolution
Image cropping Judging by the number of queries we receive about image cropping, there is a lot of confusion over how this works and how it affects your images. Nina Bailey presents the facts and explains why cropping your image is not always a good idea. LEE BEEL
Full-frame cameras have an image format of 36 x 24mm – a ratio of 3:2. This was not chosen for aesthetic reasons. In the early 1900s film for movies had a width of 70mm. This was slit lengthways to provide 35mm film for still cameras, such as the original Leica. After sprocket holes were added to allow accurate movement through the camera, the width for the image was reduced to 24mm. We are not sure why 36mm was chosen for the length of the frame. The image produced by a lens is circular, so 24mm would have made more sense, giving a square format. Many medium-format cameras use a square format, the best-known examples being Rollei and Hasselblad. But the 36 x 24mm format became the standard for smaller cameras and has followed through to fullframe digital cameras. APS-C cameras have a frame size of 22.5 x 15mm (this varies slightly with different models) – which is also a ratio of 3:2. Incidentally, these ratios are expressed with the width first and then the height. So if you turn your camera through 90° for a vertical shot, the ratio becomes 2:3. However, there is no reason to remain welded to this format. You can crop the image to a square or a narrow rectangle. Some subjects are better suited to these shapes, and digital images allow unlimited experimentation – though we recommend making a copy of JPEG images before letting your imagination run riot. You do not need to make a copy of a RAW file as this will stay the same after you save theProgram edited image. 1/200 Unfortunately, there mode. is a downside to image second at cropping. As explained here, the resolution of the f8, ISO 400. image will be reduced.
Landscapes often benefit from a format narrower than the standard 3:2 ratio. EOS 5D Mark II, EF 24-70mm f2.8L USM lens at 27mm, 1/20 second at f11, ISO 400.
Early film cameras introduced the image format of 36 x 24mm.
Lenses create an image circle. A square format Shutter-priority would makemode. the most 1/1600 of this (top),second but 35mm at f2.8, cameras useISO the400. 3:2 ratio (above).
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EF-S lens on EOS R6 camera When I use EF-S lenses fitted to my EOS R6 using a mount adapter they appear to give a much lower quality than the same lenses fitted to my EOS 7D Mark II camera. Why is this? When you fit an EF-S lens to the EOS R6 using the Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, the camera will automatically go to a crop mode. This is because the EOS R6 features a full-frame sensor, which is much larger than EF-S lenses are able to cover. Crop mode reduces the number of pixels on the sensor of the EOS R6 being used from 20 megapixels down to just 7.7 megapixels. This means that the resulting images will be less than half the quality. This information is displayed on the Quick Control screen when superimposed over the image on the rear of the camera. If you go to set the image quality it will show that a reduced number of pixels are being captured (see screens on the opposite page). When using the same lens on an EOS 7D Mark II, the APS-C sensor uses its full number of 20 megapixels and so provides a higher quality.
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DAVID FLETCHER
A Full-frame to APS-C crop Are there any drawbacks to using the crop option on the EOS R6 as it will make my EF-S lenses give the same framefilling ability they have on my EOS 7D Mark II? As explained on the previous page, when you shoot with the EOS 7D Mark II you are using all of the pixels that the camera offers – 20 megapixels. When you switch to the crop option on the full-frame EOS R6 it reduces the area which is being used to the APS-C sensor size of the EOS 7D Mark II, but this means there are fewer pixels being used to capture the image – 7.7 megapixels on the EOS R6. You have well below half the number of pixels being used to capture the image and the resolution drops significantly. The facility is only on the camera to allow you to use the EF-S lenses you currently own until such time as you switch to the full-frame RF lenses. A & B A full-frame sensor is almost twice the area of an APS-C sensor (denoted by a white rectangle). The smaller sensor was introduced with the EOS D30 in 2000 to help keep down the cost of consumer digital cameras. It has since become a popular format – Canon has launched many more EOS APS-C digital models than EOS full-frame digital models.
B
C APS-C
Full frame
D
C The image captured by an APS-C sensor is simply a crop of what would be captured by a full-frame sensor. Claims by some photographers of extended reach or an increase in the focal length of the attached lens are false and should be ignored. D When the cropped image is enlarged it might appear that the APS-C sensor has magically brought the subject closer, but this effect is simply one of magnification. You will get the same result by enlarging the centre section of an image taken with a full-frame sensor.
Using EF-S lenses on R-series bodies EF-S lenses are designed for cameras with an APS-C sensor, which is significantly smaller than the sensor of full-frame models. When an EF-S lens is fitted to an R-series body the camera automatically switches to a crop mode, in line with the smaller image circle created by these lenses. This reduces the number of pixels captured to less than half of that when using an EF or RF lens with an R-series body, resulting in a corresponding reduction in image quality. With one of the higher resolution models,
With an EF-S lens attached and the crop option set by the camera, the reduced pixel count is displayed (circled). This ‘Image quality’ screen is the only location on the camera where the file size is displayed.
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such as the EOS R5, using an EF-S lens decreases the number of pixels to 17.3MP (megapixel) – still plenty for a quality image, and it would even tolerate some cropping. However, with the R6 the reduced 7.7MP file is regarded as a very small by today’s standards. So, before you think that the crop mode is ideal because it replicates the frame-filling ability that you are accustomed to with your APS-C camera, remember that in this mode you are shooting at a reduced number of pixels.
With an EF or RF lens attached, you can shoot with the full-frame mode, or select one of the crop modes – 1.6x, 1:1, 4:3 or 16.9. Any crop mode means you are using fewer megapixels than full-frame.
Camera Full-frame EOS R
30.1MP
Crop 11.6MP
EOS RP
26MP
10.1MP
EOS R5
44.8MP
17.3MP
EOS R6
20MP
7.7MP
The table shows the resolution of R-series cameras at full-frame and the crop option, which is automatically set by the camera when using an EF-S lens.
The 1.6x crop mode given by an EF-S lens on an EOS R-series camera might appear to be giving you greater reach with your lens, but it is an optical illusion. You are merely magnifying an image that has fewer pixels.
EOS magazine July-September 2021 preview 17 EOS magazine July-September 2021 | |47
CAMERA FEATURE Resetting your camera
Reset your camera Have you ever thought it would be nice to change your camera back to its factory defaults and start again with new settings? The latest EOS models have all the reset options in one simple menu command, making it fast and easy to return the camera to its original settings. However, it’s not as simple as that on earlier models. Why clear camera settings? There are many reasons to clear the settings on your camera: • Newcomers to photography often experiment with different settings not realising that they do not reset automatically. Over time the camera becomes increasingly incorrectly set up and this starts to affect the images. A quick reset of the basic settings is normally enough to return the camera to effective shooting settings. • A well-meaning adviser may have made some settings which simply do not suit your style of photography. A good example are custom controls, which allow a high degree of camera customisation. The customisations are personal, so a setting that suits one photographer may not suit another. There is an option to reset just the custom controls. • If you are selling your camera you need to clear personal settings, such as copyright information. Similarly, if you have bought a second-hand camera you should make sure all the settings are at the factory defaults. In this case, the new reset option, where all the settings are in one place, is a huge benefit as you simply have to work your way through the list and you know that every item is reset, preventing you from overlooking some of the more obscure features. Retailers who sell second-hand equipment also benefit, as it is easier to ensure everything has been cleared before the camera is re-sold. • More recent EOS cameras have features such as GPS loggers and the ability to hook up to your home Wi-Fi, so it is more important than ever to delete all of these settings before selling your camera. • If you’ve got a problem with your Wi-Fi connection, for example, having the reset options in one location is useful. The simplest way to fix it is normally to delete all the current Wi-Fi options and then set it up again from scratch. Such a reset usually solves any problems.
Apart from being able to change lenses, one of the main advantages of an EOS camera is its capacity for customisation. Photographers work in different ways and shoot myriad different subjects, so being able to adjust your camera to help you get the best out of it is a sensible and powerful tool. But at some point it is likely that you will want to reset most, if not all, of your camera settings. You can reset EOS camera settings to their factory defaults via the menu system. However, as the cameras have become more sophisticated the options to clear some of the more advanced functions have been put in different places, so that on advanced models you may have to go to five or six menus to reset the camera to its factory settings. To overcome this problem, on models introduced from 2020, Canon has introduced a new ‘Reset camera’ command. This allows you to reset basic camera settings or more advanced settings. On these cameras (see table below) the reset options are now clustered together within a single command, but if you prefer the traditional method of resetting them you can still clear them by going to the individual menu items.
Cameras featuring the Reset camera option and which camera functions are reset
EOS-1D X Mark III EOS M6 Mark II EOS M50 Mark II EOS R5 EOS R6
Basic settings
AF Microadjustment
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
✔
Flash settings
Root Shooting Comm/Wicertificate GPS Logger info display Fi settings ✔
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
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✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Custom quick control ✔
Custom Copyright Custom shooting information Functions modes ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Custom controls ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
My Menu ✔
✔ ✔
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EOS magazine July-September 2021 preview | 19
ADVICE Your EOS questions answered
Ask the
EOS experts
Focusing problem
Q
Selecting an eye for AF I have been photographing birds on a feeder with my EOS R5. I have been shooting with Eye detection AF enabled and Servo AF, with the camera mounted on a tripod. However, I’m having trouble getting the camera to focus where I want it to. For example, in this image (below) of two birds on a feeder – one on the sunny side the other in the shade – the focus persists in locking onto the eye of the bird in the shade. How can I force it to switch to the other bird? Yours perplexed! Robin Berry
Q
Nina says: The EOS R5 can detect and focus on eyes of people or animals. The AF point locks onto the subject, so if the face moves, the AF point also moves to track the focus. Enabling Eye detection AF means the camera will focus on the eyes. An AF point appears over any face detected. To select an eye to focus on, press the AF point selection button which changes the appearance of the focusing frame to . Then use the multi-controller to move the AF frame to the eye that you want in focus. Alternatively, you can select the eye you want to focus on by tapping the screen, but that might be difficult if the bird is only feeding fleetingly. Press the SET button to release the tracking. ROBIN BERRY
When I am using my EOS R camera with either of my RF lenses, if the subject is a long way out-of-focus the camera sometimes doesn’t want to focus. What is causing this and what can I do about it? Matt Simpson
Focusing
Nina says: The mirrorless models focus in a different way to a DSLR camera. They need subject detail in order to focus, so sometimes the camera may struggle if the subject is so out-offocus that the focusing system cannot pick up any detail. Sometimes focusing on something in the far distance or something very close will be enough to nudge the camera into focusing. The focusing system of mirrorless cameras is improving all the time. Some of the firmware updates on both the cameras and the RF lenses have introduced significant improvements, so check that your camera and lenses are running the latest firmware.
Lenses Lens labelling I have recently bought an EOS R5, but I notice the labelling on the front of the lens is different compared to a similar lens from my DSLR system. For example, my EF 24-105mm f4 IS II USM lens has 1:4 on the front of the lens (top right), while my RF 24-105mm f4L IS USM lens doesn’t (bottom right). Why did the EF lens describe the focal length as a ratio, why the change, and is it significant? Greg Keaveny
Q
Robert says: No, it’s not significant in any technical sense. 1:4 is the maximum aperture of this particular lens. It is the ratio of the focal length of the lens to the diameter of the effective aperture. These days it is more likely to be described as f/4 or f4. The introduction of RF lenses has given Canon the opportunity to use the designation which is more familiar to photographers.
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EOS magazine July-September 2021 preview | 21
EOS CHAT
Forum www.eos-magazine-forum.com
Statistics (at 28 May 2021) Members 11,351 (+57) Threads 49,665 (+406) Posts 473,418 (+5,714) Most popular forum Birds (Figures in brackets show increases since 3 March 2021)
We take a look at the current topics of discussion on the EOS magazine forum COLIN CROSS
Using an Extender 2x with this particular camera and lens combination means that autofocus is lost, but Colin Cross still managed an impressive shot using manual focus. EOS-1D X Mark II, EF 800mm f5.6L IS USM lens with Extender EF 2x Mark III at 1600mm, 1/400 second, f20, ISO 3200.
Extenders For further information on using Extenders, and which Canon lenses are compatible, turn to our article ‘Extender update’, January-March 2020, pages 60-65.
The forum is the perfect place to find out more about a piece of kit before purchasing it. If you are unable to borrow before you buy, what better way to find out about your intended purchase than asking for feedback? mikita wanted to extend the reach of his EF 70200mm lens by using it with an Extender (Canon uses the name Extender rather than teleconverter, which is the more universal term): “I am contemplating buying the 2x converter for use with my EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM lens and EOS 5D Mark III. I am interested to know what experiences other users have had with the converter, especially regarding the effect on aperture. At present I use a Sigma 100-500mm for reach, but am happy to lose a bit of reach to have the quality of Canon. I will appreciate any feedback please. Farider was the first to reply: “I can’t help with the 2x, but I do have the 1.4x and that works very well with my EF 100-400mm. You lose 1 stop on the 1.4x and 2 stops, I believe, on the 2x. Any loss in quality for the 1.4x is insignificant. Farider is correct. When you attach an Extender 1.4x it reduces the lens aperture by 1 stop. So on mikita’s lens, the maximum aperture of f2.8 is reduced to f4. The Extender 2x reduces the lens aperture by 2 stops so, on the same lens, the maximum aperture is reduced further to f5.6. Crucially, depending on your camera and
Sign up There are currently over 11,000 members registered to use the EOS magazine forum. Some are avid members of the community, while others may have signed up simply to post a query or picture, or to sell through our classified advert service. But whatever your specific photographic interest, it’s a lively place to broaden your knowledge or receive feedback on your images. Why not join the community at www.eosmagazine-forum.com It’s free – and members say it is one of the most friendly forums around.
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lens combination, this can have an impact on autofocusing capabilities. All EOS cameras can autofocus down to a maximum aperture of f5.6, so with mikita’s kit the autofocusing is unaffected. “I use the 1.4x both on the EF 100-400mm and EF 70-200mm, and have no problems,” says Trev B. “A friend of mine has got a 2x. I’ve used it, but was not impressed. You lose 2 stops. He finds that with his 1.4x he’s OK hand-holding, but with the 2x it’s a bit of a problem.” colin C (Colin Cross) shares his experience of using both Extenders: “I have both Extenders and am happy to use the 1.4x anytime and on any of my compatible telephoto lenses. The 2x I am a bit more cautious with. I have had some terrible results, but in fairness that was in terrible conditions where I was fighting for some light and using it was almost an act of desperation. In good light and the right conditions the Mark III version can deliver some very good results, but you need to give a fair crack of the whip. “Although I have plenty of rubbish shots with the Extender 2x, this image (above) was taken at ISO 3200, manually focused, on an 800mm lens with an Extender 2x, giving a total of 1600mm and f11. Struggling a bit for light and having no autofocus available I didn’t expect much and was rather surprised how well it came out.” “So it just goes to show the 2x in the hands of an expert is a nice bit of kit,” says Trev B.
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