The very un-Canon-like Canon R8 (Amazon, B&H) is an exciting release, and competes with the Canon R6 Mark II (Amazon, B&H) and the Canon R7 (Amazon, B&H).
Which one is a better investment for serious filmmakers?
Let’s find out with this fun comparison.
Autofocus comparison
All three cameras have Dual Pixel CMOS AF II but the Canon R8 and the Canon R6 Mark II have 1053 AF areas whereas the Canon R7 has 651 AF areas.
I would be surprised if the Canon R8 (Amazon, B&H) isn’t as good as the R6 Mark II, if not better.
Quick menu
- Comparison of sensors and video features
- Exposure, focus and ergonomics
- The costs of media and batteries
- Which is cheapest to own?
- Verdict. Who wins?
Comparison of sensors and video features
Here’s how the camera sensors compare for video:
| Camera | Sensor | Resolution* | Maximum FPS | Video ISO Range |
| Canon R8 | Full Frame | 3820 x 2160 | 60p | 100-25600 | 800-25600 in C-Log3 |
| Canon R7 | APS-C | 3820 x 2160 | 60p^ | 100-12800 | 800-12800 in C-Log3 |
| Canon R6 Mark II | Full Frame | 3840 x 2160 | 60p | 100-25600 | 800-25600 in C-Log3 |
*6K oversampling possible in 4K in the Canon R8 and the Canon R6 Mark II. 7K oversampling 4K in the Canon R7.
^60p in a further crop mode, which takes it to about a 2.9x crop factor. The other two cameras deliver 4K 60p in full frame.
What about 4K frame rates?
| Camera | Max fps at 4K | Max fps at 1080p |
| Canon R8 | 60 fps | 180 fps |
| Canon R7 | 60 fps* | 120 fps |
| Canon R6 Mark II | 60 fps | 180 fps |
*60p in a further crop mode, which takes it to about a 2.9x crop factor. In Fine mode you’ll only get 4K 30p.
Next, the codecs and color information:
| Camera | RAW and Codec in 4K and Higher | Color Information |
| Canon R8* | Prores RAW^ | H.264/H.265 ALL-I | RAW | 10-bit 4:2:2/8-bit 4:2:0 |
| Canon R7 | H.264/H.265 | 10-bit 4:2:2/8-bit 4:2:0 |
| Canon R6 Mark II* | Prores RAW | H.264/H.265 ALL-I | RAW | 10-bit 4:2:2/8-bit 4:2:0 |
*6K up to 60p is possible in Prores RAW when using the Atomos Ninja V+. You also get 3.7K Prores RAW with a crop.
^Canon hasn’t officially announced Prores RAW and it remains to be seen whether they will add it to the camera. We’ll know once the camera starts shipping in April.
All three cameras have an HDMI Type D (Micro) port.
All the three cameras have fast USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 readout speeds if you’re transferring data that way.
If you want the best Prores RAW output possible you might want to invest in an Atomos Ninja V+ (Amazon, B&H):
Focus and exposure aids and ergonomics
The Canon R8 (Amazon, B&H) and the Canon R7 have a 2.36 million dot OLED viewfinder but the Canon R6 Mark II has a 3.69 million dot OLED viewfinder. For filmmaking this isn’t that important though.
| Camera | HDMI Port | Weight (with card and battery) |
| Canon R8 | Type D | 461g |
| Canon R7 | Type D | 612g |
| Canon R6 Mark II | Type D | 670g |
The Canon R8 (Amazon, B&H) is a light camera compared to the other two. It’s incredible Canon have been able to reduce the weight of the full frame R8 by 150 grams when compared to the APS-C sized R7.
Image Stabilization
The Canon R8 (Amazon, B&H) only has digital image stabilization. There is no IBIS.
The Canon R6 Mark II (Amazon, B&H) and the Canon R7 (Amazon, B&H) have IBIS.
IBIS is important, but again, not that much. Most people use gimbals, steadicams or tripods for video. And, you also get IS from some of the lenses. It is a disadvantage to the Canon R8, no doubt, but not as big as it might seem.
Batteries and media cards
Here’s a look at the media:
| Camera | Dual card slots | Price per GB for 256 GB* |
| Canon R8 | No, SDHC/SDXC, UHS-II | $1.17/GB |
| Canon R7 | Yes, SDHC/SDXC, UHS-II | $1.17/GB |
| Canon R6 Mark II | Yes, SDHC/SDXC, UHS-II | $1.17/GB |
And data rates:
| Camera | Data rate in 10-bit 4:2:2 4K 24p | Data rate in 10-bit 4:2:2 4K 60p | Recording Limit* |
| Canon R8 | 170 Mbps | 340 Mbps | 2 hours |
| Canon R7 | 170 Mbps | 340 Mbps | 6 hours |
| Canon R6 Mark II | 170 Mbps | 340 Mbps | 6 hours |
*Overheating and battery limits apply.
What’s cool is you get a 5 second pre-record ability with the Canon R8 (Amazon, B&H) and the the Canon R6 Mark II (Amazon, B&H).
What about battery life?
| Camera | Battery life* | Cost one one battery | Cost of 6 hours of operation |
| Canon R8 | 58 minutes | $60 | $372 |
| Canon R7 | 121 minutes | $79 | $235 |
| Canon R6 II | 120 minutes | $79 | $237 |
*This is only an approximation and not for published or actual data. The Canon EOS R8 has about half the battery life of the other two cameras. We’ll know for sure once the camera starts shipping, which is in April, I believe.
We can see how a reduction in weight has affected battery life and overheating.
Which is cheaper to own?
Let’s just add up the costs:
| Camera | Canon R8 | Canon R7 | Canon R6 Mark II |
| Camera body | $1,499 | $1,499 | $2,499 |
| Media and Accessories | Tie | Tie | Tie |
| Batteries | $372 | $235 | $237 |
| Total | $1,871 | $1,734 | $2,736 |
It’s clear the Canon R8 (Amazon, B&H) offers insane value for money. Now you know why I called it an un-Canon-like camera.
Recap
Who wins each feature?
| Feature | Winner |
| Sensor and ISO | R8, R6 Mark II |
| Video features | R8, R6 Mark II |
| DR and Color | TBD |
| Rolling Shutter | TBD |
| Exposure Aids | Tie |
| Media | Tie |
| Lenses | Tie |
| Ergonomics | R8 |
| Dual Card Slots | R6 Mark II |
| Ports and Monitoring | Tie |
| Audio | Tie |
| Autofocus | Tie (Probably) |
| Battery life | R6 Mark II |
Before we take our final decision, we’ll let the cameras tell us what they offer that the others don’t:
| Camera | USP | Major Cons |
| Canon R8 | 6K 60p RAW, lightweight, great AF | Battery life, no IBIS, overheating |
| Canon R7 | IBIS | Major crop in 60p, no RAW output, not as good in low light |
| Canon R6 Mark II | 6K 60p RAW, great AF, less overheating, IBIS | Price |
My Verdict
It’s hard to decide between the Canon R8 and Canon R6 Mark II. Here’s what I think:
| Type of Filmmaking | Preferred Camera | Major Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| Documentaries, journalism and corporate videos | Canon R6 Mark II | Longer recording times, dual card slots, IBIS when there’s no time or space for a gimbal |
| Short or feature films | Canon R8 | It has everything you need |
| Music Videos | Canon R8 | It has everything you need |
| Wildlife | Canon R6 Mark II | Longer recording times, dual card slots, IBIS when there’s no time or space for a gimbal |
| Weddings and Events | Canon R8 | The weight difference is important. Other negatives can be easily overcome. |
Overall, for fictional work I have to give this to the Canon R8 (Amazon, B&H).
For some reason I’m expecting a catch. Why would Canon cannibalize it’s newly announced Canon R6 Mark II (Amazon, B&H)? I hope to get my hands on the Canon R8 (Amazon, B&H) as soon as possible to find out. Stay tuned!
What do you think?
One more thing ANNOYS me on R8: Same as in case R6 and UNFORTUNATELY R6 Mk II too NO ALL-I, thus IPB (Long GOP) REC only. It’s all the MORE SAD, that first EOS R had this… …next R5.
S5 Mk II X will have BOTH :) ProRes MOREOVER :))
..anyway Not Only for me, Panasonic Lumix S5 Mk II X is clearly Not Only the Video King at present in Full Frame for Reasonable Money :))) https://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-mirrorless-cameras/lumix-s-full-frame-cameras/dc-s5m2x.html
In CZ with LUMIX S 20-60 mm f/3,5-5,6 bundle for 57843,- CZK w/o VAT (GST) is 100% Best Market Offer :))) I Can’t Wait to See in my Hands ;-)
Dear Sareesh,
Many Thanks for this Comparison :)
1. I found one mistake: R8 unfortunately has No HDMI RAW Output …
[ pls kindly see R8 User Manual (UM): Shooting and Recording –> Movie Recording -> Tab Menus: Movie Recording -> Shooting 8
https://cam.start.canon/en/C013/manual/html/UG-04_Shooting-2_0020.html
and compare with same part in R6 Mk II UM
https://cam.start.canon/en/C012/manual/html/UG-04_Shooting-2_0020.html ]
… i.e. is not possible use with Atomos Ninja V+ same as in case R6 Mk II means No ProRes RAW available/supported.
2. Pls kindly, where You found Battery Life minute Numbers? Are from Real Usage?
Thank You Very Much in Advance and Have a Nice Day :)
Best Regards,
Jiri (=George)
Hi Jiri, you’re welcome.
To answer your questions. 1. Canon hasn’t officially mentioned Prores RAW output yet, though newsshooter did mention in their article ProresRAW is possible. Of course, this could be entirely wrong. We’ll know when we get our hands on the camera. 2. Battery life minutes are an approximation and not from real usage. The R8 has about half the battery life of the other two cameras. We’ll know for sure once the camera starts shipping, which is in April, I believe.
Thanks a Lot Sareesh :)
Unfortunately NewsShooter https://www.newsshooter.com/2023/02/07/canon-eos-r8-r50-announced/ is Wrong – pls kindly watch for more Jared Polin R8 HandsOn Preview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7NJlqLGwvM#t=12m48s
*EXCEPT RAW VIDEO OUTPUT (12:53)
..Canon Don’t Want Kill their Golden Hen R6 Mk II ;)
You’re probably right, Jiri. Now it makes sense.
:)
..but I’d rather Not Be Right…
Have a Nice Every Day Sareesh :)
Unfortunately Furthermore Confirmation >>>
Gordon Laing: Canon EOS R8 REVIEW vs R6 II: best value full frame camera?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX_saByVK-E#t=1m34s
at 1:38: …the R8 loses the IBIS and 6K RAW output…
..next at 6:51: …there’s No Option to Output RAW Video over HDMI…
+ 15:02: …as noted earlier the R8 also Misses Out on 6K RAW Video over HDMI…
+ 19:55: …the R8 loses the IBIS and 6K RAW Video…
Thank you for the updates, Jiri.
You’re Welcome Sareesh :)
One More:
https://mirrorlesscomparison.com/canon-vs-canon/r8-vs-r6-mark-ii/
..part: 8. Video Recording Limitation and HDMI Output
…But there is one thing only the R6 II does: 12-bit Prores RAW via the HDMI port…
Now I think is Unfortunately 100% Sure, that R8 has No HDMI RAW Output… :(
too much of multi similar information https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/buying-guides/canon-r8-vs-r6-mark-ii
I’ll take yours! Thx
Thx Airu :)
..also DCW is 100% Wrong for Now…
…may be Canon after Tough Press of The Press ;) and High Fans Demand release this Very Important Feature in Some Update – I Want Believe :)
I contacted by e-mail Gareth Bevan – in reply he wrote me: Thanks for the spot. Canon hid that omission very well in their press materials.
..as Very Right said Wolf of Wall Street: …a Bunch of Fucking Sleazy Salesmen :/
Now is Info about R8 “RAW Video Output” in https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/buying-guides/canon-r8-vs-r6-mark-ii Corrected: For an even more professional level of editing, only the EOS R6 Mark II can output 6K ProRes RAW to an Atomos Ninja V+.