Canon EOS R8 Mark II + RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM Kit

Canon EOS R8 Mark II + RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM Kit

The Canon EOS R8 Mark II is a small full-frame camera, like the first version, but with big image quality and speed. This is suitable as a second camera for professionals and as a main body for enthusiasts, meaning the EOS R8 Mark II offers full-frame performance in a travel-friendly size.

Canon usually makes subtle changes to the design when updating existing camera models, but this time the design has been boldly revamped. In addition to just visuals, the change also allows for a firmer grip on the camera and some honest usability improvements. All the most important functions can be adjusted with one hand.

The same boldness continues in the technical updates. The camera has built-in image stabilization, up to 40FPS burst shooting with pre-recording, and weather protection. So it includes the features of its big brother models EOS R6 Mark II and III, as well as completely new additions, such as film shooting simulations, seen for the first time in a Canon camera. With these, the color tones are ready to share straight away.

• 24 megapixels, ISO 102400
• 40 fps silent continuous shooting, 12 fps with mechanical shutter. Autofocus works in both.
• Pre-continuous shoot, i.e. continuous shooting with pre-recording of 20 images before pressing the shutter
• Fast and advanced Dual Pixel AF II autofocus
• Body Stabilizer: Up to 7.5 f-stop stabilization
• Identifying animals, vehicles, people and, for example, flying birds, and the following focus
• 4K 60P video internally, so it's also a very capable video device
• Customizable negative and slide film simulations, five Nightscape image modes for night photography
• UVC webcam 4K 60P streaming directly via USB cable
• Weatherproof construction

Speed ??and precision for photography

The Canon EOS R8 was a powerful camera, but now it's more than just speed. The biggest change is the update to the Pre-continuous shooting function, just like in the Canon EOS R6 Mark III.

Pre-Continuous shooting means recording 20 images before the picture is taken. When you press the shutter button, a series of images are recorded in advance for 0.5 seconds, meaning that 20 RAW or JPEG/HEIF images are already recorded at the moment the picture is taken! This feature makes it possible to record very fast events, so that the exact moment a bird catches a fish or the perfect moment of a sports performance is captured on the camera.

This feature was already present in the EOS R8, but now the image files are easily accessible immediately. Previously, the images were created as a single file, which had to be scrolled through with the camera in a somewhat video-like manner and saved one by one, or the saving could only be done using Canon's own software. The camera also completely locked up during processing, but now the camera is ready to use much faster and ready for the next series of images.

In addition, it features super-fast and silent 40FPS continuous shooting.

• Continuous shooting with mechanical shutter at 6 fps for 1000 JPG images or over 1000 RAW images
• Continuous shooting with electronic shutter at 40 fps for 73 RAW images or 190 JPG images
• Pre-Continuous shooting, i.e. pre-recording of 20 images in 0.5 seconds

The camera features Canon's familiar and highly advanced Dual Pixel AF II focusing system. It features Deep Learning technology, i.e. the latest algorithms trained effectively with example images. The Canon EOS R8 Mark II recognizes people, dogs, cats and birds, horses and vehicles such as cars, motorcycles and airplanes. Object recognition is used to help focus and track.

Focus and tracking are based on the entire figure, head, face and eyes, depending on how the subject is positioned in the frame. Focus also recognizes faces that are off to the side.

The Canon EOS R8 Mark II can store up to 100 people in its memory, and you can select up to 10 people at a time with the Register People Priority function. This will automatically focus on the most important people, for example during parties and events! You can take reference photos from your computer screen, for example.

Video recording

• 4K UHD 60P video recording without cropping, oversampling from 6K footage
• No 30 minute time limits
• Focus Breathing compensation in the camera
• FullHD 180P slow-motion videos across the entire sensor area
• False Color feature and Waveform display for easy exposure adjustment
• Microphone and headphone jacks
• Canon Log 3 and 10-bit recording
• UVC streaming 4K 60P via USB cable without separate devices
• All the finer points of autofocus also work in video recording

Canon markets this camera heavily in terms of photography, i.e. how it is suitable for, for example, enthusiasts, educational institutions and also for more demanding still photography such as wedding photography. This price range is very competitive, and if you want to succeed here, the device must also be suitable for video. The Canon EOS R8 Mark II is a very capable video device, and it actually includes all of the manufacturer's latest video specs.

Great video material can be achieved with the help of stabilizer, fast focus and suitable codecs in automatic mode. As your skills or needs grow, the device will then have very advanced features such as False Color exposure assistant and CLog 3 wide tonal range recording.

In addition, there are very special features such as a programmatic Portrait Defocus, i.e. a background softening function similar to the portrait setting on smartphones. Defocus Transition, on the other hand, allows you to use a programmable button to bring the image into focus completely soft, which can be used as a stylish transition to another clip in a video.

These examples underline the idea of ??the camera. The Canon EOS R8 Mark II is easy to use, but if necessary, the technology is sufficient for even the most demanding user.

Video recording can be done without time limits for up to six hours, depending on the shooting mode, meaning you can shoot until the battery is fully charged and longer times can be handled with additional power, for example via the USB-C connection.

How does the EOS R8 Mark II fit into Canon's lineup?

The camera's placement in Canon's extensive lineup has been made exceptionally interesting, as it borrows technology from several different price ranges. Compared directly to the original EOS R8 model, the new model fixes the shortcomings that many photographers missed in one fell swoop. The inclusion of in-body stabilization, a better grip enabled by the new design, and a joystick that makes it easier to move the focus points make the Mark II version a clearly more professional tool.

In terms of features, the camera breathes heavily on the neck of its more expensive big brothers. Image quality, autofocus and internal stabilization are largely equivalent to the EOS R6 Mark II body, while the significantly more advanced pre-recording has been brought directly from the new EOS R6 Mark III model, as well as the speciality of event photographers, face registration. The R8 Mark II offers much of the flagship technology of the R6 series in a lighter and more affordable package. As a compromise for the smaller size, you have to compromise on two memory card slots and the larger battery of the R6 series, as well as a lower resolution viewfinder and a lower number of megapixels compared to the EOS R6 III model.

For those considering the crop sensor EOS R7 and EOS R10 models, the R8 Mark II offers a completely different approach. The camera is close in size and price to the EOS R7, but instead of the telephoto reach of an APS-C sensor, you get the benefits of a full sensor. The balance is tilted in favor of the R8 Mark II, especially when you want the shallower depth of field, wider angle of view, and cleaner image quality that a full sensor allows for in your images when shooting in low light.

Usability and creative options

• A completely new design language
• Movie Switch selection between video and still mode
• Joystick and two dials
• Apple MFI support
• Multi-Function Smart Shoe
• One UHS-II SDXC memory card slot
• Charging via USB-C cable
• Canon Picture Styles and Filmtone Simulations
• Dual Pixel 3D technology

Canon has been rumored to be releasing a retro model for a long time, but this is not it. However, the design is completely different and new. There are some familiar elements from old cameras, but the body is completely modern and emphasizes usability.

Many people may disagree about the appearance, but many will probably agree about the usability. The camera shop has tried the camera and it feels really good. Despite its small size, the body fits many types of hands, and for those who want a larger camera, a handy battery grip has been released as an accessory. The grip is suitably deep and the thumb area is suitably roughened.

There is no thumbwheel, but there are adjustment wheels on the front and back and a joystick for the thumb, which the first EOS R8 body did not have. It can be used with one hand without any extra finger exercises. The menu button is the only important control for the left hand, but the menus are often navigated by holding the camera in both hands.

For the first time, a Canon camera has film simulations, somewhat like other manufacturers. For example, there are color modes corresponding to slide film and negative film, and these have extensive adjustment options, which also work in JPG images and video recording. In addition, there are no fewer than five different Nightscape color settings for capturing night landscapes.

Canon's Dual Pixel Raw technology is also being used for the first time to store two pixel data as depth information in JPG images. This technology allows images taken with the camera to be converted into 3D-effect material using the free Dual Pixel 3D Converter software.

The weather-resistant construction makes the frame excellent for travel and nature.

Specifications:

• Compatibility: Canon RF lenses
• Sensor: 24.2 megapixels
• Sensitivity: 100-102400, extended 50-204801
• Processor and autofocus: Digic X processor and updated Deep Learning AF
• Color filters: 16 customizable color filters
• Focus: 4897 focus pixels. Dual Pixel CMOS AF II detects and tracks dogs, cats, birds and horses. Vehicle Detection supports cars, motorcycles, trains and planes. Face and eye AF also works in video.
• Image Stabilizer: Internal 5-axis image stabilizer, maximum power 7.5 f-stops
• Electronic viewfinder: OLED, resolution 2.36 million dots, refresh rate 120FPS
• Display: 3-inch vari-angle touchscreen, 1.62 million-dot resolution
• Weather protection: Weather-protected construction
• Shutter: Mechanical shutter, electronic 1st curtain and mechanical 2nd curtain
• Continuous shooting with mechanical shutter: 12 frames per second. The cache can hold over 1000 JPG images, 110 RAW images or 1000 CRAW images.
• Video recording: 4K 60P 10-bit and FullHD 180P slow-motion videos. False Color and Waveform display, XF-HEVC S and XF-AVC S codecs, CLog 3 wide gamut recording.
• Continuous shooting with electronic shutter: Silent 40 fps. Continuous shooting with fully mechanical shutter 6 fps.
• Pre-recording: Pre-Continuous Shoot pre-recording 20 frames for 0.5 seconds
• Flash sync: 1/200, with compatible Speedlites 1/250
• Connections: Wifi 5GHz and Bluetooth 5.3
• Connections: 3.5mm microphone and headphone jack, HDMI Micro, E3 connector for remote shutter release, new Multi-Function hot shoe
• USB connection: USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 for data transfer, phone use, 4K 60P UVC streaming and charging
• Memory card slot: 1x UHS-II SDXC
• Battery type: Canon LP-E17. Number of images via the monitor approximately 340 and via the viewfinder 220 on a single charge.
• Size: 131.4 x 90 x 79.7mm
• Weight: 499g, with battery and memory card 546g

The sales package includes:

• EOS R8 Mark II body
• Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM lens
• Hot shoe cover ER-SC2
• Frame plug RFS
• Neck strap ER-100G
• Battery LP-E17

Note: Charger not included.