EOS R1 Info and Rumours

High performance EOS R camera – mirrorless 1D X

At some point Canon were always going to produce a mirrorless camera at ‘1 Series’ level.

The EOS R1 moves on Canon’s 1 series history – May 2024 comes a ‘development announcement’

See also our main EOS R rumours page

EOS R cameras: EOS R – RP – R5 – R6 – R3

Latest EOS R1 news and rumours

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Do we have any guide from past cameras? …

What does the RF mount mean for EF/EF-S & EF-M?
– see Keith’s articles about Canon’s changing lens mounts
and When will Keith switch to EOS R

2024 June

29th The word is [aka CR] that the R1 and R5 mk2 will be announced in the third week of July.

May

15th At last, a development announcement for the R1 – just lots of marketing speak at the moment ;-)

Canon develops EOS R1 as first flagship model for EOS R SYSTEM
New Image Processing System Further Improves AF and Image Quality

MELVILLE, N.Y., – May 15, 2024 — Canon U.S.A., Inc. today announced that its parent company, Canon Inc. announced today that it is currently developing the EOS R1, a full-frame mirrorless camera, as the first flagship model for the EOS R SYSTEM equipped with an RF mount and is aiming for a 2024 release.

The EOS R1 is a mirrorless camera geared toward professionals that brings together Canon’s cutting-edge technology and combines top-class performance with the strong durability and high reliability sought in a flagship model. This camera will dramatically improve* the performance of both still images and video and meet the high requirements of professionals on the frontlines of a wide range of fields including sports, news reporting, and video production.

This camera employs the newly developed image processor DIGIC Accelerator in addition to the pre-existing processor DIGIC X. The new image processing system, composed of these processors and a new CMOS sensor, enables large volumes of data to be processed at high speeds and delivers never-before-seen advancements in Auto Focus (AF) and other functions.

By combining the new image processing system and deep learning technology to an advanced degree, Canon has achieved high-speed and high-accuracy subject recognition. For example, subject tracking accuracy has been improved so that in team sporting events where multiple subjects intersect, the target subject can continually be tracked even if another player passes directly in front of them. In addition, the AF “Action Priority” function recognizes subject movement by rapidly analyzing the subject’s status. In moments during a sports game when it is difficult to predict what will happen next, this function automatically determines the player performing a certain action, such as shooting a ball, as the main subject and instantly shifts the AF frame, thereby helping to capture decisive moments of gameplay.

The combination of the new image processing system and deep learning technology will help to improve image quality. Canon implements the image noise reduction function, which has been previously developed and improved as part of the software for PCs, as a camera function to further improve image quality and contribute to user creativity.

Canon is working on field tests for this camera and will support capturing definitive and impactful moments at international sporting events to be held in the future.

Going forward, Canon will continue to expand the EOS R SYSTEM lineup of fascinating cameras and RF lenses, thereby continuing to meet the demands of a wide range of users and contribute to the development of photography and video culture.

* In comparison to EOS R3 (released in November 2021)
2021 November

1st With the R3 now properly launched (and Nikon’s Z9) the EOS R1 becomes Canon’s next flagship camera and there’s a good chance it will be announced later next year, and maybe even seen (briefly I suspect) in shops for Christmas 2022

Specs are going to be entirely speculative this far out, but see the latest thoughts at [CR]

2020 September

24th That there would be a true ‘pro’ R series (R1?) was IMHO beyond doubt. That it would take a while to get the build/reliability needed was also true. The R5/R6 will give Canon a lot of useful real life use experience that will feed into R1 engineering and production – but when?

A new camera is very likely ‘announced’ next year [CR] – of course, we can only hope that it appears a bit quicker than the 1D X did (announced in October 2011, but not shipping in any quantity until July/August 2012). No info yet, other than it will not use the 1D X iii sensor (which went in the R6)

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I suspect that my own move to ‘Pro’ mirrorless will be the high MP variant of the R5 – also next year?

My recent test and review of the R5 (Review and Video overview) have only increased my liking of the EOS R range

February

13th The EOS R5 announcement [EOS R5 page] shows what we can expect for a pro mirrorless – make it bigger and faster and more solidly built, and we have a 1 series equivalent (although some would say get rid of the mirror and the 1D X mk3 is almost there)

January

29th The current burst of EOS R rumours (R5, R6) suggests that Canon may well have decided to go back to their old numbering scheme, making the 1 series mirrorless an ‘R1’

6th The 1D X mk3 is formally announced, and if you called it a mirrorless camera with a mirror you’d cover a lot of the functionality.

Depending on what appears inside upcoming mirrorless models, the true mirrorless version could appear as soon as early 2021.

2019 September

6th Perhaps nudged by Nikon’s D6 non announcement, there has been a mention of Canon’s flagship ‘1 series’ mirrorless [DCI] as a 2021 product.

“Canon will introduce the highest mirrorless camera model using a 35mm full-size image sensor in 2021. The communication function between the camera body and the interchangeable lens is enhanced more than “EOS R”. The prototype has already been completed, and it is expected to be classified into the same “professional model” as the top model “EOS-1D X Mark II” of the company’s single-lens reflex camera.”

The 1DX mk3 is still expected as a 2020 camera…

July

13th Sensor IS appears in more Canon patents (see main Canon rumour page for more) – they seem to include the basics of a Canon system with three coils (red) and six sets of magnets.

Given Canon statements about in-body IS, this should appear well before a mirrorless camera at the ‘1-series’ level. I still don’t think we’ll see a true mirrorless 1 series equivalent (with the build quality and built-in grip) until 2022, but 5D mkV build and performance could still be a 2020 arrival, along with a high MP model (EOS RS or R5s ?)

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As an aside, and as a former 1 Series user (1Ds/1Ds3), I was interested in using the Panasonic S1R recently for a detailed review. It’s a hefty camera with the feel of a 1 series, albeit without built-in gip. Using it, along with my experiences from my EOS RP review have made me a lot more comfortable about the prospect of using a ‘Pro-Level’ mirrorless camera from Canon.

February

15th Any mirrorless at 1 series level needs to be a solidly built machine. I’ve kept my 1Ds mk3 as a backup camera for more severe environments (foundries, mines) where I might wonder about the build quality of my 5Ds.

Very good 4k video (8k?) and dual cFast cards, big batteries and an integrated grip would seem to be almost certain in the requirements of existing 1D X mk2 users – we should know more when the 1D X mk3 appears (possibly late 2019, more likely early 2020).

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The RP is on its way, so at least we have a bit of an idea how Canon intends naming them (for a few years yet). Of course, Canon could change its mind and we could go back to numbers. However, I think the choice of letters is a distinct aspect of Canon’s branding strategy for mirrorless.

• EOS R – medium
• EOS RP – entry

We now need versions pitched at some other levels.

• 1D X level – EOS RX?
• 5Ds level – EOS RS?
• 5D level – EOS RV?

What to go below RP? There’s no sign other than a push for full frame here.

• Crop sensor – EOS RC? I suspect not (C for ‘Cine’?)

If we look at the current and recently mentioned lenses for RF, there’s a very high level pitch.

• RF15-35mm f/2.8L
• RF24-70mm f/2.8L
• RF24-105mm f/4L
• RF24-240mm f/4-6.3
• RF28-70mm f/2L
• RF35mm f/1.8
• RF50mm f/1.2L
• RF70-200mm f/2.8L
• RF85mm f/1.2L
• RF85mm f/1.2L DS

Even if you call the EOS RP ‘entry level’, then the lenses it will have available are nowhere near the old EF-S18-55 kit level. The EOS RP and adapter is a great bonus for used EF lens sellers ;-)

I feel that crop sensors are going to be kept out of the EOS R brand. The next few EOS R cameras are going to push the camera brand upwards to the level of those ‘L’ lenses. We may well see a new base level XXXD level camera, but the 80D and 7D2 replacements didn’t get any more likely yesterday.

Lenses are a year or two ahead of EOS R body technology at the moment. A Canon presentation slide shows IBIS, in an uncharacteristically detailed bit of ‘coming soon’ info for Canon: