Canon EOS R1 to be released in 2024 - new sensor & improved autofocus
Canon now confirms that it will release its flagship camera, the Canon EOS R1 with RF mount, this year. At the same time, some new features that the camera will have are revealed.
There has been talk about the camera for many, many years - but now Canon finally announces that they are developing their flagship camera for the R-system - EOS R1. The camera is currently undergoing field tests to be refined before its release, which is planned for some time during this year, 2024.
Although the specifications are not yet official, Canon states that the EOS R1 is designed for professional photographers, which in this case means that the camera "combines top-class performance with the powerful durability and great reliability demanded of a flagship model," according to Canon's press release.
Annons
The camera will also "dramatically improve performance in both still images and movies (compared to EOS R3)", but exactly what this means is unclear - although we get some explanations about the possibilities of autofocus.
What we do know, however, is that the Canon EOS R1 uses the newly developed DIGIC Accelerator image processor along with an existing DIGIC X processor. This in turn means that the image processing system is new, as is the CMOS sensor, with the ability to process data at high speed.
In its press release, Canon also states that the camera will "deliver unprecedented advancements in autofocus (AF) and other features", which means expectations are huge if the camera is to be faster than, for example, Sony A9 III released last year, with real-time focus without delay, subject recognition, capability of 120 frames per second in raw format, and global shutter.
Annons
A new autofocus mode, "Action Priority", recognizes the subject's movement by analyzing the subject's status. The function will automatically determine which player is performing a certain action such as shooting the ball and makes this player the main subject, moving the AF frame to them directly.
The image processing system and deep learning technology have been combined to achieve high-speed and high-precision subject recognition, and according to Canon, the accuracy of subject tracking has also been improved in team sports where multiple subjects intersect, allowing the target subject to be continuously tracked, even if another player passes directly in front.
The image quality is also expected to improve with the help of the new image processing system and deep learning technology. Canon introduces the function of image noise reduction, which has previously been available as software, and now becomes a camera function to enhance image quality and contribute to user creativity. Exact features are not disclosed.