Gear of the Month | July 2024

The Canon R1 represents the pinnacle of Canon’s  EOS-1 series. Designed for professional sports, news and action photographers, the now-flagship camera features a 24.2MP back-illuminated, stacked sensor that delivers exceptional low-light performance and virtually eliminates the rolling shutter. Canon’s deep-learning technology powers in-camera upscaling, enabling image enlargement up to 96MP without degrading the final image. Canon’s industry-leading Dual Pixel Intelligent AF, with its new Action Priority mode, automatically determines subjects in various sports and is sensitive to both horizontal and vertical lines meaning you’ll see new levels of precision and accuracy. 

The R1 offers impressive 40fps shooting with AF and AE, including pre-continuous shooting to capture moments before the shutter is pressed, even in RAW. It excels in low-light conditions, focusing accurately in environments as dark as -7.5 EV. Hybrid creatives will appreciate the camera’s video capabilities, capturing 6K RAW up to 60p, 4K up to 120p, and 2K up to 240p. The R1 can also simultaneously shoot stills and Full HD video capture!? This is a camera for the pros. 

This is next-level stuff right here. At the heart of the R5 II is a groundbreaking "accelerated capture" architecture, featuring a dual processor combo of the DIGIC Accelerator and DIGIC X processors, unlike its predecessor which only had the DIGIC X. This combination, enhanced by deep-learning AI algorithms, enables new capabilities such as in-camera upscaling and denoising, boosting the 45MP resolution up to 180MP. The camera also boasts a new stacked, back-illuminated sensor design, a superior IBIS system with up to 8.5 stops of compensation, increased dynamic range, a high-resolution viewfinder, and an impressive maximum shutter speed of 1/64,000sec, outperforming most cameras except the Sony A9 III.

Canon takes its already renowned autofocus system with Dual Pixel Accelerated AF to the next level on the R5 II with 5,850 AF points that cover nearly the entire frame and function effectively in low light. And then there is the main show; AI-powered "Action Priority" mode. This technology is able to literally predict subject movements. You can even preprogram in e.g. specific players on the pitch and the camera will look for them and ignore others. There’s also Eye Control AF, a standout feature from the EOS R3, which tracks eye movements to adjust focus points, enhancing your precision. On the video front, the EOS R5 II supports 8K 60p RAW recording and 4K up to 120p, with various professional recording formats and advanced audio options. In addition to this, another innovation is its simultaneous photo and video recording capability, which, despite some limitations, offers a significant workflow enhancement for professional photographers and videographers.

This was a small look into what this camera offers and if you want more, take a look at our full write-up of the new specs and features here.

The Sony ZV-E10 II is designed specifically for vloggers and content creators, offering 4K 60P video recording, real-time eye AF, enhanced stabilisation with breathing compensation, and an internal directional microphone for superior audio quality. It’s compact and user-friendly ensuring seamless connectivity for live streaming and sharing, making high-quality content creation effortless. Its 26MP APS-C Exmor R CMOS sensor paired with Sony’s BionZ XR processor, delivers excellent low-light performance with reduced noise, ideal for clear, detailed shots in challenging lighting conditions.

Video-wise, it offers 4K video at 60fps, oversampled from 6K, with 10-bit 4:2:2 colour sampling and S-Log 3 for greater post-production flexibility. Complementing this is a 3” Vari-angle Touch Screen, Active Mode stabilisation and upgraded Real-time Eye AF system that tracks humans, animals, and birds. And of course, you have access to a range of over 70 compatible Sony lenses for complete versatility in your content. 

Originally only available in Fujifilm X, L-mount and Sony E, the highly regarded Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 DC DN Lens is not available in Canon RF mount. What makes this lens such a great lens and why does the photography community like it so much? Well, to begin with, it’s a crop sensor lens and the 18-50mm range offers a 27-75mm іn 35mm fоrmаt; a highly flexible range that caters to most subjects. Adding to this is its fast, constant f2.8 aperture that naturally allows for more versatility in difficult lighting situations but also helps create a pleasing shallow depth of field. Its optical elements are all optimised, providing low distortion, controlled chromatic aberration and flare control. And finally, its near-silent AF and Serve AF support add it is versatility. It has all the hallmarks of a high-end, pro-standard zoom but at a very affordable price. What’s not to like? Will there be a Nikon Z mount option in the future? That’d be nice. 

Finally, we have the Atomos Shinobi II. The previous versions of this field monitor are widely used across the industry and are an essential piece of kit for filmmakers, so naturally, it’s exciting to see what this new model offers. So, what is new about this monitor? The main takeaways for the Atomos Shinobi II are that it is physically smaller (although not lighter), the screen is brighter and you can have full camera control on the monitor via USB-C. That means you can change your setting, ISO, shutter speed etc. without having to delve into the menu on your camera — this is a big positive. The monitor also shows your camera's status such as battery, runtime, recording res/format and focus mode. However, there is one downside. Unfortunately, they have dropped the HDMI out on this model and this may well be a dealbreaker for some.