Last Updated on 09/09/2021 by Chris Gampat
It’s been a few years since Canon announced the Canon EOS R. We admitted it wasn’t all that revolutionary when it launched. But it surely did some minor things to set it apart from the rest of the pack. And if anything, Canon’s lenses stole the show. It’s been a few years, and they’ve had a few cameras. The Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R6 aren’t exactly small. They’re specific cameras designed to be used for work. Many colleagues of mine and I cannot see ourselves always using them for fun or even some jobs. But when I picked up my Canon EOS R recently, I realized how wonderful the size is. And I hope that the Canon EOS R MK II fixes some annoying things.
Bring Back the Classic Canon Back Dial
One of the things missing from the Canon EOS R was the back dial that has been present for various Canon cameras. Come on, Canon! We need all three camera dials, especially this back one. The Canon EOS R MK II shouldn’t forget about this. If you’re a long-time Canon shooter, you’ll crave this. Sony did it too!
Give It a Joystick. Seriously
Canon removed the joystick from the Canon EOS R. That was an awful move. The Canon EOS R MK II should keep it at all costs. Instead of using that back pad to move the joystick around, this would be a million times better and more accurate.
Get Rid of the Magic Touch Bar
I didn’t mind the magic touch bar. I used it when playing back and rating images. But the Canon EOS R MK II should get rid of it. Clearly, folks don’t like it. They need to put the joystick here instead. It would be much more useful. I think if Canon had just given the original EOS R a joystick it would’ve sold better.
All the AI of the Canon EOS R5
The current Canon EOS R does a fantastic job with face detection. But if you want to photograph wildlife, you’re a bit out of luck. The Canon EOS R MK II should have the autofocus algorithms to do just that. For passionate photographers, it’s super important.
Keep the Older Frame Rates
I know Canon likes to differentiate its cameras in some ways. So, the Canon EOS R MK II should be like a little EOS R5 or EOS R6. The shooting frame rate shouldn’t be as fast as those models. The Canon EOS R currently can do 5 fps. I mean, if you can’t photograph a bird with that, then I’m not sure what to tell you.
Keep the Smaller Size and the Weather Sealing
One thing I adore about the Canon EOS R is the weather sealing. They need to keep it with the Canon EOS R MK II. We’ve taken the Canon EOS R in snow, torrential rain, and loads of sand. It always kept working. And best of all, it retains that great feature that brings the shutter down over the sensor.
Let It Overheat! Don’t Give in to Idiotic YouTube Tests
Some of the YouTube tests aren’t practical, so I don’t think Canon should give into them. I have known some folks who shoot a single continuous take for an hour or so at 30p. But 60p? That doesn’t make any sense. The higher resolution video modes also shouldn’t be cropped. One of the biggest problems with the Canon EOS R was the video cropping mode.