New Canon EOS R3 Camera Plus RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM & RF16mm F2.8 STM Lenses: Hands-On Review

Canon has just announced two new lenses and the long-awaited Canon EOS R3. All three new products join Canon’s renowned EOS R mirrorless lineup. The addition of the new RF 16mm F2.8 USM wide angle lens and the RF 100-400mm F5.6 – F8.0 USM telephoto lens gives photographers expanded imaging possibilities.

Finally here: The Canon EOS R3 mirrorless camera

Now what many have been waiting for — the Canon EOS R3. This camera takes speed to the next level. While I’m normally a medium format photographer, a 35mm option is a welcome addition. And the R3 is simply exceptional. I was first surprised by how lightweight this camera is.

This 24.1-megapixel beast is designed for photographers who need to keep a camera to their eye, waiting for action during games or performances. Its weight (body-only is 29 ounces or 1.81 pounds) makes it less fatiguing, but it still balances exceptionally well even with heavy glass. This, in part, is due to its size.

Its height is between a camera with no battery grip, and one with a grip. I have large hands that felt perfectly at home holding the R3. The overall feel of the camera was solid. The integrated grip had a great texture to make holding the camera even more effortless. It’s fully weather resistant, equal to Canon’s top-of-the-line EOS 1D X Mark III camera, and the same Canon LP-E19 battery delivers the power. It also features dual card slots — one CF express, and one SD card slot.

High speed for powerful performance

What makes this camera special is its speed. I was shooting a dancer in full motion, moving across, backward, forward, facing me, with her back turned — the camera kept focus at a blazing 30fps. I shoot dance one frame at a time and in controlled settings. But if I had to shoot a dance show or performance where things only happen once, this camera would easily fit into my workflow.

Besides the impressive 30fps with continuous autofocus, many things impressed me about this camera. The EOS R3 has Canon’s back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor, which produced a breakneck read-out speed producing no evidence of “rolling shutter” as my model was dancing and jumping throughout the shoot.

Electronic (silent) shutter & autofocus

Speedlite shooting of 30fps will also be possible with the R3’s electronic shutter active and 12fps using its mechanical shutter. The autofocus was fast. It offers enhanced performance over the EOS R5 and R6 with even better face, eye, head, body, and animal detection. It will also add vehicle subject recognition and tracking for cars and motorcycles, especially in a motorsports environment. Again, these are times when you only get a single opportunity and need to produce a high volume of images.

The autofocus is also able to work in light as low as EV -7.5. The IBIS can deliver up to eight stops of image stabilization when paired with RF lenses featuring Optical Image Stabilization. The low-light focusing performance and image stabilization make this camera ideal for never missing a moment in low-light events. The EVF also had the ability to be put into a mode in which even in very contrasting lighting situations, you could see detail in the shadows, unlike any of Canon EVF to date. It was very remarkable. I was shooting a model in very dramatic lighting coming from a skylight and the EVF still rendered detail in the shadows.

Impressive video capabilities

The R3 isn’t just a stills camera. It also does full-frame 6K 60P RAW or 4K 120p 10-bit (uncropped) with Canon Log 3. The camera itself also boasts a new 5.76-million-dot and 120fps blackout-free electronic viewfinder and a vari-angle touchscreen that is the highest of any Canon camera to date. Its IBIS also makes it excellent for shooting handheld if you need to pick up video clips at an event on the fly.

The camera also features a brand new multi-function hot shoe, eliminating the need for additional cables and power sources for attachments. The Canon EOS R3 is a game-changer for professional Canon photographers shooting live-action in which you simply can’t afford to miss a shot, and you need to produce a high volume of images in a short burst.

See below for images taken using the Canon EOS R3:

Canon EOS R3 vs Canon EOS 1D X Mark III vs Canon EOS R5: How does it compare?

Canon notes that the EOS R3 combines some of the top features of the fast EOS 1D X Mark III and the high-res EOS R5. Let’s take a look to see how the newest offering from Canon stacks up:

Camera	NEW Canon EOS R3 Mirrorless	Canon EOS 1D X Mark III DSLR	Canon EOS R5 Mirrorless
Megapixel	24.1 MP	20.1 MP	45.0 MP
Image Sensor	Full-frame back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor (36mm x 24mm)	High-sensitivity, high-resolution, large single-plate full-frame CMOS sensor (36mm x 24mm)	Full-frame CMOS sensor (36mm x 24mm)
Lens Mount	Canon RF	Canon EF	Canon RF
ISO Sensitivity	ISO 100-102400; Expandable 50-204800	ISO 100-102400; Expandable 50-819200	ISO 100-51200; Expandable 50-102400
Shutter Speed	Mechanical shutter: 1/8000 to 30 sec. Electronic shutter: 1/64000 to 30 sec.	Mechanical shutter:  1/8000 to 30 sec. Electronic shutter: 1/8000 to 0.5 sec	Mechanical shutter: 1/8000 to 30 sec. Electronic shutter: 1/8000 to 0.5 sec.
Autofocus points/zones	1,053 AF zones	191 (155 cross-type AF points)	1,053 AF zones
Exposure compensation	±3 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments	±5 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments	±3 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments
Continuous Shooting	12 fps Mechanical Shutter 30 fps Electronic (Silent) Shutter	16 fps Mechanical Shutter (with Optical Viewfinder) 20 fps Mechanical or Electronic Shutter (Live View)	12 fps Mechanical Shutter 20 fps Electronic (Silent) Shutter
Video	6K 60P RAW, 4K 120p 10-bit with Canon Log	5.5K 60p RAW, 4K 60p 10-bit, 4:2:2 with Canon Log	8K 30p 12-bit RAW, 4K 120p 10-bit 4:2:2 with Canon Log
Viewfinder Type	OLED color electronic viewfinder; approx. 5.76 million dots resolution	Eye-level SLR type, with pentaprism	OLED color electronic viewfinder; approx. 5.76 million dots resolution
Monitor Type	3.2-inch TFT color, liquid-crystal monitor	3.2-inch TFT color, liquid-crystal monitor	3.2-inch TFT color, liquid-crystal monitor
Battery	LP-E19	LP-E19	LP-E6NH/LP-E6N/LP-E6
Dimensions (WxHxD)	Approx. 5.91 x 5.61 x 3.43 in.	Approx. 6.22 x 6.60 x 3.25 in.	Approx. 5.45 x 3.84 x 3.46 in.
Weight	1.81 lbs. / 822g (body only)	2.75 lbs. / 1250g (body only)	1.43 lbs. / 650g (body only)
Storage Media	Slot 1: CFexpress Type B Slot 2: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II)	Dual Slot: CFexpress Type B	Slot 1: CFexpress Type B Slot 2: SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II)
Price (Body Only)	$5,999.00
	Learn More	Hands-On Review	Hands-On Review

Canon RF16mm F2.8 STM Lens

What initially surprised me about the Canon RF 16mm F2.8 USM lens ($299.00) was its size. It is the extremely wide-angle lens you can keep in your bag never knowing when you need it. It’s also Canon’s very first ultra wide-angle fixed focal length RF lens. It’s a 16mm lens and, at 2.7 inches in diameter and 1.6 inches tall, it’s approximately the size of the well-known nifty fifty (EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens) we have known for years.

I used this lens for environmental portraits on this hands-on shoot. It is rectilinear with little distortion and a great lens for landscapes, real estate walk-through videos, and interior photography. This lens’ lightweight, bright aperture and straight lines make it a great addition to any photographer’s kit.

Key features:

• Bright f/2.8 maximum aperture
• Lightweight: 0.36 lbs or 5.8 oz
• Compact: 2.7 inches (W) x 1.6 inches (H) x 2.7 inches (D)
• 5.11 inches minimum focusing distance
• Maximum magnification of 0.26x

See below for images taken using the Canon EOS R3 and the RF16mm F2.8 STM lens:

Canon RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM Lens

Finally, we have the Canon RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM lens ($649.00). Like the 16mm lens, I was surprised by the compact size of this lens, which is very impressive for this zoom range. I’ve never owned a lens longer than 200mm. On the rare occasions I’ve needed one, it’s been a rental. But a lens of this size, ability, and value could become a permanent member of my kit.

This lens is significantly smaller than a 70-200mm F4 and feather-light. It also focuses down to the size of a credit card. This was very surprising. I shot very tight dramatic beauty images with this lens while standing more than 10 feet away from our model.

A lens like this serves many functions. It’s an excellent lens for photo sports enthusiasts, enabling them to capture images from sideline to sideline easily. It would also be well served for nature enthusiasts, whether birding or on a safari. I could even see its use for headshots, in which apertures of F5.6 to F8.0 and above are typical to get the entire face in focus.

Key features:

• Versatile 100-400mm zoom range
• 5.5 stops of shake correction
• Up to 6 stops of shake correction when paired with EOS R camera with IBIS
• 9-blade circular aperture
• 2.89 feet minimum focusing distance
• Maximum magnification of 0.41x

See below for images taken using the Canon EOS R3 and the RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM lens:

The Canon EOS R3 camera and lenses are available for pre-order at Adorama today.