The Transition to Mirrorless (1 Viewer)

[Greg.K]

You'll love the RF 24-105L. I bought it as part of a kit with my EOS R, as my EF version's image stabilization was going wonky. The RF version is a nice upgrade.

I have the v1 EF version, it still works ok except for some zoom creep, but felt like it's time for an upgrade. Plus I wanted a native RF lens.

Camera arrived today! Going to be a bit of a learning curve, but maybe not too bad. Such a fancier autofocus system...

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I have the v1 EF version, it still works ok except for some zoom creep, but felt like it's time for an upgrade. Plus I wanted a native RF lens.

Camera arrived today! Going to be a bit of a learning curve, but maybe not too bad. Such a fancier autofocus system...

After you have a chance to put the camera through its paces, please post your impressions. I really want to upgrade my EOS R to that body. Still trying to decide whether to do that first, or pick up a R7 crop body to pair with the full frame R for awhile, and then pick up the R6 MKII later. I have to sell a few items first, though.

The RF 24-105L has much better build quality than the original EF 24-105L (I had that model, too). It also has less distortion at the wide end, and a little better image quality. There is a zoom lock, so you don't have to worry about zoom creep -- although my RF version doesn't creep even with it unlocked, and I've owned it for over 3 years.

 

[Greg.K]

R7 would be a really nice camera for wildlife & birds. The R6 Mk II has somewhat higher max shooting speed but neither one is a slouch. But 32.5 MP in a crop sensor will outdo the full frame 24 MP R6 II in terms of detail by quite a bit so I think that would complement your R nicely.

 

[Greg.K]

First issue I've found, I have the manual Rokinon (Samyang) 14mm f/2.8 EF lens that I'd stuck an aftermarket programmable "dandelion" type chip on way back when so that I could get EXIF data for it. Works great on my 6D, but The R6 II with the EF-RF adapter is giving me a communication error when I try to use it. The contacts seem to be lined up correctly, but no go.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

First issue I've found, I have the manual Rokinon (Samyang) 14mm f/2.8 EF lens that I'd stuck an aftermarket programmable "dandelion" type chip on way back when so that I could get EXIF data for it. Works great on my 6D, but The R6 II with the EF-RF adapter is giving me a communication error when I try to use it. The contacts seem to be lined up correctly, but no go.

Does it work without the chip?

The only third party lens I currently own is a Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro, and it works fine with the EF-RF adapter. I am strongly considering putting my Canon EF 100-400L II lens up for sale, and once it's gone the Sigma would be my only remaining EF mount lens.

 

[Greg.K]

Does it work without the chip?

The only third party lens I currently own is a Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro, and it works fine with the EF-RF adapter. I am strongly considering putting my Canon EF 100-400L II lens up for sale, and once it's gone the Sigma would be my only remaining EF mount lens.

Yeah, as a strictly manual lens it works, of course. I love the lens, so I guess it will go chipless for now. Rokinon (sold) an RF version with autofocus but it's apparently one of the victims of Canon's "no third party autofocus RF lenses" policy, so I'll wait until that changes before upgrading.

I have a Canon EF 100-400L II too. Keeping it for now but I can see going to all RF in the future.

 

[Greg.K]

I have a Canon EF 100-400L II too. Keeping it for now but I can see going to all RF in the future.

I get to play with this Frankensteinian setup now... Got the EF 2x III extender cheap used. A bit heavier than the f/11 800mm prime lens... but still f/11 800mm. Couldn't use this on my 6D since it won't autofocus with anything slower than f/5.6.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I get to play with this Frankensteinian setup now... Got the EF 2x III extender cheap used. A bit heavier than the f/11 800mm prime lens... but still f/11 800mm. Couldn't use this on my 6D since it won't autofocus with anything slower than f/5.6. View attachment 178451

Couldn't your 6D auto focus at f/8? I have the EF 1.4x TC III, and still had AF with limited AF points using the 100-400L II on both my old 5D3 and 7D2.

 

[Greg.K]

Couldn't your 6D auto focus at f/8?

Only in live view on the 6D.

 

[JohnRice]

Does it work without the chip?

The only third party lens I currently own is a Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro, and it works fine with the EF-RF adapter. I am strongly considering putting my Canon EF 100-400L II lens up for sale, and once it's gone the Sigma would be my only remaining EF mount lens.

On Nikon Z, it seems the Sigma lenses that have built-in OS work, as well as all ART lenses, which don't have OS since image quality is supposed to be the #1 priority. Earlier ones work in manual focus. On earlier ones, the lens has no way to turn of AF, but if you turn it off in the camera, it activates focus peaking. If you leave AF on, it will try to AF, but can't and eventually returns an error.

 

[Greg.K]

I've also picked up an RF 50mm f/1.8 used.

I never owned any of the EF nifty-fifty versions. I do have an EF 40mm f/2.8 STM pancake lens, which is very nice, but it's kind of silly with the RF-EF adapter, since the lens is practically the same size as the adapter and the combo is bigger than the RF 50mm.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I've also picked up an RF 50mm f/1.8 used.

I never owned any of the EF nifty-fifty versions. I do have an EF 40mm f/2.8 STM pancake lens, which is very nice, but it's kind of silly with the RF-EF adapter, since the lens is practically the same size as the adapter and the combo is bigger than the RF 50mm.

View attachment 178600

A 50mm prime is my "go to" lens for indoor family events on a full frame body. So, over the years I have owned the EF 50mm f/1.8, EF 50mm f/1.4 and EF 50mm f/1.2L, in that order. I also owned the 40mm f/2.8 pancake in your photo. Didn't like either the EF 1.8 or 1.4, but really liked the 50L (although f/1.2 was overkill for my use). I sold the 50L after picking up the RF 50mm f/1.8, and haven't missed it.

Yeah, that 40mm pancake with the adapter is rather silly. It's bigger than the RF 50mm, and slower. Doesn't make much sense on a R body. I hadn't used mine much since getting a EOS M50 to go with a EF-M 22mm f/2 pancake. I think I used it more as a body cap when I needed to pack a body in the camera bag without a regular lens mounted.

 

[JohnRice]

The Nikon Z bodies are on sale again. The Z5 is an excellent all-purpose choice full frame for $1K.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Just took the next step in my mirrorless transition. I ordered a Canon R10 APS-C mirrorless body, along with a RF-S 18-150mm IS lens. The bundle was $100 off at B&H, so I put off upgrading my EOS R full frame body to the R6 Mk2 for now.

The R10 will do double duty for me. It will replace the Canon 7D2 crop sensor dSLR that I used to use for wildlife before I sold it, and will also replace the Canon M50 compact mirrorless body I use as a light weight travel kit. The R10 is a little bigger than the M50, and slightly bigger than the newly introduced R50. However, it has more of the controls I am used to with my larger bodies, and is still small enough to replace the M50.

Next step is to sell off my Canon M50 kit, along with four EF-M lenses. Also, once I sell my Canon EF 100-400mmL II, I plan on ordering the R6 Mk2 body and then selling my EOS R.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

My new Canon EOS R10 camera arrived late yesterday. I spent this morning getting it initially configured. The body is just slightly bigger than the compact M50 that I just sold, and a lot smaller than the Canon 7D2 dSLR that I used to use for wildlife until I sold it a couple of years ago. Yet the R10 has a more advanced auto focus system than either of those cameras. The R10 + RF 100-400mm is so much more compact and lighter than my old 7D2 + EF 100-400L II combo. The eye focus actually tracked my wife's eyes even while wearing sunglasses.

The weather is pretty crappy, bu the rain moved out long enough for me to take a few test shots in the back yard with my RF 100-400mm and RF 800mm lenses. I still need to tweak the auto focus settings some, and figure out which drive mode works best for different situations. I have not tried the electronic shutter yet, nor the video mode (I don't shoot much video).

100-400:

800mm:

 

[JohnRice]

My new Canon EOS R10 camera arrived late yesterday. I spent this morning getting it initially configured. The body is just slightly bigger than the compact M50 that I just sold, and a lot smaller than the Canon 7D2 dSLR that I used to use for wildlife until I sold it a couple of years ago. Yet the R10 has a more advanced auto focus system than either of those cameras. The R10 + RF 100-400mm is so much more compact and lighter than my old 7D2 + EF 100-400L II combo.

Scott, I'm curious how often you use the crop camera. I've wondered about the Nikon Z50, which along with the "Pancake" 16-50mm lens makes a rather compact, walk around camera. However, in the end, I'm not certain I'd ever really use it much.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Scott, I'm curious how often you use the crop camera. I've wondered about the Nikon Z50, which along with the "Pancake" 16-50mm lens makes a rather compact, walk around camera. However, in the end, I'm not certain I'd ever really use it much.

John, previously I actually owned two crop bodies for different purposes -- the 7D2 dSLR for wildlife only, and the M50 mirrorless as a compact, light weight travel kit. Having two bodies when we were traveling in areas where I was shooting both wildlife and landscapes was so much easier with a telephoto mounted to the crop body and 24-105L mounted on the full frame body -- it greatly reduced the need to swap lenses. Also, there were times we would be hiking through areas and I would bring the compact M50 with its 11-22mm ultra wide lens and full frame with the 24-105L. Once again, no lens swapping. The M50 (and R10) with those small lenses are easily carried on my Spider Black Widow Holster.

Since our traveling was hampered some by the pandemic, I wasn't using the 7D2 as much, and decided to sell it while it still held some value, with the idea I would replace it with a mirrorless equivalent down the road. The M50 still got use when I wanted to carry something light & compact -- trips to Mackinac Island, riding our bicycles to events in our local town, etc.

The R10 will actually replace the functions of both those bodies for me. I bought it with the RF-S 18-150mm lens, which is pretty much identical to the EF-M version I sold with the M50. I still will need to add an ultra wide lens to replace the 11-22mm from the M50, but Canon doesn't make a RF-S version yet. I also had a 22mm f/2 pancake lens for the M50. I am hoping my RF 16mm f/2.8 lens will be able to serve that function. I also have a RF 35mm f/1.8, but it's a bit bigger and heavier -- plus it may not be wide enough for how I used the 22mm pancake.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Still crappy weather here in Michigan, but this dove showed up at my wife's bird feeder at the back of the property today, so I played with the new R10 and 800mm f/11 lens a little. This was handheld, with a little noise reduction applied in post processing due to it being shot at ISO 6400 (but no cropping). The animal eye auto focus of the R10 seems to work very well with perched birds.

 

[JohnRice]

Still crappy weather here in Michigan, but this dove showed up at my wife's bird feeder at the back of the property today, so I played with the new R10 and 800mm f/11 lens a little. This was handheld, with a little noise reduction applied in post processing due to it being shot at ISO 6400 (but no cropping). The animal eye auto focus of the R10 seems to work very well with perched birds.

I'm guessing that lens doesn't have OS, but uses the camera's IBIS. It's worth it to keep the price down. I recently got a Tamron Z mount 70-300 while it's on sale, which is the same. It doesn't have any of those bells and whistles, but the size and price are good, and it's optically excellent for the price.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I'm guessing that lens doesn't have OS, but uses the camera's IBIS. It's worth it to keep the price down. I recently got a Tamron Z mount 70-300 while it's on sale, which is the same. It doesn't have any of those bells and whistles, but the size and price are good, and it's optically excellent for the price.

The RF 800mm f/11 lens does in fact have optical image stabilization. The R10 body, though, doesn't have in-body IS -- it's one of the features missing from the smaller body that are on the larger, more expensive R7. For this camera, that wasn't a big deal to me. I've never had a camera with IBIS, and just about all my lenses have OIS -- just my RF 16mm f/2.8 and RF 50mm f/1.8 are lacking that feature. When I upgrade my EOS R full frame to the R6 MKII, that will be my first camera body with IBIS.