With reports swirling that Canon already has prototypes of their new EOS R1 camera out with testers and influencers in the wild, we feel safe reporting that the Canon R1 is definitely going to be released soon.
The question now is how soon will it be available for us to buy?
What is this mysterious new camera from Canon, and why are insiders confirming that Canon is already insisting on calling the EOS R1 their new flagship camera (as opposed to the Canon R3, the R5, or even the also-rumored upcoming R5 II)?
Let’s take a look at everything we currently know about the new flagship Canon EOS R1 and explore why—once officially announced—it might be Canon’s most ambitious camera yet.
Canon EOS R1 Rumors
If you follow the camera rumor channels, the Canon EOS R1 is pretty much old news at this point. Rumors about its development have been floating around for at least a few years now. While a few of these rumors peter out, with the camera arms race in full fight, most of the major camera manufacturers are pouring tons of money into R&D and pushing out new cameras as soon as they can develop them.
(This sometimes leads to issues, but those are rare and usually quickly fixable.)
However, with what sounds like a longer runway, and a focus on it being the new “flagship” camera for Canon’s mirrorless EOS R lineup, we can expect the R3 to be ready to hit the market at full speed.
The biggest questions now have to do with what specs and features we can expect to see, and how the R1 might eventually stack up against its top-of-the-line competition like the Nikon Z9, the Sony Alpha 1, and even Canon’s own R5.
Canon R1 Specs and Features
Sadly, despite leaks apparently existing about the new Canon camera’s existence, there has been little revealed so far as to the actual specs of this anticipated EOS R1.
We have seen reports of Canon improving its iris tracking AF point selection as well as the overall improvements to AF in general for both photo and video.
It would also be safe to assume that the sensor should be somewhere in the 50+ megapixel range (and possibly up to 100 megapixels) and easily double the resolution of the current EOS R3’s 24-megapixel sensor.
Other than that we’re going off our best guesses as to whether or not the R3 will sport the same 8K video capabilities as the R5. You’d think for it to be a true flagship it would need to at least match the R5’s specs, but if the recording rates are advanced enough it might still be worth it with 6K.
Will the Canon R1 surpass the R3 as the new flagship?
Credit: Canon
Canon R1 Release Date and Price
The final—and perhaps biggest—question for the EOS R1 now simply comes down to when we expect to hear an official announcement and get those first shipments out the door.
According to the same reports from above, the most likely announcement date would be sometime in the first quarter of 2024.
It’s likely that prototypes of the EOS R1 have been out in the wild for some time now and were even used by photographers during the Tokyo Olympics two years ago.
However, we’ll be sure to keep tabs on these rumors and report when Canon either lets a date slip or makes their official announcement here soon.
Source: Canon Rumors
