Canon Flagship Camera R1 Uses AI to Upscale Images to 96MP!
Image Source: Canon
Canon has officially unveiled the EOS R1, its flagship camera designed specifically for professional sports and photojournalism. Historically, Canon has used the number '1' to denote its top-tier models, a tradition that began with the EOS 1, a 35mm film SLR launched in 1989, followed by the EOS 1D, a breakthrough DSLR with a 1.3x crop factor in 2001, and the EOS 1DX full-frame DSLR in 2011. Now, in 2024, the tradition continues in the mirrorless era with the EOS R1. With its advanced features and robust build, the EOS R1 promises to deliver unparalleled performance for professionals.
Canon’s Philosophy in Terminology
The term EOS stands for Electro-Optical System and is also the name of the goddess of dawn in Greek mythology, an apt metaphor for the new generation of SLR cameras introduced in 1987 with the first EOS camera, the EOS 650. The development of the EOS system represents Canon's pursuit of enhancing autofocus mechanisms during the transition from the manual focus era. The 'D' in 1D stands for digital, while the 'X' in 1DX has three meanings: it represents the 'crossover' merging of the 1D and 1Ds lines, the Roman numeral 10 symbolizing the 10th generation of Canon pro cameras starting with the F1 of the 70s, and 'eXtreme'. The 'R' in R1 references Canon's 'Reimagine optical excellence' development concept.
Unmatched Sensor Performance
The heart of the EOS R1 is its new 24.2MP full-frame back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor, which provides nearly double the readout speed of the EOS R3. This sensor delivers faster readout speeds to minimize rolling shutter distortion, performing on par with the mechanical shutter of the EOS-1D X Mark III. Such a design strikes an optimal balance for capturing fast-moving subjects with exceptional clarity and detail. The sensor's increased speed enables up to 40fps blackout-free shooting, making it ideal for capturing high-action scenarios in sports and dynamic news environments. Importantly, while the top models typically do not boast the highest resolutions, such as 50MP, the 24MP resolution of the EOS R1 is already quite substantial. It supports printing images up to 30 inches by 20 inches — more than sufficient for a full newspaper page at 200dpi, offering excellent clarity for photojournalism needs.
Image Source: Canon
What is rolling shutter?
A rolling shutter, which is typical in many digital cameras, captures images in a sequential manner from top to bottom on the sensor, which can lead to distortions in fast-moving subjects or when the camera itself moves rapidly during exposure. This effect is known as rolling shutter distortion. In contrast, a mechanical shutter operates by physically opening and closing to expose the entire sensor to light simultaneously, eliminating this type of distortion. The EOS R1's sensor is designed to mimic the immediacy and uniform exposure of a mechanical shutter, providing faster readout speeds that significantly reduce rolling shutter effects, thereby enhancing image quality in dynamic shooting scenarios.
Advanced Autofocus System
Canon's EOS R1 boasts an advanced autofocus system that covers 100% of the frame, a feature it shares with the EOS R5, and includes cross-type sensors for the first time in the R series, enhancing precision. The sensor's design features alternate line rotations of its sub-pixels, enabling cross-type autofocus throughout the entire sensor area. This system ensures accurate focusing across the entire frame, further augmented by eye-controlled AF and improved eye detection capabilities—the first Canon camera with eye-controlled AF was the EOS 5 in 1992. Additionally, the EOS R1 introduces an Activity AF mode, specifically trained for football, basketball, and volleyball. This is particularly useful for sports photography, where the net often blocks the subject. We hope Canon will expand the ball detection feature in future firmware updates to support more sports scenarios.
Image Source: Canon
Enhanced In-Body Stabilization
The in-body stabilization in the EOS R1 is rated at an impressive 8.5 stops. What does this mean? If you are using a 24mm lens, theoretically, you can handhold the camera with a shutter speed of (2 to the power of 8.5) divided by 24, which equals 15 seconds, and still get a clear image. This feature allows photographers to shoot handheld in extremely low light conditions, such as capturing night shots with moving cars creating light trails. Such powerful stabilization is not only beneficial for landscape and cityscape photographers by reducing the need to carry a tripod, but it is also indispensable for photojournalists who cannot use a tripod in their line of work. For sports photographers, the ability to handhold at a 1-second shutter speed with a 300mm lens is extremely useful for capturing panning shots.
Video Capabilities
The EOS R1 excels in video as well, with capabilities like 6K/60p internal Raw video capture and DCI-4K up to 120fps. These features are complemented by Canon's S-Log2 gamma profile, offering vast flexibility in post-production. The ability to shoot high-resolution video at these frame rates opens up new possibilities for documentary filmmaking and dynamic topic coverage.
Image Source: Canon
AI-Driven Features
Embedded with a 'Digic Accelerator' co-processor, the EOS R1 efficiently handles complex AI-driven functions. These include neural network noise reduction and AI upscaling in-camera, enhancing image quality directly at the point of capture. One pioneering feature is the ability to upscale images in-camera from JPEG or HEIF files, delivering resolutions up to 96MP. This is particularly useful when combined with in-camera cropping, allowing photographers to achieve higher resolution cropped images. Additionally, the integration of neural network noise reduction ensures that these high-resolution images maintain low noise levels. Such AI integrations are pivotal in maintaining image fidelity while pushing the boundaries of camera processing power. We are very curious to know which chips Canon is using to perform these AI functions and whether the camera's in-body noise reduction and upscaling can compare to market-leading software from Topaz Labs.
Cutting-Edge Electronic Viewfinder
Canon has outfitted the EOS R1 with the largest, highest resolution, and brightest electronic viewfinder to date in an EOS camera. With 9.44 million dots and 0.9x magnification, the viewfinder offers an incredibly immersive and accurate framing experience. This feature is particularly beneficial for photographers who rely on precise composition and detail in fast-paced environments.
Pre-Capture Functionality
The EOS R1 introduces an innovative pre-capture feature for both photo and video, capturing content 0.5 seconds before the shutter is fully pressed for photos, and 3 or 5 seconds for video. This functionality ensures that critical moments are never missed, particularly in the unpredictable realms of sports and journalism.
Pricing and Availability
Set to be available in the fall of 2024, the Canon EOS R1 comes with an estimated retail price of $6,299. For comparison, the EOS 1DX was listed at $6,799 in 2012. This means you can enjoy a more advanced machine for a lesser price! However, the Nikon Z9 is currently sold at $5,499, and the Sony A9III at $5,998. While Canon is the most expensive, the question remains: will it be worth the money?
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