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R8 for landscapes?

cosign
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · R8 for landscapes?

Hi All,

First post here; before I post my question, a little context...I am coming from most recently a Sony A7R2 system (which I gave to my son), and before that Nikon D7200. My interests are mostly landscapes, but general subjects and grandkids. I am not into sports or birds, so burst speed is not a priority. The max size of prints are in the 24 x 36 inch category. I like to shoot with primes, but also given my age weight is a concern....also, I am not necessarily whetted to only OE lenses; price/performance is important to me.

I visited my local photo shop today, going in with the thought that maybe a Fuji or another Sony system might work. After speaking with the staff for a while, he recommended the Canon R8 or R7; the former being ff while the latter crop sensor...for approximately the same price. I have no experience with either of these, so perhaps I can get some perspective from you folks....Are these bodies highly regarded, especially the FF?

I welcome any perspective, suggestions and guidance....thank you

Oct 24, 2023 at 11:18 AM

deepbluejh
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · R8 for landscapes?

It'll be a fine camera. No IBIS, but that might not matter much - especially if you use a tripod.

It has the R6II sensor in it - which means color, and dynamic range are excellent. 20MP might not offer quite as much detail as modern 45MP sensors, but the prints will still hold up well even at moderately large sizes.

This camera, plus a couple F4 "L" zoom lenses and you'll get excellent results at a moderate cost and weight. For the record, I would highly recommend the R8 over the R7 in this case.

Oct 24, 2023 at 11:25 AM

alundeb
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · R8 for landscapes?

The R8 is regarded as a very good camera. It suits your preference for low weight.
Check out the review by our competent member Jordan:
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1804584
Regarding lenses, the RF mount will not support third party lenses with autofocus or any form of electronic communication. So you might want to check out what RF lenses are available.

Oct 24, 2023 at 11:42 AM

Mike_5D
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · R8 for landscapes?

alundeb wrote:
Regarding lenses, the RF mount will not support third party lenses with autofocus or any form of electronic communication. So you might want to check out what RF lenses are available.

But a $60 adapter opens up a world of Canon and 3rd party EF lenses. Maybe not the best for someone trying to keep the weight down, but an option, nonetheless.

Oct 24, 2023 at 11:46 AM

cosign
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · R8 for landscapes?

Thanks for the replies; Oh, an adapter is required...hmm. Also, no IBIS - This may be how they kept the weight and price down. Didn't know this...thanks.

Yeah, regarding the sensor, I was concerned that after cropping, there might be too much lost to be able to print up to 2x3, but I am advised that given sensor quality and vector printing, there should not me a problem - you guys agree?

Oct 24, 2023 at 11:51 AM

alundeb
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · R8 for landscapes?

Printing at those sizes with a 24 MP sensor I would avoid cropping as much as possible.

Oct 24, 2023 at 11:59 AM

Mike_5D
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · R8 for landscapes?

cosign wrote:
Thanks for the replies; Oh, an adapter is required...hmm. Also, no IBIS - This may be how they kept the weight and price down. Didn't know this...thanks.

Yeah, regarding the sensor, I was concerned that after cropping, there might be too much lost to be able to print up to 2x3, but I am advised that given sensor quality and vector printing, there should not me a problem - you guys agree?

The adapter is only for mounting EF lenses. This is the same whether you have a tiny R100 or big R3. But since the EF mount is over 30 years old, using an adapter opens up a world of lenses. Or stick with RF lenses and don't get an adapter.

Oct 24, 2023 at 12:02 PM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · R8 for landscapes?

cosign wrote:
The max size of prints are in the 24 x 36 inch category.

I have not used the R8 camera, but I do print — up to 44” wide on my P9000.

Based on my experience with other APS-C cameras with sensors ranging from 16MP to 40MP, if you are regularly printing at 24” x 36” you are getting into the zone where you are pushing things with the APS-C systems. You can make fine prints at that size if you are careful at every stage from exposure through post, but I would generally prefer a larger format (it would be full-frame for me) if I were going that large a lot.

(I saw your similar post in a different brand forum and missed that part of your question there, or I would have addressed it in that context. To be clear, I’m not addressing the specific characteristics of the R8 here, but rather I’m noting something important about sensor resolution and size for prints of the dimensions you write about.)

Dan

Oct 24, 2023 at 12:16 PM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · R8 for landscapes?

cosign wrote:
Thanks for the replies; Oh, an adapter is required...hmm. Also, no IBIS - This may be how they kept the weight and price down. Didn't know this...thanks.

Yeah, regarding the sensor, I was concerned that after cropping, there might be too much lost to be able to print up to 2x3, but I am advised that given sensor quality and vector printing, there should not me a problem - you guys agree?

the relatively-inexpensive-lately original R6 has IBIS, probably a bit heavier though

I did most of my large prints years ago off the Rebel XT & 40D. I'd rather have more pixels, more money, more "_____" in general, sure,

but 20-24mp ff sounds fine to me

Oct 24, 2023 at 12:30 PM

Gochugogi
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · R8 for landscapes?

24” x 36” prints looked great from my 12 and 18MP cameras, so 24MP will be duck soup. I don't own an R8 but shoot with the R6 MK II, supposedly the same CMOS and AF system, and use it mainly for landscape. Plenty of detail and dynamic range for my tastes and have been very happy with it. I paid extra for a R6 MK II due to the IBIS—not as steady as I used to be—and the better thermal management for 4K video. Although I'm mainly a stills shooter I do enjoy video and the IBIS imparts an almost gimbal like smoothness to hand held video.

I also own the R7, mainly for macro and telephoto use, and it's a wonderful camera but not the best choice for landscape. Albeit it has more cropping room than the R8/R6 MK II, the high pixel density is extremely revealing of lens weaknesses, technique and digital noise. Not a camera for lifting shadows. Oddly, R7 4K video quality is very close to the R6 MK II, I suspect due to the extra oversampling and auto NR. The two camera are the ultimate combo for me but, if I could only own one, I'd make do with the R8 or R6 MK II.

Oct 24, 2023 at 01:33 PM

jtford9
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · R8 for landscapes?

I have both the R7 and R8. I tolerate the R7, love the R8.

I mainly use the R5/R3 but was looking for a small R body that would fit in a small camera bag or even my jacket pocket. Would be a general purpose camera, no sports or birds mostly landscape - natural, rural and urban. I opted for the R7, in spite of what my original intentions for usage were because I figured I’d also get the bonus of the aps-c 1.6x crop factor on my telephotos.

Long story short, many of the features of the R7 are overrated. Between the rolling shutter and focus shifting it really was pissing me off. As a pocket camera it was a bit larger than I was hoping for. The crop factor while useful on a telephoto was really unnecessary for landscapes.

Decided the sale price on the R8 at the Bild Expo was my cue. Size is perfect, fits in my jacket, body is actually only 3/4 of an inch longer than the Canon M5 with the grip about a 1/4 inch thicker. 24mp on a FF body is plenty. I’m not using high speed shutter and I can get away without IBIS, I’ll actually rest my camera on anything from a rock to a mailbox or the Omni-present scaffolding when I’m shooting in the city.

Over the past 3 years I’ve picked up one of the non-L primes whenever they were on sale or there was a cash back offer. Now I can use the R8 with one of the really small RF primes like the 16, 28 and 50. Going back to the IBIS, I can use the RF24, 35 and 85 which all have IS. Even the R8 with the RF70-200 f4 is nice and compact. I also shoot a lot later in the day into night and prefer a FF camera. The digic X processor is great too.

Bonus on the R8, I have the smaller Think Tank Retro 5 bag and can literally fit the R8 and all 6 non L RF primes from the 16 to 85 in it. Not that I would ever take all 6 at one time.

Oct 24, 2023 at 04:19 PM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · R8 for landscapes?

Some of the lenses have IS, too, like Rf 24, 35 and 14-35. Not sure if the other brands have that.

Oct 24, 2023 at 05:01 PM

tr1957
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · R8 for landscapes?

For landscape, you also might want to consider the original 30 megapixel R if you're really concerned about cropping. That said, some reviews said or implied the better R6ii/R8 sensor evens out the loss of resolution from the R sensor.

Oct 24, 2023 at 08:19 PM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · R8 for landscapes?

Gochugogi wrote:
24” x 36” prints looked great from my 12 and 18MP cameras, so 24MP will be duck soup.

UPDATE: I have deleted the text of my earlier reply here. Due to my error it was irrelevant.

Below in this thread I have thanked the person who pointed this out to me.

Edited on Oct 31, 2023 at 10:54 AM · View previous versions

Oct 26, 2023 at 06:49 PM

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · R8 for landscapes?

I have the R5 and R8. I focus on landscape and big animals (bears, wolves, moose..).

R5 is my go to body and I bought the R8 for backpacking (450grams) and second camera for video. R5 is still my go to whenever I am near the car and can carry the weight ( for the sake of 45mpx) but whenever I pull the r8 out I am so happy about (less) weight and nicer features (electron and AEB, silent shooting, 40fps, ....). R8 and wildlife is fantastic - so much easier to switch to video and back, 40fps, silent, ....

My view is that as long as 24mpx is adequate, the r8 is a fantastic camera for landscape -- and wildlife and video. In fact I would say it's a better camera than the r5 (features) if 24mpx is adequate. And I would buy it over the R6ii for weight.

The positives - in order of importance to Landscape:
1) Lightweight - carrying R8 and some of the light weight new RF STM lens is a dream. For backpacking I use r8, very lightweight tripod (partly because the R8 is light) and RF 24-105 and RF16. It's a dream combination for lightweight.
2) I love the flip in adapter for ef-rf for my landscape lens. 1-9 stop variable nd just is fantastic for shooting near water and flattening water or dreamy waterfalls. I still buy ef lens because of the adapter and just needing one filter system.
3) New low cost RF STM lens are way nice for the price and weight. It's amazing what you can do for under $1000. 24-105, 24-50, 100-400, 16, 15-30, 24-240, 28mm.... I took some pictures (bugaboos) and recently was voted as best for the week in landscape, with a $1500 body and $300 lens (16mm) [see below]. Wow! And it will print well big because I filled the frame. $2500 will get you a spectacular kit. The rf 100-400 at $1000 if you fill the frame, will achieve a fantastic outcome in good light.
4) Price - it does everything that the r5 does better except 45mpx and its $1500
5) Excellent features - AEB works with electronics, 40fps, eye focus, excellent video with excellent downsampling. It does everything well and is a really impressive travel, wildlife, video, landscape - inexpensive - do it all camera.

The challenge: - in order of importance to Landscape:
1) Mpx - at your specified print size the mpx is adequate but if you do some cropping it will show at large prints. That said, I choose weight over mpx when it gets me there up the hill.
2) No IBIS. For landscape this does not matter and is a good trade for lightweight. And most of my other off the tripod lens have IS in any event.
3) Only has c1, c2 - no C3. I use R5 with c1 for landscape for tripod, c2 for landscape handheld and c3 for wildlife. C3 is missing. So I have to use Av and the settings change from past use and it throws me off in urgent wildlife situation. If I was 100% landscape this would not matter, but very few of us are 100%.
4) Electronic shutter is needed to get >6pfs. This does not matter for landscape but I use electronic for wildlife and handheld to achieve higher fps. This drops the bit rate down a smidge which you won't notice at higher ISO's but as someone that likes choices this is frustrating. No high fps at ISO 100; at highest resolution and 12 or 40fps.

I could go on and on but my summary is that for landscape, provided that you can live with 24mpx, it is a fantastic low price camera, with fantastic low price lens available . The biggest downsides is 24mpx. The rest of the downsides are not related to landscape. The biggest annoyance is no c3. Buy it - it is a steal for the price, as long as you don't crop lots. And for other than landscape, it's fantastic too because of size and weight and features (only downside is no IBIS but my lens have IS).

R8 and RF 16mm at Sunset - I would otherwise have struggled because of the 900m elevation gain challenge

Oct 31, 2023 at 08:47 AM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · R8 for landscapes?

Have you considered the RP, it's very light, as well. May still be the lightest FF

Oct 31, 2023 at 10:06 AM

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · R8 for landscapes?

AmbientMike wrote:
Have you considered the RP, it's very light, as well. May still be the lightest FF

The r8 and rp are similarly light (RP slightly lower) but:

R8 is a way better generalist camera.

R8 has better video, fps, eye focus, ....features.

So it's >$500 vs much better camera (newer, >> fps, eye focus, better menu, better video) with similar weight.

It's nice to have choices. If you are almost 100% landscaper and very tight on budget, I agree RP might be a good choice.

Oct 31, 2023 at 10:18 AM

Cnyphotoguy
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · R8 for landscapes?

gdanmitchell wrote:
I have not used the R8 camera, but I do print — up to 44” wide on my P9000.

Based on my experience with other APS-C cameras with sensors ranging from 16MP to 40MP, if you are regularly printing at 24” x 36” you are getting into the zone where you are pushing things with the APS-C systems. You can make fine prints at that size if you are careful at every stage from exposure through post, but I would generally prefer a larger format (it would be full-frame for me) if I were going that large a lot.

(I saw...Show more →

This reads like you think the R8 is a crop sensor body, it isn't. R8 is a full frame body, same sensor as the R6m2.

Oct 31, 2023 at 10:44 AM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · R8 for landscapes?

Cnyphotoguy wrote:
This reads like you think the R8 is a crop sensor body, it isn't. R8 is a full frame body, same sensor as the R6m2.

My bad, and I’ll go back and delete my irrelevant prior post. Thanks for catching my error!

Dan

Oct 31, 2023 at 10:52 AM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · R8 for landscapes?

Scott Stoness wrote:
The r8 and rp are similarly light (RP slightly lower) but:

R8 is a way better generalist camera.

R8 has better video, fps, eye focus, ....features.

So it's >$500 vs much better camera (newer, >> fps, eye focus, better menu, better video) with similar weight.

It's nice to have choices. If you are almost 100% landscaper and very tight on budget, I agree RP might be a good choice.

I don't think anyone had brought up the RP, even though he'd mentioned light gear. So thought I'd mention it.

Not arguing against the R8, though

Oct 31, 2023 at 12:26 PM

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