Like the original, the next-gen Canon R8 II is a powerful but lightweight full-frame mirrorless camera targeted to the entry-level market. This time, they’ve addressed a few minor issues to make this model even more appealing and even easier to use.
When the Canon EOS R8 launched in 2023, it was hailed as a budget-friendly camera that offered excellent full-frame performance for its affordable launch price, but it came with a few notable compromises in its body design and tech, including the lack of IBIS and other features.
Apparently, Canon was listening. With a 24.2MP CMOS sensor packed into a handsome new ergonomic design, the R8 II now weighs in as the lightest IBIS-equipped camera in the EOS lineup, delivering up to 7.5 stops of shake correction.
With a rounded grip and sharper corners, the slightly retro-looking body design is inspired by the T80 35mm SLR harking all the way back to the 1980s.
Although the R8 and R8 II share the same foundational Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system, the Mark II updates the underlying AI-driven subject detection algorithms.
The camera now tracks subjects – including people, animals and vehicles – with visibly higher reliability. And it inherits the Register People Priority mode from higher-end models in the R6 series, allowing you to register up to 10 select faces in-camera to be prioritized over others in a crowd.
View Canon EOS R8 Mark II Pricing and Availability at Vistek
Low-light autofocus previously rated to -6.5 EV has been improved to -7.5 EV.
In a nod to earlier criticisms, the all-new multi-controller joystick is another welcome update. It rests next to the electronic viewfinder on the back of the camera, within easy reach of your right thumb, where you can nudge the active AF point or tracking zone across the sensor seamlessly with ease.
The previous (and somewhat annoying) memory card slot located inside the battery compartment has been moved to a more convenient side-access door.
Video creators will appreciate the new dedicated video AF modes borrowed from Canon’s cinema lineup, including the Close-Up Demo Mode designed for vloggers and Preset Defocus Speed that simulates a manual rack-focus blur. Four-channel, 24-bit audio now replaces the prior 2-channel limitation.
And whether you’re behind the camera or in front of it, the addition of a smart new tally lamp serves as another reminder that Canon put some helpful little touches and a whole lot of thought into making the EOS R8 Mark II much harder to pass up this time around.
Features
- Full-frame 24.2MP CMOS sensor
- DIGIC X processor
- 5-axis IBIS with 7.5 stops of coordinated IS correction
- New compact ergonomic design
- Dual-pixel autofocus with people, animal and vehicle detection
- Register People Priority Autofocus
- New multi-controller joystick
- UHD 4K 60p and Full HD 180p video
- Electronic viewfinder, vari-angle LCD and tally lamp
- 40 fps electronic shutter with pre-continuous recording
- 30% increase in continuous RAW shots, 58% increase in continuous JPEG shots
- 16 colour filters including new Positive Filmtone and Negative Filmtone
- A+ Scene Intelligent Automatic Mode and 14 different SCN modes
- UHD 4K 60p and Full HD 180p video
- Custom Picture mode with Canon Log 3
- Wi-Fi 2.4/5.0 GHz and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity
- USB-C for livestreaming and charging
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