Canon makes some pretty great cameras, though none are without their faults, including the company’s recently announced entry into the full-frame mirrorless market. Kai Wong‘s first impressions of the Canon EOS R tell us about everything the camera does well and the mistakes Canon made with its release. 

As Fstoppers’ own Oliver Kmia noted a few days ago after reviewing the specs from Canon’s leaked brochure, Wong also described the EOS R as essentially a 5D Mark IV without the mirror. Now, that’s a good thing in many ways, but it doesn’t feel like the leap forward many consumers hoped to see. 

Much like the Nikon Z platform, Canon opted for a single memory card slot, which is sure to enrage the masses. Unfortunately, it also kept the same 1.7x crop factor for 4K video shooting that is present in the 5D Mark IV. Since there’s no in-body image stabilization on board, that crop factor can be an issue for vloggers, who may need to shoot wider than the native RF 24-105mm lens will allow. 

At the other end, sports and wildlife shooters may find the slow 5 frames per second continuous rate with continuous autofocus troublesome. While it can shoot 8 fps in AF-S, that may not be practical for someone trying to capture fast-moving animals or athletes. 

All of that said, Wong loved build of the body, as well as the incredible customization options. Users can even customize the function of the focus rings on the new line of RF lenses (RF 50mm f/1.2L USM, RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, RF 28-70mm f/2L USM, RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM) and a ring on the EF-EOS R mount adapter. 

And vloggers will love that Canon did what Nikon did not, integrating a fully-articulated rear display that can flip out and turn forward, giving users the ability to film themselves better. Wong loved the electronic viewfinder and the camera’s fast autofocus as well. 

There are worse cameras to be compared to than the 5D Mark IV, Photographers looking to upgrade older gear may consider jumping into the mirrorless market with the EOS-R. But if you already own a 5D Mark IV, Canon hasn’t given you a compelling reason to make the switch. 

Are you considering moving to full-frame mirrorless? With reviews pouring in for all the major brands, which camera excites you the most? Drop a comment below and let us know.