The brand new EOS R3 is packed full of exciting features and we’re now starting to get an idea of just how well they perform. Artificial intelligence and eye control autofocus are exciting advances, but what advantages do they bring?

Chris Niccolls of DPReview spent a few days with the R3 in his hands, shooting sports and wildlife in Seattle. Getting an idea of how well the eye control autofocus functions is tricky as it’s not conveyed well over via HDMI, and you obviously can’t point a camera into the camera’s EVF.

The advances demonstrated by Canon give a sign of how much deep learning could change how we use cameras in the coming years. We might not be too far from a stage where a camera continually fills a buffer with images, keeping a second or two of images in the moments before you hit the shutter button (exactly like Pro Capture mode from Olympus), while constantly assessing the frame for what it thinks needs to be in focus. In theory, the AI could ensure that you’re never too slow to react to something that happens without warning, while also perfectly nailing focus every single time.

Are you excited to try Canon’s new eye control autofocus? Let us know in the comments below.