Firmware Update For Canon EOS R3 (version 1.4.1)

Canon Eos R3 Price

Canon released a new firmware for the EOS R3, version 1.4.1.

This firmware includes the following enhancements and fixes:

  1. Compatible with Speedlite EL-5.
    *It is not compatible with the automatic dimming function of the AF auxiliary light.
  2. Added [Registered people priority] to the menu. Pre-registered people can now be preferentially detected and tracked.
    * The effect may not be obtained depending on the shooting environment and the scene where the subject is moving, when the face is small, oblique face/side profile, part of the face is hidden.
  3. [Save/load communication settings to card] has been added to the menu. Network settings can now be inherited between cameras of the same model.
  4. [Panning Assist] has been added to the menu. When panning with a compatible lens, “camera shake correction” and “subject blur correction” are performed during exposure.
  5. Shortened the time it takes for the AWB results to be reflected in the viewfinder when looking through the viewfinder with the auto white balance (AWB) setting.
  6. “Image protection” for FTP transfer has been added to the menu. Images transferred by FTP can now be automatically protected. This makes it possible to determine whether or not the image has been FTP-transferred.
  7. After updating to firmware version 1.4.0, the phenomenon that Err70 may occur under certain conditions in combination with some EF lenses has been corrected.
  8. After updating to firmware version 1.4.0, when using the electronic shutter for high-speed continuous shooting, the phenomenon that the original tracking performance of Servo AF may not be obtained depending on the shooting conditions has been corrected.
  9. Fixed minor bugs.

You can already download Canon EOS R3 firmware 1.4.1 from Canon Japan (scroll to the bottom).

How AI Technology is Changing Photography and How Canon Cameras are Incorporating AI

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I thought I could write a short post about artificial intelligence and what it means for photography. Nowadays everyone is talking about AI technology, often mystifying it. Here are my 2 cents, with an eye on Canon cameras, obviously ;-)

Introduction

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world of photography in many ways. From the emergence of new text-based diffusion models that allow anyone to create an image by typing a description, to the launch of more powerful AI image generators like DALL-E 2, the development of open-source tools like Stable Diffusion, and the experimentation of photographers with AI-generated creations, AI is transforming the way we think about photography.

Big players like Google and Microsoft are also developing more powerful AI tools. However, ethical and legal questions remain, and AI-generated images could start to replace photographs in specific areas like lifestyle stock imagery.

Canon cameras and AI

Canon cameras are incorporating AI technology. For example, the Canon EOS R3 features an AI-based autofocus system that can track subjects with incredible accuracy. The camera also has an AI-based image processor that can fix most major digital photo issues, such as distortion, vignetting, and chromatic aberration. AI is changing photography and Canon cameras are at the forefront of this transformation. As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more exciting developments in the world of photography.

Canon’s Deep Learning AF

I decided to give this topic the most space, since it’s foundational to Canon’s approach to AI for auto-focus. To learn more about Deep Learning you might start here.

Canon’s Deep Learning AF is just one example of how AI is changing the photography industry. Deep Learning AF can improve the accuracy and speed of autofocus, which can help photographers capture better images. The technology can also help cameras focus on subjects more quickly and accurately, even in low light conditions. The algorithm was trained using Canon’s image database of sports photography and pictures of the company’s ambassadors who shoot sports. This has resulted in a highly accurate autofocus system that can track subjects even when they are moving quickly.

Deep Learning AF uses machine learning algorithms to analyze images and predict where the camera should focus. The algorithms are trained on large datasets of images to improve their accuracy over time. The technology can also learn from user feedback to improve its performance. Canon has integrated Deep Learning AF into several of its cameras, including the EOS-1D X Mark III and the EOS R5. The technology has enabled features such as Eye Detection AF and Head Detection AF, which can help photographers capture sharp images of people.

Canon plans to continue developing Deep Learning AF and integrating it into future products. By using machine learning algorithms to analyze images and predict where the camera should focus, the technology can help photographers capture better images. As Canon continues to develop and integrate Deep Learning AF into its products, we can expect to see even more advanced autofocus capabilities in the future.

Image Enhancement

AI is also being used to enhance the quality of photographs. By leveraging deep learning algorithms and neural networks, AI can improve various aspects of an image, even on the camera itself, including resolution, color balance, noise reduction, and more. Some of the key ways AI assists in image enhancement are:

  1. Super-resolution: AI algorithms can upscale low-resolution images by reconstructing high-frequency details and textures. This process, known as super-resolution, generates a higher-resolution image without sacrificing quality.
  2. Noise reduction: AI can effectively reduce image noise caused by low-light conditions or high ISO settings. By analyzing and differentiating between noise patterns and image details, AI can suppress noise while preserving essential information.
  3. High dynamic range (HDR): AI can help merge multiple exposures of the same scene into a single image with an extended dynamic range, preserving details in both the shadows and highlights. This creates a more balanced image with increased details and richer colors.
  4. Color correction and white balance: AI algorithms can analyze an image and make automatic adjustments to color temperature, saturation, and contrast, resulting in more accurate colors and improved overall image quality.
  5. Object and scene recognition: AI can identify and recognize objects, scenes, and even people within an image, enabling cameras to automatically adjust settings and apply appropriate image enhancements based on the subject matter.
  6. Autofocus and stabilization: AI can assist with faster and more accurate autofocus (see above), as well as image stabilization, by predicting subject motion and compensating for camera shake in real-time.

Conclusion

AI is changing the photography industry in many different ways, and it’s just the beginning. The best has yet to come. From improving autofocus systems to enhancing the quality of photographs and automating the editing process, AI is making it easier and more efficient to take great photographs. As AI continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more exciting developments in the world of photography. Stay tuned.

Firmware Updates For Canon EOS R3 (ver. 1.4.0) And EOS R5 (ver. 1.8.1) Released

Canon EOS R5 Review

Canon released firmware updates for the Canon EOS R3 and Canon EOS R5. Please note: at the time of writing the firmware updates were available at Canon Japan, so we link there.

Canon EOS R3 firmware 1.4.0 (download):

  • Compatible with Speedlite EL-5. *It is not compatible with the automatic dimming function of the AF auxiliary light.
  • Added [Registered people priority] to the menu. Pre-registered people can now be preferentially detected and tracked.
    • * The effect may not be obtained depending on the shooting environment and scenes where the subject is moving, such as when the face is small, when the face is slanted/side profile, when part of the face is hidden, or when the subject is moving.
  • [Save/load communication settings to card] has been added to the menu. Network settings can now be inherited between cameras of the same model.
  • [Panning Assist] has been added to the menu. When panning with a compatible lens, “camera shake correction” and “subject blur correction” are performed during exposure.
  • Shortened the time it takes for the AWB results to be reflected in the viewfinder when looking through the viewfinder with the auto white balance (AWB) setting.
  • “Image protection” for FTP transfer has been added to the menu. Images transferred by FTP can now be automatically protected. This makes it possible to determine whether or not the image has been FTP-transferred.
  • Fixed minor bugs.

Canon EOS R5 firmware version 1.8.1 (download):

  • [IBIS High-Resolution Shooting] has been added to the menu. By utilizing the in-body image stabilization mechanism, it is now possible to record images with a higher sense of resolution.
  • [Save/load communication settings to card] has been added to the menu. Network settings can now be inherited between cameras of the same model.
  • You can now trim and resize images while transferring them to the FTP server.
  • “Image protection” for FTP transfer has been added to the menu. Images transferred by FTP can now be automatically protected. This makes it possible to determine whether or not the image has been FTP-transferred.
  • Fixed minor bugs.

Canon Confirms They Are Working On The EOS R1 (albeit in a cryptic way)

Canon Eos R3 Review Canon Cameras Eos R1

In an interview, Canon execs confirmed the company is working on the future flagship mirrorless camera, the EOS R1.

In an interview with French site Phototrend, taken at CP+, a bunch of Canon execs confirms the Canon EOS R1 is on the way. Asked about what is Canon’s current flagship camera, Mr. Go Tokura (General Manager of Imaging Division at Canon) said:

If you look at our portfolio, obviously our highest-end case is the EOS R3. I think we can say that it is our flagship product. But if you look at the EOS-1D, and compare it to the EOS R3, you know it’s worthy of the ‘flagship’ designation because it’s equivalent in terms of Canon’s advanced features.

So, of course, the EOS R3 could already claim the flagship title, but there’s a reason we named it ‘3’…

And you can expect there to be a ‘1’, which is currently being worked on and will be our most premium model. So that’s the kind of interpretation you can do (laughs). I had never mentioned it so clearly before, so that’s probably how you can interpret it!

There is a reason we named it ‘3’ and you can expect there to be a ‘1’ definitely suggest there will be a EOS R1. When, is another story. Rumored since the beginning with various “imminent release” rumors, it’s still not here and is now rumored for 2024 (by the same source previously saying the announcement is imminent).

There is much more in the interview posted at Phototrends. For instance about third parties using the RF mount (see here to learn more about the issue):

Question: Many photographers are eagerly awaiting the opening of the RF mount. At present, Canon is the only brand to maintain the exclusivity of its frame. Will we see RF optics from other manufacturers in the near future?

Tetsuji Kiyomi : It is true that we are approached by many third-party manufacturers. We hear their demands. However, we have no direction or policy as such on this subject.

Naturally, I cannot share more details with you, but what I can say is that if this aligns with our strategy, we will take the necessary action on a case-by-case basis. I can’t tell you more.

Go Tokura : An example of this is the launch of RF optics by Cosina [the Voigtlander 50mm f/1 is the first “third-party” lens to be able to communicate with the body via the RF mount]: we are in the process discussion with other lens manufacturers. This is the situation at present.

About the Canon EOS R50:

Question: The EOS R50 is one of your newer cameras. How was it inspired by the EOS M50? Does it sign the end of the EOS-M range?

Tetsuji Kiyomi : The particularity of the R50 was that we wanted to release a compact and light product. For its part, the EOS M range, thanks to the reduced diameter of the EF-M mount, could be even smaller and lighter.

Thus, compactness and lightness are therefore two common points between the APS-C models of the EOS R range and those of the EOS M series.

However, the size of the M-series enclosures is even smaller, and there is still a strong demand for this from our customers. This means that we will continue to offer the EOS M series as we need to meet this high demand.

Stay tuned.

Canon Firmware Updates: EOS R3, EOS R7 and EOS R10

Canon Eos R7 Review Canon Firmware Updates

Canon firmware updates for the Canon EOS R3, Canon EOS R7 and Canon EOS R10 have been released.

Canon EOS R3 firmware ver. 1.3.0 (download), incorporates the following fixes:

  1. The [User Def.] on [Picture Style] can now be selected in the Cloud Raw image processing settings.
  2. Fixes minor issues.

Canon EOS R7 firmware ver. 1.2.0 (download), incorporates the following enhancement:

  1. The [User Def.] on [Picture Style] can now be selected in the Cloud Raw image processing settings.
  2. Fixes an issue that, in rare instances, displays an Error Code 70 when the camera is capturing small subjects.
  3. Fixes minor issues.

Canon EOS R10 firmware ver. 1.2.0 (download), incorporates the following enhancement:

  1. The [User Def.] on [Picture Style] can now be selected in the Cloud Raw image processing settings.
  2. Fixes an issue that, in rare instances, displays an Error Code 70 when the camera is capturing small subjects.
  3. Fixes minor issues.

Canon EOS R3 Review: Bird and Wildlife Photography (a stunning package, leaves nothing to be desired)

Canon Eos R3 Review Canon Cameras Eos R1

Here is a Canon EOS R3 review with an eye on bird and wildlife photography. It seems the EOS R3 delivers.

Canon EOS R3 at a glance:

  • 24MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Sensor
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, Eye Control AF
  • 6K60 Raw and 4K120 10-Bit Internal Video
  • 30 fps E. Shutter, 12 fps Mech. Shutter
  • 5.76m-Dot EVF with 120 fps Refresh Rate
  • 3.2″ 4.2m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
  • Sensor-Shift 5-Axis Image Stabilization
  • Multi-Function Shoe, Built-In Vert. Grip
  • CFexpress & SD UHS-II Memory Card Slots
  • Wired LAN and 5 GHz Wi-Fi Support

Our friends at Mirrorless Comparison posted their full Canon EOS R3 review. A review that explicitly looks at bird and wildlife photography. They are rather fond of the Canon EOS R3. From their conclusion:

[…] a stunning package that leaves nothing to be desired, and no detail is overlooked.

The image quality is fantastic, probably the best Canon sensor I’ve ever tested. Some of you might have preferred more resolution, but the advantage here is the high ISO performance, with very usable images at 25,600 ISO. Dynamic range is also excellent.

The R3 offers a state of the art autofocus system and it has a unique characteristic that resonates with innovation – Eye Control – which works surprisingly well. The software is also very impressive, and the capability to detect and follow animals is the best I’ve seen. Only the occasional lack of consistency stops this camera from being the very best in the field.

Read the full review at Mirrorless Comparison…

The review comes with a lot of sample pictures at various ISO settings, tests, discusses ergonomics, and everything you might want to know. For the lazy ones among us, there is also a video-review (below).

You can download the Canon EOS R3 user manual from Canon. Or you might read it online. A technical brochure about the EOS R3 is available. You can watch the EOS R3 live-stream again here. More Canon EOS R3 review stuff is listed here. We put together some interesting videos about the EOS R3, listed here. Be sure to check Gordon Laing’s in-depth review of the EOS R3, part 1 and part 2. Oh, and don’t forget to listen how the R3’s 30fps sound.

Order in the USA ($5,999):
B&H Photo | Adorama

All Canon EOS R3 world-wide order links:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE