First Camera

Bit the bullet and bought a camera during Black Friday season this year. Sales were not crazy but something is better than nothing. I had considered buying a camera around the same time last year as well. Last year I wasn’t able to get as obessive about the research as I usually do, so I figured it wasn’t the right time for me to buy, especially because I was having trouble finding a camera that met all the specifications I wanted at a price point I was comfortable paying at the time. The way I see it, if I’m going to be spending this much, I’d prefer not to compromise on what I want to get out of it, and if I can’t find something that offers that at a price point I am able to pay, then it’s better to hold off until both of those conditions can be met.

This time I was able to get obsessive about the research, and after doing so, I initially considered getting the Canon R6 Mark II. It is a very expensive camera, and while I could manage to buy, it definitely pushed me towards doing more research. Eventually I was swayed into opting for the Canon R8 instead, particularly due to videos by James Reader.

There were some recommended peripherals I picked up as well such as a lens filter, screen protector, and extra battery as a back-up. When I went to actually check out, including all of the peripherals and taxes, I was relieved I did not get the Canon R6II. It would have been an egregious buy for a new-to-the-hobby like myself. If I recall correctly, the total came out to be less than or around what the price of the Canon R6II body would have been on its own.

Ultimately I ended up buying the Canon R8 body and Canon 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM (Prime) Lens as a “jack-of-all-trades” starter prime lens.

The reason I considered the R6II at all was because of IBIS. Some folks said that for taking video by hand, such as when vlogging, having IBIS was super helpful. After watching James’ videos, he mentioned how the IBIS on the R6II can sometimes create a screen wobble effect on the edges of the shot especially on wider angles. This alone made me not want IBIS anymore. I think the argument is that hand-held style shooting wouldn’t normally be on wider-angle cameras anyway, but even so, something about knowing it would be a thing bugs me, even if the wobble is minimal or not that bad. I’m still quite new and grasping, so I imagine for vlog-style shots on less wide angles this wouldn’t be as much of an issue, but if I wanted to do some wide-angle videography on trips I could see this being a pain.

I also saw some comments from folks that have been into cameras for a much longer time saying they didn’t have IBIS back in their day and it taught them a good deal about how to take good, stable shots. On top of that, a lot of Canon lenses have stabilization in them, like the “28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM (Zoom) Lens” and the “Canon 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM (Prime) Lens” which is what I bought.

The other reason I considered the R6II is because the batteries on the R8 are much smaller. I thought this might be a practicality issue and that the amount of back up batteries I would need might sum up to enough to justify the price bump to the R6II but that wasn’t the case in either direction. The batteries anecdotally last fine, and it seems to me that shooting video for much longer would require a dedicated videography rig of sorts which would include some kind of hefty power bank anyways. The batteres also weren’t too expensive either.

I decided on the R8 because it has the important parts of the R6II for a much cheaper and smaller form factor. I couldn’t tell from videos how large/small the camera would actually be but in both ways it wasn’t what I expected. Somehow it was larger than I expected and also smaller than I expected. I guess, initially it felt large compared to some cheaper cameras I’ve probably used, and definitely pretty small and comfortable for a full-frame camera. That’s the other reason I wanted an R8 or R6II, for the full-frame. I have a vague sense of what that really means and what it gets me, but I wanted a camera I could grow with for the money I was paying. Hearing most people call the R8 a pro-featured budget camera that was great as a hybrid photo/video and/or travel camera that also shoots well in low light was pretty much everything I wanted in a camera at a high level. There’s an added layer of “future-proof”-ness based on the fact that a lot of photographers seem to use this specifically as a travel or on-the-go camera due to its performance for the form factor. In the case I decide to buy another camera in the future, the R8 feels like it would still have a meaningful use case for me (travel on-the-go), even if I ended up liking the new camera more for whatever reasons.

I often find myself wanting to capture moments in lower light scenarios so a camera that worked well in these situations was a must. I also like street photography, landscapes/scenery, maybe some casual wildlife photography, and of course taking pictures of friends and family. This camera could do everything I wanted. Paired with the 35mm lens, which many called a good all-rounder beginner lens that could do everything I just mentioned, I felt pretty good about what I bought for the money I spent… Even though the money I spent was painful.

The more I learned about the R8 the more I’ve come to appreciate and understand what the vision for the camera probably was. This is just my guess, but a lot of its features feel pretty reasonable in context. To start, it feels to me as somewhat of a pro-featured beginner-friendly camera, although a lot of seasoned photographers like to use it as a secondary camera or a grab-and-go travel camera. The price point is still, a lot, but for the pro-level features, it’s accessible enough I guess. On top of that, the modes it offers includes some pre-sets so if you’re new you can just start shooting without worrying too much about manual adjustments. Also the autofocus is apparently stellar on this thing, though that is a feature everyone seems to appreciate independent of skill level. Seems Canon in general is really good about including good AF algorithms on lower end cameras. Beyond that, the camera is pretty small, which could make it less intimidating maybe and easier to manage. The camera batteries are also maybe strategically smaller. They are more affordable than some larger batteries and most people will want back ups anyway. When you take into consideration what it is capable of with the battery it has, despite it being small, and just the capabilities in general, it’s kinda wild what you get out of something so compact.

I appreciate the compactness of the R8 because as a generalization I like when things are nicely compact and “concise” in a way, meaning, just enough to do what it needs to do in this case. No unnecessary noise or fluff I guess. That is kind of what this camera feels like, both in terms of the hardware and software. It somehow reaches the demands and needs of a pretty broad audience from beginner to pro. And I ended up being pretty glad it doesn’t have IBIS either. It contributes to that concise, “has just what you really need” feeling, or somehow feels more real? In the sense that, I’ll be learning and growing with this camera, which means learning to work with and around the lack of IBIS, which used to be the standard before IBIS.

Speaking of which, this camera was also my pick because of it’s flexible use in the long-term for me. Either I really love this camera and never see any reason to upgrade or buy any other body because I’m satisfied and it hasnt broken or I get into it and decide to buy something else. At which point this becomes my secondary camera or on-the-go travel camera as most seasoned photographers seem to use it. I think realistically if I get another camera it won’t be a Canon. I’m sure I’ll find out what I really like shooting over the coming years assuming nothing tragic or disastrous happens to the camera… No evil eye please.

Ultimately for the money spent I’m really pleased with the purchase I’ve made. It feels less bad to have bought something so big when you’re also really excited to use it and happy with what the money got you in value.

BOM

The “Bill of Materials” if interested:

Canon EOS R8 Body
Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM (Prime) Lens
Canon LP-E17 Battery (Back-Up)
[pro]master 52mm Protection Filter Digital HD
PGYTECH Camera Wrist Strap Air
PGYTECH 2-in-1 SD Card Reader & Holder
SanDisk - Extreme Pro 128GB SDXC UHS-I V30 National Parks (Basic SD Card for Casual Shooting)
Sony - SF-M Tough Series 512GB SDXC UHS-II V60 (Main SD Card for Photos and Videos)
JJC LP-3818 Lens Hood
JJC Screen Protector