# RF Mount



## weepete (Jun 10, 2021)

So, I was just speding some time browsing some big whites lenses considering what my next purchace would eventually be when I suddenly realised that Canon have stopped development on their DSLRs, are wholesale moving to mirrorless, and that the EF lens mount's days are numbered. I've not yet met a EVF I get on with, and maybe I'm just being precious about my photography, but there's something about them that I feel is like a barrier and keeps me out of the image too much. Maybe I'm just too used to my DSLRs and it's entirely in my head.

But I couldn't help thinking that investing significant amounts in EF glass right now would be a waste due to the relatively short life of DSLR bodies. It's frustrating as I've been slowly building up my gear over the years and I'm finally in a position where I can look at top quality glass. Maybe I just need to bite the bullet and get a small Sony mirrorless that I've had a hankering after instead.


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## Space Face (Jun 10, 2021)

weepete said:


> So, I was just speding some time browsing some big whites lenses considering what my next purchace would eventually be when I suddenly realised that Canon have stopped development on their DSLRs, are wholesale moving to mirrorless, and that the EF lens mount's days are numbered. I've not yet met a EVF I get on with, and maybe I'm just being precious about my photography, but there's something about them that I feel is like a barrier and keeps me out of the image too much. Maybe I'm just too used to my DSLRs and it's entirely in my head.
> 
> But I couldn't help thinking that investing significant amounts in EF glass right now would be a waste due to the relatively short life of DSLR bodies. It's frustrating as I've been slowly building up my gear over the years and I'm finally in a position where I can look at top quality glass. Maybe I just need to bite the bullet and get a small Sony mirrorless that I've had a hankering after instead.



The EF to RF adaptor is the way to go Pete.  No loss of IQ and electronics work 100%. 

I'm looking at going mirrorless for my next body but waiting to see what Canon take out this year.  Supposedly 7 new models in the pipeline.  

No way will I be getting rid of my EF 'L' lenses for the foreseeable, particularly the 500mm white one.


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## photoflyer (Jun 10, 2021)

weepete said:


> I've not yet met a EVF I get on with, and maybe I'm just being precious about my photography, but there's something about them that I feel is like a barrier and keeps me out of the image too much. Maybe I'm just too used to my DSLRs and it's entirely in my head.



I have the R6 and the 6D Mark II.  Shot with the 6D today in fact.  They are both excellent but I am completely sold on the R6.  Of course an EVF is personal preference and there is certainly nothing wrong with the trusty DSLR but the list of advantages the R6 has over ANY Canon DSLR is very long ... for me.  The autofocus in Canon mirrorless cameras (R5,R6,R3) is nothing short of breathtaking.   Add to that the "what I see is what I get" and the temptation to chimp goes away.   

As for EF versus RF - I plan to keep the EF mount cameras I have so I might just take advantage of lower cost L series EF mount lenses on the used market.  My four L series lenses work perfectly on the R6 with the adapter.  Yes, RF is better, I understand the reasons why, but is it that much better?  For some, but not for me.

When the R7 (hear that Canon, make a pro grade APS-C mirrorless camera please) I will be first in line.

But I can't fault anyone who prefers the SLR.  It is all about how you interact with the equipment, not the equipment.


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## smoke665 (Jun 12, 2021)

weepete said:


> Maybe I'm just too used to my DSLRs and it's entirely in my head.



There are many more just like you, including myself. One of the big reasons I've remained a Pentaxian over the years is their commitment to backward/forward compatibility. I love my legacy lenses just as much as the new Star series. I don't understand  why other manufactures have abandoned their customers by creating products that aren't compatible unless it's pure greed, forcing them to buy new. For those who say that isn't possible, Pentax released the K-01 a mirroless model with advanced features and fully compatible with all K mount lenses in 2012, to a lukewarm market. It was discontinued a year later. I prefer to stay with a company that has more concern for their users.


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## weepete (Jul 10, 2021)

Space Face said:


> The EF to RF adaptor is the way to go Pete.  No loss of IQ and electronics work 100%.
> 
> I'm looking at going mirrorless for my next body but waiting to see what Canon take out this year.  Supposedly 7 new models in the pipeline.
> 
> No way will I be getting rid of my EF 'L' lenses for the foreseeable, particularly the 500mm white one.



Yeah mate, if you've already got them then the adapter looks like a good option. If I already had some big whites U'd be keeping thrm too, but I'm just at the stage where I've moved to FF and need some new lenses. I may just buy the f4 versions and use them until my camera conks out!


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## weepete (Jul 10, 2021)

photoflyer said:


> I have the R6 and the 6D Mark II.  Shot with the 6D today in fact.  They are both excellent but I am completely sold on the R6.  Of course an EVF is personal preference and there is certainly nothing wrong with the trusty DSLR but the list of advantages the R6 has over ANY Canon DSLR is very long ... for me.  The autofocus in Canon mirrorless cameras (R5,R6,R3) is nothing short of breathtaking.   Add to that the "what I see is what I get" and the temptation to chimp goes away.
> 
> As for EF versus RF - I plan to keep the EF mount cameras I have so I might just take advantage of lower cost L series EF mount lenses on the used market.  My four L series lenses work perfectly on the R6 with the adapter.  Yes, RF is better, I understand the reasons why, but is it that much better?  For some, but not for me.
> 
> ...


I don't tend to chimp a great deal anyway, so that's not a big deal to me. Over the last 10 years I've developed my own way of shooting, where I tend to rely on the VF for shooting anything that moves, or I use my VF for composing then I use live view for fine tuning the exposure with the histogram if I'm shooting landscapes. Often I'll check out a scene through the viewfinder before deciding if it's worth taking a shot.

I can be very sensitive to stuff that alters my vision, and the last canon one I tried in the shop had a poor quality EVF where I could see horizontal bars and a lot of distortion, which just kills the experience for me. Though I do shoot wildlife, landscapes are my primary focus, so a lot of the super fast focus and high FPS is a nice to have, but not essential for me.

And fair play with the existing lenses, I'm just reluctant to invest significant amounts of cash into a mount which will now become redundant. It was less of an issue with the FD to EF mount, as FD cameras are mechanical, but with the amount of electronics in modern camera bodies it worries me that if I buy top quality EF mount lenses now, I'm going to want to upgrade them in 5 years.


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## weepete (Jul 10, 2021)

smoke665 said:


> There are many more just like you, including myself. One of the big reasons I've remained a Pentaxian over the years is their commitment to backward/forward compatibility. I love my legacy lenses just as much as the new Star series. I don't understand  why other manufactures have abandoned their customers by creating products that aren't compatible unless it's pure greed, forcing them to buy new. For those who say that isn't possible, Pentax released the K-01 a mirroless model with advanced features and fully compatible with all K mount lenses in 2012, to a lukewarm market. It was discontinued a year later. I prefer to stay with a company that has more concern for their users.



Having made the move to full frame a couple of years ago I only really have one lens that I'm delighted with currently (my 16-35mm f4 L IS which is a cracking sharp lens). I'm not yet too invested in the L series, and could well consider switching. 

I do feel like this has been a corporate decision by Canon, and it is not good news for the DLSR userbase. I feel they've made the call without thinking about what impact that has on their userbase, and without a proper plan to transition over.  It's dissapointing.

I do have a soft spot for Pentax, the first proper camera I used was  my Dad's old K1, and it was a brilliant camera. I also like the look of the Sony's, so if I'm effectivley being pushed to move to a new mount then all cameras are worth considering!


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## ac12 (Jul 10, 2021)

Same discussion and complaining that the Nikon guys have with the F to Z mount change.

The dSLR Canon EF and Nikon F lenses have to deal with the mirror box.  So the dSLR lens mount to sensor plane is longer than the mirrorless RF and Z lenses, where the R and Z cameras do not have a mirror box.

With a shorter flange to sensor distance, can the RF wide lenses be made better than the EF wides, maybe.
SLR wide lenses have what is basically a reverse tele lens on the rear, so they can be positioned further from the film/sensor plane, to clear the mirror.  If you did not have to put a reverse tele on the rear of a wide lens, and with less elements in the lens, how much better could the optics be?

Canon could have kept the EF mount for the R cameras, with what is essentially an empty mirror box.  But then the R cameras would be thicker. And no matter what you do to the rest of the camera to make it smaller, you are then stuck with that EF flange to sensor distance.

Canon has the EF to R adapter, so you can still use your EF lenses.
To me, that seems like a good transition bridge, from EF to RF, vs. a hard cut, like the FD to EF mount change was.
But this is a one-way street, for people migrating to the R series.  You can't put a RF lens on an EF camera.


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## jcdeboever (Jul 11, 2021)

The viewfinder is my number one concern when buying any camera. I must be able to see the image 100% and see the entire frame. I really realize this when using my Agfa Isolette, I know that sounds stupid but it's a glaring example. It was the main reason I sold my Fujifilm XT2 , I could never get the eye relief to see the entire frame at once. I can't see the entire frame on the new Canons or other mirrorless. I can on the Fuji GFX50R, and the hybrid viewfinder found on the Xpro3 and 100v. Personally, it's the most critical component in my photography, being able to scan the edge of the frame.


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## smoke665 (Jul 11, 2021)

ac12 said:


> The dSLR Canon EF and Nikon F lenses have to deal with the mirror box. So the dSLR lens mount to sensor plane is longer than the mirrorless RF and Z lenses, where the R and Z cameras do not have a mirror box.



I understand what you're saying, but disagree with the solution. Pentax figured it out in 2012 with the release of the mirrorless K-01. Pentax K-01 Review it was both backward and forward compatible with all K mount lenses. Even then the reception was so cold from customers it was discontinued after a year. Believe it or not there are those of us who just don't like mirroless.


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## adamhiram (Jul 11, 2021)

I spent nearly a year trying to decide whether to stick with my DSLR or switch to mirrorless, albeit on the Nikon side.  Initially I did not care for the EVF and it took some time to come around, but ultimately the difference wasn’t that significant.  I found that performance for autofocus modes found on a DSLR was just as good on mirrorless, and the newer AI focus modes such as eye and face detect and subject tracking were really game changers.  

However the biggest factor that helped me decide to go mirrorless was the company’s (and industry as a whole) roadmap for their new lens mount.  Older F (and EF) lenses can be easily adapted and work just as well, but any new lenses released would likely be for the newer mount only.  On the Nikon side, the Z-mount lenses are superior to their F-mount equivalents in very noticible ways, and I’ve heard similar opinions on RF lenses.

I ultimately decided to switch to mirrorless, any new lenses I buy are native Z-mount, and in the event I need a lens that needs to be adapted, I try to buy used.


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## Donde (Jan 29, 2022)

I recently moved from a 7D ll to the R 5. I bought the adapter and am using my old 400 5.6 on the new camera. Combination works perfectly and I have the impression that the images are sharper straight out of the camera. Maybe it is my imagination or maybe I am getting a sharpness benifit from the image stabilization. I was initially planning to add the RF 100-500 but that combo would be heavier and as I'm getting good results from the current combo I probably won't.


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## photoflyer (Jan 29, 2022)

Donde said:


> I recently moved from a 7D ll to the R 5. I bought the adapter and am using my old 400 5.6 on the new camera. Combination works perfectly and I have the impression that the images are sharper straight out of the camera. Maybe it is my imagination or maybe I am getting a sharpness benifit from the image stabilization. I was initially planning to add the RF 100-500 but that combo would be heavier and as I'm getting good results from the current combo I probably won't.



My experience is it's not your imagination.  I have the 7D Mark II and the R6.  It just looked like the R6 was sharper so I started taking the same image with the same lens under the same conditions and comparing.  Maybe it's just that the R6 nails focus almost every single time but the images simply appear better even when cropped.

But, I'm still going to keep the trusty 7.  Felt like a tank and sometimes you just need a tank.


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## WeddingPhotoz (Feb 4, 2022)

Can you recommend where to buy the EF to RF adapter?  seems they are out of stock directly from cannon


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## photoflyer (Feb 4, 2022)

WeddingPhotoz said:


> Can you recommend where to buy the EF to RF adapter?  seems they are out of stock directly from cannon




They have them here:









						ef rf adapter | B&H Photo Video
					

Shop B&H's in stock, large inventory for fast shipping, great service and everyday low prices on ef rf adapter. For more info, please call 800-947-4415




					www.bhphotovideo.com


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## Sharpshooterr (Mar 11, 2022)

weepete said:


> 1, I've not yet met a EVF I get on with, and maybe I'm just being precious about my photography, but there's something about them that I feel is like a barrier and keeps me out of the image too much.






weepete said:


> 2, Maybe I'm just too used to my DSLRs and it's entirely in my head.
> 
> 3, But I couldn't help thinking that investing significant amounts in EF glass right now would be a waste  Sony mirrorless that I've had a hankering after instead.


Pete, I'll throw in my two cents.
First so you can see where I'm coming from. 
I've been using an R5 since November, all with EF L glass on the Canon adapter.
I shoot mostly portraits(fashion) and sports.
I use or used a 5Ds, 1Dx and 1Dxll.
Next I looked at your website, it looks like you're mostly a landscaper. That's where a ML will bring you the least bang for the buck. The strength of ML is in the focus system. If your subjects are distant scenes you could do just fine with Manual Focus! Most of the benefits of ML will be lost on you.
So why did I go ML? I shot a model session where a full 25% of my 500 shots where miss-focused. I had the same dilemma with sports and I use the best Canon has.
The R5 is NOT gods gift to the focus world bit I doubt any camera by any brand is except under ideal conditions but that said the R5 is VERY good. If the R3 had 45mp I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
Now onto you.....
1, Yes it's all in your head or everybody else's heads too. I'll admit, In my kind of shooting I'm usually shooting to fast to even notice anything about the EVF. But I see it exactly as the DSLR's. PLENTY of pros are using ML and it works well enough for ALL of them to not go back. 
I had built the same tall walls around me as everybody else does to convince myself that ML was not needed but a tool is a tool, nothing more, it's not gonna take you to dinner. At the end of the day it's ONLY about what it spits out on paper!
Just a couple ML advantages ii that ML does away with the lensgroups. You know, worrying about can you use a 2x or 1.4 behind your slow 100-400 because it will stop focusing, that's a thing of the past with ML. also if you occasionally starts to miss-focus and you run home to micro adjust the lens/camera micro-focus adjustment. You can throw out that fancy lens focus calibration tool.
2, I'll admit, an R5 makes my 1Dx look like a toy in simplicity. The R5 is WAY more complex than any Canon DSLR ever made so there is a learning curve. From the 5D to the 1Dx they are basically the same camera. You don't even need the manual to operate a different Canon dslr. I really hope it's the same way in the ML line. 
3, As has been said your EF glass will transfer over 100%. I have no plans to buy any new RF glass but eventually it will start to make a difference since it has two extra contacts with which to build in new lens features. 
If I'd not had so many focus problems with the dslr's for what I shoot, I would have just stayed with dslr. 6 months ago I saw no need to change at all. Where eye auto focus can be used it will put it leaps and bounds ahead of dslr. 
If what you worry about the evf, you're really worrying way to much about all the wrong things. I'm all for photographers to do what works best for them and change as the need arises, not just because there's a new kid in town. Most of us will know when that change is necessary to keep taking our art to greater heights. 
SS


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