Canon EOS R1

It's super-fast and super-expensive, but does Canon's flagship camera make sense for anyone but professional photographers? Andy Westlake finds out

-  Andy Westlake

Designed for sports and action photography, the Canon EOS R1 is the firm's first mirrorless model to sport its flagship '1-series' designation. Announced in mid-2024 alongside the 45MP EOS R5 Mark II, it can shoot 24MP stills at up to 40 frames per second, record 6K raw video at 60fps, and has a large body with an integrated vertical grip. In many ways, it can be seen as a fully pro-spec update to the EOS R3.

While the EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II differ significantly in terms of key specifications and body design, they're both pro-spec models that share most of their internal technology. Both are built around Canon's 'Accelerated Capture' concept, which employs a new Digic Accelerator coprocessor alongside the main Digic X processor. They also share a huge array of features, including Eye Control Focus.

At £6,999 body-only, the EOS R1 is similarly priced to its spiritual predecessor, the EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR. But it costs significantly more than either of its direct competitors, namely the superb Nikon Z9, and the Sony Alpha A9 III with its unique global-shutter sensor. So what do you get for your money, and can the Canon EOS R1 possibly make sense for anyone other than professional photographers?

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