REDISCOVERING PHOTOGRAPHY WITH CANON'S FLAGSHIP

A farmhouse trip, a flagship camera, and a rediscovered passion

- Words By: Sohil Nikam

Photography has always been one of those expensive hobbies I flirted with in my youth but had to set aside. I grew up chasing light with entry-level gear, fiddling with exposure triangles, and pushing my budget lenses to their limits. But as life got busier and the gear I wanted kept getting out of monetary reach, the DSLR dream slowly faded into the background.

And then the Canon EOS R1 arrived in my hands for a few weeks, paired with the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.0 lens. Canon's new flagship mirrorless is pitched as the professional's tool and is the culmination of decades of R-series innovation. It's the company's answer to sports shooters and wildlife photographers who demand speed and reliability. But for me, it was something simpler: the dream camera I always wanted to try, finally real, finally within reach. Let me give you my impressions of it.

CONFIDENCE IN THE HAND

The EOS R1 isn't shy about being a flagship. From the deep, sculpted grip to the reassuring weight, everything about it says "professional tool." With the 24-105mm mounted, the combo felt substantial, but never unwieldy. The weight balance was spot on, letting me carry it around comfortably through long sessions without fatigue.