The Canon EOS R8 II has arrived, with some unexpected similarities to the old model, some welcome ergonomic changes and a new, er, design. It looks like this might be Canon’s long-rumoured ‘retro’ camera…
Canon
Canon is one of the biggest names in photography, making compact PowerShots for the consumer market, EOS DSLRs for learners, enthusiasts and pros, and an EOS M line of mirrorless cameras for new users. It also makes a more powerful range of EOS R mirrorless cameras which are steadily replacing its DSLR line-up.
These cameras are HOW old??
This list might surprise you. It surprised me, anyway. It includes a whole bunch of cameras I still think of as being like, well, new(ish) but when you check the dates it turns out they’ve been around longer than we think.
DSLR autofocus issues and AF fine tuning
A comment in one of my recent articles about DSLRs made me realise that this was a topic I hadn’t covered. I am a DSLR fan (you may have noticed) but it’s true that DSLR phase-detect autofocus, while fast and efficient, is not always as accurate as a modern mirrorless system. I’m not talking about AF tracking or AF point coverage across the frame, I’m talking about precision, and the more complex way that DSLR autofocus works.
Used DSLR bargains in 2026. What can you get for £500/$500? You’ll be amazed!
Used digital SLRs are just insane value for money right now – if you know which models to look out for. Some brands and some types are more sought after than others (I don’t why), so the trick is do dodge these and look for the real bargains that are just as good but way, way cheaper. Here’s my list.
Never used a DSLR before? Here’s what to expect
It’s easy to forget that a whole new generation of photographers has probably never used a DSLR. If you grew up in the mirrorless era, or you got into photography when mirrorless cameras were the norm, a DSLR will feel like a very strange beast… at first. Why even bring this up? Because a very strange thing is happening. As new camera sales dwindle, the used camera market is booming, and DSLRs are among the most popular retro purchase, because for now at least they are cheap, practical and powerful, and compatible with a lot of equally cheap lenses.
When we turned our back on DSLRs we gave up a lot of things we shouldn’t have
One of these is the optical viewfinder. When mirrorless cameras first came out, almost all of my tech journo colleagues embraced electronic viewfinders for showing what the camera will actually capture, and for the mechanical simplicity of the mirrorless design. I wasn’t so sure, but I couldn’t really explain why. Now I think I can.
The IBIS hall of shame – mirrorless cameras that don’t have in-body stabilization in 2026
Is in-body stabilization essential? Maybe not for stills photography, though it has some definite advantages. Video is a different matter, especially in cameras designed for video beginners, YouTubers and novice content creators. This is an audience that doesn’t have time for tripods, doesn’t want to mess with gimbals and doesn’t understand why their new camera is worse than their phone. So which mirrorless cameras don’t have IBIS in 2026 and is it a problem?
Canon has not launched a new APS-C camera for more than three years. Should we be worried?
There is one exception, which is the Canon EOS R50 V, launched in April 2025, but can we really count that even as a new camera or even a hybrid model that photographers might buy? It’s a variant of the regular EOS R50, which was launched back in February 2023, and the ‘V’ version is clearly aimed at vloggers, not even hybrid photographers. The fact is, Canon’s APS-C development seems to have stopped in May 2023 with the old-tech, cut-price EOS R100.
Why a 1-inch sensor isn’t actually a 1-inch sensor
We imagine that a 1-inch sensor measures a full inch across the diagonal, right? Not quite. Not even close, as it happens. That’s because this sensor size is a relic of a bygone era, when digital capture devices used CRT tubes and it was the size of the tube that was quoted, not the actual imaging sensor.
What are the best compact digital cameras to get in 2026 IF ANY?
We’re in the middle of a compact camera boom. It started with the TikTok celebrity Fujifilm X100 VI, continues with the barely refreshed Canon PowerShot G7 X III and has scooped up a whole raft of second-rate compacts from yesteryear and bargain-bin point-and-shoot Amazon specials that anyone can afford and no-one should buy. What’s going on?