My plans for testing the two EOS R lenses, kindly loaned to me by Canon, have been badly compromised by initially, an appointment to remove a molar tooth at a Dental Practice at Houghton Regis. However, I did manage to get some use from the 70—200mm lens at the lakes at Marsworth.
The bird numbers were good, and I was lucky with the light, so I did get a fair idea of what I could expect from this native R-specific lens. I did find that I faced difficulties with using automatic focussing consistently, and often missed shots due to delays bringing my subject into focus, unless the setting was close to the needed point from where it had been set. This came as a surprise, because my earlier 70—200mm on either my 7D MkII or 5D MkIII never, under average lighting conditions, fail to obtain focus when using first-pressure on the release. For greater success, I reverted to using the Manual mode with “arrow-align” feature, because seemingly the manual override ring seemed inoperable as an override, when in Auto.
I felt sure that the issue was down to the User not the lens, ‘RTFM’ was the next option, I have also spoken to a contact at Canon and learned of a way round. I fully understand and appreciate the move to mirrorless, so am determined to forge a route that gives me the results I seek using the new technology, but is kept within my personal means.
The other lens I wish to check out is the 28—70mm, and hopefully, that will be very shortly, as the sun seems to be making a return, but this was of lesser interest, especially as the balance of such a weight when using such a light body as the EOS R, seems difficult to accept for what is such a generally all-rounder zoom range. Is it just me, that considers this focal length range should be for hand-holding, yet despite its undoubted image quality, the weight and balance simply make it a burden.
I am off out to help make up my mind. The gallery of images here at least leaves me no doubt as to the native quality of the images, and I am very grateful for the generous offer to experience these R-version lenses afforded me by Canon UK.