- Canon EOS R3 | The Tarmac Test
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From the fast-paced action on the tarmac to the intensity of emotions in the pit stops, the photographers at the Repco 2021 Bathurst 1000 captured every moment. Joined by the CPS team (Canon Professional Services), 10 photographers were equipped with Canon's latest camera the EOS R3, putting this newcomer to the ultimate track test.
See their show-stopping shots below and hear first-hand their experience with the EOS R3.
“With the Bathurst 1000 being the biggest event of our year, for me the reliability of the equipment plays a large role. The EOS R3 is designed for performance and sport in mind, and at Bathurst where there are so many variables from car speeds to lighting conditions, you need a camera that can adapt quickly, function easily in your hands and capture the details in the shadows. The fact that the functionality of the EOS R3 is like the EOS 1D-X Mark III makes the switch into mirrorless easy.
The Eye Control AF is incredibly handy to have especially in a pit environment as it saves you from having to push buttons and flip dials - it’s just as easy as looking at what you want to capture and away you go. The AF speeds are also unmatched. Bathurst has a unique area of the track where you’re shooting cars coming over a blind crest, so you don’t see the car until the very last moment, and the AF is quick enough to lock onto that subject in a split second.” - Canon Master, Mark Horsburgh.
“The CPS team are the knights in shining armour. Having CPS at a major event is like having an extra cushion of reliability. It doesn’t matter what gear you use, there’s always a possibility that something might go wrong or get damaged but the team are there and always ready to help in any way possible. The fact that the photographers were able also use new gear in a real-world setting was a great bonus and definitely the ultimate way to test drive a camera.
Over the years I’ve always looked up to the CPS team and the service they give is second to none. I can’t say enough about what they do. They’re constantly bombarded with questions and requests, and they humbly help everyone without batting an eyelid.” - Canon Master, Mark Horsburgh.
“I was invited to the Team Erebus motorsport garage for the Bathurst 1000, by major team sponsor Earl Evans, who is the co-founder of Shaw and Partners Financial Services. I had no brief, just to come and shoot some behind the scenes images of the team preparing for the race and garage life.
In this image I captured of Will Brown preparing and 'being in the moment' before entering his supercar. I was privileged to be given the new EOS R3 in combination with a with RF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS USM to use during the weekend by Trygve and Colin from the Canon CPS Team.
The EOS R3, is very impressive, light weight, with mindful ergonomics that is familiar with my EOS 1D-X system. I found it to be super-fast and accurate in subject tracking.
To be able to see your exposure in the view finder, coupled with the eye control focus was a game changer for me. At 30fps you can’t miss. It’s insanely fast and almost feels like you're cheating. The whisper quietness of it left me checking to see if it was even working! Overall EOS R3 is definitely on my radar of a must have purchase.” - Photographer, Shane Myers.
“This image was taken during the practice laps. This corner is approached at a relatively slow speed, so I dropped the shutter speed and utilised the vehicle tracking autofocus mode on the EOS R3 to assist me with maintaining the focus. There is a large red brand sign in the background which I wanted to blur and elongate by using the slower shutter to bring a bit more colour to the image whilst conveying a greater sense of speed. The high-resolution viewfinder worked a treat, giving me a great view with no lag.
Coming from using the 1D-series bodies for the last 14 years meant I was cautious of the EOS R3, but those fears were allayed quickly once I had one in my hands with the controls all feeling very familiar, but in a slightly more compact and lighter body. The performance of the EOS R3 combined with the new RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens gave me great reach and image quality that I was able to use them for the entire day without needing to swap bodies and lenses like I normally would.” - Photographer, Nathan Wong.
"My experience with CPS at Bathurst was fantastic. Colin and Trygve were super helpful from the moment they setup the loan gear, to sensor and lens cleaning, to general advice on how to get the best from the EOS R3 (which I barely scratched the surface of). From what I saw, they had a very good rapport amongst the photographers at the event and it would be great to have CPS back at the event again in the future.” - Photographer, Nathan Wong.
"This image was taken during the qualifying session. I wanted to capture the cars over the skyline in the golden sunlit afternoon. During the qualifiers the cars are tuned up to drive as fast as possible and sometimes they lift onto two wheels over the crest. It's an amazing place to stand as a photographer and I was blown away at the Canon EOS R3's performance. It is unlike any other camera I have ever used before. The autofocus is incredibly fast and the dynamic range is amazing. For motorsport photographers you can't go wrong with using the EOS R3. Would love to get my hands on this for my rally clients in the future.”
“CPS attended the Repco 2021 Bathurst 1000 to continue its proud history of supporting photographers at Major sporting events around the globe. This was the first time CPS Australia attended the iconic Bathurst race, and it was a great success. We were able to provide an onsite sensor cleaning service, as well as free equipment loans to makes sure our customers had a chance to try the latest and best Canon gear.
It was also a great opportunity to provide expert technical advice to get the most out of the great Canon products being used. Photographers were over the moon to be able to trial products like the new EOS R3 and RF 400mm f/2.8L IS Lens. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive with the general consensus that this was the best camera and lens combination for motor sport ever experienced.”
Find out more about CPS here: https://cps.canon.com.au/
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