[Photography] Canon Announces the EOS Ra, Its First Mirrorless Astrophotography Camera

The post Canon Announces the EOS Ra, Its First Mirrorless Astrophotography Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Canon has announced its first astrophotography camera since the Canon 60Da, which is also its first-ever mirrorless astrophotography camera:

The Canon EOS Ra.

The EOS Ra isn’t a particularly flashy camera; it’s the Canon EOS R, along with a few special features designed for astrophotographers. But if you’re looking to take photos of the night sky, the Canon EOS Ra may be exactly what you need.

What makes this camera special?

First, Canon has added a special IR filter in front of the sensor, one that promises to increase transmission of the H-alpha wavelength by approximately four times the amount of the standard EOS R. Most cameras include an IR filter that reduces H-alpha wavelength transmission. But the H-alpha wavelength features heavily in celestial phenomena such as diffuse nebulae; the enhanced transmission should make for clearer, sharper images of these astronomical objects.

And second, Canon added enhanced EVF and LCD viewing. You can zoom in to 5x or 30x magnification using either the LCD or the electronic viewfinder, which allows you to focus on celestial objects with increased precision.

Note that the Canon EOS Ra offers all the other features of the EOS R, including a 30.3 MP sensor, the DIGIC 8 processor, continuous shooting at 8 frames per second, and Canon’s amazing Dual Pixel autofocus.

So who should get the Canon EOS Ra? And how does it perform when shooting subjects other than the night sky?

The Canon EOS Ra is designed for astrophotographers, and I recommend you keep it that way. While all the EOS R features are present, the altered IR filter may cause issues when photographing non-celestial subjects. Plus, the EOS Ra has a few hundred dollars added to its price tag, selling for $2499 USD compared to the $1799 USD Canon EOS R. For non-astrophotographers, purchasing the EOS Ra will be throwing away unnecessary dollars.

But for astrophotographers, the Canon EOS Ra is a fantastic option.

The camera is currently available for preorder and should debut in mid-December 2019.

What do you think about the Canon EOS Ra? And for all the astrophotographers out there: Will you be using it for astrophotography?

The post Canon Announces the EOS Ra, Its First Mirrorless Astrophotography Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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