Canon has unveiled the new EOS Ra, the brand’s first full frame camera for astronomical photography — and it should blow the Pixel 4’s Night Sight snaps out of the water.
The EOS Ra takes Canon’s flagship mirrorless EOS R and builds on it to make it a key piece of kit for astrophotographers. The camera can reportedly focus in low light conditions down to -6EV. It also features a 35mm full frame CMOS sensor with over 30 million pixels and a DIGIC 8 image processor.
Canon claims it has modified the EOS R to properly capture the colours of deep space and constellations. Specifically, it has added a new infrared blocking filter to allow four times as much hydrogen alpha light to sneak into the imaging sensor as the EOS R. The firm claims this will allow photographers to capture the bright red of a nebula crisply and clearly in a way that is usually blocked by filters in a traditional camera.
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While not Canon’s first astrophotography camera — the EOS 60Da comes to mind — the EOS Ra is the brand’s first mirrorless design with a full frame sensor. The mirrorless system minimises vibration for sharp images and keeps the camera super portable. Unlike other full frame astro cameras, the EOS Ra doesn’t require any external power or connection to a computer, making it even easier to lug around on the go.
The 35mm sensor offers high ISO performance, high resolution, fast readout and exposure latitude, promising great quality pics of the night sky, while the Vari-Angle touchscreen and electronic viewfinder gives photographers the control they need to get the perfect shot.
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As far as lenses are concerned, the EOS Ra shares the same mount as the EOS R. Along with its three compatible lens mount adapters, the Ra can work with a huge number of lenses and telescopes.
At £2599.99, this camera isn’t cheap but if you’re looking to invest in a good camera to take starry snaps properly you can pick up the Canon Ra from Canon.co.uk from early December.
Astrophotography has been a vogue term since Google loaded its latest Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones with bespoke modes for it.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.