Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Daniel Etter tested the EOS R's low-light capabilities on a shoot in a coal mine. Even in the darkness, Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology enabled fast and accurate autofocus; the bright 3.69 million dot electronic viewfinder made it possible to preview his shots; and the innovative RF lens mount supported brighter lenses, new levels of image stabilisation, and more. Taken on a Canon EOS R with a Canon RF 50mm F1.2L USM lens at 1/60 sec, f/1.2 and ISO3200. © Daniel Etter
There are many situations in which you'll have to shoot in low-light conditions. These include night sky and astro photography, photographing wildlife at night, and capturing light trails or creative light painting using long exposures. You might be photographing a cityscape at night or a sunset, or even shooting down a coal mine, where the whole aim is depicting the ambient conditions, so that using flash would be inappropriate. Many photographers love shooting during the so-called "golden hour" just before dawn and just after sunset, when everything is bathed in warm colours and soft, diffused lighting but the general light level is lower than in daytime.
However, despite the emotive power that night photography and low-light photography can have, they present significant challenges. By definition, photography entails capturing light, and the less light you have to work with, the more difficult it will be to resolve detail and a wide range of tones. Focusing becomes tricky when you can't see clearly, and autofocus won't help when the camera can't see clearly either. Using a slower shutter speed to let in more light increases the risk of blurring, and raising the camera's ISO or light sensitivity setting typically results in undesirable image noise.
Here we'll explore how advances in camera technologies and innovations in design are remedying these key issues in low-light and night photography, resulting in hugely improved low-light performance in Canon's EOS R System cameras.