Now that I have really started to dig into the features and capabilities of the EOS R, I am surprised again and again about how much difference the Dual Pixel Autofocus system makes, compared to having a separate autofocus sensor like I had in my EOS 6D.
It is not that the 6D were bad or had trouble focusing. Far from. It was really good at focusing, even in bad light.
But I had to micro adjust every single one of my lenses to get the most out of them. And sometimes, no matter how much you adjusted, there would still be times where the focus seemed a bit off.
My Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM is the perfect example. It is a lens that is notoriously known for being hard to adjust correctly.
On some lenses, mine included, you would be challenged to find a micro adjustment that were spot on, both when focusing close to infinity and close to the near limit.
A whole new lens
I actually managed to adjust it to a point where both ends were acceptable, but from time to time it would just miss focus.
On the R, it is like having a whole new lens. It is sharp at all distances, focus is spot on every time. And I didn’t even have to micro adjust.
You can’t even do that on the R because It uses the image sensor to focus, instead of a separate sensor.
This is perhaps one of the most overlooked advantages of this new mirrorless prodigy.
It wasn’t a feature I had given much though before buying the R, but it really is a big deal.
Not only can I use all my EF lenses (and even EF-S lenses) using an adapter, but I can use them with better or as good results as I have been used to on my native EF Mount 6D.
The image in this post is taken with the EOS R and Sigma 50mm f/1.4.