So, it's here – the long-awaited and endlessly-rumored retro camera from Canon. Except, it's not a retro camera at all.
In fact, take the new EG-2 grip (which is, crucially, optional) off the bottom of the new Canon EOS R8 Mark II and most people wouldn't even twig that there was anything "retro" about it – though there's definitely some distinct visual grammar going on.
And there's the rub. The R8 Mark II, despite all the camera rumors (and my own pestering of Canon execs), is not a retro camera as we know it. There's no contrasting black-and-silver chassis, no throwback dials, no Canon AE-1 tribute act.
Again, put it 99% of people's hands and – while they'll notice the sharp, aggressive lines and new grip (replete with new texture) – they probably wouldn't identify it as being anything other than a modern mirrorless camera.
But slap that grip on the bottom of the body and it reveals itself: the silhouette from yesteryear that, if you know, you know.
The Canon EOS R8 Mark II isn't a retro camera, but its design has been directly informed by the company's heritage – specifically taking inspiration from the Canon T80, along with a few flourishes from other SLRs like the A1 and AE-1.
And that heritage is completely optional. Attaching the grip adds the unmistakable "slash" to the silhouette – the cherry on top of the angular lines and the boxier bump where once sat a pentaprism. The design is distinctive enough to tell you that this is something special, but understated enough not to be gauche.
The move is typically Canon. It's not the retro camera that everyone expected – and certainly not the camera to which most would pay tribute. But like Commissioner Gordon said: it's the not the hero we deserve, but the one we need right now.
The T80 was important, in that it was Canon's first ever autofocus SLR. (The quirky lens you see on this page, with the red inner ring and motor unit that sticks out like an overdeveloped deltoid, is one of just three "AC" autofocus lenses designed specifically for it.) It was a landmark camera, but a stopgap product and one not very fondly remembered.
Still, the homage is there for those who recognize it. The most hardcore of homages to the most faithful of followers. This isn't a disruptive, fanfare product – it's Canon doing what Canon does: trying something different enough to be a bit exciting, but familiar enough not to upset the locals. Canon has, after all, been burned before when going too far off piste.
The Canon EOS R8 Mark II adheres to the aesthetic of the wider product line, but adds a dollop of secret sauce for those who recognize the flavor. And for that reason, I think it might be the most exciting camera that Canon has released this generation.
Not for the tech – though the 40fps burst, 6K-oversampled 4K and 7.5 stops of stabilization certainly merit excitement – but because it's a link to the past. An acknowledgement that photographers don't just want capable black boxes that take inspiring images – they want those boxes to be inspiring, too.
And, as one of the few people to proudly own a T80 (a camera that was discontinued after only 14 months on the market), I'm grateful that this piece of history hasn't been forgotten. Now, if Canon makes a throwback AC-inspired lens with a hump on the side to go with the new camera, we'll really be talking…
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Take a look at the best Canon cameras, along with the best film cameras – including the Canon AE-1 (though sadly not the T80). You can also check out the best retro cameras, most of which are more overt than the R8 Mark II.
