I tried Canon's new-look EOS R8 Mark II — it's a solid upgrade of the EOS R8, but the competition from Nikon is fierce

Canon EOS R8 Mark II: Two-minute review It might look like a Sony or Nikon, but I can assure you that the EOS R8 Mark II is a Canon camera.

It's the realization of a long-rumored model that was expected to be a digital remake of the AE-1 analog SLR camera to mark that camera's its 50th anniversary, only those rumors proved unfounded, with Canon working in a "modern twist".

I can see the faint resemblance between the two cameras, and I like the EOS R8 Mark II's angular look, but I also think Canon has missed a trick by not going all-out retro here, in the way Nikon did with its Zf .

Design should have been the major selling point here, but instead we have a camera that blends in, and that's not a compliment.

This makes it harder to forgive the dated elements of the camera that have been carried over from the original EOS R8 .

That's not to say the EOS R8 Mark II isn't a decent upgrade from the EOS R8 — it adds in-body image stabilization that's rated up to 7.5EV to the 24MP full-frame sensor, plus an AF joystick (Canon calls it a multi-controller) which makes autofocus selection simpler.

The Canon EOS R8 Mark II isn't the retro design we'd been led to expect (Image credit: Tim Coleman) Video specs are also improved, autofocus performance enhanced, and pre-capture appears for the first time in a Canon camera at this price point.

The EOS R8 Mark II is a better camera than the EOS R8, but it also carries the same LCD and EVF displays, and the same tiny battery and entry-level build quality.

These dated elements only highlight how much better a camera the Nikon Z5 II is — and that camera from 2025 costs less.

Still, if you're a Canon fan and committed to its system, the EOS R8 Mark II is a solid upgrade of the EOS R8, and a sensible alternative to the pricier EOS R6 Mark III for users who don't need the premium design, superior battery life and various high-end features.

Canon EOS R8 Mark II: Price and release date Announced on September 16, 2026, priced from $1,899 / £1,729 / AU$2,529 Available in 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM kit for £2,119 / AU$2,859 (or with the 24-50mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM lens for $2,099) in the US Dedicated Extension Grip (EC-G2) costs $99 / £89 / AU$169 Goes on sale from October 20 Here's the EOS R8 Mark II with its dedicated EC-G2 grip attached.

The grip purely bulks out the camera — it doesn't feature a battery (Image credit: Tim Coleman) Canon is expected to sell the EOS R8 Mark II from October 20, with a body-only price of $1,899 / £1,729 / AU$2,529, which rises to £2,119 / AU$2,859 for the 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM kit (not to be confused with the pricier 24-105mm F4 L IS USM), while in the US there's a 24-50mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM kit for $2,099.

Other bundles will be available, including one with an additional battery.