Canon to Use ‘Moving Sensor’ in EOS R Camera with Hybrid EF/RF Mount: Report

In an update to a very intriguing rumor that hit the airwaves a couple of weeks ago, CanonWatch is reporting that Canon will use a “moving sensor” to create the rumored “pro” EOS R camera with a hybrid EF/RF mount we originally mentioned here.

CW didn’t mention how their source came about this information (we’ve reached out to see if we can get any clarification on where this detail came from) but it’s the prevailing theory that appeared in the comments of our coverage two weeks ago.

There are two main hurdles that Canon would have to overcome in order to make this camera work:

  1. The flange distance of the EF vs RF mount
  2. The slight difference between the electronic contacts on the EF and RF mounts

Importantly, both the EF and RF mount have the same mount diameter, taking one troubling issue off the table. A moving sensor mounted on some sort of rigid rail system would solve problem #1, and problem #2 could theoretically be solved by some internal electronics, assuming you could line up the contacts for each mount properly. Of course, these two issues are far from the only technical challenges that would plague such a system like this.

According to the most recent reports, this hybrid camera will be an “EOS 1-level” system meant for professional shooters, and we don’t expect it to arrive until 2021 if it arrives at all. We’ll keep you updated as more details leak about Canon’s plans.

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