Inside the EOS-1 series: Design and testing secrets of Canon’s most durable cameras

Canon EOS-1 series cameras are designed to withstand the most demanding conditions. Prized by professionals for their speed, accuracy and reliability, these pioneering camera bodies have set the standard for technical innovation and exceptional craftsmanship since the original EOS-1 was launched in 1989.

The Canon EOS R1 takes the flagship series into new territory. Despite its sleek profile and significant weight saving (it’s 26% lighter than the EOS-1D X Mark III), this groundbreaking professional camera raises the bar for performance and durability. It’s as tough as they come.

“Some people might pick up an EOS R1 and assume it must not be as well-built because it’s so much lighter,” suggests Richard Heathcote, Chief Photographer at Getty Images and a Canon Ambassador. “But there’s no mirror box and there’s no prism, so that’s where some of the weight saving has been made.

“The build quality and the attention to detail on things like the weather sealing and the way the camera’s been through research and development, it’s exactly the same.”

Decades of accumulated knowledge have been drawn on in the design of the latest EOS-1 series camera. But the Canon EOS R1 still went through a meticulous process of research and development, where every aspect of construction was tested and optimised for superior performance.

Advanced simulations, replicating the stresses a camera body can experience under impact and when accidents occur, play an important role in the process. “We use computer simulations such as testing impact resistance when dropped, which leads to a more robust body,” says Teruyuki Kimura, Unit Executive in the Image Quality Administration Unit at Canon Inc.

State-of-the-art computer modelling has expanded the range of testing that can be carried out in a virtual environment, which reduces the time it takes to test new camera designs. It allowed the construction and durability of the EOS R1 to be refined at an early stage, before a prototype was made.

EOS-1 series cameras are used in the toughest environments on Earth, and Canon's rigorous lab tests are designed to replicate some of the conditions professionals work in. "For example, in temperature and humidity testing, performance evaluations confirm operation in environments that simulate scorching deserts or Himalayan climbs," Mr Kimura explains – see the left-hand video below.

Drip-proof testing – see the right-hand video below – was used to verify the performance of the EOS R1’s weather seals in conditions that approximate the camera being used in a downpour, or when the camera is placed on damp ground such as when photographing from the sidelines at a football match.

Richard Heathcote has been using Canon EOS cameras for over 20 years in his role at Getty Images. He relies on the durable construction and flagship performance of EOS-1 series bodies to deliver high-quality files day in, day out.

"The EOS-1D X models were extremely solid, professional cameras – almost bulletproof, which is extremely important in our line of work," he says. "This is especially true of the EOS-1D X Mark III, which was the pinnacle of DSLR design, to the point that we still use this model for remote shooting. That build quality is borne over into the EOS R1."

Richard shares an example of how the EOS R1 is earning its reputation as a trusted tool for professionals: "I was covering golf in the Middle East, where it was very sandy and dusty. But I had a lot of confidence in the weather sealing on the EOS R1 and the RF lenses I was using. There was no problem in terms of the heat either. The daily temperature was around 40°C, and the EOS R1 kept on firing in conditions where I previously might have had issues with a camera.

"Each day we were going from an air-conditioned media centre into the early morning humid desert air, where the temperature can be 15-20°C hotter. The lenses would fog up, although the condensation burned off quickly in the sun – but the anti-fog EVF in the EOS R1 didn’t fog up at all."

Working in an extremely hot environment meant that Richard was able to test the camera's heat dissipating capabilities too. "It's a really important feature, as we're often transmitting pictures at the same time as taking them. That means we have the Wi-Fi in the camera turned on. So that's another process that the camera's going through, and it's awake quite a lot."

The EOS R1's battery life has impressed Richard. "It's noticeably longer than even the EOS R3," he says. "When I'm shooting all day, I'd normally go through several batteries easily, but I've found that a fully-charged battery lasts way over half a day on the EOS R1. It's not so much about the number of files the camera's taking, but the length of time it's turned on. I have the camera switched on for seven or eight hours, and while it might have taken only 3,000 frames in that time, it's always on and it's taking pictures and it's transmitting files."

Feedback from professionals such as Richard is crucial to the ongoing optimisation of the EOS-1 series, whether that's through firmware updates for existing models or future design enhancements. The rubberised cross-hatch texture on the EOS R1 is an example of a feature that Canon sought the opinion of professionals on during the prototype stage, with the aim being to provide a "grippier" surface for users wearing gloves. Even small details, such as the clip-in design of the ER-SC3 Multi-Function Shoe cover, have been improved after listening to feedback from users in the field.

Canon's commitment to supporting professionals with the tools they need extends far beyond its R&D labs. With Canon Professional Services (CPS), photographers and filmmakers are reassured that they can access maintenance and repair assistance as a priority.

As Shunji Yoshikai, Senior Principal Engineer in Canon Inc's Professional Business Development Department, explains, professionals need more than great equipment to have peace of mind when they shoot. "Along with daily maintenance, users need to know they can get prompt repairs as well as a replacement unit immediately if equipment should break down, wherever they are in the world.

"Canon has service centres in major cities worldwide, with specialists who are always available to maintain and repair professional equipment. On top of this, Canon sets up service centres in press centres at major sporting events to provide support to pro photographers who come from all over the world, such as lending cameras and lenses and performing maintenance.

"If a camera malfunctions or breaks down, that 'downtime' means the professional cannot shoot and misses opportunities. Canon's aim is for 'zero downtime', and at these events we bring together the best service teams from around the globe and provide hundreds of cameras and a thousand lenses for comprehensive support from early morning to late at night."

Richard recalls one occasion where CPS came to the rescue during the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. "I was covering the Olympic Sliding Centre on the penultimate day. When you get to the final stages of an event like that, everything's winding down. Teams – and I'm talking CPS and our own – are looking at packing up and making that closing transition as quick and as smooth as possible.

"I was using a sling-type strap and it just snapped. I had an EOS-1D X Mark II with a 300mm f/2.8 lens and it just fell to the concrete ground, prism down. The lens was fine, but the top plate of the camera took a big hit and was dented.

"I needed to get it fixed as quickly as possible as I still had another full day of shooting, so I took it into CPS at the media centre. The team managed to do a full rebuild and top plate changeover on my camera within about an hour or two. And they loaned me another body while they were doing that, so I could still go out and shoot and come back later in the day to pick up my camera. You wouldn't have known that anything had happened to it – it was almost like new again."



Canon's philosophy throughout the history of the EOS-1 series has consistently been to achieve "ultimate performance and ultimate reliability". Thanks to the innovative design, uncompromising construction and rigorous testing behind it, with the stalwart support services of CPS, the EOS R1 delivers all the high standards of quality and durability you'd expect in Canon's flagship professional camera.