The Latest Canon Rumours

credits: Canon

Retro, yet not quite retro, or perhaps a “retro sibling” instead? The story around the Canon EOS R8 Mark II is getting a little more complicated. For months, rumours suggested Canon could finally launch a proper retro-style mirrorless camera in 2026, potentially inspired by the Canon AE-1, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Early reports even referred to a possible EOS RE-1, but by April, sources were instead pointing toward the upcoming R8 Mark II. That camera is currently rumoured to be announced on September 15, 2026, with one of its biggest expected upgrades being 5-axis in-body image stabilisation.

More recent information, however, has moved away from the idea that the R8 Mark II itself will be a full-on retro camera. Instead, the body has been described as slightly boxier and more angular than the original R8, giving it a bit of a retro influence without completely changing the familiar EOS R design. Now there is another possibility. According to new information from multiple, trusted sources, Canon may actually be working on a second model based on the R8 Mark II with a more obviously retro design. This second camera apparently will not be announced alongside the regular R8 Mark II on September 15.

Exactly how this would work is still unclear, and the different rumours we have heard over the past few months do not completely line up yet. Canon could theoretically use the same internal hardware as the R8 Mark II and put it inside a substantially different body, similar to how other manufacturers have built several cameras around the same underlying technology. For now, the most likely scenario still seems to be a relatively conventional R8 Mark II in September, and maybe a proper retro camera later.