Canon R3 Mark II Latest Rumors and Updates

By admin, on December 11th, 2025

Canon R3 is always a professional sports and wildlife photographer’s favourite camera and considered to have ergonomics very similar to the Canon 1D-series DSLR, but as of now we have some sort of information coming from rumour mills that the Canon R3 Mark II camera will arrive before the 2026 Milan Olympics. In this article, we are going to discuss the possible set of core specifications, the arrival time of the R3 Mark II camera, so let’s dive in details.

Why Now? The Case for an EOS R3 Mark II

The Canon R3 was announced back in September 2021, one of the cameras that introduced Eye/Iris Control AF and that has impressed everyone as a flagship camera. The price is way too high, costing around $5999, specifically built for wildlife, sports, events, and photojournalism.

Rumours have started recently related to Canon R3 mark II camera arrival, since Canon does have a history of Olympic-tied flagship announcements. So for this time, we are expecting Canon to update its oldest flagship sports camera, the Canon R3.

Although not only Canon, Nikon was also stuck to Olympic-related announcements in post-DSLR times. Right now in the mirrorless world, we have to look at the dates and the patterns of these camera makers very carefully. They may change up everything they have done in the past, but for now, Phoblographer and Canon Rumours do believe that we are going to have Olympics-related announcements soon, or before February 2026.+

Rumoured Specs: What Could the R3 Mark II Bring to the Table?

Canon R3 Mark II camera specification based on the latest set of rumours and leaks we have

Sensor and Resolution

Global Shutter Tease?: Is Canon testing out Global shutter sensors for Canon R3 Mark II? Although the global shutter sensor isn’t a new thing for Canon. But yes, source has cancelled out the possibilities of an High Res Stacked CMOS sensor inside the Canon R3 Mark II camera, the sensor is said to be Inspired by Sony’s A9 III, some speculate a global shutter variant to eliminate rolling shutter distortion in action shots, boosting high-ISO performance (clean files above 12,800 ISO, per user feedback on the original R3).

Not only Canon R3 Mark II, but also some chattrings about Canon R1 MkII Camera arrival with a global shutter sensor

Processor and Performance

DIGIC X Mark II: DIGIC X was first announced on January 6, 2020. As of December 11, 2025, it is approximately 5 years and 11 months old (or nearly 6 years). It debuted in the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III, Canon’s flagship professional DSLR at the time. It’s really a shame for Canon to still use the same 6 year old procesor in all their Flagship camera without any update or upgrade. In the meantime, they have added an AI chip, named Digic accelerator to handle AI based task. But, the image processor remains the same; we do believe the Canon R3 Mark II will bring out a new image processor in the Canon lineup.

Autofocus and Viewfinder

Eye-Control AF 2.0: Building on the original’s magic, with deeper AI for subject detection in chaotic scenes—sports, birds-in-flight, you name it.
EVF Upgrade: A 5.76M-dot OLED like the R1, but tuned for the gripped form factor.

Video Capabilities

Leaks are quiet here, but expect 6K/120p raw internals, with pro codecs for filmmakers doubling as stills shooters.

Release Date and Pricing: When Can We Get Our Hands on It?

Timeline: February 2026 announcement for Milan Olympics coverage, with shipping by spring. Miss this window? It might evaporate, per skeptics. Canon Rumors pegs Q1 alongside lenses, aligning with Phoblographer’s intel.
Pricing: Expect a bump to $6,500–$7,000 body-only, positioning it between the R5 II ($3,899) and R1. Bundles with RF 400mm f/2.8 or similar could sweeten Olympic deals.

These are the initial updates related to the Canon R3 Mark II camera. As we get any new information related to the same, we will be updating it here at TheNewCamera.com. Stay tuned for more updates.