If you're building your photography kit and don't know where to start, these are some of the types of equipment I consider especially useful:
📷 A dependable camera with strong autofocus
🔭 A 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for sports and events
⚡ Portable off-camera lighting
💾 Fast, reliable memory cards
🔋 Extra camera and flash batteries
🛒 A heavy-duty gear wagon
🪑 A portable shooting stool
💻 Reliable storage and backup drives
I'll continue adding equipment to this page as I find products that I use and recommend.
Welcome to Mike’s Favorites, where I share photography gear, equipment, tools, accessories, and other products that I personally use, recommend, or think are worth checking out.
As a professional photographer covering seniors, sports, rodeo, motorsports, and events, I’m always testing gear and looking for products that make photography and everyday work easier.
Here you’ll find product recommendations, reviews, comparisons, photography tips, camera gear, lighting equipment, computer accessories, outdoor gear, and other useful items I’ve discovered along the way.
Check back often as I continue adding new favorites and recommendations.
Canon EOS R1 Review – My Experience as a Sports & Action Photographer
The Canon EOS R1 has become my main camera for Mike Goodall Photography, and after using it in the real-world situations I photograph every week, I can say it has been one of the best camera purchases I’ve made.
I don’t spend my time photographing test charts or shooting in perfect studio conditions. Most of my work involves high school football, rodeo, motorsports, senior portraits, equestrian events, and other fast-moving action. I need a camera that can keep up when things happen fast and I only have one chance to capture the shot.
That is exactly where the Canon R1 has impressed me the most.
Why I Chose the Canon EOS R1
I have been shooting Canon for years, so when Canon introduced the R1, I was interested mainly because of its autofocus, speed, durability, and performance for action photography.
For me, a camera has to do more than look good on a specification sheet. I may be standing beside a rodeo arena, sitting along the sideline of a football field, shooting drag cars coming off the starting line, or working an event for several hours.
I need equipment I can depend on.
After putting the Canon R1 to work, I feel like it was designed for exactly that kind of photography.
Canon R1 Autofocus for Sports and Action Photography
The autofocus is probably my favorite thing about the R1.
When I am photographing football, rodeo, barrel racing, or motorsports, the subject may be coming directly toward me, moving across the frame, changing direction, or disappearing behind another person.
The R1 does a very good job of finding the subject and staying with it.
That gives me more confidence when I am shooting because I can concentrate on timing, composition, and anticipating the action instead of constantly worrying about whether the camera is going to hold focus.
No autofocus system is perfect, but the R1 has made my job easier, especially when photographing unpredictable action.
The Speed Makes a Difference
Speed is extremely important for the kind of photography I do.
There can be a huge difference between one frame and the next.
With football, it may be the exact second a receiver catches the ball.
At a rodeo, it could be the moment a bull rider gets completely extended.
At a drag race, it might be the instant the front wheels come off the ground.
Those moments happen incredibly fast.
The Canon R1 gives me the burst speed I need to capture a sequence and then choose the strongest photograph from it.
That doesn’t mean I simply hold the shutter button down all night. Timing is still important. But when something big happens, I like knowing the camera can keep up.
Image Quality in Difficult Lighting
A lot of my photography happens in less-than-perfect lighting.
Friday night football stadiums, indoor gyms, rodeo arenas, and racetracks at night can all be challenging.
I have been very happy with the image quality I get from the Canon R1, especially when I have to raise the ISO.
Being able to maintain good shutter speeds while still getting usable, detailed images is extremely important when photographing action.
I would much rather have a sharp photograph with a little noise than a perfectly clean photograph that is blurry because the shutter speed was too slow.
The R1 gives me a lot of flexibility in those situations.
How the Canon R1 Feels With Large Lenses
The Canon R1 is not a tiny camera, and personally, I’m glad it isn’t.
I regularly use larger lenses such as my 70-200mm f/2.8 and 100-500mm, and I like having a larger camera body with those lenses.
The combination feels balanced in my hands.
The built-in vertical grip is also something I appreciate, especially when I am shooting portraits or switching between horizontal and vertical compositions during an event.
For someone who wants the smallest possible camera body, the R1 may feel big.
For the kind of professional shooting I do, I prefer it.
Built for Long Days of Shooting
One thing that matters to me more than it probably does to the average photographer is reliability.
When I agree to photograph an event, people are depending on me to get the photographs.
There isn't a second Friday night football game.
There isn't another chance to photograph that exact rodeo ride.
There isn't another launch when a drag car pulls a huge wheelie.
My equipment needs to work.
The Canon R1 feels extremely solid and built for professional use. I have used it during long shooting days, and it has become a camera I feel comfortable depending on.
What I Like Most About the Canon EOS R1
After using the camera in real shooting situations, these are the things that stand out the most to me:
What I Don't Like About the Canon R1
No camera is perfect.
The biggest downside for most photographers is probably going to be the price. This is a professional camera, and it is priced like one.
It is also a large camera compared with many mirrorless bodies.
If you mostly photograph family vacations, landscapes, or casual portraits, you probably don't need everything the R1 offers.
But if you regularly photograph sports, wildlife, rodeo, motorsports, birds, or other fast-moving subjects, the features begin to make a lot more sense.
Is the Canon EOS R1 Worth It?
For me, the answer is yes.
Photography is my business, and sports and action photography make up a large part of what I shoot.
I need speed.
I need dependable autofocus.
I need good performance when the lighting isn't perfect.
Most importantly, I need a camera that doesn't get in my way when something important is happening.
The Canon EOS R1 checks those boxes for me.
Would I recommend everyone go out and buy one?
No.
There are several excellent Canon cameras that cost considerably less and will do everything many photographers need. Such as my backup camera, which is the Canon R6 MKii.
But if you're serious about professional sports and action photography and want one of Canon's top cameras, the R1 deserves to be on your list.
Where to Buy the Canon EOS R1
If you're interested in the Canon EOS R1 or some of the equipment I use with it, you can check current pricing and availability through the links below.
Canon EOS R1: Right now, it is a little under $7,000.00
Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8: Right now, it is priced at $3099.00
Canon RF 100-500mm: Right now it is priced at $2899.00
Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8: Right now it is priced at $2399.00
I'll continue adding some of the camera gear, lighting equipment, memory cards, bags, accessories, and other photography products that I personally use to my Mike's Favorites section.
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I personally use, have experience with, or believe may be useful to other photographers.
Final Thoughts on the Canon EOS R1
The best compliment I can give the Canon R1 is that when I'm shooting, I don't spend much time thinking about the camera.
I'm thinking about the next play.
I'm watching the horse coming into the arena.
I'm waiting for the drag car to leave the starting line.
I'm watching for the expression or moment that is going to make the photograph.
The camera is simply doing its job.
And for a professional action photographer, that's exactly what I want.
— Mike Goodall
Mike Goodall Photography
Senior • Sports • Rodeo • Motorsports • Event Photography