For those of you who follow the blog or have joined me on a Backcountry Journeys workshop, you know that I am a Nikon shooter. But, leading workshops have allowed me to use almost every popular camera from the major manufacturers. I’ve used Nikon’s mirrorless and DSLR cameras, all of Sony’s top models, and Canon DSLRs along with their mirrorless EOS.
Although I use Nikon, I don’t really pledge allegiance to a brand. Any camera you get today is going to be great and more than capable of producing a great shot. What matters most is what’s behind the camera, right?
With that said, I don’t think it’s much of a secret, but many Canon users haven’t been super happy with the way Canon has progressed with their latest camera bodies. Keyword being bodies, Canon’s glass has always been industry-leading and a reason alone to use Canon gear.
However, Canon has fallen behind in the dynamic range and noise handling race, allowing Nikon and Sony to produce superior bodies, along with Nikon they have watched Sony dominate camera sales and create the burst-shooting, wildlife/sport-focused beast that is the A9 and A9II, and some will say that their initial mirrorless offering came up short.
Canon has produced some awesome lenses and has some more awesome lenses for their mirrorless line in the works, but as I said, their lenses have always been awesome…the Canon community was beginning to want something more. Well, first came the newly revamped 1DX-Mark III and now, well now, we just got a peek at the specs of the next mirrorless iteration, the Canon ESO R5.
The EOS R5 looks to be one of the most exciting releases of the year, yes I know it’s April, but it seriously looks awesome. If you passed on the first generation of the EOS R hoping for more with the second generation, well this is it.
The EOS R5 and What We Know So Far…- The initial video specs are probably the MOST impressive – 8K RAW internal 30fps, 8K up to 30fps and 4K up to 120fps 4:2:2 in 10-bit Canon Log (H.265) or 4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ (H.265). The EOS R5 will be an absolute monster when it comes to video.
- Dual card slots – both Nikon and Canon took a lot of heat when their mirrorless cameras released with single slots when Sony had been doing two slots for years. The EOS R5 will have a CFexpress and SD card slots. CFexpress has quickly become the premier storage choice for professionals. I really like having the SD slot option though, since SD storage is so much cheaper.
- IBIS – Canon also took a lot of heat for no in-body stabilization (IBIS) with the EOS R. One of the big selling points of mirrorless is the ability to include IBIS, the EOS R5 will have 5-axis IBIS…leveling it with Nikon and Sony’s top mirrorless cameras.
- Animal AF and improved burst – music to wildlife photographers’ ears. The EOS R5 will feature Animal AF, which is said to be capable of focusing on and tracking wildlife by their eyes, face, and body shape. Pair that will a 1DX-esque burst rate of 20 fps with its electronic shutter. All of this is great news for those wildlife photographers out there.
- Joystick to replace touch bar – The touch bar on the EOS R was supposed to be a revolutionary feature, but many turned out to actually dislike the bar. Canon took that feedback and is replacing the bar with a joystick.
What We Don’t Know- Price? – There’s no doubt this camera will be great if its ability to capture photos is even close to its video capabilities. But, with such a feature-packed camera that is setting a new bar in the industry, what should we expect for the price? Canon’s mirrorless line and lenses have entered the market as pricey options. Price will be interesting, will it be competitive or will people get priced out?
- Resolution – Rumors on resolution have been all over the place. Based on the 8K video capabilities, people have assumed the resolution will be between 39-44 megapixels. There is also a rumor of a 150-megapixel EOS R body, so who knows. Another important thing to track in the coming months.
- Other features? – We have heard a ton about video, I am interested to learn about dynamic range, noise handling, and weather sealing. I am excited to learn more information about the stills capabilities of this camera. The burst rate is great and instantly makes this a great option for those Canon wildlife shooters looking to upgrade or go mirrorless.
Newly Announced Details of The Canon EOS R5 Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera include:- 8K RAW internal video recording up to 29.97 fps
- 8K internal video recording up to 29.97 fps in 4:2:2 10-bit Canon Log (H.265)/4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ (H.265).
- 4K internal video recording up to 119.88 fps in 4:2:2 10-bit Canon Log (H.265)/4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ (H.265). 4K external recording is also available up to 59.94 fps.
- No crop 8K and 4K video capture using the full-width of the sensor.*
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF available in all 8K and 4K recording modes.
- Canon Log available in 8K and 4K internal recording modes.
- A Canon first, the EOS R5 will feature 5-axis In-Body Image Stabilization, which works in conjunction with Optical IS equipped with many of the RF and EF lenses.
- Dual-card slots: 1x CFexpress and 1x SD UHS-II.