Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6

EOS R System

Canon launched the EOS R System in Hawaii on Sept 5, 2018 with the Full-Frame Mirrorless EOS R camera and RF lenses. At that time, it was made clear that there would be more to come.

The more affordable EOS RP was released in March 2019.

For the third act in the EOS R series, Canon introduced the R5 and R6 cameras on July 9, 2020. Both cameras are weather, dust and spray resistant. My favorite feature, carried from the original R, is the mechanical shutter that completely covers and protects the sensor from dust when changing lenses (when the camera is turned off). All cine and mirrorless still cameras should have this.

Canon EOS R5

The following should catch your attention as it did mine.

Canon’s new EOS R5 is a 45 Megapixel Full-Frame RF-mount mirrorless hybrid still/video camera that shoots and records uncropped 8K DCI 12-bit RAW at 2600 Mbps to an internal CFexpress card. The RAW is Canon RAW.

Like residents of Long Island, you may not wear socks from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but if you did, the R5 specs could just have knocked your socks off.

Here are a few of the sockless sartorial details:

45 megapixel Full Frame (36 x24 mm approx) CMOS sensor.
8192 x 5464 photosites. (Estimated 4.40 μm pixel pitch).
8K RAW 12-bit internal video recording up to 29.97 fps,
DCI 8192 x 4320.
8K 10-bit 4:2:2 Canon Log H.265 or HDR PQ H.265 internal recording to 29.97 fps. DCI 8192 x 4320 or UHD 8K (7680 x 4320).
4K 10-bit 4:2:2 Canon Log H.265 or HDR PQ H.265 internal recording to 119.88 fps. DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) or UHD 4K (3840 x 2160).
Full-width (no crop) 8K RAW and 8K/4K sensor modes.
Dual Pixel CMOS AF (Autofocus) available in all 8K and 4K recording modes.
5-axis In-Body Image Stabilization—a first for Canon. It works in conjunction with Optical IS equipped with many of the RF and EF lenses.
Dual-card slots: 1x CFexpress Type B and 1x SD UHS-II.
ISO range of 100-51,200; Expandable to 102,400.
In-body Image Stabilizer for up to 8 stops of Shake Correction.
Rear joystick for focus area selection and menu navigation.
0.5″ 5.76 million dot OLED EVF, 119.88 fps refresh rate.
3.15″ 2.1 million dot vari-angle LCD monitor/touch screen.
Weight: 1.62 lb Size: 5.43″ x 3.84″ x 3.46″

Canon RAW and other details

The Canon R5 captures RAW up to 8K and records it internally onto a CFexpress card. Canon RAW format is familiar to users of the EOS-1D X Mark III. The viewfinder is a 0.5-inch 5.76 million dot OLED EVF with a 120 fps refresh rate.

Autofocus and Subject Detection

The EOS R5 uses Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF Technology to make extremely fast Autofocus calculations. Subject detection adopted from the Live View AF tracking system in the EOS-1D X Mark III camera provides face, head and even eye tracking when selected. Autofocus of animals is also possible for the first time in a Canon camera, following focus by tracking the whole body, face, or eye of cats, dogs or birds.

New Sensor

Canon’s EOS R5 has a newly developed CMOS sensor. It has IBIS (In Body Image Stabilization). When used in conjunction with the ever-popular in-lens stabilization (IS), handholding the camera and lens in incredibly low light levels will be possible.

EOS 5D Mark II then; EOS R5 now

This reminds me of an earlier paradigm disrupting product launch. Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II changed the game for DSLR Video. The new EOS R5 will push the envelope of what filmmakers can do with Mirrorless cameras. I expect it foreshadows a migration of more to come in the field of hybrid cine/still cameras and lenses with shallow flange focal depth mounts.

Price

The EOS R5 camera is available at an estimated retail price of $3,899.00 for the body only and $4,999.00 for the R5 and RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM lens kit.

EOS R6

Canon also introduced the EOS R6, which they described as “geared towards advanced amateurs.” It has a 20.1 megapixel Full Frame sensor based on the EOS-1D X Mark III.

The R6 is expected shortly after the ink dries on these pages at the end of August, with an estimated retail price of $2,499.00 for the body only, $2,899.00 for the R6 and RF 24-105 F4-7.1 IS STM lens kit or $3,599.00 for the R6 and RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM lens kit.

20.1-megapixel Full Frame CMOS sensor.
5472 x 3648 photosites.
ISO range of 100-102,400 expandable to 204,800.
UHD 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 Canon Log H.265 or HDR PQ H.265 internal video recording to 59.94 fps.
Full HD 1080p 10-bit 4:2:2 Canon Log H.265 or HDR PQ H.265 internal video recording to 119.88 fps.
Almost full-width sensor modes (about 1.07x crop).
Dual UHS-II SD card slots
0.5″ 3.69 million dot OLED EVF, 119.88 fps refresh rate
3″ 1.62 million dot vari-angle LCD monitor/touch screen.
Weight: 1.5 lb Size: 5.43″ x 3.84″ x 3.48″