My new favourite hybrid camera
Update 09 July 2020: It's finally here! Canon today officially announced the full specs of both the EOS R5 and EOS R6 and they don't disappoint.
Wow! After reading the specs of both the EOS R5 and EOS R6, I am so happy to see Canon back in the game. Some say they have been a sleeping giant...waiting and working in the wings producing what I think will be "the one to beat"!
Canon EOS R5 Specs (Official)
8K vs 4K vs 1080p HD
As a film-maker, this is something that excites me. Look at the comparison image below showing the difference between 8K and 1080p HD and imagine this...
You set your Canon EOS R5 up on a tripod and film, for example, a wide angle shot of London from a tall building. In post production, you are able to pull 16!!!! individual 1080p HD clips to use. That is INCREDIBLE and imagine the benefits.
You can also zoom way in on any part of the image without the need to change lenses and all this is useful because the majority of us are still using HD TV's. Even if we watch video on 4K TV's or monitors, they are so good at upscaling 1080p HD footage most would barely notice the difference.
My thoughts
If the image quality, when the camera arrives in the hands of the reviewers and early buyers, is as good as I hope, this could be the camera to beat well into 2021.
Not just because of the 8K video but 4K 120fps slow motion and 8 amazing stops of in-body image stabilisation is incredible. Wow! Apparently early users were able to shoot a 2 second hand held shot that came out super sharp. Imagine this for wedding photographers!!!
If the high ISO files are superb, there will be no tripod required for many shoots.
Dual Pixel Autofocus
Add to this the Dual Pixel autofocus from 100% of the sensor and at all applications (continuous shooting and all video settings) and the vari-angle touch screen, this is the hybrid stills/video camera I have dreamed about forever!
So long dear Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (although I may keep it for posterity along with the EOS 5D Mark II).
You can now order the Canon EOS R5 and R6 from B & H Photo today (you know you want to)!
Update 29.01.2020:
The Canon EOS R5 is the latest rumour to hit the internet.
It is a full-framed mirrorless camera with some incredible specs including 4K 120fps and 8K 30fps. It also has up to 8 stops of image stabilisation when using a Canon IS lens and a 45mp sensor!
The image above is the Canon EOS R with a "5" added by myself for illustration purposes only
According to Canon Rumours, the Canon EOS R5 is a legit mirrorless camera that could be released in July 2020. If the specs below come to fruition, this could be a contender for "camera of the year" for this year. However, I am thinking the 8K feature may have a record time limited to 12 minutes or thereabouts (or some other limitation).
5D Mark IV Killer?
On the other hand, if the specs are correct and without limitation, this could be the camera that Canon fans have been waiting for since the disappointing launch of the EOS 5D Mark IV (for videographers anyway).
Update 13.02.2020: Canon today officially announced that they are developing the EOS R5 full frame mirrorless camera and the specs are fairly close to the rumoured specs. If what I talk about in the video below is real when released, I will be a very happy Canon shooter. However, it will be a toss up between this and the Panasonic S1H for me...
Canon EOS R5 (Rumoured) Specs
Final Thoughts
The mirrorless Canon EOS R5 indeed seems very nice so let's wait and see. I for one am excited to see the real specs in the hope that Canon are finally catching up with the rest of the camera world. It could even match the specs of the Panasonic S1H but I doubt if Canon have moved that far ahead just yet...
This looks like a really fantastic piece of kit, but like all good things they come with a price tag out of my reach i’m afraid. Great presentation Nick, shame i won’t be getting one. Enjoy using it. xx
I won’t be getting it until a) the price comes down after a few months and b) I sell some of my kit 😉
Hi Nick, like your site and interest in Canon etc. Any thoughts on the heat limitations controversy on r5?
Hi JN and thanks. Yes, the heating issue could be a pain but for 8K, I think most people would be recording in short bursts for now.
Using 8K for interviews or anything else “long form” for most people isn’t necessary right now. Personally, I would use it for stock or for short clips where I want to do creative editing.
Apparently, Canon may be bringing out an RF mount adapter that can deal with the heat of the sensor by use of a fan system. How loud that may be is anyone’s guess!
Sounds good, hopefully it wouldn’t cause any dust issues, into either the lens or the sensor. Wait and see I guess.
Good point…let’s hope so!