Is the new R5 from Canon worth buying? I have thoughts...
Canon finally officially unveiled the much-anticipated Canon R5 Mark II (see also: R5mk2, R5mkII) on July 17th, 2024 (they also launched preorders for it and the Canon EOS R1) and, as of August 20th or so, the first production units are starting to arrive in the hands of new users.
I am far from having the pull to have received a preproduction R5mk2 to play with but, as a "normal" user who has been curious about this release for the past year or so, I'm sharing my thoughts for others in a similar position (especially since pretty much any individual or news outlet that received an early model is likely to be toeing the line between honesty and not making Canon angry).
My initial reaction is that it seems like most of the updates are largely aimed at action photographers and videographers. That comes with the caveat, though, that there's little information regarding dynamic range improvements (see my note in the spec comparison below), noise performance improvements (early tests indicate it's similar, or even a smidge worse at some ISO levels, than the original R5), and so on.
Until more regular users and review sites get their hands on final camera bodies and start running it through its paces, you can't tell a whole lot about actual performance based solely on a spec sheet. That being said, I'm not seeing anything so far that should make it drastically better than the R5 Mark I for nature and landscape photographers.
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How Much Does the Canon R5 Mark II Cost?
With the R5 Mark II price clocking in at a bit of an eye-watering $4,299.99, or $400 more than the original R5's launch price, my initial reaction fell heavily on the side of... well, language I typically avoid using in my blog. I suppose, in the grand scheme of things, considering post-pandemic inflation, an increase of just over 10% in four years isn't terrible... but it still feels disappointing.
The R5 lineup's competitor, the Nikon Z8, launched at $3,999 just over a year ago, and can currently be found, brand new, for only $3,500. That's a price difference that can't be ignored, especially if you're not already bought into the Canon ecosystem (aka lenses) like I am.
Oh, and another elephant in the room, of course, is that the original Canon EOS R5 can be found pretty regularly for under $3000 during sales at this point, and a used or refurbished body can be had for an even larger discount. Regardless, it's hard to argue that the R5 Mark II is worth nearly $2,000 extra for most photographers (especially a nature and landscape photographer like me).
Regardless, it's hard to argue that the R5 Mark II is worth nearly $2,000 extra for most photographers
Then, to take advantage of all the latest features included with the R5mkII, a new battery will be required. You can use all your older batteries - the new ones aren't larger capacity but provide higher amperage - but you'll lose access to some features. That's fine, and I can't fault Canon for improving battery tech to support more demanding processes, but it does mean you'll be shelling out more money for additional batteries, if those "battery-limited" features matter to you.
The only feature I see specifically mentioned as needing the new battery is the new Dual Shooting mode, which allows you to capture still frames (JPEG only) while recording video at the same time. I've seen it reported in multiple places that the new battery is also required for the new 8K video modes. That's not called out in the official spec sheet, but I've seen it often enough I feel safe in saying it's likely true.
The good news is the new LP-E6P battery costs the same as the LP-E6NH and LP-E6N batteries.
Canon also announced a few new battery grip options along with the R5mkII and the R1. The basic grip (BG-R20), which holds two batteries and includes controls for vertical shooting, runs $349.99 (the R5mkII does work with the existing BG-R10, as well, which runs the same price). The "premium" grip, the BG-R20EP, adds an ethernet port for an extra $150, at $499.99.
Another battery grip option, which should really only be needed for users that are shooting video for extended periods of time (and maybe in warm environments), is the cooling fan model CF-R20EP that runs $399.99.
I don't necessarily feel strongly about the battery grip pricing as I don't use or need one but, on top of the premium pricing for the R5mkII body on its own, they do seem a bit up there.
R5 Mark I versus R5 Mark II Specs
As I said, it's hard to know how much specs come into play by looking at sample photos on the web. Currently, though, it seems pretty clear there are two categories of users that may want to consider upgrading: action photographers (sports, wildlife, etc.) and videographers.
Let's take a closer look at the key specs before I get into why I feel that way.
Spec | R5 Mark I | R5 Mark II |
Image Processor | DIGIC X | DIGIC X w/DIGIC Accelerator co-processor |
Recording Media | CFexpress (Type B) SD card | CFexpress (Type B) w/support for CFexpress 2.0 / VGP400 SD card |
Image Sensor |
| |
Type | CMOS (compatible w/Dual Pixel CMOS AF) | Back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor (compatible w/Dual Pixel CMOS AF) |
Sensor Size | Approx. 45 megapixels | Approx. 45 megapixels |
Dynamic Range (as rated by DXOMARK) | 14.6 | TBD (but expected to be slightly lower due to the stacked sensor) |
Other Notable Features | ||
Advanced Shooting Modes | Focus Bracketing Interval Timer Bulb Timer Multi-Shot Noise Reduction | Not currently listed (I cannot imagine these would be removed...) |
Dual Pixel Raw Shooting | Supported | Not Supported |
Still Photo Cropping | 3:2 Aspect Ratio (full frame) 1.6x crop (5088 x 3392) 4:3 Aspect Ratio 16:9 Aspect Ratio 1:1 Aspect Ratio | 3:2 Aspect Ratio (full frame) 1.6x crop (5088 x 3392) 4:3 Aspect Ratio 16:9 Aspect Ratio |
Electronic Shutter Bit-Depth | 12-bit | 14-bit |
Maximum Frames per Second (mechanical shutter) | Approx. 12 FPS | Approx. 12 FPS |
Maximum Frames per Second (full electronic shutter) | Approx. 20 FPS | Approx. 30 FPS |
Pre-capture Recording (JPEG stills and video) | No | Yes |
Maximum Continuous Burst (mechanical shutter or electronic first-curtain shutter) | CF card (raw): 180 CF card (c-raw): 260 SD card (raw): 87 SD card (c-raw): 260 | CF card (raw): 230 CF card (c-raw): 580 SD card (raw): 95 SD card (c-raw): 580 |
Cross-Type Autofocus (adds horizontal-line detection) | No | Yes |
Number of Maximum Autofocus Zones | Stills: 1,053 Movies: 819 | Stills: 1,053 Movies: 975 |
Autofocus Subject Detection | People Animals No Priority | Auto People Animals Vehicles |
Eye Control Autofocus | No | Yes |
Obscured Subject Tracking (maintain focus if subject is briefly obscured) | No | Yes |
Action Priority Predictive Autofocus Mode (tracks specific people via ball tracking, movement tracking, etc.) | No | Yes |
Autofocus Working Range | EV -6 to 20 | EV -7.5 to 21 |
Dual Shooting (capture still photos while recording video) | No | Yes |
In-Camera Upscaling (JPEG only, up to 4x) | No | Yes |
Neural Network Noise Reduction | No | Yes |
ISO Range (expanded) | 100-51,200 (50-102,400) | 100-51,200 (50-102,400) |
Viewfinder Resolution | Approx. 5.76 million dots | Approx. 5.76 million dots |
Viewfinder Size | 0.5" | 0.5" |
Body-Only Weight | Approx. 1.4 lbs / 650g | Approx. 1.3 lbs / 588g |
Comparing the official Canon spec sheets for both cameras is a bit trying as they don't include the same information on both. The following additional, new/improved features and specs are pulled from the R5 Mark II's product page:
Video
8K raw video
S-raw for 4K raw video
12-bit raw video recording
Internal recording for 8K video up to 60 FPS
Cinema EOS menus for video recording
Canon Log 2 and Canon Log 3
Full-size HDMI port
Waveform monitors
Up to 24-bit, 4-channel audio recording
Stills
Improved in-body stabilization
Faster sensor read-out to minimize rolling shutter
Should You Purchase the Canon EOS R5 Mark II?
Right now, looking at the known specs and features (and some of the early test and real-world results), I'm hard-pressed to say the R5 Mark II is worth it, whether you're looking to replace your original Canon EOS R5 or jump into the Canon full-frame mirrorless ecosystem.
The R5 Mark I is a fantastic camera: my only real complaints are related to user interface issues, and they are fairly minor. From ergonomics to image quality, I am extremely happy with my R5 and have no plans to replace it. If anything, I may take the release of the Mark II as an opportunity to sell my EOS R and replace it with a second R5 - at a nicely reduced price - as my second/backup body.
Unless you have very demanding, specific needs for fast-action photography or videography, I just can't imagine dropping $4,300 on the EOS R5 Mark II. If you're a landscape and nature photography like me, I would definitely pass on this one.
Frankly, I had hoped for more from Canon... but I'm kind of glad the R5mkII is what it is, as it prevents any temptation to upgrade.
What are your thoughts? Will you be preordering the new R5 Mark II or waiting for the Mark III? Drop your comments below!
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The R5 Mark II does not have cross-type points. That will be one of the differentiators with the R1 which will have cross-type points.
Hey Michael, although I wish it were true from what I’ve seen the number of dots in the R5 II EVF has not changed. The 9.44 mil is what the R1 has. As an R5 user I am jealous when I look through a friend’s Sony A1 EVF and was hoping they would increase it.