The title could be a little misleading. Before we go on, we have to clear the air on that a little bit. The Canon EOS R5 is capable of 8K uncropped video recording, not the Canon EOS R6. Now that is out of the way, let us get into it a little bit.
We have always said that the perfect gadget does not exist. That is not to say that we want one device to do everything well. We still believe that there are things that should remain separate from one another. Full-fledged interchangeable lens cameras still have a place in the digital world. In terms of digital imaging, we still think that you should invest on a proper camera if you really want to get the best out of your gear.
In that sense, we also said before that the perfect camera does not exist. Not yet anyway. Until maybe now.
The Canon EOS R5 – This is Why Canon is No. 1
When you go to plenty of professional photographers, plenty of them uses Canon’s gears. There are a few reasons for that. One of the biggest reasons is the fact that they have a vast array of lenses that fits almost all kinds of situations.
Canon’s cameras are also known to be quick to work with. No, we are not talking about the speed of the cameras taking photos. We are talking about grabbing a camera, get it set up, and get snapping or recording on a whim. They are easy to set up and therefore very quick to work with in any conditions.
When they launched their 1DX Mark II, it took the professional photography space to a whole new level. It took 4K videography into the professional photography space. When the 5D was launched, it put a cinema camera into the hands of enthusiast. You could do a whole video shoot with just these cameras and get cinematic shots. It brought cinema videography to the hands of the common man.
The Canon EOS R5 does all that and brought 8K into the fold. But this is more than just an 8K capable camera. It is also more than just a mirrorless camera, an upgrade of the previously launched Canon EOS R. It is Canon’s flex of power, their statement to why any photographers or videographers should choose Canon over every other brand.
First of all, this is not a cheap camera. Do not mistaken this to be something that you can use for a budget set-up. In Malaysia the Canon EOS R5 will cost MYR 17,999. No, you do not get a kit lens with that. That is more expensive than the Canon EOS R too.
For that money though, you are getting some serious stuff on the Canon EOS R. It packs 45-Megapixel, a brand-new sensor for the best mirrorless camera out of the Canon’s stables. Utilising that sensor to its fullest is Canon’s new Digic X image processor that is also more powerful than anything you can find on any of Canon’s camera. That processor allows 180 45-Megapixel photos to be taken in just 9 seconds before needing a breather. That is 20 frames of photos taken every second in electronic shutter mode in RAW.
The Digic X processors also allows Canon to develop and fit their highly acclaimed Dual-Pixel Auto Focus II into the R5. Its first generation of Auto Focus brought the imaging world to new heights with the super-fast, super-accurate focusing capability that is the Canon cameras. Nothing could compare or catch up until a few years ago. With the second generation of Dual-Pixel Auto Focus, Canon increases the coverage area of Auto Focus to the entire frame now. If that is not progress, we do not know what is.
It leverages the same RF mount that the Canon EOS R which also means it can take advantage of newer, higher quality and bigger lens openings. Provided, of course, that Canon produces the lenses needed. There are adapters that you can use as well to get EF and PL mount lenses to fit the Canon EOS R5 to fit any kinds of shooting requirements.
Ergonomically, it looks and is said to feel like any high-end Canon camera with all the correct tactile buttons, joysticks, and rotating dial buttons. The touch sensitive sensor of the EOS R is removed to give a better and more familiar feel, they say. It is a good thing.
Of course, with higher speeds and 8K 30fps recording, you need a fast writing and reading memory module. For that, the EOS R5 has a CF card slot and still the favourite SD card slot. You can even record at 4K at 120fps with this.
Why production houses would want to go for this camera though is not just its 8K capabilities. It now has in-Body Image Stabiliser. Specifically, Canon has fitted a 5-axis stabiliser for its full frame sensor to ensure that videos may not even need gimbals to work with. That cuts down a whole lot of bulk from your gear bag and set up. You can even take long exposure shots with this free-handed, no problem. Of course, you want to pair that to Canon’s image stabilised lenses too to get the most out of the camera.
When we say that there is no perfect camera, we could eat our words with this one. This is one camera that can do everything. It can do high-resolution photos that could even replace medium-format cameras for printing purposes. This could even do videos and means that it could be the main driver for most production houses.
The Canon EOS R6 – Less Could Mean More
The Canon EOS R5 is a tad expensive though. What if you cannot afford such luxury? What if you still need a do-it-all camera? You get the Canon EOS R6.
You can really liken this to the previously launched Canon EOS R. We would call it the Canon EOS R Mark II, but we are not Canon, so there is that. Still, this cheaper package is no slouch even when you put it up against its more premium Canon EOS R5 brother.
You get 20-Megapixel out of it, which is not as much as the Canon EOS R5. Still, it is the same sensor they used in their highly acclaimed Canon EOS 5D full frame camera. That same camera still hold its own in today’s standard too, so it is not like you are getting much of a trade-off for price here.
The sensor allows the Canon EOS R6 to push its EV sensitivity to as low as -6.5. You can push up ISO all the way to 102,400 natively. Of course, the lower Megapixel count produces much less heat in video recording mode. Important, for a production purpose camera.
It also comes with Canon’s Digic X processor with Dual Pixel Auto Focus II. So, you are still getting the high-performance from the EOS R5. You can still shoot continuously at 12 frames per second.
Where you get a little short-handed though is the video recording capabilities It shoots at a maximum of 60 frames per second on 4K resolution. If high-speed shooting is what you are after, it shoots 120 frames per second at 1080p Full HD resolution. Still, less heat also means you get to shoot for longer periods without having the camera turn itself off due to heat. And yes, you still can shoot videos in RAW, or C-Log.
Lens, Lens, Lens
Of course, Canon being Canon, there are new lenses to fit the new mirrorless line-up. It seems that their focus has shifted to supporting the mirrorless market too with the RF-mount lenses.
With the launch of the Canon EOS R5 and R6, Canon has introduced their new RF85mm f/2 macro IS STM lens, RF600m f/11 IS STM telephoto lens, and RF 800mm f/11 US STM telephoto lens. These are the prime lenses that is made specifically for wildlife shoots and portrait photography. The 600mm and 800mm lenses are also made to be as compact as they can be, unlike traditional telephoto lenses.
Zoom lenses? Of course, they are not going to miss out those who are looking for a viable all-purpose zoom telephoto lens to make their EOS R line-up even more versatile. For that, they introduced the Canon RF100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM lens. You can use this for all kinds of shoot too including sports, wildlife, or for photojournalism purposes.
Prices and Availability
The Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6 will be available later in the year 2020. The EOS R5 comes to Malaysia first in August 2020 and will set you back MYR 17,999 (body only). The EOS R6 will come a month later in September 2020 at MYR 11,999 (body only).
The two prime telephoto lenses will be available in August 2020 as well. The RF600mm f/11 IS STM will set you back MYR 3,409. Quite affordable if you ask me. The RF800mm f/11 IS STM will cost you MYR 4,409.
For the all purpose RF100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM, you are looking at a release date of September 2020. You can get our hands on one for MYR 13,069. On top of these, Canon also has new range extenders for the RF lenses on the EOS R line-up. You can get either a 1.4x extender or 2x extender at MYR 2,439 or MYR 2,939 respectively when it is available in August 2020.