Its been quite some time since my last gear review and and what better to touch base again with the latest amazing Canon EOS R5. Special thanks to Canon Singapore for the privilege to lay hands and check out this revolutionary camera.
The Canon EOS R5+R6 campaign slogan “Born to Rule” tells something. They have listened to the consumers and now deliver something that everyone wants and believe me, if my brief hands-on with this powerhouse of a pixels technology is anything to go by, this latest salvo of new cameras (and new lenses) will ensure Canon undisputed leadership in the foreseeable future.
What I like about the EOS R5
Canon EOS R users will still feel the beefier R5 familiar. The design and menu layout ergonomics are class-leading and always a hallmark of the Canon system. Even users of other DSLR will feel at home with the camera.
The 8cm (3.15 inches) 2.1M dot LCD swivel screen will bring a smile to any user. You can see clearer in bright surrounding and shoot from low angle without having to lay on the floor. The 5.76-million dot OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF) is crisp and clear, almost OVF-like , in my opinion.
The 45.0 megapixel full-frame gives you one of the most pristine image quality you can find on the market. The native 100-51,200 (expandable to 50-102,400) ensures supreme low-light performance. The inbody 5-axis IBIS, a 1st for Canon, gives up to 8 stops of stabilisation depending the lens used. The 12fps (mechanical) and 20fps (electronic) will be the piece-de-resistance for many action photographers.
P.S- The Canon “overheating” issue is overblown. There isn’t any DSLR or mirrorless camera in the market that does not heat up doing videoing. The official specs indicated 8k video shooting at 20min (23’C ambience from cold start). And if you are videoing at 4k/30p, there is no limitation by heat. Do refer check out the specifications here.
What is less ‘cool’ about the EOS R5
The price point of S$5,988 (body only) is no walk in the park. Canon EF lens can be used with adapter but native RF lenses are better for optimal performance and function. The RF lenses are also designed to eke out the best result of the newly designed sensor. You need a deep pocket to enjoy this amazing piece of technology.
Some pictures shot with the EOS R5
Some cameras are designed without optical low pass filter (OLPF), also known as anti-aliasing filter, to increase sharpness at the risk of increased moiré patterns. But the R5 features an improved fixed optical low-pass filter that suppresses moiré and aliasing artifacts. Paired with the new sensor , you will detect the absence of moiré in the pic yet with no degradation in picture sharpness. (1/640s, F4, ISO100. RF70-200mm F2.8L IS)
The class-leading quality of Canon colour science is evident here. Right out of camera and no editing, with the colours faithfully rendered. (1/1250, F4, ISO 100. RF70-200mm F2.8L IS)
The resolution prowess of the legendary RF70-200mm F2.8L IS lens is evident on my PC screen, with 200% magnification, I could read clearly the fire extinguisher brand and texts on the wall signage. (1/320, F3.2, ISO 100.
RF70-200mm F2.8L IS).
I couldn’t detect any noise in the burger shadow area. Almost thought I was looking at a IS0 100 file. (1/60, F2.8, ISO 640. RF35mm F1.8 IS STM).
Conclusion
No camera in recent memory has garnered this amount of attention. The Canon EOS R5 is a stunning performer in every possible way. If full-time video feature are what you are looking for, then the Canon range of EOS camcorders may be a better a choice.
However, as a stills camera, the R5 is absolutely Canon’s finest offering to date. It’s the perfect blending of the EOS R’s form, the 5D’s function and the class-leading auto focus of the 1DX.
For those who do not need the 8K video function, then stay tuned for the Canon R6, coming right up. For full specification of the R5, please refer here.
Footnote: All pictures used in this travelogue are copyrighted to Jensen Chua Photograph and all rights reserved. The opinion expressed is factual, objective and that of the author.