Will the new Canon R5 take the market by storm?
Hello Readers!
Recently Canon announced they are working on a Professional mirror-less camera called the Canon R5.
With the success of its first mirror-less Full-frame cameras called the EOS R and EOS RP, this seems like the next logical step to bring Professional Full frame Mirror-less into the fold.
These previous cameras definitely fell short of competing with the likes of Panasonic as example in the specs wars and usability for video where the Panasonic cameras still reign supreme.
The New Announcement of professional higher end model from Canon is a welcome change.
There was a lot to like about the Canon EOS R however there was also a lot to dislike. For one Canon released an all new Lens mount called the Canon “RF” Mount.
This was a big but necessary change due to the flange distance on a mirror-less camera versus a full-frame one however this also meant the newer EOS R cameras when they came out couldn’t use EF glass without an adapter and that there were practically no newer R lenses. The ones that were announced were extremely expensive however some of these newer EOS R lenses were amazing in their quality.
The EOS R5?
The 5D line may be officially dead. Canon has carried on to the mirrorless naming convention. They Officially announced the Development on the R5 on February 12th 2020 on their website.
I’m guessing here that there were no R2-4 models or if there were they were just prototypes.. they want to make the R5 synonymous with the 5D Mark V which we are unsure will ever exist. So R5 it is and boy is Canon tickling our fancy so far.
The original Press release here -> Canon Press Release – Brampton, ON
Main Features of the camera is that it will be able to do 8K video, have a 20fps electronic shutter and 12 fps mechanical shutter for stills. The new camera will be the first ever in Canons lineup to have IBIS or In-body Image stabilization system for the sensor that will work in conjunction with the Lens Stabilization system similar to how Panasonic’s IBIS works in the GH5. Also it will have Dual card slots which is a much welcome change! Photographers and videographers rejoice! There is more on the software side that i don’t mention yet as we won’t know how well it works until i can test it.
It appears Canon wants to future proof the new camera for 8K workflow now rather than later. A much applauded decision.
One thing we don’t know yet either is bitrate support and codecs for this new 8K.
What is also unclear is what Autofocus system or sensor they will use. They do not specify a sensor size however 45 MP is likely given similar cameras and hopefully this will be 8K native sensor and not cropped (although this is not confirmed). No one wants a cropped sensor Canon, at least give full sensor readout and compress/scale it down to enhance quality and color information.
There is a new Digic Processor in the camera so we may in fact get this ability and perhaps also lessen Rolling shutter effects. Heat dissipation and how it plays here is also unknown. Given that Canon took so long to get to this point could signify a major design improvement. 8K will generate heat! How much and what the battery life effect will be, only time will tell once the camera is released and users have the chance to use it.
At this point pricing is unconfirmed however i estimate around $3500 USD or more given prices for previous DSLR 5D models. as is a Release date however late July was said on the rumors site but this estimate was before the world wide Corona virus (Covid-19) and global manufacturing downturn as a result. If you ask me we may be looking at December 2020 or early next year now but it is uncertain. This camera was speculated to be released at this years Summer Olympics (hence the July date) and if the Olympics is still a go ahead we still may see this camera there but probably not available for purchase until later in the year when production ramps up again. This is all speculation on my part given current trends at the moment.
Replacing DSLRs?
The biggest question is are you a DSLR shooter and will you miss true DSLR functionality over Mirror-less now that Canon has gone this route?
If you have never shot with a mirrorless, its time to spread your wings. I think the answer for the most part (at least for me) is no. You will not miss a true DSLR. I have been a user of the Panasonic GH5 system now for a while and I can tell you that because the image view is now reading off of the sensor directly and not having such complex optics, the mechanical workings of the the “DSLR” part of the camera seem to be not missed at all and thats a good thing. It means less worrying about the camera breaking or cleaning anymore.
The only thing that could potentially offset some users of DSLRs is not having a viewfinder on a mirror-less camera that is not 100% the view of what they are shooting. Composing shots however is easier on a mirror-less as the mirror-less will now actually show you how the photo will look rather than guessing through a optical viewfinder. Given that a lot of shots can also be taken without looking through the viewfinder from the back screen in certain cases or positions and thanks to the Tilt screen the photographer has a lot more options. The “DSLR” mirror and mechanics have become obsolete in my opinion as the electronics have gotten so good over mechanical operations of the past. The other half of the coin here is that cameras can get smaller and less prone to failure due to having to have the mirror and mechanism needing to be repaired. Shot counts may be come less important because no moving parts means the sensor and electronics can last FAR longer (almost indefinitely) without repair. This is a good thing.
My Thoughts on 8K
Like all transitions to higher resolutions throughout history.. 8K will open some doors to newer technologies in video. 8K allows shooting 4K content differently so that re-framing your image in post by an editor makes their life easier. Now with 8K you have choice. Choice is good.
8K does have some drawbacks and compared to my GH5 which is 4K (or up to 6K open gate in Anamorphic), I doubt there will be many shots in my immediate future that I will need to shoot in 8K. File size and codec are also yet to be determined on the Canon R5 which will also play a significant impact on SD or CF Express card sizes and your computers storage requirements for that size of footage.
Lets hope Canon has listened on the codec and color technology sides! CLOG, 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 and Pro Res would be fantastic but unlikely things Canon could add to the camera to make it a sensational camera and regain its sales and position as a market leader and keep that market for a number of years to come.
Conclusion
In the end, we welcome the next camera and Canon’s advancements. I hope I get the opportunity to review and use one in the future when it is released because I’m looking forward to it.
**this article is speculative at best, I do not work or am not affiliated currently with Canon, just an enthusiastic user who takes an interest in their products. Any opinion expressed here is my own and not to be taken as fact except for the items that are fact taken from Canon's press release.
Please have a look at these Product links if you are in the market for the EOS R or the lower end EOS RP of Canons first mirror-less line to get started in Fullframe mirrorless at reasonable cost:
Amazon USA Links:
Amazon Canada Links:
