CANON EOS R5 AND R6

Canon really ramped up the pre-announcement teasers for its new EOS R system flagship, so has the R5 lived up to the hype? Well, it’s hard not to be impressed by 8K/25p and 4K/100p video (which is just the tip of the iceberg), 20fps shooting with full AF/AE, a 5.76-million dot EVF and eight stops of IBIS correction. There’s much more which is covered in our extensive preview… plus the enthusiast-level EOS R6 too.

Canon steps its EOS R mirrorless system up a gear or two with its first pro-level camera body… and its semipro sibling. Both boast impressive specs, class-leading in a number of areas, which is why we’ve borrowed Canon’s own promotional slogan for this preview.

PREVIEW BY PAUL BURROWS Just as it did with the very first – and very momentous – EOS interchangeable lens camera launch back in 1986, Canon has unveiled two new EOS models simultaneously. But this is 2020 and we’re talking about the next stage in the development of Canon’s EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera system. The company believes the new pro-level EOS R5 and its enthusiast-level sibling, the EOS R6 (along with the associated lens announcements), represent a “new era”, which is certainly true in terms of Canon’s ability to compete much more aggressively in this sector. Another thing is more certain – Canon has got its old mojo back.

Processor: Both cameras use versions of Canon’s latest-generation DiG!C X engine (also used in the EOS-1D X III). High-speed processing enables continuous shooting at 20fps with the electronic shutter and full AF/AE adjustment. Maximum shooting speeds with the mechanical shutter (actually the hybrid ‘electronic first curtain’ combination) is 12fps, again with full AF/AE adjustment. Burst lengths are quoted at 350 JPEG or 180 RAW images for the R5, and over 1,000 JPEGs or 120 RAW files for the R6 (at 20fps, 240 at 12fps).

The processor also drives in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) via sensor-shifting, appearing for the first time on EOS R bodies. Canon’s “Co-ordinated Control IS” delivers up to eight stops of correction for camera shake when the IBIS is combined with the OIS in selected RF mount lenses. The maximum level of correction varies according to the lens model, but the worst case scenario is still six stops of correction. Interestingly, the non-OIS RF lenses get the full eight stops.

Capture Settings: Following the EOS-1D X

III, both the new EOS R models have a 10-bit HEIF (High Efficiency Image Format) capture mode which uses a more efficient compression algorithm than JPEG, but delivers a wider dynamic range and a wider colour gamut via the Rec.2020 colour space. Essentially, it’s an HDR capture mode and twice as much information can be saved in an HEIF file as in a JPEG of the same size. It’s the still image version of the H.265 HEVC video codec and has been used by Apple in iPhones since 2017 and iOS 11. Put simply, it’s a better way of obtaining HDR stills than the artificial-looking simulation processing of JPEGs. In-camera HEIFto-JPEG conversion is available, as is RAW+HEIF capture. RAWs captured as 14-bit CR2 files with a compressed C-RAW (CR3) option for smaller files sizes. Choice of 3:2, 4:3, 16:9 and 1:1 aspect ratios are available.

Shutter: Electronically-controlled mechanical type with a speed range of 30-1/8000 second plus ‘B’ and with flash sync up to 1/200 second. Sensor-based electronic shutter has the same speed range and allows for silent shooting.

EFCS allows for flash sync up to 1/1250 second. Mechanical shutter is rated to 500,000 cycles.

AF System: Upgraded Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system has 100% frame coverage with 1,053 zones, giving 5,940 user-selectable AF points on the EOS R5 and 6,072 on the R6. Claimed to be the fastest in its class at 0.05 seconds. Auto point selection operates over a grid of 39x27 points (i.e. 1,053 in total). Focus areas span 1-Point AF to Large Zone AF with 31x9 points. There are new algorithms for face/eye detection and tracking which now includes animals (specifically cats, dogs and birds). Sensitivity extends down to -6.0 EV – at ISO 100 and f/1.2 – on the R5 and -6.5 EV with the R6. All points operate at maximum lens apertures down to f/11.

Exposure Control: The conventional offerings of standard ‘PASM’ exposure control modes with an AE lock, up to +/-3.0 EV of compensation and auto bracketing (over two, three, five or seven frames). Metering is via an RGB+IR sensor employing 400,000 pixels to give 384 measuring zones. Pattern options are multizone, selective area (5.8% of the frame area), spot (2.9%), spot linked to the AF point, and centre-weighted average. Metering sensitivity down to EV -3.0 at ISO 100.

Connections: USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Type C), mini HDMI (Type D), 3.5mm audio in, 3.5mm audio out, N3 remote trigger, PC flash (EOS R5 only).

Memory Card: Not surprisingly, both the EOS R5 and R6 get dual memory card slots, but the pro-level camera has a combination of CFexpress and SD with UHS-II speed support, while the R6 has dual SD UHS-II slots.

Extras: Dual Pixel RAW capture modes (with in-camera processing for Portrait Relighting and Background Clarity), intervalometer, multiple exposure facility, automatic flicker detection/correction, 23 custom functions (21 for the EOS R6), standard Canon EOS image processing functions (eight Picture Style presets, three user-defined Picture Styles, Highlight

Tone Priority, Auto Lighting Optimiser, four in-camera lens corrections, Digital Lens Optimiser, multi-shot HDR capture, high ISO NR, long exposure NR, in-camera RAW image processing (to JPEG), in-camera HEIF processing (to JPEG), Wi-Fi (dual 2.4/5GHz band for the EOS R5) and Bluetooth LE.