Canon is also deliberately vague on the divide between hardware and software. The R7 made the difference quite clear, it has the AF software from the R3, but the slow sensor from the M6II. The net effect is an AF experience that is less than the R5.
This is where ‘long’ term reviews come in, you really need 2 weeks or more to get a good overview of the performance. This isn’t a complaint against the early reviewers, Canon only gives them half a day with the camera.
... and that means that it will probably be early September before we will start to see any reviews
made by people that have enough time with these cameras to report "actuals". On the other
hand - there are some knowledgeable reviewers out there who seem to be able to dig thru
the specs without having an actual camera and provide good insights.
My own problem is that I have pre-ordered an R5-II ... but it is highly unlikely that any reviews
meeting my expected 'early September' will be available at the time I will have to make the
go-nogo decision. :-(
I am a birding photographer - first and foremost. I have found only one person who reviewed
the R5-II who actually used it on that day -and- is a birder. His results in his review (youtube)
were promising. For me the most important feature/improvement of the R5-II is the AF
which is both hardware and software.
What I'm really hoping for is some method of adapting the AF specifically to birding. Birds
are often in situations that challenge the AF on my R7 (in/under bushes with other stuff in
front of or behind them) plus birds are small and often don't let you get close enough to
them before they flush. At least one idea I have would be to use the "important person"
training where the camera will prioritize a subject ... but use it for a bird instead of for a
person. None of the reviews I've found have attempted this. Yes, I already know about
and use the "Wildlife" setting for the AF - what I'm asking for is the equivalent of what
Canon has done for the R1 for sports.
