Canon to release major firmware update for the Canon EOS R5

[fr34k]

but I now much prefer the new top plate as I have set the M-fn button to toggle through the C1, C2, C3 and Fv modes and I can do this far quicker than using muscle memory to twist the dial.

YES, EXACTLY. If there would be another button besides M-fn to also toggle Photo and video -> perfection. I much prefer the R5's layout compared to its brethren. But I guess there always are people that do things differently and one may never truly please all of them. I for my part am very happy though.

People also complained about the on switch being on the left side: This has never bothered me, as I'd rather have something truly useful on the right side. My style also is mostly having the following settings:
LCD timer: 30min
EVF timer: 1min
Auto off: 30sec
That way having the LCD facing the camera, it shuts off fairly quickly (my normal shooting style is through the EVF) when I'm waiting for the moment, but as soon as I touch the shutter of AF-ON it's back in business. Yet when doing macro work or video and I'm using the LCD it doesn't constantly shut down when I'm waiting for just a moment. Having a dedicated Photo-Video switch is something I'd like but on the right side, not like the R6 ii on the left, and the On-Off toggle on the left, instead of the right side (as the R6 ii has). Or simply another Button like M-fn, that's even better...

 

[entoman]

Like most ergonomic issues, that’s definitely a personal preference.

With the R5-style mode selection (my R3 is the same), in the settings you can restrict the available modes to only those you actually use, then assign mode switching to the M.Fn button that is right next to the shutter release. Cycling through just four modes at the press a button is much faster for me than thumb-clicking through 11 options on a mode dial. I have had that setup since the 1D X, and it makes using the mode dial on my M6II feel kludgy and slow.

Yep, agreed as per above. I constrain the number of modes and also restrict the number of AF zones. I don't use the M-fn to toggle between modes because I prefer to use the M-fn to toggle instantly between the 3 AF modes that I commonly use (small spot, standard spot and eye-AF tracking) as those are the settings that I find I need to change rapidly on the fly.

 

[Loswr]

YES, EXACTLY. If there would be another button besides M-fn to also toggle Photo and video -> perfection.

The R3 has a very nice setup for that, a lever switch around the recording start button, so switching to video and starting a recording is essentially one motion with your thumb:



I’d really love that…if I actually shot video on my R3 (I use a Canon Vixia HF G60 for that). Instead, I have the stills/movie lever set to activate silent shooting.

 

[entoman]

People also complained about the on switch being on the left side: This has never bothered me, as I'd rather have something truly useful on the right side.

Having the switch on the left isn't a problem, but I prefer the Nikon method, with the on-off switch around the shutter button, and the front dial below the shutter button. I just think that's a better and more logical design. The mode dial on the R5 isn't a "complaint" either, just personal preference. On the whole, the R5 is a superb camera, and in most regards I prefer the ergonomics to that of Nikon or Sony.

 

[entoman]

The R3 has a very nice setup for that, a lever switch around the recording start button, so switching to video and starting a recording is essentially one motion with your thumb:

View attachment 207853

I’d really love that…if I actually shot video on my R3 (I use a Canon Vixia HF G60 for that). Instead, I have the stills/movie lever set to activate silent shooting.

Seeing that photo reminds me that I really hope that the R5ii has the combined AF/ON and AF point selector found on the R3...

 

[tomislavmoze]

The R3 has a very nice setup for that, a lever switch around the recording start button, so switching to video and starting a recording is essentially one motion with your thumb:

View attachment 207853

I’d really love that…if I actually shot video on my R3 (I use a Canon Vixia HF G60 for that). Instead, I have the stills/movie lever set to activate silent shooting.

Having been using r6mk2, R5 and R3 for hybrid workflow, I do prefer the R5 M-fn button for switching from photo to video.
It is much better than having a physical switch. At least from my experience.

 

[Loswr]

Yep, agreed as per above. I constrain the number of modes and also restrict the number of AF zones. I don't use the M-fn to toggle between modes because I prefer to use the M-fn to toggle instantly between the 3 AF modes that I commonly use (small spot, standard spot and eye-AF tracking) as those are the settings that I find I need to change rapidly on the fly.

Makes sense. I find that the AF mode I want is linked to the subjects I’m shooting, which also determines parameters like frame rate and minimum shutter speed. Thus, I have C1 for static subjects, C2 for moving people, and C3 for moving animals. Modes are restricted to those three and M.

 

[Loswr]

Seeing that photo reminds me that I really hope that the R5ii has the combined AF/ON and AF point selector found on the R3...

Yes, the Smart Controller is by far the best way to control the AF point that I’ve ever used. So far it’s been featured only on the 1D X III and R3. I’m sure it will be on R1 as well but I do hope they push it further down in the lineup.

 

[entoman]

Makes sense. I find that the AF mode I want is linked to the subjects I’m shooting, which also determines parameters like frame rate and minimum shutter speed. Thus, I have C1 for static subjects, C2 for moving people, and C3 for moving animals. Modes are restricted to those three and M.

I work in a similar way, with a whole set of parameters assigned to each custom mode. I have C3 for moving animals and birds, C2 for butterflies and other insects, and C1 for landscapes and botany. Within each of these modes I use the M-fn to toggle between AF zones.

 

[fr34k]

The R3 has a very nice setup for that, a lever switch around the recording start button, so switching to video and starting a recording is essentially one motion with your thumb:

View attachment 207853

I’d really love that…if I actually shot video on my R3 (I use a Canon Vixia HF G60 for that). Instead, I have the stills/movie lever set to activate silent shooting.

so did the 5Diii. I'm a defender of M-fn and more such buttons. In fact: make all buttons assignable to everything (almost at least) and put a gazillion on the camera and lens. There are a few (ergonomic) things I like about the R3 (the Smart Controller comes to mind) but the integrated vertical grip is something I neither want nor need. The extra heft and size I despise.

 

[entoman]

I'm a defender of M-fn and more such buttons. In fact: make all buttons assignable to everything (almost at least) and put a gazillion on the camera and lens.

I think it's unlikely that Canon will ever make "all buttons assignable to everything". Their philosophy seems similar to that of Apple, in as much as they try to keep things fairly simple. @koenkooi summed it up well earlier in this thread:

Canon has resisted implementing things that force additional choices into users..... I suspect Canon wants to keep the user experience as simple as they can get away with....

Seeing how a large section of users is still confused about things CRAW vs RAW and most recently the "R8 has no mechanical shutter" item, I understand where Canon is coming from. I've argued for removing certain features from products we developed at work for exactly those reasons: it makes things worse for 90% of the users and puts too much pressure on the support department. "I selected the high quality mode and all the backgrounds are slanted!!!! YOU RUINED THE PICTURES!!!"

 

[roby17269]

As previously stated, there are good reasons why some people prefer high MP and why other people prefer modest MP, so ideally high end cameras would provide both options to keep all of us happy. At least we seem to be in full agreement about the desirability to have pixel-binning available on hi-res cameras for those occasions when neither JPEGs or large RAWs are appropriate.

I don't see any "negative connotations" in my original or subsequent posts, so "I don't know what to say" either...

Let's just say that it's easy for misunderstandings to arise during internet discussions, as opposed to when speaking face to face with someone

Agreed, I much prefer real interactions myself

 

[Loswr]

so did the 5Diii. I'm a defender of M-fn and more such buttons. In fact: make all buttons assignable to everything (almost at least) and put a gazillion on the camera and lens. There are a few (ergonomic) things I like about the R3 (the Smart Controller comes to mind) but the integrated vertical grip is something I neither want nor need. The extra heft and size I despise.

The customizability of the 1-series bodies and the R3 is very useful to me. There are some restrictions on what buttons can be assigned to what, but generally I find them logical and have not ever felt a need to assign something that I couldn't.

The integrated grip is one of those very personal ergonomic things. I typically use fairly heavy lenses (currently 28-70/2, 70-200/2.8, etc.) and I find the bit of extra weight on the body provides better balance, making handholding more comfortable despite the increased weight. I used battery grips years ago (with the T1i, 7D and 5DII) and I find the integrated grip far more comfortable to hold (because it only protrudes forward like the regular grip, whereas the add-on grips protrude backward as well to accommodate the transversely oriented batteries).

 

[Kit.]

Please check the manual. (In this particular case pp. 781 -> activate the joystick)
Admittedly, I don't know why Canon would make the default "off" there...

I guess it's because some people tend to touch the joystick without realizing it.

 

[roby17269]

Me coming back from a shooting with 10k frames the R5 is already no fun compared to a 24 or 30MPX camera.
200+ MPX would generate something like a nightmare.

For me, assuming you have a modern computer, the issue is more the 10K frames per se, not so much the size of each image. The ingestion in something like LR takes a while but I can let it rip while I do other things. Then the time depends mostly on how many images I have to go through and take decisions on, not on their size.

The IQ is mostly not limited by 45MPX but by atmosphere, movement, lens, DOF, ....

200MPX might be great for landscape & things, best on a bigger sensor ....

It depends on use cases. In a fashion shoot I may take anything between 200 and 800 images. I do not need to shoot fast (the models do what I ask them to) and I cannot shoot fast (my MF camera is slow and there are the strobes' recharging times to consider) and I do not want to shoot fast. Atmosphere is not a consideration at the shooting distances I use. High mp is desired to see texture details and to crop as needed.
When I take photos of my daughter or while travelling I use the R5... not because I prefer its output nor because the lower mps, but because a) it has a much better AF, b) it has more versatile lenses, c) it is faster, d) it can tolerate low light or harsh light much better and e) it's lighter and smaller.

Horses for courses

 

[AlanF]

Makes sense. I find that the AF mode I want is linked to the subjects I’m shooting, which also determines parameters like frame rate and minimum shutter speed. Thus, I have C1 for static subjects, C2 for moving people, and C3 for moving animals. Modes are restricted to those three and M.

Similar to mine but with the differences you can guess, C1 for static subjects, C2 BIF front lit, and C3 BIF backlit.

 

[fr34k]

think it's unlikely that Canon will ever make "all buttons assignable to everything". Their philosophy seems similar to that of Apple, in as much as they try to keep things fairly simple.

I understand that to an extend, yet having some functions exclusive to a single button is just nonsense to me. There are sometimes legitimate reasons (e. g. a button that can wake the camera such as AF-ON uses power thus reducing the amount of buttons that can do that saves power), but most times there are not. And particularly looking at some buttons you can't tell me it's to simplify as they can be assigned to a myriad already. Adding a few more won't do harm, only good.

 

[danfaz]

For me, assuming you have a modern computer, the issue is more the 10K frames

And if they are concerned about file size, CRAW reduces the file size significantly.

 

[entoman]

I understand that to an extend, yet having some functions exclusive to a single button is just nonsense to me. There are sometimes legitimate reasons (e. g. a button that can wake the camera such as AF-ON uses power thus reducing the amount of buttons that can do that saves power), but most times there are not. And particularly looking at some buttons you can't tell me it's to simplify as they can be assigned to a myriad already. Adding a few more won't do harm, only good.

I often meet photographers who get very frustrated because they get "lost" amidst extensive Sony or Olympus menus, or can't understand the sometimes ambiguous terminology or icons. One of the attractions of Canon to many people is the relative simplicity of the GUI, and Canon seem content to sacrifice extra customisation in the name of simplicity, to avoid confusing less experienced users. I can see both sides of the argument. Personally I empathise with you and would prefer more customisation options.

 

[EOS 4 Life]

Why not as long as it is the user's choice?

RAW is a pixel-to-pixel readout from the sensor.
Anything else is only RAW in name which causes confusion.