High-resolution EOS R Camera, Where are you?

[YuengLinger]

Why on earth would you do that?
I could see using a 70-200 if you did not own a 100-500

That was the point--if a photographer doesn't have a 100-500mm, but finds that with cropping he/she can get 85% of the images desired because of being able to crop significantly tighter with a stunning 60mp or higher sensor, might that photographer be in less of a hurry to buy another, longer lens?

I understand that for many photographers no lens is long enough, that only the laws of optics, ergonomics, and personal finance stall the GAS. I really understand this!

But for sure I can get many more pleasing shots of kids playing soccer with my R5 and 100-500mm than if I use my R6, simply because I can crop in a lot and still present sharp, clear shots for download that print beautifully at 8x10, and often up to 13x19.

It's personal experience that prompted me to ask. And the hope that someday my 100-500mm, which I already own AND is easy to carry and use, will be able to get even "farther" shots. But I have no idea how the resolution will work with IQ. That's why I ask questions.

And by the way, as to "Why on earth...?" Simple: Nobody has offered me a trip off planet.

 

[[email protected]]

Canon is one of the few companies with its own sensor and processor fabs. They even have an alternative tech supposedly coming that'll allow for producing the very fastest chips (3nm) without using the very difficult form of lithography currently employed.

This would appear to push Canon to go high resolution faster than the others, and to push the internal processing (multiple exposures combined to RAW, etc.) capacities to the point the other camera makers could not.

It would be nice if they felt compelled to exploit those advantages in their camera division, but I doubt that sort of internal cooperation is easy or likely. They'll get more $ per wafer selling the fab output to someone who will better employ the capacity.

 

[Exploreshootshare]

If the Canon R5mkii does get a MP bump to 61 MP, I don´t believe the high-res camera ist coming. For use cases such as landscape, a IBIS-High Res mode WITH RAW will probably be sufficient enough.

 

[splatrabbit]

When to get a b/w modified body instead of an Astro modified body?
I would purchase a R5 B/W within seconds!

Agreed! I still shoot with DSLRs but if Canon made a R6MK2 in a B/W version I would be in the front of the line and make that my first mirrorless camera.

 

[neuroanatomist]

For use cases such as landscape, a IBIS-High Res mode WITH RAW will probably be sufficient enough.

I'm not convinced. Trees, water, clouds, lots of things in landscapes move and multi-image compositing doesn't work that well for those conditions.

 

[GMCPhotographics]

In fact, the resolution of cameras after the R/RP wasn't lower. In 2020, Canon changed the design of the AA filter to a 'high detail low-pass filter'. The 24 MP sensors in the R3, R6II and R8 outresolve the 30 MP sensor used in the 5DIV and EOS R, and the 45 MP sensor in the R5 outresolves the older 50 MP sensor. Obviously, I'm talking about real spatial resolution, not megapixel count.

Yes, that's a fair comment. I'm aware of that now that I have a R6ii. It wasn't particularly well publicised back in 2020. It wasn't until I used a R6ii that I realised that it's 24mp sensor and the newer AA filter design was spatially out resolving my older 5Diii's by some margin. However, it's a tough sell at the time of the RP/R6 to many including myself. I tend to get stuck with camera bodies for about 5 years between upgrades. So I have to think ahead about the future and not just today.

 

[GMCPhotographics]

Pixel count is really overestimated, I am with you, 24 MP is perfect for full frame for most applications - if you do not need to crop severely. In fact I was really happy with the 22 MP of my 5D3 back then. Only in wildlife photography with tele lenses more resolution really makes sense, so you can crop. I decided to go for an R7 which gives me even more "reach" than a 45 MP FF camera, when I shoot wildlife. For other settings, my 5D4 with 30 MP is even more than I need. My wife still uses some of her old 12 MP Nikons. A3 photo prints from those cameras show rich details, so you could easily sell them to spec fanatics as prints from a 60 MP camera - they would believe it.

I've been at 22mp since the 5Dmi II in 2008! So it's a frame pixel count that I've very familiar with. So that's 15 years!

 

[P-visie]

I'm not convinced. Trees, water, clouds, lots of things in landscapes move and multi-image compositing doesn't work that well for those conditions.

It might work if Canon includes something similar to the R6 mk II ‘HDR moving subject mode’ which eliminates ghosting with multiple exposures for HDR. I do not have a R 6 mk II, so I do not know how effective this mode is. Performing this on nine 60+ mp raw images in camera might take a while.
Edit: the R5 takes 9 images in IBIS high res mode.

 

[Walrus]

I've been at 22mp since the 5Dmi II in 2008! So it's a frame pixel count that I've very familiar with. So that's 15 years!

Same here; 20mpx from 5D II to R6, passing from 6D. Never really needed anything more for what I do.
24mpx would be a nice welcome extra, but 30mpx would be the ceiling for me; after that is just useless extra resolution I won't use, and wasted space on cards and hard disks.

 

[amorse]

If the Canon R5mkii does get a MP bump to 61 MP, I don´t believe the high-res camera ist coming. For use cases such as landscape, a IBIS-High Res mode WITH RAW will probably be sufficient enough.

I really can't see a high-resolution mode working for the vast majority my landscape photos. I have a hard enough time stitching things together to focus stack with stuff moving in the frame - even harder if it also needs an exposure blend. I mean, if we're going to multiply all of that by 4 or more frames to get the high resolution mode, it's going to become pretty unwieldy pretty fast - I have one image in mind taken in the last year where even a 4-image high-resolution mode would have brought my shot count up to 56 exposures for the single photo, all of which would require the scene to not have wind or changing conditions.

I think for people like me, the options are: use a multi-exposure technique or built-in high-res mode (which will work for only a very small subset of the images I produce), upscale all images using other software (which works ok sometimes, but you need to accept some weird artifacts in image details other times), or find a sensor with the resolution you actually want. Because of what and how I shoot, there are very few improvements to the camera which are going to have a meaningful impact on what I produce, except resolution (and maybe battery life if we're being picky). It's a niche desire to be sure, and maybe it never gets fulfilled, but it is what it is!

 

[HeavyPiper]

My two cents is my R5 at 45 mp is just fine for my needs and my old computer is slow handling these files. I'm thinking of the R8 for my walk around camera for my fun photo taking so yes looking to lower my MP's

 

[John Wilde]

All of their resources are probably concentrated on the R1.

 

[John Wilde]

In September 2015 (yes 15) Canon made a development announcement for a 120MP DSLR, so they have had time to work on it.

 

[Cryve]

I think with the r5 II canon gonna offer either a stacked 45 megapixel sensor or a non stacked 60 megapixel sensor.

A stacked 60 megapixel sensor seems highly unlikely from a engineering and cost perspective regarding the usual eos r5 pricepoint.

This leads me to believe, that the eos r5 II will most likely get a 45 megapixel stacked sensor, with the hope for a higher megapixel model later in 2024.

 

[EricN]

I've been around long enough to remember when only "an absolute amateur" would ever need AF. Or IS. And so on...

And where in the world did you get the idea the R5 is "OK only at really good sunlight"?

I guess this person studied photography at University of Los Tolles

 

[Deleted member 383640]

In fact, the resolution of cameras after the R/RP wasn't lower. In 2020, Canon changed the design of the AA filter to a 'high detail low-pass filter'. The 24 MP sensors in the R3, R6II and R8 outresolve the 30 MP sensor used in the 5DIV and EOS R, and the 45 MP sensor in the R5 outresolves the older 50 MP sensor. Obviously, I'm talking about real spatial resolution, not megapixel count.

Sensors from R6 and R6II (and probably also R8, etc.) appear sharper than, for example, R and RP, but with one big penalty - they are extremely prone to moiré and false colors. The R5 is significantly better in this regard, and the R, in my opinion, has the perfect ratio of sharpness to the strength of the AA filter. I think the R5 has an AA filter similar to the one in the 1DXIII and it works great and only in very rare situations does it get false colors and moire, but the same cannot be said for the R6 and R6II.

 

[EricN]

A lot of people have a difficult time upgrading to fewer megapixels.

Not many people will complain about downgrading to more megapixels

 

[neuroanatomist]

In September 2015 (yes 15) Canon made a development announcement for a 120MP DSLR, so they have had time to work on it.

I don’t believe there was ever a development announcement. A development announcement indicates a planned product. There are plenty of announcements that are just ‘look what we can do’.

At the 2015 Canon Expo, Canon showed off a prototype DSLR with their 120 MP APS-H sensor in it. That sensor was a new version of the one announced in 2010 (in 2015, they announced a 250 MP sensor, also APS-H). About the prototype camera they said, “"This camera was produced as an example of Canon's high-definition imaging capabilities.”

In fact, that 120 MP APS-H sensor was intended for industrial applications, i.e., planned to be sold as a sensor not a camera. It’s been available since 2018. If you’re interested, you can order an evaluation kit from Canon:

https://canon-cmos-sensors.com/canon-120mxs-cmos-sensor/

 

[ijohnsson]

Very few, if any, current lenses can resolve a 100MP sensor image. Diminishing returns.

 

[John Wilde]

I don’t believe there was ever a development announcement. A development announcement indicates a planned product. There are plenty of announcements that are just ‘look what we can do’.

Canon developing next-generation imaging devices to expand the possibilities of visual expression​

"TOKYO, September 8, 2015—Canon Inc. announced today that it is developing a Cinema EOS System 8K camera and professional-use 8K reference display that will support the production of next-generation 8K video content, along with a still-image single-lens reflex camera equipped with a CMOS sensor featuring approximately 120 million effective pixels."

"Out of the 96 lenses that make up the EF lens lineup, 60 models will be compatible with the SLR camera under development."

Canon developing next-generation imaging devices to expand the possibilities of visual expression | Canon Global

Canon developing next-generation imaging devices to expand the possibilities of visual expression

global.canon

The press release includes a photo of a DSLR labeled "120-megapixel SLR camera"