Thoughts of R6 Owners who "upgraded" from a 5D4 (or similar DSLR, or an RP)?

May 4, 2011
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Hi all,

Just want to get the thoughts of folks who previously used a 5D Mark IV, or "5D4" (or other similar 5D camera) who decided to give it up for an R6. What do you like about your “new” R6, and what (if anything) do you miss about your old DSLR? Are you primarily a stills shooter or do you also do video (or want to do video), and did that help influence your decision to switch? Also folks that used to have an RP, but decided to trade it in for an R6 - what do you think? Do you miss the extra resolution? The small size? Do you find it to be more responsive, or more reliable as a camera?

I’m mainly looking to R6 owners here… I’ve been reading reviews, watching videos on how it stacks up to the 5D4 for similar use cases and wanted to get more people’s thoughts. People seem to like the AF system and ability to track. The 5D4 for me has probably the best AF tracking ability (and high ISO performance) of any camera I’ve used thus far. It’s not perfect, of course, far from it, but it has come through more than once when faced with super dimly-lit ice shows. Folks also seem to talk about the eye tracking…but that’s just ok on my RP, so I prefer to just manually move the point myself.

Just would like to know if folks like their R6, if they miss their old DSLR, or even if there's something they wish they knew before they made the switchover from DSLR to MILC...just gathering data for now. I was never one of those looking to completely jump ship to the RF system - costs aside, I think there are still many unknowns about the longevity and reliability of RF lenses and Canon MILCs. That said, I’ve found I've been taking more of a slower, “bottom-up” type approach to this...and as an RP user I find myself starting to look closer at the R6.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
 
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jd7

CR Pro
Feb 3, 2013
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Hi all,

Just want to get the thoughts of folks who previously used a 5D Mark IV, or "5D4" (or other similar 5D camera) who decided to give it up for an R6. What do you like about your “new” R6, and what (if anything) do you miss about your old DSLR? Are you primarily a stills shooter or do you also do video (or want to do video), and did that help influence your decision to switch? Also folks that used to have an RP, but decided to trade it in for an R6 - what do you think? Do you miss the extra resolution? The small size? Do you find it to be more responsive, or more reliable as a camera?

I’m mainly looking to R6 owners here… I’ve been reading reviews, watching videos on how it stacks up to the 5D4 for similar use cases and wanted to get more people’s thoughts. People seem to like the AF system and ability to track. The 5D4 for me has probably the best AF tracking ability (and high ISO performance) of any camera I’ve used thus far. It’s not perfect, of course, far from it, but it has come through more than once when faced with super dimly-lit ice shows. Folks also seem to talk about the eye tracking…but that’s just ok on my RP, so I prefer to just manually move the point myself.

Just would like to know if folks like their R6, if they miss their old DSLR, or even if there's something they wish they knew before they made the switchover from DSLR to MILC...just gathering data for now. I was never one of those looking to completely jump ship to the RF system - costs aside, I think there are still many unknowns about the longevity and reliability of RF lenses and Canon MILCs. That said, I’ve found I've been taking more of a slower, “bottom-up” type approach to this...and as an RP user I find myself starting to look closer at the R6.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
Not having an R system camera I cannot answer your question, I'm afraid, but I will be interested to see the answers too if anyone responds.
 
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dcm

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Depends on where you are coming from and where you plan to end up.

I'm primarily a stills shooter from film A1/FD lenses in the 1970s to a 1DX2 with L glass. I took a similar bottom-up approach in the D series coming from film. 550D - 6D - 1DX2. The 1DX2 was a huge improvement from my 6D. Using the same approach with the R series, except I skipped the R/RP. So far the R6 hasn't been much of a step back from the 1DX2 although I am shooting less due to COVID. The only real gap may be sports, but I haven't shot any recently.

I started collecting EF L glass with the 550D and have quite a bit of L glass which I continue to use on the R6, primarily primes and wide - 35 Lf/1.4, 85L f/1.4, 100L f/2.8 macro, 135L f/2, 8-15L f/4, 11-24L f/4, 24-70L f/2.8 and 70-200L f/2.8. I'm only using the EF 100-400L on the 1DX2 and the EF 70-300L on my M6m2 these days.

My RF lens purchases have also been bottom up, RF 24-240, RF 100-400, RF 800, RF 1.4x, and RF 50/1.8. This is a nice kit with the R6 for most of my needs. When I get more serious or have special situations I can pull out the EF L glass and/or the 1DX2 but I haven't had too many occassions so far. I'll be interested to see what other RF lenses appear in the future, but I don't see myself investing as much in the RF L series unless my photography takes off.

The R6 has filled the gap between my M6m2 and 1DX2 and mostly replaced the 1DX2. I still like the small form factor on my M6 for everyday and travel shooting. I thought of upgrading eventually to R5/R3/R?, but I'm in no hurry and can wait to see what else comes out. The R7/R10 don't interest me, although the RF800 on an R7 could be interesting. I'll wait to see what others think. I'm happy with the RF 800 and RF 1.4x on the R6 at this point.
 
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Quirkz

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I wasn't quite the same shift, but I'll give you my thoughts. I'm primarily a casual photographer that mostly does stills when travelling.

Had a 5D4 (and loved it, of course!), and bought the RP when it came out to try out. I realised a year later that I hadn't picked up the 5D4 in that year - every time I preferred the RP because of it's size advantage and overall excellent AF for the sort of thng I was doing. It was a clear downgrade in some ways, but a clear upgrade for the things that mattered to me.

I sold the 5D4 (reluctantly, nervously), and bought an R when they were cheap instead. Didn't look back once. For my purposes, the R was an upgrade in every respect. i've heard some people claiming worse autofocus in low light, and I'm sure it's a thing under some circumstances, but in other situations, I found the R more reliable.

I later replaced the R with the R5, with is just magnificent.
I really like the eye AF on the R5, and while I'm still mostly 'spot' focus, I really like the touchscreen 'drag to move the focus point', which is pretty speedy most of the time.

The R5 feels 'lazy' compared to the 5D4. Set the autofocus modes appropriately, then just point and shoot, and most of the time it just gets it right. It's just too easy. More smart technology reduces the need to concentrate on camera settings and practical photography skill, freeing me up to focus more on where it matters and where I'm weakest: composition. I find myself thinking less about how to use the camera, and more about 'how will this look'. Good for a casual amateur like me.

Re:resolution. When I moved from the 5D4 to the lower resolution of the RP, it just didn't matter. it wasn't a big enough drop to make any practical difference at normal viewing sizes. I understand the R6 is a bigger drop, and if you do a lot of cropping, then that may matter more to you. It didn't for me.
 
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Thanks to both of you for your thoughts!

My RF lens purchases have also been bottom up, RF 24-240, RF 100-400, RF 800, RF 1.4x, and RF 50/1.8. This is a nice kit with the R6 for most of my needs. When I get more serious or have special situations I can pull out the EF L glass and/or the 1DX2 but I haven't had too many occassions so far.
This is where I'm at as well - started with the RP (price-wise it made sense back when it was being bundled with adapter/grip/etc.) and RF 35 f1.8. Later on added the RF 85 f2. Those are the only 2 RF lenses I have so far. They replaced the EF 35 f2 IS and EF 100 f2 which I had prior. MILC mainly for dabbling in, DSLR for the serious stuff or when I care about the final results/want maximum reliability and dependability. Fairly invested in the EF lens system as well.

ETA: In using your R6, do you find that you wish it had certain features of your 1DX II? Just curious.

Had a 5D4 (and loved it, of course!), and bought the RP when it came out to try out. I realised a year later that I hadn't picked up the 5D4 in that year - every time I preferred the RP because of it's size advantage and overall excellent AF for the sort of thng I was doing. It was a clear downgrade in some ways, but a clear upgrade for the things that mattered to me.

I sold the 5D4 (reluctantly, nervously), and bought an R when they were cheap instead. Didn't look back once. For my purposes, the R was an upgrade in every respect. i've heard some people claiming worse autofocus in low light, and I'm sure it's a thing under some circumstances, but in other situations, I found the R more reliable.
Interesting. I thought about the R as well, but just personally couldn't get over the handling when I tried it in store. It felt like a downgrade in every respect from my 5D4 unfortunately. That said, I did consider it briefly for use alongside the 5D4 before I went with the RP. I preferred the latter due to price, ergonomics, and size. I like the size of the RP as well and I think it complemented both my 5D4 and my 5DSR quite well when needed.

Situation has changed a lot since everything hit, though, and the 5D4, which was used mostly for events that I haven't since been back to or that are still dormant, has now been sitting mostly unused and I found myself picking up the RP more for casual shooting as I get back into things. The flip screen and the freedom of composition (AF spread) is quite liberating in many ways. Just wish the camera had better focus precision (not accuracy)...DSLRs are still better at pinpoint focusing, I find...MUCH better. When I do grab a DSLR, recently it's been the 5DSR, which I've committed to keeping for the long haul (I find the OOC colors from the RP and newer Canons very underwhelming...the 5DS still has the old-school vibrant colors). Still, I find myself wanting to hang onto the 5D4 in case events start up again and speed becomes important to me once again.

Interesting that you found the AF of the R to be more reliable. Is this tied mostly to tracking ability? Or just AF consistency? I do find that my RP has decent focus accuracy as well...the 5D4 is no slouch, though, in my experience.

Re:resolution. When I moved from the 5D4 to the lower resolution of the RP, it just didn't matter. it wasn't a big enough drop to make any practical difference at normal viewing sizes. I understand the R6 is a bigger drop, and if you do a lot of cropping, then that may matter more to you. It didn't for me.
Well, that's only the difference between 26 (RP) and 30 (5D4) MP, which is fairly miniscule, so I understand. I don't notice much of a difference myself between files from both of those cameras. I do crop occasionally and almost immediately noticed the difference in cropping latitude when I upgraded from my previous 5D3 (22MP). That said, I still loved the output from that 5D3 and actually kept/used it for several months after upgrading before I finally decided to let it go. To this day sometimes I miss its vibrant colors and sharp output (the 5D4 was an improvement though in just about every other aspect, including AF consistency, critically). At least the 5DSR still supplies that, albeit at a higher resolution/with fewer lenses.

Speaking of higher resolution, this is probably why I'm less bothered by the R6 having 20MP - I figure if I ever went that route I'd probably just compensate by using the 5DSR more and mainly take advantage of the better low-light, high ISO performance and faster speed when necessary.
 
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dcm

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...

ETA: In using your R6, do you find that you wish it had certain features of your 1DX II? Just curious.

...

Not so far. But I'm a advanced amateur that never really took full advantage of the capabilities 1DX2. I got it after hitting the limitations of the 6D and figured the same might happen if I picked up a 5Dx, so I just splurged a bit for the 1DX2. That gave me the maximum possible capabilities to expand my skills. And I did learn quite a bit more with it and shoot things I never thought possible with the 6D.

The R6 seems to match my shooting style and skills quite well at this point. It is different so I'm still learning how to get the most out of it, but I'm pretty much back to where I was with the 1DX2. It may not measure up for BIF and grandkid sports, but that remains to be seen. I'm waiting to see the upcoming body alternatives while figuring out what capabilities the R6 is lacking for me. Looks like I will have a few choices if/when I decide to upgrade.
 
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HikeBike

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Enthusiast here. I went from a T3i to an R to an R6.

Needless to say, the jump from the T3i to the R was nothing short of miraculous, in my eyes. Going from the R to the R6 was much less exciting, but still a very worthwhile upgrade, in my opinion. On that, here are a few thoughts:

- The ergonomics and controls of the R6 are superior to the R (and the RP), and would be on par with the 5D Mk IV.
- The R6's autofocus tracking is awesome. The R was pretty good, but the R6 is on another level. Say goodbye to manually moving the focus point (in most cases) as you mentioned above. There's no going back to any DSLR for me...I'm spoiled now. My 4-year-old daughter or my dog runs around...it tracks the eye...I compose. So easy, it feels like cheating. This applies to both photo and video.
- I very much like the low-light jitter removal (I don't recall the setting name) the R6 has. The R's viewfinder and rear display always got jumpy in low light, which drove me nuts. I assume the RP has the same issue. But combining that jitter removal with the 120 Hz refresh rate (used as needed)...sure gets close to feeling like an OVF with the added benefits of live view.
- I, personally, do not need more than 20 MP. As a matter of fact, I much prefer 20 MP since I don't do much cropping and appreciate the smaller file sizes.
- IBIS is certainly nice to have, especially in low light while using non-IS lenses.
- As far as lenses go, I have taken the approach of not attempting to replace EF glass with RF glass. It's just not worth it to me in most cases. Although the RF 50 f/1.2 and RF 70-200 f/4 sure are tempting, I still can't justify them. I did, however, fill in a couple of gaps in my lineup with RF lenses which I did not have EF equivalents for.

In short, unless you have a real need for more than 20 MP, I think the R6 is one hell of an upgrade over a comparable DSLR. But again, this is coming from a non-pro. :)
 
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- I very much like the low-light jitter removal (I don't recall the setting name) the R6 has. The R's viewfinder and rear display always got jumpy in low light, which drove me nuts. I assume the RP has the same issue. But combining that jitter removal with the 120 Hz refresh rate (used as needed)...sure gets close to feeling like an OVF with the added benefits of live view.
In my personal experience I've only had occasional "flare ups" concerning lag in the viewfinder in low light - most of the time it's been ok for me. I think it might have to do with using longer exposures and/or attempting to focus in low light...or maybe it gets worse with slower lenses or adapted lenses? I use mostly the RF 35mm f1.8 and 85 f2 on that camera and haven't had any major issues, but maybe it's different when using an f4 or slower lens?

As always, thanks for your thoughts! I do wish the RP had some kind of joystick for AF selection or back scroll wheel, but other than that I find the ergonomics to be fairly decent.
 
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Just to follow up, two things.

First, I FINALLY got to try out an R6 in person at a local store - I really liked its feel and handling, and it felt pretty quick to me. Seemed like a cool gadget and all - I can understand the hype to some degree.

Second, given the recent deal on the R, I decided that as a next step into Canon MILC FF I'd trade up from the RP and try one out. I like that it's 30MP (like the 5D4) and that it's $1K+ less than the R6 and R5. Honestly, it's better than I thought it would be considering the early reviews it got...but then again, I only shoot stills, and don't really do video. Would be great if it had a joystick & scroll wheel, probably my only major complaint ergonomics-wise (but no different from the RP in this regard). The lack of a mode dial is weird for me given that every camera I've had up to this point has had one, but I'm finding that the single-button option to quickly switch to custom mode shooting may help to make up for it. OTOH, it feels much better to hold in my hand and the RF 85 f2 balances much better on this body. Adapted EF lenses also balance better...

I sold the 5D4 (reluctantly, nervously), and bought an R when they were cheap instead. Didn't look back once. For my purposes, the R was an upgrade in every respect. i've heard some people claiming worse autofocus in low light, and I'm sure it's a thing under some circumstances, but in other situations, I found the R more reliable.
I don't have enough experience with the camera yet but for the most part, no AF issues with any of the lenses I've tried so far. I will say that's one thing that's somewhat refreshing about these new mirrorless cameras...not having to worry about or deal with AFMA. Keeping my 5D4...at least for now. The 5D is faster, has dual card slots and I'll still pick up a DSLR if I'm serious about getting the shot. But there's certainly a lot of potential with MILC...
 
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I loved my 5DM4. Probably the biggest problem I had was with noise in low light conditions. I shoot ballet, among other things. I purchased the R6 and NEVER regretted it. I can shoot in super low light conditions, crank up the ISO, and no noise. The eye tracking is insane. I would highly recommend this camera to you. I gave my 5DM4 to my wife and she is happily shooting wildlife. Win/Win. You can keep your EF lenses if you would like. IS, sensor, fast af, and better IQ = one happy photographer. Best of luck to you, and happy shooting!
 
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I'm a part time professional. Replaced my 6D with an R as a second camera to my 5DsR. Never used the 5DsR once I got the R. Much better handling and focusing camera. Sold the 5DsR and got an R6 with the R. I shoot a lot of events and prefer the small cRAW files compared to the R5. The R6 is an almost perfect events and wedding camera. I regularly shoot ISO 6400 and eye tracking AF is great. For this work 20 MP is fine. For large landscape photos 20 MP is on the low side and the R is usually sufficient.
 
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I went from 5DIV to R6 since November 2021 and my thoughts so far as an amateur stills photographer:

PROS R6
  • Autofocus system is very impressive.
    • This was my main reason for upgrading - AF system is the same as the 1DX III.
    • Eye-tracking is amazing. You can concentrate on composition more.
    • EF lenses that had backfocus/frontfocus issues (e.g. Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art) work amazingly better
  • You can shoot at very high ISOs and there's barely any noise.
  • Lower MPs = less processing power and storage space.
  • Smaller size is appreciated.
  • FPS is top notch.
CONS
  • I miss the extra megapixels of the 5DIV.
    • Images are not as detailed and cropping is limited with just 20 MP. 30 MP would've been really great as the R5's 45 MP is really a LOT.
    • Less image details reminded me of when I was using a 6D back in the day.
  • Missing top LCD. Most folks don't miss this, but it's helpful at nighttime when the LCD screen is too bright.
  • Battery life is a concern even at full charge. I feel like it wasn't much of a thought w/ a DSLR, but the R6 uses a lot of juice. I started to turn the camera off whenever not in use.
  • RF L glass is insanely expensive. EF L glass was much more affordable at their release dates. Now it's just ridiculous and discouraging.
I don't have regrets switching as the R6 is an amazing camera. I just wish it was more MPs.
 
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I'm a part time professional. Replaced my 6D with an R as a second camera to my 5DsR. Never used the 5DsR once I got the R. Much better handling and focusing camera.
Interesting, as my intention is to pair those two cameras...I think the extra MP will be nice in certain situations.

I went from 5DIV to R6 since November 2021 and my thoughts so far as an amateur stills photographer:

PROS R6
  • Autofocus system is very impressive.
    • This was my main reason for upgrading - AF system is the same as the 1DX III.
    • Eye-tracking is amazing. You can concentrate on composition more.
    • EF lenses that had backfocus/frontfocus issues (e.g. Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art) work amazingly better
  • You can shoot at very high ISOs and there's barely any noise.
  • Lower MPs = less processing power and storage space.
  • Smaller size is appreciated.
  • FPS is top notch.
CONS
  • I miss the extra megapixels of the 5DIV.
    • Images are not as detailed and cropping is limited with just 20 MP. 30 MP would've been really great as the R5's 45 MP is really a LOT.
    • Less image details reminded me of when I was using a 6D back in the day.
  • Missing top LCD. Most folks don't miss this, but it's helpful at nighttime when the LCD screen is too bright.
  • Battery life is a concern even at full charge. I feel like it wasn't much of a thought w/ a DSLR, but the R6 uses a lot of juice. I started to turn the camera off whenever not in use.
  • RF L glass is insanely expensive. EF L glass was much more affordable at their release dates. Now it's just ridiculous and discouraging.
I don't have regrets switching as the R6 is an amazing camera. I just wish it was more MPs.
Thanks for your thoughts! I agree about battery life - even with the R it uses power significantly faster than the 5D4, which was already fairly power-hungry (by DSLR standards). It's not quite the R6 in AF, speed or handling, but at least I don't have to give up any resolution, or the convenience of the top display. Saving $1200 is nice too. I'm in full agreement that the R5's 45MP is way more than I need/want for everyday shooting (26-32MP for me is that sweet spot)...plus its high price (coupled with the price of the RF lenses it likely demands) is off-putting. Curious to see how the R fares in the field. The eye tracking feature showed some promise in my tests, but I've yet to put it into actual use.
 
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drmikeinpdx

Celebrating 20 years of model photography!
I switched from the 5D4 to the R6 in late 2020 and I'm very happy. I never touched the 5D4 or the 90D again, so I sold them and about a dozen EF lenses to a large used camera company several months ago. What do I love about the R6?

  1. Very reliable eye tracking autofocus
  2. No need for microfocus adjustment
  3. Flippy LCD screen
  4. Fewer megapixels
  5. Cheap memory cards
  6. The 24-105 F/4 kit lens
What do I hate about the R6?

  1. Obscenely expensive L lenses for the RF mount.

I mostly shoot still photos with models in the studio and on location, so if you are into video, wildlife, concerts or billboards, your mileage will vary. I produce a high volume of images that are always compressed for online sales, which means that the smaller files are a big help in my workflow. I'm extremely impressed with the RF 24-105 F/4 lens. It's as sharp as my old EF 24-70 F/2.8 L which was my workhorse lens for the 5D4 and 5D3. I also get a lot of use out of the RF 35mm F/1.8, which is sharper than you might think. I have three other RF lenses, but don't use them much.
 
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That makes sense, I'm sure the smaller files are an advantage in specific scenarios. I also agree that the RF 35mm 1.8 delivers from an optical perspective - I like it on both the RP and R. I only have the 35 and 85 at this point, although I'll be adding the 24-105 shortly. I was originally thinking of just adapting the EF version (which I'll keep for the time being) but ergonomically I find I prefer using the native lenses TBH. Hopefully it is as good as I've been hearing in reviews...
 
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docsmith

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Amateur that migrated from the 5DIV to R5. I still own the 5DIV. I still love the OVF, but if I am taking one camera, it is always the R5.

  • The EVF is good enough optically that I do not hate it, matter of fact, it gets to the point where I only notice issues in some conditions (backlit, very bright, etc). Part of that may be my settings. That said, I use the level and histogram all the time in composition now. Huge benefit.
  • IBIS. I carry my tripod less often. I have yet to buy a RF lens, so this is all EF lenses, but I can handhold down to 1/4-1/2 and sometimes 1 sec (if I prop on anything) with my 16-35 and 24-70. Huge advantage.
  • FPS. I often am using a lower FPS setting, but when you want 12 or 20 fps, it sure is nice to have that option.
  • AF. Most AF points are similar or comparable. But eye-detect AF is a "game changer"....I have grown to hate that phrase as it is so over used, but it really has changed how I shoot. Birds is remarkably good. Wildlife is good. People is good (oddly not as consistent as birds). But still, being able to shoot quickly and worry about composition or framing and not about where your AF point is a huge benefit.
  • AF point spread. Usually I do focus someplace where the 5DIV would have had a focus point....but a good 20-30% of the time, I am focusing somewhere else, which is a significant benefit.
  • Customization. You can customize so much of the camera. Very nice benefit. But, I basically can't hand my camera off to someone else any more :).
  • Flip out screen. Hardly use it, but when I do, it is nice. I have an L-bracket around it at all times, so it feels well protected to me. No issues so far.
  • Size. The R5 does fit my hand better.
  • CFExpress. You'll need a modern computer, but downloads are blazing fast (R6, you'll be using SD cards, but still faster than CF).
  • Crop factor. Nice with birds, you can crop to 1.6x factor, see that in the EVF, and shoot a 17 MP file (R5) with smaller file size.
  • Battery life. Thing of it as a clock, not a counter. I tend to get 3-4 hrs of usage per charge. Shoot 20 pics of 2,000 pics in that time. Spread it out over one morning or two days.
  • Processor speed. Everything on the camera just moves faster.
Image quality. That is the end goal, right? Well, there are some differences. But my 5DIV took amazing photos and still does. The process to get there is a bit different.
 
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Amateur that migrated from the 5DIV to R5. I still own the 5DIV. I still love the OVF, but if I am taking one camera, it is always the R5.

  • The EVF is good enough optically that I do not hate it, matter of fact, it gets to the point where I only notice issues in some conditions (backlit, very bright, etc). Part of that may be my settings. That said, I use the level and histogram all the time in composition now. Huge benefit.
  • IBIS. I carry my tripod less often. I have yet to buy a RF lens, so this is all EF lenses, but I can handhold down to 1/4-1/2 and sometimes 1 sec (if I prop on anything) with my 16-35 and 24-70. Huge advantage.
  • FPS. I often am using a lower FPS setting, but when you want 12 or 20 fps, it sure is nice to have that option.
  • AF. Most AF points are similar or comparable. But eye-detect AF is a "game changer"....I have grown to hate that phrase as it is so over used, but it really has changed how I shoot. Birds is remarkably good. Wildlife is good. People is good (oddly not as consistent as birds). But still, being able to shoot quickly and worry about composition or framing and not about where your AF point is a huge benefit.
  • AF point spread. Usually I do focus someplace where the 5DIV would have had a focus point....but a good 20-30% of the time, I am focusing somewhere else, which is a significant benefit.
  • Customization. You can customize so much of the camera. Very nice benefit. But, I basically can't hand my camera off to someone else any more :).
  • Flip out screen. Hardly use it, but when I do, it is nice. I have an L-bracket around it at all times, so it feels well protected to me. No issues so far.
  • Size. The R5 does fit my hand better.
  • CFExpress. You'll need a modern computer, but downloads are blazing fast (R6, you'll be using SD cards, but still faster than CF).
  • Crop factor. Nice with birds, you can crop to 1.6x factor, see that in the EVF, and shoot a 17 MP file (R5) with smaller file size.
  • Battery life. Thing of it as a clock, not a counter. I tend to get 3-4 hrs of usage per charge. Shoot 20 pics of 2,000 pics in that time. Spread it out over one morning or two days.
  • Processor speed. Everything on the camera just moves faster.
Image quality. That is the end goal, right? Well, there are some differences. But my 5DIV took amazing photos and still does. The process to get there is a bit different.
Interesting to see that you made the same move that I did, but my conclusions are very different from yours. This is after using the R5 for 10 weeks, so it is not simply a lack of familiarity with the R5.
The main issue I have is that a large percentage of shots taken with the R5 are not in focus. When this happens, something in the shot is sharp, but it not where I positioned my focus point or points. It is as if the camera has ignored the focus points and focussed somewhere else instead.
The camera has now gone back to Canon to see whether there is a fault and this has given me the opportunity to use my 5D mark 4 again. What a difference. Every shot is sharp, the viewfinder is much clearer than the one on the R5 and overall the camera is much easier to use. So what do you think I should do? Even if Canon are able to repair the R5 I am not sure that I want to use it any more. So do I persist with the R5 or just accept that it was a waste of money and go back to my 5D mk4?
 
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Jul 28, 2022
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I still have my 5D IV, and have an R6. The auto focus of the R6 blows the 5D IV away. I will keep my 6D II, 7D II and 5D IV as back ups, they are all perfectly good DSLR's. The Autofocus of the R6 & R7 move them to the top of the list however. As soon as I can, I will get an R5. I will keep my EF L lenses and use the adapter. I get a Very High Keeper Rate Birding, Shooting Sports and Nature. The "Animal" Eye Focus on the R series blows me away.
 
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docsmith

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Sep 17, 2010
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Interesting to see that you made the same move that I did, but my conclusions are very different from yours. This is after using the R5 for 10 weeks, so it is not simply a lack of familiarity with the R5.
The main issue I have is that a large percentage of shots taken with the R5 are not in focus. When this happens, something in the shot is sharp, but it not where I positioned my focus point or points. It is as if the camera has ignored the focus points and focussed somewhere else instead.
The camera has now gone back to Canon to see whether there is a fault and this has given me the opportunity to use my 5D mark 4 again. What a difference. Every shot is sharp, the viewfinder is much clearer than the one on the R5 and overall the camera is much easier to use. So what do you think I should do? Even if Canon are able to repair the R5 I am not sure that I want to use it any more. So do I persist with the R5 or just accept that it was a waste of money and go back to my 5D mk4?
It sounds like your R5 is where it needs to be, having Canon look at and potentially repair it. Something is wrong, as the R5 has excellent AF. I know of someone else who had issues, sent it in to Canon, and the image sensor was "out of specification," whatever that means. Post adjustments, it seems to work well for them.
 
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