Will R6 have better high ISO IQ than R5?

[sanj]

I am battling with the concept (myth?) that lower MP equates to cleaner photos at higher ISO.
What is the truth? Thank you.

 

[Kit.]

The truth is: keepers from R5 will be noisier on average, because you will be able to crop more.

 

[Sharlin]

Sensor size being equal, lower MP equates less detail AND less noise per pixel.

 

[padam]

The 1DX III clearly looked better than the EOS R, but that's a bit unfair, since it was one generation newer.

Based on that, the R5 should be very close to the R6, but both are improving over older generation sensors.

In short: we need to see how well the R5 does, the R6 is probably just like the 1DX III, all the rest is just assumption.

 

[Bert63]

With all the powerful software out there and the quality of both cameras I really don't think either will present any sort of problem that can't be overcome - unless you're asking the camera to do things it just isn't capable of.

Considering the "lesser" cameras we've used over the past 20 years and all the fantastic images we've been able to produce using "lesser" equipment I don't think either of these gems is going to be problem by comparison.

 

[unfocused]

...What is the truth?...

Can we ever really know the truth?

Seriously, this has been debated/discussed so many times in so many different ways that I really don't know that there is a definitive answer. There are people on both sides of the question that make statements with absolute certainty. Some of the more technically minded folks on this forum have made very plausible arguments that there is no difference. (If I understand what they have written).

I can only say that from using the 1DxII and the 5DIV and R (same sensor) I have not found any practical noise difference between the sensors. In fact, I've shot the 5D and R side by side with the 1DxII and when I process the raw images, I can't tell the difference without checking to see which camera I've used. There are a number of 5D R users on this forum who state that they have no problems with noise with the 50mp sensor, even though it is a previous generation sensor that did not use on-chip ADC.

 

[sanj]

Thank you all. Appreciate it. So I will take it that: I do not need to get a lower MP camera for night shots where I need higher ISO. For example NY subway stations, inside restaurants, late evening street photography.

 

[Bert63]

Thank you all. Appreciate it. So I will take it that: I do not need to get a lower MP camera for night shots where I need higher ISO. For example NY subway stations, inside restaurants, late evening street photography.

Nope. IBIS plus lens IS will save the day!

 

[Joules]

I really don't know that there is a definitive answer. There are people on both sides of the question that make statements with absolute certainty.

Sure, both sides have written a lot. But I have yet to see an example for two images from comparable cameras (same sensor size, roughly same generation sensor) where a difference in resolution results in a differennce in noticeable noise when viewed at the same size.

I personally find demonstrations through images to be fairly definitive.

If you compare images from different resolution sensors at 1:1, you're a) going to see more noise in the higher res sensor and b) doing it wrong After all, the further you digitally zoom into an image, the more it's detail becomes apparent, along with the noise.

The truth is: keepers from R5 will be noisier on average, because you will be able to crop more.

That's only true, if you actually do crop more. If you don't, it doesn't hold. Then you just have a lot of high resolution keepers. But I guess the assumption is that you would go for 45 MP because you do in fact crop severely often (wildlife and so on), so then it makes sense.