In an interview around the time of the pixel shift firmware update for the Canon EOS R5, a Canon executive claimed that Canon wasn't even working on a follow-up to the EOS R5, which even on the surface was silly, because of course they are and have been for some time. Sometimes context gets lost in translation though.

We are also seeing some aggressive pricing and discounts on the Canon EOS R5, which isn't always an indicator of a replacement on the near horizon, it is an indicator that stock levels are a bit too high for retailers and Canon themselves.

We also expect Q4 of this year to be an extremely lively announcement cycle for a lot of companies. We expect Panasonic, Sony and Nikon to make some big camera announcements. We also think Canon is going to have something major to tell us about a camera body in Q4.

We have been told by one very good source that Canon has ever intention to announce the EOS R5 replacement one way or another in Q4. The same source is as certain as they can be about an R5 Mark II appearing before the long-awaited EOS R1, which will be a slow burn release cycle leading up to the Paris Olympic games.

Another source mentioned that it's possible Canon releases two EOS R5 replacement bodies. One being the EOS R5 Mark II, and the other being the unicorn high-megapixel EOS R5 variant. If you're going to make both cameras, it would be very good for consumers to give them a choice as to which way they'd want to go, instead of having to “settle”. The high-megapixel version won't have the same video features as the EOS R5 Mark II, which should be expected and quite frankly, welcomed.

Do not expect any meaningful resolution increase on the EOS R5 Mark II, that 45mp resolution may be the sweet spot for quite some time. Which is also welcomed from our point of view.

Neither source had any idea about the future of the EOS R5 C and if Canon has or can figure out cooling the EOS R5 Mark II without a fan. We're not engineers, but not much is impossible when it comes to camera bodies.

More to come on the EOS R5 Mark II and EOS R1 later this week.

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119 comments

  1. A hypothetical R5II that only gets the more power efficient Digic X from the R6II/R8 and matching firmware improvements would already be significant improvement. Apart from a faster sensor I'm having trouble thinking of any other hardware improvements compared to the R5.
  2. of any other hardware improvements compared to the R5.
    What is the reason for 50g weight difference of the R5 to the R6? The second display on the top? ;-)
    And its 60g to the R6 II.
    Maybe the weight can also reduced a little bit.

    I have no complaints using the R5 which _has_ to improved. Oh, only the blinking LED to the front while (night) long exposure with 3sek-timer...
    Or the display could be a 1080p display...
  3. A hypothetical R5II that only gets the more power efficient Digic X from the R6II/R8 and matching firmware improvements would already be significant improvement. Apart from a faster sensor I'm having trouble thinking of any other hardware improvements compared to the R5.
    I can think of a few, but minor things to improve:
    - preshooting feature as R6mkii
    - digital converter
    - IBIS High Res feature with RAW option
    - shutter speed options up to 1/16.000 or 1/32.000 as R3
    - higher resolution on LCD screen and maybe EVF
    - black-out free EVF
    - faster flash sync speed.... 1/400 would be nice, 1/800 would be great Sonys A1 has 1/320 and 1/400 when shooting in crop mode
    - as always: stickier and faster AF
    - dedicated button (or option to customize it) for switching detection mode scene (humans - birds - vehicle)
    --> I heard there is no option to switch by the push of button while you're shooting.

    Edit: built in GPS would be great!
  4. If Canon sticks to the apparent schedule, I believe the R5mkii won't have a stacked sensor like Nikons Z8. I was wondering if Canon would "answer" to this competition by implementing a stacked sensor to the R5mkii. But the timeline seems to be rather short to change their plans right now considering that most high-end bodies take a lot of time for R&D and field testing.

    High -Res body at the same time sounds really nice. It will be interesting to see what high-res means nowadays.
  5. What is the reason for 50g weight difference of the R5 to the R6? The second display on the top? ;-)
    And its 60g to the R6 II.
    Maybe the weight can also reduced a little bit.

    I have no complaints using the R5 which _has_ to improved. Oh, only the blinking LED to the front while (night) long exposure with 3sek-timer...
    Or the display could be a 1080p display...

    The construction is different. The R5 has a magnesium alloy shell, the R6 is plastic.
  6. The R5 body size, shape and ergonomics are horrible imo. I love what Nikon did with the Z8 (and previously Panasonic with the S1 series) in that regards.

    I used to have a 5D Mark III and I loved it, it felt just right as regards those criteria.

    Adding a built-in GPS would be really nice. For those concerning about battery life, simply disable the feature or add a spare battery in your bag. Problem solved. But at least, those who need it can use it.

    Purely photographic specs (MP count, AF, DR, etc.) are absolutely fine as they are. What this camera needs is to improve all the other aspects (some of them mentioned above) to make it really attractive. To me, the R5 is just simply not a camera that makes me want to grab it and start shooting when I see it. The spirit of the 5D series is not there... yet?

    Again, just my opinion as a 5D shooter.
  7. Wow, if both are coming with the R5mkii it'll be an even more expensive camera than the R5...

    I also wonder what it would leave for the rumored R1? 80mp stacked sensor? Quad-Pixel AF? Next week will be interesting for sure.
    R1 with 80mp stacked sensor? Sure, that guess is completely rediculous. Come on now.
  8. R1 with 80mp stacked sensor? Sure, that guess is completely rediculous. Come on now.
    It sounds ridiculous, I admit that. The thought was: IF the R5mkii has a stacked 45mp sensor, how could the R1 top that? That's why I thought of a 80mp stacked sensor.
  9. It sounds ridiculous, I admit that. The thought was: IF the R5mkii has a stacked 45mp sensor, how could the R1 top that? That's why I thought of a 80mp stacked sensor.
    Since 5D2 the 5 series has more megapixels than the 1. So why should it change?

    Maybe it can 8K 120fps as video or later stills for the sport photographer wet dream.... ?
  10. Since 5D2 the 5 series has more megapixels than the 1. So why should it change?
    Because there is now an R3,
    Having both with low megapixels would make little sense.
    People who want low MP will go with the R3.
    People who want a higher MP stacked sensor camera would not have to switch to Sony or Nikon.
    I do not foresee Canon coming out with something like the Z 8 any time soon but the R5 already holds its own and the R5 II will surely do that and then some.
    History changes everyday.
  11. The R5 is probably all the camera i will ever need.
    It's all the camera I'll ever *need*, but not all the camera that I'll ever *want*.

    It would be great to have stacked sensor, stickier AF, elimination of freezes, pre-capture buffer, hi-res EVF, 2x CFE slots and longer battery life.

    But the original R5 will probably drop to $2500 towards the end of its cycle, so it makes zero sense to me to spend twice that amount for what is for practical purposes just a relatively minor upgrade.
  12. I think an R5II with a BSI stacked sensor could be a 'forever' camera for me. Like my 5DIII lasted (and is still going) for 10 years until the R6 came along with enough of an upgrade to make it worth it. But I dont know...I suppose even if the readout speed on a non stacked sensor was high enough to make a significant improvement in rolling shutter in ES Mode, that would be good enough.

    I don't think Canon has to 'answer' anything the Z8 has done. They already have the answer with a more robust ecosystem, lighter and more compact body, and superior AF performance. So we may not see a stacked sensor.

    I'd also like to see what the R1 is going to do. I have always wanted a 1, and may be able to get in to a position to buy one by next year (have been saving for a long time), but I think it may cost $10k USD, at which point I'd rather have the 100-300 lens.

    Next burning question - when will an R5 body start selling for $2750? Used they can be found there already...but will we see a refurb at that price soon? Will they drop after the R5II release? Speculation of course, but for some reason that price sits in my head as a buy point for that body, and then wait for the initial price of the II to come down.

    -Brian
  13. But the original R5 will probably drop to $2500 towards the end of its cycle, so it makes zero sense to me to spend twice that amount for what is for practical purposes just a relatively minor upgrade.
    That's what I am hoping for. If so, I'll get the R5 and keep the R as a backup or for school shootings or whatsoever. The R5 and R seem to share similar ergonomics and controls, so that'd be great :) Of course, one has a dial, the other a Touch Bar. But other than that, there are quite similar.
  14. A hypothetical R5II that only gets the more power efficient Digic X from the R6II/R8 and matching firmware improvements would already be significant improvement. Apart from a faster sensor I'm having trouble thinking of any other hardware improvements compared to the R5.
    The new hot shoe, obviously.

    Apart from that, it would be nice to have two USB-C ports (for simultaneous tethering and power supply) and built in GPS receiver.

    Also, an R3 style AF-On button.
  15. Since 5D2 the 5 series has more megapixels than the 1. So why should it change?

    Because there is now an R3,
    Having both with low megapixels would make little sense.
    People who want low MP will go with the R3.
    People who want a higher MP stacked sensor camera would not have to switch to Sony or Nikon.
    I do not foresee Canon coming out with something like the Z 8 any time soon but the R5 already holds its own and the R5 II will surely do that and then some.
    History changes everyday.
    Exactly, what I was thinking. With DSLR, the 5 series had higher MP´s, the 1 series had a lower MP was built for speed. Now, there is a R3 which practically takes the place of 1dx camera...

    Therefore, I originally thought:

    R1: high MP AND stacked sensor
    R3: low MP and stacked sensor
    R5: high MP and NO stacked sensor.

    If the R5mkii has a stacked 45mp sensor and eye-control AF, the R1 would need a significantly higher MP count to differentiate from the R3/ R5 or some others stand-alone features which we might not are aware yet. If the R5 mkii has a stacked sensor it would change my original thought to:

    R1: very high MP (70-80 MP) AND stacked sensor
    R3: low MP and stacked sensor
    R5: high MP and AND stacked sensor.
  16. R1 with 80mp stacked sensor? Sure, that guess is completely rediculous. Come on now.
    As Canon have stated previously, they won't release an "R1" camera until they believe they and a truly flagship defining product. I don't think that Megapixels is that feature.

    What could be considered truly flagship-defining would be QPAF and global shutter. My gut says global shutter. Your guts could say something else. Only Canon Knows.
  17. The new hot shoe, obviously.

    Apart from that, it would be nice to have two USB-C ports (for simultaneous tethering and power supply) and built in GPS receiver.

    Also, an R3 style AF-On button.
    Agreed, there will be a new hotshoe. But I think there's little chance of getting 2 USB-C ports or built-in GPS. And while an R3 style AF-On button would be highly desirable, I think that will be reserved for just the R3 and R1. Same goes for eye-control AF.
  18. That's what I am hoping for. If so, I'll get the R5 and keep the R as a backup or for school shootings or whatsoever. The R5 and R seem to share similar ergonomics and controls, so that'd be great :) Of course, one has a dial, the other a Touch Bar. But other than that, there are quite similar.
    I've already got an R5 and I'm very happy with it. I just need a backup/second body, and I'd prefer it to be an identical one, so when the R5 drops to $2500 I'll get another one, and pair them with different lenses. I might even get a used or refurbished R5.

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