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If there was any doubt concerning the business going totally mirrorless, the almost nonstop stream of recent mirrorless digital camera releases has put these doubts to relaxation. 

Canon’s EOS R was launched in October 2018 to a lot fanfare and fast follow-ups have continued ever since with splashier specs. The EOS R and RP have been, for essentially the most half, merely mirrorless variations of the 5D Mark IV and 6D Mark II, respectively. They finally didn’t spark that a lot pleasure. 

However with the discharge of the R5 and R6, Canon has made true successors to these two DSLRs. These cameras, together with the upcoming R3 and rumored R1, have confirmed that Canon are taking this format very critically and aren’t going to easily sit by and let Sony take all of the mirrorless glory any longer. 

Let’s rapidly take a look at what makes the Canon R5 vs. R6 completely different as a way to resolve which one is the higher match for you.

Canon R5 vs. R6 Specs

The R5 and R6 are each incredible cameras with loads of highly effective capabilities and, truthfully, they’re – at the least at first look – seemingly extra comparable than they’re completely different. They’ve virtually precisely the identical physique, for one. Their sizes are just about similar, although they do have some variations in controls. They’re additionally outfitted with  the identical processor and autofocus techniques. They each have the identical RF mount as the remainder of Canon’s new mirrorless cameras, permitting full interchangeability of lenses. There are sufficient variations, nonetheless, to place them towards completely different goal audiences. 

Canon R5 vs. R6 Options

Now let’s dig a little bit extra into the specs and options of the cameras and see how they evaluate.

Physique

The general bodily measurement and form of the our bodies are just about similar, although the R5 does add a couple of additional grams of weight. It’s most likely not sufficient to be a call maker someway, however it will be noticeable for those who held the 2 cameras successively.

The main distinction between the 2 our bodies comes within the high plate, the place the R5 carries over the OLED panel from the EOS R whereas the R6 sports activities a extra conventional mode dial. 

The R5 is supplied with a phenomenal high panel display screen for fast setting adjustments.

The R6 is supplied with a extra conventional, and tactile, PASM-style dial.

View Screens

As mirrorless cameras, each the R5 and R6 function two separate digital view screens: the digital viewfinder (the place a conventional DSLR viewfinder would sit) and the totally articulating touchscreen LCDs that Canon has placed on the again of lots of their DSLRs. In each instances, the R5 barely outpaces the R6. Its 5.76 million dot OLED EVF is among the many highest resolutions obtainable, whereas the R6’s 3.69 million dot OLED EVF is extra typical, falling in step with cameras such because the Nikon Z7 and Sony a7 III. Each supply 120 FPS refresh charges and 0.76x magnification, making each extraordinarily succesful, although the R5’s is a little bit nicer.

When it comes to the rear LCD, the R5 once more barely exhibits up the R6 with a 3.15” LCD in comparison with 3”. It’s a small distinction, however a distinction nonetheless.

Sensor

The megapixel races that have been the craze a couple of years in the past have slowed however it’s nonetheless a straightforward level for comparability. Megapixel counts are actually largely extra helpful for serving to to establish the target market relatively than which digital camera has “the most effective know-how”.

There’s an expectation that costlier cameras have increased decision sensors, and whereas that’s not at all times true, on this case it’s. The Canon R5 provides a 45MP sensor whereas the R6 has a 20.1MP sensor.

Sensors round 20MP have confirmed to be a candy spot for a lot of photographers, providing sufficient decision for the overwhelming majority of makes use of whereas retaining smaller file sizes and velocity. The 40MP+ sensors are focused at customers who want essentially the most decision attainable – primarily panorama and business studio photographers.

So whereas the R5 has greater than twice the decision of the R6, this can be much less of a greater/worse scenario than merely completely different instruments for various jobs. Along with the file measurement advantages, there are different benefits to lower-resolution sensors. For instance, all else being equal, a sensor with decrease decision typically performs higher with low gentle settings than a sensor of the identical measurement with the next decision. The smaller file sizes additionally allow longer burst caches, indispensable for sports activities and wildlife photographers. Many flagship cameras, for instance, proceed to remain at decrease resolutions thanks to those advantages. 

The opposite distinction between these cameras is a redesigned low-pass filter on the R5’s sensor, in comparison with the extra customary low-pass filter on the R6. 

What’s a Low-Go Filter?

A low-pass filter blurs tremendous excessive element topics (ones that will trigger moiré, equivalent to tremendous fibers and patterns from garments and even hair). Moiré provides off a rainbow, jaggy, or in any other case distorted look to those gadgets and could be fairly aggravating, particularly for video shooters, and onerous to edit away. That is turning into much less of an issue with each new digital camera launch because of increased and better pixel counts making these aberrations merely tougher to see within the ultimate consequence. Extra digital camera releases are omitting this filter altogether in favor of final sharpness. Cameras which are extra suited to videography usually tend to preserve the filter whereas excessive megapixel, landscape-oriented cameras will take away them (although the 50MP+ 5Ds R is a notable exception). 

As an alternative of simply eradicating the filter for one mannequin and maintaining it within the different, Canon selected to offer the R5 the identical redesigned filter as in its flagship 1D X Mark III and preserve the usual one inside the R6. The brand new filter tech supposedly provides the most effective of each worlds: distinctive sharpness with no aliasing/artifacting.

ISO

You do see some low gentle profit from the R6 over the R5. The R6 provides an additional cease of native ISO (102,400 vs 51,200). And when you most likely don’t wish to push both digital camera that far, you will note a slight enchancment in picture high quality from the R6 when you begin to push the ISO. 

Autofocus

The autofocus techniques within the R5 and R6 are similar. They each use the identical hybrid Twin Pixel Autofocus System with head, face, and eye detection know-how (together with Animal AF Monitoring when capturing canine, cats, and birds). They’ve the identical AF protection and, whereas the R5 claims to have a slight AF velocity benefit, the truth is that they possible carry out largely the identical. Particularly when paired with an RF lens (versus an EF lens + adapter), your autofocus efficiency goes to be completely top-notch. 

Burst Taking pictures

Wildlife and sports activities shooters ask numerous their burst capturing capabilities. For essentially the most half, efficiency goes to be the identical for each cameras. Each supply a most of 12 FPS when utilizing the mechanical shutter and as much as 20 FPS when utilizing the digital shutter.

The second a part of burst capturing is what number of pictures you’ll be able to seize in a burst. Right here, the smaller file measurement of the R6 provides an obvious benefit, with the power to seize 240 full-resolution uncooked pictures in comparison with the R5’s 180.

Nonetheless, there are two components that make this distinction negligible in actual world capturing. The primary is that even pushing the toughest (20 uncooked frames per second), you’re 12 full seconds of burst in comparison with 9 full seconds. It’s unlikely that anyone would ever have to shoot bursts for that lengthy. Second, these numbers are each for full decision recordsdata, with the bigger R5 pictures inflicting the smaller quantity. In the event you completely wanted to shoot that many pictures, you would decrease the decision of the R5 to roughly match the R6’s and sure get as many, or presumably extra, pictures in a burst. 

The Canon R5 is able to capturing 8K ProRes Uncooked externally to the Atomos Ninja V and Ninja V+.

Stricken by overheating points and complaints of dangerous rolling shutter upon launch, the R6 has been bettering over time because of firmware releases.

Video Capabilities

Each the R5 and R6 supply a number of highly effective video options. You possibly can make the most of Canon’s Twin Pixel Autofocus, 4:2:2 10-bit bitrate, C-Log, H.265, and video options equivalent to zebras and focus peaking (lacking from lots of Canon’s earlier non-cinema choices).

Nonetheless, the R5 does supply some important video energy upgrades over the R6. Whereas each can help you seize incredible Full HD and UHD 4K as much as 60p, the R5 goes even additional, providing DCI 4K as much as 120p and as much as DCI 8K at 30p. Whereas resolutions above 4K aren’t terribly vital (proper now), the additional decision could be good to have (permitting the power to crop into 4K) and may supply a bit extra future proofing than the R6. It’s higher to have the potential and never use it than to wish it and never have it (for those who can afford it). In any other case, the R6 ought to meet your wants. However understand that the R5 provides full-width video recording, permitting you to make the most of the complete body sensor. The R6 has a 1.06x crop issue, shedding a little bit little bit of sensor area, however not an enormous quantity. 

The Canon R5 takes UHS-II SD playing cards and CFexpress Kind B playing cards. Study extra about CFexpress in our What’s CFexpress and How Does it Examine? put up. The R5 will help CFX playing cards with 400MB/s writing speeds, or VPG400 ranking.

The Canon R6 provides twin UHS-II SD card slots and helps twin card recording (as does the R5 however solely the CFX slot can deal with 8K).

Reminiscence Playing cards

The R6 provides twin UHS-II SD card slots and the power to both document sequentially when you replenish your first card or to document onto each concurrently for backup functions. Since SD playing cards have been the usual for some time, many photographers will possible have already got a stockpile of them readily available.

The R5’s increased decision sensor, and particularly its 8K capturing capabilities, require one thing sooner than SD. Whilst you nonetheless get two card slots, one among them is a CFexpress Kind B. CFexpress provides far sooner learn and write speeds than SD, making them vital for 8K video and useful for growing speeds throughout different duties. Nonetheless, they’re nonetheless considerably pricier than SD playing cards and it’s much less possible you’ll have already got them. Study extra about this comparatively new card format in What’s CFexpress and How Does it Examine?.

Battery Life

Each cameras have respectable battery life, however the R6 does edge out the R5, being rated for 360 pictures in comparison with the R5’s 320 pictures. Relying in your capturing fashion, this will likely or is probably not important for you. In the event you shoot in excessive quantity, the longer battery life would possibly make the R6 extra interesting, particularly while you additionally issue within the smaller recordsdata being simpler to work with.

The Canon R5 provides mic and headphone ports, USB-C, Micro HDMI, and a PC Sync-In port for flashes/radio poppers. There’s additionally an N3-style port on the entrance for RS-80N3/TC-80NS wired remotes.

The Canon R6 provides mic and headphone ports, USB-C, and Micro HDMI however no PC Sync-In port. Speedliters might want to depend on the new shoe for triggering. Within the place the place that’s on the R5 is as a substitute a sub-mini port for RS-60E3 wired remotes.

Connectivity

If you wish to wirelessly join your digital camera, the R5 and R6 are comparable, although there are once more small variations that favor the R5. Each can join through WiFi and Bluetooth, however the R5 can use each 5GHz and a pair of.4GHz spectrums (solely 2.4GHz for the R6) and it provides Bluetooth 5.0 (4.1 for the R6). In the event you want or desire wi-fi file transfers, the R5 will get the job carried out extra rapidly.

Worth

This all brings us to the relative value factors between the R5 and R6. As of June 2021, the R5 is obtainable from Canon at $3,899 whereas the R6 is significantly cheaper at $2,499. With the discharge of the R3, control these costs as they might go down even additional by Christmas. 

In case you are simply moving into the EOS R collection of cameras, you’ll wish to begin investing in RF lenses, that are typically costlier than comparable EF lenses, and also you’ll wish to get some CFexpress playing cards for those who get the R5. These components push value factors even increased and would possibly affect your alternative based mostly in your complete funds. 

Conclusion

Each the R5 and R6 are incredible cameras and convey an thrilling evolution to Canon’s mirrorless digital camera lineup. The R5 extra carefully targets working skilled panorama or studio photographers who need absolutely the highest stage of element and essentially the most attainable decision to work with. It additionally appeals to hybrid shooters and videographers. The R6 provides a function set (and value level) that appeals extra to generalist shooters who don’t want essentially the most excessive specs however who wish to begin investing within the EOS R ecosystem.

Undecided which digital camera is the higher choice for you? Hire the Canon EOS R5 and the Canon EOS R6 and see which one higher matches your wants. Getting each cameras in-hand will inform you a lot better than any on-line overview can. Make sure to check out some RF lenses, too!

Tags: Greatest Mirrorless Digital camera for Images, Greatest Mirrorless Digital camera for Video, Canon Mirrorless Assessment, Canon R5 Specs, Canon R6 Specs Final modified: October 19, 2021