Canon EOS R5 Review
The Canon EOS R5 shown with the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS
The Canon EOS R5 From a Fujifilm Photographer’s Perspective
I mainly use Fujifilm cameras now and primarily review Fujifilm gear. But it wasn’t always so. For years, 2002-2015 I used a range of Canon digital SLR cameras, and back in the film days, I used the Canon AV-1, T-90, EOS5, and EOS 1 cameras.
As much as I write about Fujifilm I realize that other camera platforms have plenty to offer and I have set a goal to try out three full-frame cameras over a few weeks. First up was the Sony A7R IV and later the Nikon Z7 II.
I am primarily a still photographer and will not get into the video aspects of the Canon EOS R5 although it is highly capable on this front.
From 2007 onwards I used all the variants in the Canon 5D series except the 5D Mark IV and for a while, I tried my hand with the 1D Mark III also.
The 5D series won my heart being versatile with a high-quality image output. Canon delayed its entry into the mirrorless market for too long and had some catching up to do. Their first entry in the full-frame segment, the EOS R did not spark my interest.
Canon EOS R5 - Introduction
Rarely, if ever, have I seen a more hyped camera release. The Canon EOS R5 was indeed highly anticipated and it felt like ages from the initial announcement till the camera finally was in the hands of eager Canon users.
I did not subscribe to the hype but watched with one eye from the sidelines as it was announced the camera would shoot video at 8K. initially, the EOS R5 had overheating issues but now the dust has settled and Canon shooters get to enjoy this impressive 45-megapixel hybrid tour de force of a camera.
Although I now find myself in the Fujifilm camp it was my long relationship with the Canon EOS 5D series that had me interested in the Canon EOS R5. I also wanted to explore how the EOS R5 experience would vary from the Fujifilm GFX 100S that I tested recently.
The fully articulating screen of the Canon EOS R5
Canon EOS R5 - Specs and Build Quality
The Canon EOS R5 currently retails for $3,899.00 with the following specs:
DIGIC X image processor
8K @ 30 fps. RAW and 4K @ 120 fps. 10-bit internal video
Sensor-shift 5-axis image stabilization
12 fps. mechanical shutter, 20 fps. electronic shutter
Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with 1053 points
0.5" 5.76m-dot OLED EVF
3.2" Vari-angle touchscreen LCD
Subject tracking with deep learning
CFexpress and SD UHS-II memory card slots
I thought it would be interesting to compare the weight of four different cameras here, all on my radar:
Fujifilm X-T4 - 1.16 lb / 526 g
Sony A7R IV - 1.46 lb / 665 g
Canon EOS R5 - 1.62 lb / 738 g
Fujifilm GFX 100S - 2 lb / 900 g
The Canon EOS R5 did not feel heavy by itself and its ergonomics are top-notch. The grip is deep but not as tall as I had expected and with the larger lenses I had for my test, the balance was slightly off at times. For added support, you can add the Canon BG-R10 battery grip.
The top LCD is nice to have but small for my taste and I had a hard time without my +2 readers, a problem I did not have on the GFX 100S. I like how you can toggle between different settings such as IS and frame rate via the M-Fn button.
The buttons and dials are well laid out and everything you touch on the EOS R5 is responsive and has an elegant quality feel to it. Even the touch screen which I normally do not use on my Fujifilm was okay and I used the Quick menu to make adjustments. I was happy I was able to operate the camera entirely without having to dig out the manual.
The Canon EOS R5 in Action
I had two lenses for my test, the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS and Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS. I would have preferred a test period with some of the smaller RF lenses as I believe it would have been beneficial to my overall view of the EOS R5.
While these two lenses are excellent pro-grade zoom lenses they dwarf the Canon EOS R5 and are cumbersome to lug around. If you are a pro sport, press, or events photographer you may think differently as these lenses typically would be described as essential in this line of work.
The weather was phenomenal for my test so I have no excuses for poor images. We did a cycling trip along the Fraser River onto Barnston Island and along the trail from Derby Reach Park to Fort Langley, BC, Canada. And I also captured a few street photography photos in Vancouver and sunset scenes from English Bay.
English Bay Beach, Vancouver. Testing the Canon EOS R5 with the Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS. Photo credit: my friend Goran
There was an immediate familiarity in shooting the Canon EOS R5 although the camera has evolved from a digital SLR to a sophisticated mirrorless camera. I shot aperture priority and used the scroll wheel on the back for exposure compensation adjustments, the way I used to do it on my Canon 5D cameras.
The 5.76m-dot OLED EVF is probably the nicest I have used on any camera to date. I had the EVF on the smooth setting which will drain the battery a bit quicker but I decided to live a little. For a day of shooting, I brought two batteries and I needed both.
When comparing the EOS R5 to Fujifilm cameras the most striking difference appears when it comes to autofocus implementation. I happen to think Fujifilm does a really good job on their latest cameras and do not feel I am missing out. That was until I tried the Canon EOS R5.
Canon uses the dual pixel CMOS AF II with 1053 points and especially when it comes to eye detection and tracking the bar is set higher than anything I have tried from Fujifilm or any other camera for that matter.
Is it something that makes me want to sell all my Fuji gear and switch to Canon? Certainly not, but I will have to admit the quality of the eye detection autofocus had me in awe.
If you are a wildlife photographer it is important to know that the EOS R5 will do animal eye detection and does so very well according to a reliable source (Jason at Beau Photo, Vancouver).
If autofocus is a crucial element in your style of shooting this is important to keep in mind.
Size comparison between three mirrorless camera/lens combinations. The Olympus EM5 Mark II, vs. Canon EOS R5 with an RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS, and Fujifilm X-Pro3 with an XF 35mm f/1.4 R.
Canon EOS R5 - Image Quality
For the past 5 years, I have been comfortable with the photos from my 24-megapixel Fujifilm camera but at times wonder if I missing out on something, FOMO.
I view the images on my 15” MacBook Pro, occasionally on a 4K monitor, and mostly share them here on the blog/review site and on social media. I should print more but it happens only rarely. I cannot recall the last time I printed anything larger than 20 x 30”.
Years ago I walked into the ski lodge in Canmore, Alberta for the World Cup cross-country ski races I was covering for Cross Country Canada, and much to my surprise they had made a banner, two stories high, of Olympic silver medalist, Sarah Renner, from my 6-megapixel Canon D60. It looked fantastic but of course, viewing distance and print quality could affect this.
So why venture into cameras with more megapixels, in the case of the Canon EOS R5, 45-megapixels, if there is no meaningful visible difference to you and it merely translates into bigger file sizes and slower post-processing?
If you are a wildlife shooter the ability to crop becomes a huge benefit with more megapixels. When I dabbled at wildlife photography I would often need to crop into my 21-megapixel 5D Mark III files but things would quickly fall apart and images were rejected due to less-than-desirable quality.
If you print larger photos the results should get better with more megapixels. You can also see it in on-screen images but it becomes harder to tell images apart.
In the case of the Canon EOS R5 and the Sony A7R IV, there is an added resolution gain to be seen in the A7R IV’s 61-megapixel files vs. 45-megapixels for the EOS R5. But I would rather not be subject to a blind test.
On the Canon EOS R5, you get files with 8192 x 5464 pixels, and on the Sony A7R IV, 9504 × 6336 pixels, both on a 35.7 x 23.8 mm sensor. In comparison, the GFX 100S gives you 11648 × 8736 pixels on a 43.8 x 32.9 mm sensor, and my Fujifilm X-Pro3 or the Fujifilm X-T4, 6000 x 4000 pixels on a 23.5 x 15.6 mm sensor.
The overall image quality will also come down to which lens you are using and its ability to resolve on the larger megapixel sensors. For my Sony A7R IV test, I used an excellent prime lens, the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM.
The combination of the increase in megapixels and perhaps a better lens I think resulted in overall higher image quality from the A7R IV over the Canon EOS R5. I was, however, more used to the colors from the Canon camera and found them fairly straightforward to edit.
Canon EOS R5 vs. Fujifilm GFX 100S
Shell out another $2,100.00 and you can make the leap from a full-frame 45-megapixel sensor in the Canon EOS R5 to a larger-than-full-frame Fujifilm GFX 100S with 102-megapixels.
The weight of the two is somewhat similar with the GFX 100S being merely 5.8 oz. / 165 g heavier. This speaks volumes to what Fujifilm has done bringing the weight of the GFX cameras down.
Viewing images from both on my 4K monitor reveals more lifelike images from the GFX 100S with depth and detail unrivaled by other cameras I have tried. With that said the EOS R5 is no slouch.
You are more likely to lean towards the Canon EOS R5 for other reasons than pure image quality, such as its video capabilities, overall faster operation, and better autofocus. You can read my GFX 100S review here:
Canon EOS R5 vs. Fujifilm X-T4
DP Review recently placed both of these cameras at the top of their respective categories, the Canon EOS R5 being a full-frame camera and the Fujifilm X-T4 with a smaller APS-C sensor.
Think of the two as the current best from either brand in the hybrid category featuring great video specs and fully articulating screens.
I priced out both cameras with a similar lens, the Canon EOS 5R with the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS, $6,198.00, and the Fujifilm X-T4 with an XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR, $2,898.00. The EOS R5 combo weighs 57.8 oz, 1,638 g, versus 41.6 oz, 1,181 g, for the X-T4 combo, 38% more.
When I reviewed the X-T4 last year I concluded there was plenty to be excited about and you could rightfully say the same about the Canon EOS R5.
But I have to point out the huge price difference with the Canon EOS R5 in this configuration being more than twice the cost. Add to that further expenses if you want to utilize the faster CF cards.
Is it worth it? It is completely an individual choice but I know the higher cost and weight would have me frozen in my tracks. If I was a dedicated sports or wildlife shooter I would probably revise this statement as Canon has some amazing long telephoto options and the souped-up feature set and cost may be worth it. You can read my X-T4 review here:
Conclusion
The Canon EOS R5 is without a doubt a slick camera and from the offset, Canon has released a line of impressive, albeit expensive, RF lenses.
As they fill the gaps in the lens lineup the R system will become more appealing. I would have loved to try the new Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM, $199.00. I used to have the EF version and it always surprised me positively.
I will have reviews coming up from the two lenses I had in this test, the RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS and RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS. Spoiler alert with three keywords; nice, heavy, and expensive.
Barnston Island, Canon EOS 5R, Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS @ f/5.6, 200mm
Could the Canon EOS R5 coexist paired with a Fujifilm camera? Absolutely! For a while, I shot the Canon 5D Mark III alongside a Fujifilm X-Pro1. On assignments, the 5D Mark III did the heavy lifting but I was often as happy with the shots I came home with from the X-Pro1.
Could I live a Canon EOS R5? I certainly could, but I am not rushing out to get one. I have yet to decide if I want to make the leap to a Fujifilm GFX camera at some point and one of the goals with this exercise testing full-frame cameras is to find out if I could be happy with a full-frame camera or if I should stay in the APS-C realm. Or perhaps add a GFX camera to the mix.
Please see more sample images below.
Price / Availability
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Canon EOS R5 - Sample Images
Please see more sample images below. The photos are processed from RAW files in Lightroom.
Please click to view larger images.
Granville Island, Vancouver, Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS @ f/5.6, 24mm
Vanier Park, Vancouver, Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS @ f/6.3, 24mm
English Bay, Vancouver, Canon EOS 5R, Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS @ f/2.8, 77mm
English Bay, Vancouver, Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS @ f/5, 27mm
English Bay, Vancouver, Canon EOS 5R, Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS @ f/5.6, 119mm
Barnston Island BC, Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS @ f/4, 36mm
Barnston Island BC, Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS @ f/4.5, 54mm
Barnston Island, Vancouver, Canon EOS 5R, Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS @ f/4.5, 172mm
Fraser River BC, Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS @ f/4.5, 70mm
Fort Langley BC, Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS @ f/6.3, 34mm
Fort Langley BC, Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS @ f/6.3, 70mm
West Pender Street, Vancouver, Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS @ f/6.3, 70mm
