Canon R5 Anticipation for R5 Mark II?

[jcass]

Having been on an upgrade cycle of 7 to 8 years, I confess that I am likely to purchase an R5 Mark II on introduction after having my R5 for a year and half. That'll be two firsts for me: upgrading after only 1 1/2 years, and buying a camera at intro. Of course, this is depending on an actual release and the final specifications of the camera.

I love my R5 and plan to keep it as a second body. There are a couple of features though that just keep tugging me down the road to upgrade:

1. Pre-buffer shooting. I always miss birds launching by a hair and would like to take photos of lightning. In sports, I have a good sense for the moment of the action, this can only help.
2. Auto-focus improvements, especially QPAF and low light AF. The R5 is fantastic, but it does hunt in low light and improvements in the R6 II and R8 AF have been lauded. I admit, this is a weakness of mine and I can use all the help that I can get.
3. Increased resolution/size of viewfinder and display. My eyes just ain't what they used to be. My unicorn is the articulating viewfinder.
4. Multi-function hot shoe. My old flashes suffice, but the incompatibility moving forward is frustrating.
5. Stacked sensor... dynamic range... improved low light image quality. No complaints in my R5, but can you imagine it being better!

I'd like to know what other folks think about the Mark II... should the February announcement actually occur. I think it will. What features do or don't matter to you?

 

[Archibald]

I'm fine with my R5 as it is, except that its features are different-enough from the R7 to cause confusion. Maybe the R5 II will be more like the R7. That would be a benefit. The other issue for me is that, since getting the high-mpx R7 and almost always shooting reach-limited, I have a lot less use for FF than for crop. So, not sure I will upgrade. What I really need is an R7 II - but that is likely years away.

 

[jcass]

I'm fine with my R5 as it is, except that its features are different-enough from the R7 to cause confusion. Maybe the R5 II will be more like the R7. That would be a benefit. The other issue for me is that, since getting the high-mpx R7 and almost always shooting reach-limited, I have a lot less use for FF than for crop. So, not sure I will upgrade. What I really need is an R7 II - but that is likely years away.

I haven't tried setting the crop mode to 1.6 in my R5. For image quality, it seems half a dozen of one versus six of the other to me. But, I want to try it because I read that it does improve autofocus for birds.

Have you tried it in your R5 and compared it to the R7?

 

[Archibald]

I haven't tried setting the crop mode to 1.6 in my R5. For image quality, it seems half a dozen of one versus six of the other to me. But, I want to try it because I read that it does improve autofocus for birds.

Have you tried it in your R5 and compared it to the R7?

Yes, I have tried it but have not come to conclusions. Others say (like you) that AF improves. I almost always use the R7 now in these situations.

 

[RedCobra]

I will get one as soon as I can and my R5 (MkI) will be my second body. I will sell my R7 (which I am not happy with.)
My OM-1 has QPAF and a BSI stacked sensor and I find it is pretty amazing, but it's only 20mp.
45mp or greater with QPAF/BSI stacked sensor will be a winner.

 

[Nick L]

Definitely interested if the specification is a step up from my R5, I would like to see the eye tracking from the R3 and a better EVF, not sure i need a lot more MP but I am going to Iceland in October so it would be nice to take for Aurora and Landscapes.

 

[lostnomore]

I'm anticipating the R5 II to address some of the very few shortcomings of my R6. Mainly, I want a camera that will have absolutely zero video overheating issues and more MP for tighter cropping. A stacked sensor would also be a definite bonus; I believe this would reduce/eliminate rolling shutter effects using electronic shutter for photos of fast subjects?

 

[jcass]

Definitely interested if the specification is a step up from my R5, I would like to see the eye tracking from the R3 and a better EVF, not sure i need a lot more MP but I am going to Iceland in October so it would be nice to take for Aurora and Landscapes.

Eye tracking caught me as a game-changer on first read, but lost its luster as I thought about it. I think my eye drifts away from the focus point for composition and such. Have you used eye-tracking, if so how well does is work for you?

 

[Nick L]

Eye tracking caught me as a game-changer on first read, but lost its luster as I thought about it. I think my eye drifts away from the focus point for composition and such. Have you used eye-tracking, if so how well does is work for you?

Not yet I have had a look at the R3 but not used it, I think for wildlife if I can focus on a specfic bird that has got to help, so if it is included I would use it I am sure.

 

[StevenAunan]

Definitely watching for the R5 II announcement. Will probably sell my R7 and keep the R6 as the second body. I could also see selling both, but having two bodies is a luxury I've come to see as almost a necessity. Another option would be to keep the R7 and buy an R6 II, but I'll wait to see how the R5 II turns out.