Which backup camera to buy?

[EdCannady]

I currently have an r5 which I love, but sold my 5d Mark IV which was my backup camera. I plan to buy a mirrorless backup and I'm deciding between the r6 Mark ii and another r5. I shoot wildlife and landscapes. Any insights would be welcome.

 

[jcass]

I have heard that as well, but I just don't know why I would need that many megapixels. I'm happy with the resolution on the original r5. Plus I want a second before I head to Yellowstone in early May. But thanks for your feedback!

Have you considered renting a camera body for Yellowstone? The R5 II rumors suggest that it will also be a 45MP sensor with other improvements. I have an R5 and I'm strongly leaning towards buying the R5 II and keeping my R5 my 2nd body.

 

[EdCannady]

Have you considered renting a camera body for Yellowstone? The R5 II rumors suggest that it will also be a 45MP sensor with other improvements. I have an R5 and I'm strongly leaning towards buying the R5 II and keeping my R5 my 2nd body.

I have been hearing the r5 mk ii would be a 60 mp sensor. Maybe I should be patient until the r5 upgrade is released but patience is not one of my virtues.... I can most likely get by just fine in Yellowstone with my current r5, but I definitely want a second before I leave for Alaska and the Yukon in June.

 

[Only RF]

The only thing I miss about my R5 is the ability to change C1-3 modes with a button. You need to use the dial for both R6II and R7.

 

[JoeTheSnowPlowGuy]

So it may have been better to title my post as a second camera rather than a backup. And I can afford a second camera so it is not a great hardship.

I have the R6 II. Fantastic camera, but if money isn’t an issue I don’t see any reason not to get another R5. If you want a different flavor, grab an R8 as a second Canon and a Pentax K-1 Mark 2 with their FA* 15-30 2.8. I don’t own one, but from the Pentax circle I’m in (Pentax K-50 is my other system, their pro level * lenses are nice and everything they make is built like a BSH.) that combo is a phenomenal landscape/Astro set up.

 

[David Berry]

I already own my next backup camera: it’s my current R5.

I realise that this is almost a facetious comment, but the additional must-have features (pre-capture, eye-directed focus point, etc.) of the R5ii will determine whether the current R5 is assigned its new role.

Put differently: I’m waiting for the R5 to catch up to the R3, R6ii and Nikon’s Z8.

 

[Only RF]

Not sure if posted this somewhere here. The R6II may not be able to crop like an R5 but it will hold up.

• Canon EOS R6m2
• RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM
• 105.0 mm
• ƒ/7.1
• 1/1000 sec
• ISO 400

• Canon EOS R6m2
• RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM
• 105.0 mm
• ƒ/7.1
• 1/1000 sec
• ISO 400

 

[David Stallard]

Back in the 1DX2 days I had a 5dmk3 as a back up but it never got used, sold it and bought another 1DX2 and yep - that never got used either so I sold both and bought the one R3, even though I shoot motorsport and know that a 'just in case' back up would be a good idea - it would never get used and I would end up selling it, so for me my emergancy back up is my iPhone.

 

[Japeg]

I currently have an r5 which I love, but sold my 5d Mark IV which was my backup camera. I plan to buy a mirrorless backup and I'm deciding between the r6 Mark ii and another r5. I shoot wildlife and landscapes. Any insights would be welcome.

I’d get an r6 II unless you need the duplicate controls of a second r5, you’d get more variety from having the r6 II.

 

[EdCannady]

Hard to recommend any camera coz it should be you to decide and it should be you to know the need of having a back up. Nonetheless, just out of curiosity, any special reason you need a backup for wildlife and landscapes? Do you have some previous bad experience with having only one single camera? Hope to learn something as being a guy who has no backup. Thanks in advance.

No bad experience, but I travel a lot in very remote locations and if my camera was to go down I would be out of luck, so I just like to be prepared. From climbing and SAR experience I believe redundancy is always good if possible. Canon cameras have always been very reliable but one time without a camera would be too many.

 

[Dave Williams]

I had exactly the same dilemma and learned the hard way when my R5 just stopped working , fortunately on the last day of a 2 week trip. I have been waiting for the R5ii but I couldn't wait any longer and decided on the R7. I didn't want one but now I have one I like it. The eye detect is better than the R5, the cropped sensor gives more reach or a wider aperture option on a zoom lens like the 100-500 and it was well priced. lots I wish were different like the layout which can get confusing or just lacking when you have been using the R5 but overall I'm happy with my decision. Probably won't buy an R5ii now. I never considered buying two identical cameras, to me a waste of money for reasons of just a back up. Whatever I bought had to offer something I didn't have already so it was crop sensor vs better ISO performance, R7 vs R6ii. Crop sensor and more pixels won.