Is Canon's next camera a "baby R5"?

Canon could be making transformative changes to the Canon EOS R7, turning its successor into a 'baby Canon EOS R5' with a 40MP sensor capable of shooting 8K video.

A new report is the latest in a string of camera rumors that Canon's APS-C line is going to experience a significant shake-up, with the Canon EOS R7 Mark II looking "like it’ll be going upmarket".

Claimed to arrive in Q3 or Q4 this year, the new version of the company's flagship APS-C body could have specs to rival the original R5 – and could even balloon in size, purportedly being compatible with accessories for the newer Canon EOS R5 Mark II.

"We have been told that the camera will get a resolution bump to 'about 40MP' and that it will shoot 8K video," writes Canon Rumors.

"That’s a lot of pixels on an APS-C sensor, but Fujifilm seems to have done a good job with it." Indeed, such specs would put the R7 Mark II on par with the Fujifilm X-H2 – a 40.2MP, 8K 30p powerhouse.

"Also expect an increase in the size of the body, but it will remain as light as everything else in the Canon lineup. The ergonomics of the camera will be more like the EOS R5 Mark II than what we currently see with the Canon EOS R7."

This is the part that surprises me the most. While the current R7 is by no means as small as the Canon EOS R50 or R100, the whole point of smaller sensors is to facilitate smaller bodies.

I get it, an 8K camera generates a ton of heat. And making the R7 Mark II 'size-compatible' with the R5 Mark II means that they can share accessories like the cooling fan grip, rather than having to manufacture all-new peripherals.

But doesn't that defeat the whole size advantage of an APS-C body? I guess Canon could be making a play for a more affordable 8K camera, but otherwise I don't see the advantage in a camera that's the same size as an R5 but with a smaller sensor.

Of course, this could all be moot – these are, after all, just rumors. But as we so often see these days, smoke more often than not leads to fire. It's going to be a very interesting few months… 

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