After teasing us since its first reveal in February, the Canon EOS R5 has now been officially launched – and there’s far more to this game-changing camera than just its headline 8K capabilities.
The Canon EOS R5 has a spec sheet to drool over, starting with its 45-megapixel full-frame sensor – which Canon says is its highest resolving sensor ever, even better than the 50.6MP Canon EOS 5DS / R. That’s due to the same low-pass filter design featured in the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III, which the manufacturer claims reaches new resolution heights.
• Hands on: Canon EOS R5 review
The R5, like the similarly just-announced Canon EOS R6, can capture images at 20fps with the electronic shutter, and 12fps via the mechanical shutter (read more about the similarities and differences in our Canon EOS R5 vs R6 head-to-head). Powering the autofocus is the all-new Dual Pixel CMOS AF II technology, and Canon’s impressive Deep Learning AF programming has also been transplanted from the flagship camera.
This AI-based autofocus gives you eye, face and head tracking – but where the 1D X Mark III only catered to human subjects, the R5 also features Animal AF that can track the eyes, face and bodies of dogs, cats and birds – including birds in flight.
At long last Canon has delivered the much-desired 5-axis in-body image stabilization, which will offer up to 8 stops of CIPA-rated stability depending on which RF lenses you use.
The Canon EOS R5 will be a real low light performer, with a native ISO range of 100-51200 (up to 102,400 expanded) and an AF working range of EV-6, which basically means you can focus indoors in rooms in near-darkness.
As we already know, it will also be a video beast capable of capturing 8K video up to 30fps in either DCI or UHD, which is uncropped and recorded internally in 12-bit Raw. With quadruple the resolution of 4K footage, the R5 also enables you to capture 35.4MP Frame Grabs from video footage. And of course, it’s also a 4K powerhouse capable of recording at up to 120fps – and Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, with full tracking and animal AF, is available in all video modes.
The R5 carries the lineage of EOS 5-series cameras, so gets a top-plate OLED screen and features dual card slots – one CFexpress type B and one UHS-II SD card slot. However, it does not replace the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV but sits alongside it in the product line-up. Nor does it replace the Canon EOS R, though it sits above it on top of the family tree.
We’ve already had a play with the new camera, so you can read our first impressions in our hands on Canon EOS R5 review. The camera goes on sale on 30 July for £4,199 / $3,899 / AU$6,999.95 body only. That’s definitely a hefty price tag but, when you consider the bleeding-edge nature of its tech, the R5 arguably warrants it.
Pre-order the Canon EOS R5 from B&H (USA)
Pre-order the Canon EOS R5 from Adorama (USA)
Pre-order the Canon EOS R5 from Park Cameras (UK)
Pre-order the Canon EOS R5 from Wex Photo Video (UK)
Pre-order the Canon EOS R5 from Canon Australia
Read more:
Hands on: Canon EOS R5 review
Hands on: Canon EOS R6 review
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