Canon EOS R5 Mark II Announcement

Spencer Cox

Canon has just announced the successor to their popular EOS R5 mirrorless camera, the EOS R5 Mark II. The new $4300 camera adds eye-control autofocus, a higher FPS burst rate, and a faster electronic shutter, among other improvements. Here’s what you need to know.

Canon EOS R5 Mark II Front View
The Canon EOS R5 Mark II

Specifications

The biggest improvements in the EOS R5 Mark II are mostly about speed. The camera can now reach 30 FPS instead of 20 FPS, and the buffer has been improved slightly as well. The sensor – though still 45 megapixels – is now a stacked CMOS sensor, and there’s a new “DIGIC accelerator” chip to supplement the DIGIC X processor. All of this makes for a faster camera in a variety of ways, which I’ll expand upon below. We’ll have to see if there’s a minor image quality penalty to the stacked sensor design, as we’ve seen in some cameras before.

What does the faster sensor architecture allow? To me, one of the biggest improvements is the addition of a pre-capture mode that works with raw files. The pre-capture mode allows you to buffer 15 photos by holding down the shutter button halfway. When you fully press the shutter button, those 15 photos ~from back in time~ are saved to your card. The pre-release buffer works at 30 FPS (giving you 0.5 seconds of pre-capture) or 20 FPS (giving you 0.75 seconds of pre-capture). In either case, a total of 15 photos are saved. And like the Canon EOS R8 and R6 Mark II, this feature works with raw files, not just JPEGs. (Unlike those cameras, thankfully the EOS R5 Mark II saves the pre-burst images individually rather than as one weird, individual file.)

Then there are the new video improvements. The EOS R5 Mark II can shoot 8K internal raw video at 60 FPS. There’s also an “SRAW” option that can film 4K raw video, which could be a really useful option to save space. There is no software-based limit on video record times, although due to overheating, the camera will power off eventually at the most demanding video settings. Canon says you’ll get approximately 18 minutes at 8K 60p raw, 37 minutes at 8K 30p, and 22 minutes at 4K 120p. But at simpler settings like 4K 60p or 4K 30p, the limit is several hours or none at all. There’s also a new grip with a built-in fan that allows all these times to be extended.

Apart from the speed-related improvements, I’m glad to see that Canon has added their eye-controlled autofocus feature to the EOS R5 Mark II. This feature allows the photographer to look at different subjects in the frame in order to select an initial autofocus point. Note – this is different from actually tracking the subject wherever you look across the frame; autofocus tracking is still done with Canon’s usual algorithms. Canon has, however, improved the eye-control system compared to the implementation in the EOS R3, specifically by giving the sensors a wider field of view and improved algorithms to follow the photographer’s eye, even when they’re wearing glasses.

Not listed in the specs above, but also relevant, is that the readout speed of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II’s sensor has been improved. The original EOS R5 managed a 1/60 second readout speed, while the Mark II reaches 1/160 second. This should minimize the effects of rolling shutter when using the electronic shutter, although it’s not yet at the level of the Nikon Z8 and Z9 (about 1/270) let alone the global shutter of the Sony a9 III.

Canon also advertises that the EOS R5 Mark II has better autofocus tracking capabilities, plus a new action priority autofocus mode. Canon says of this mode: “Action priority can recognize and track specific people and takes into account ball tracking, movement tracking, People Priority, eye-control AF, and more to help. Currently available for soccer, volleyball, and basketball.” Canon shows a picture of some people on motorcycles to advertise this, so either they chose the wrong image, or it applies to more than just those three sports.

Screenshot from the Canon USA product page for the EOS R5 Mark II

Analysis

It may not have the lower model numbers of the EOS R1 or EOS R3, but the higher resolution of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II means that it’s easily one of Canon’s most advanced cameras. If you want more than 24 megapixels on a high-speed Canon, the EOS R5 line is the only game in town. Same if you need 8K video. And the EOS R5 Mark II clearly improves upon its predecessor both where speed and video performance are concerned.

What are you giving up compared to the EOS R1 or EOS R3? Apart from the body style, one of the biggest differences is the buffer capacity at high burst rates. Here’s how the three cameras stand in that regard:

The EOS R3 and EOS R1 certainly win this contest, although keep in mind that they’re both 24 megapixel cameras, so a bigger buffer is to be expected. Further, you can improve the R5 Mark II’s buffer capacity to 170 frames by shooting in C-RAW, which is Canon’s lossy compressed raw format.

Keep in mind that the Canon EOS R5 Mark II has a pre-release burst mode, while the EOS R3 does not. I think that for most uses, the EOS R5 Mark II is the superior camera, especially now that it borrows (and even improves upon) the R3’s eye-controlled autofocus system. Thanks to the addition of the DIGIC Accelerator processor, it may even be better in focus tracking in some situations. At minimum it adds the action priority AF mode. It feels like a major EOS R3 firmware update would be needed to help it keep up.

Despite my overall positive impressions of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, there are still a few areas where I’d have hoped for more. Namely, almost all of the improvements are related to speed. For subjects like landscape and architectural photography, it’s barely any better than its predecessor, and potentially a little worse. For example, Canon appears to have removed the high-resolution pixel shift mode and replaced it with a gimmicky AI upsampling tool. (Though Canon’s original pixel shift mode was JPEG only on the R5 – I had hoped to finally see a raw-compatible implementation with the R5 Mark II.)

Image quality on the EOS R5 Mark II does not seem to have been improved over the previous generation. The camera still has an anti-aliasing filter on the sensor, and the new stacked sensor design most likely comes with a very small penalty to dynamic range. At this point, both Nikon and Sony continue to offer cameras capable of higher image quality, thanks to the base ISO 64 on various Nikon cameras and the 61-megapixel sensor on the Sony a7R IV, a7R V, and a7CR (without an AA filter).

Then there’s the price. The current sale on the Canon EOS R5 puts it at $2900 on B&H. The price of the new EOS R5 Mark II is $4300 by comparison. Even if the speed and video improvements are useful for your work, that’s a hefty gap that would cover the cost of a nice lens. For that price, I don’t think that landscape or architectural photographers have any reason to make the switch.

Landscape photographers will have little reason to upgrade to the Mark II. Canon EOS R5 + RF 35mm f/1.8 Macro @ ISO 100, 1/30, f/16.0

I do want to mention one final thing, since it may have flown under the radar a bit – the EOS R5 Mark II takes a new battery, the LP-E6P. This isn’t a big deal in itself, but Canon says that “functionality is limited” when using older versions of the battery (and the oldest LP-E6 is not supported at all).

I haven’t seen a comprehensive list of which features this refers to. Various sources are reporting different things – some sites are saying 8K raw video, 30 FPS stills, pre-release capture, and/or even WiFi functionality are only possible on the EOS R5 Mark II with the new battery. But those discussions are completely inconsistent from different sources, and I’m not sure where they’re getting their information, so I don’t trust any of those claims.

Canon isn’t being helpful here and doesn’t expand on what “functionality is limited” refers to. They’ve only confirmed one feature that requires the new battery – letting you take JPEG stills while recording video. If that’s the only one, no big deal, but I haven’t heard one way or another. I’ll update this article as I learn more. Still, if you have a lot of Canon batteries already, you may need to factor the cost of replacing them into the price of buying the EOS R5 Mark II.

Pre-Order

You can support Photography Life by pre-ordering the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, or buying any other photography gear, through our affiliate links to B&H. The EOS R5 Mark II ships on August 20th for $4299 body only, or $5399 with the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 L:

Extra batteries with full compatibility for the EOS R5 Mark II’s features are $79 apiece:

Three new grips were also released alongside the R5 Mark II:

Press Release

Canon Officially Launches the New EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras

MELVILLE, N.Y., July 17, 2024 — Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today launched two new professional full-frame mirrorless cameras, the EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II. The EOS R1 camera is designed for both professional still photographers and video creators in a wide range of fields including sports, news reporting and high-end video production. The EOS R5 Mark II camera features improved video focused features for the advanced creators and real-time multi recognition tracking system for those who focus on still photography.

Canon EOS R1 Camera is “Ahead of the Game”

Canon’s EOS 1-series legacy continues with the unveiling of the flagship EOS R1 camera. This high-performance, reliable, and weather-resistance camera is designed for professionals in the photojournalism, sports and wildlife fields. Key features of the EOS R1 camera include:

  • Back-illuminated stacked 24.2 megapixel full-frame sensor and new processing system for extremely fast reading
  • Increased read-out speed, reducing “rolling shutter” distortions
  • Still-image shooting speeds up to 40fps
  • “Cross-type AF” imaging sensor for more positive focus on subjects with linear detail
  • Strong video capabilities, up to 4K (also 6K RAW video options)

Canon EOS R5 Mark II Camera helps users “Master the Moment”

For the professional who demands high-quality still and video output, the EOS R5 Mark II camera is ready to deliver. Designed with performance and image quality at its core, the EOS R5 Mark II camera offers the fundamental elements in one package for sports/wildlife photographers, journalists/producers, video producers and visual creators. Key features of the EOS R5 Mark II camera include:

  • Back-illuminated stacked 45 megapixel full-frame sensor and new processing system for extremely fast reading
  • When compared to previous EOS R camera models, more advanced and powerful AF system including Eye Control AF and new subject tracking technologies
  • Cinema EOS video features such as:
    • Custom Picture color profile including Canon Log 2
    • False Color Wave Form Monitor
    • 4CH Audio with 24bit LPCM
    • Pre-recording up to 5 seconds

Accessories for the EOS R5 Mark II camera were designed thoughtfully with the end-user in mind. There is a new, more powerful battery. The LP-E6P battery, when compared to previous battery versions, features higher continuous power and two-times the amperage. Optional battery grips were also thoughtfully designed, and there are three options:

  • BG-R20– For vertical operability
  • BG-R20EP with Ethernet – Port enables high-speed wired communication
  • CF-R20EP with Cooling Fan and Ethernet – Cooling fan helps maximize movie performance

Both cameras feature the new DIGIC Accelerator, which is an addition to the DIGIC X processor. The DIGIC Accelerator assists with deep learning processing which helps to quickly analyze large volumes of data and supports the next-gen AF system, Dual Pixel Intelligent AF. Dual Pixel Intelligent AF is based on Accelerated Capture and deep learning, allowing end-users to experience tracking advancements, such as body, joint and head area estimation and focus on people other than the main subject.

Price and Availability

The Canon EOS R1 camera is expected to be available in the Fall of 2024, for an estimated retail price of $6,299.00*. The Canon EOS R5 Mark II camera is expected to be available in August 2024, for an estimated retail price of $4,299.00* for the camera body only. The EOS R5 Mark II camera kit, which will include the RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM lens, will have an estimated retail price of $5,399.00*. The estimated retail prices for the optional battery grips are:

  • BG-R20– $349.99*
  • BG-R20EP – $499.99*
  • CF-R20EP – $399.99*

For more information, please visit www.usa.canon.com.

About Canon U.S.A. Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $29.4 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. as of 2023 has ranked in the top-five overall in U.S. patents granted for 38 consecutive years†. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To learn more about Canon, visit us at www.usa.canon.com and connect with us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/canonusa.

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† Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

* Specifications, availability and prices are subject to change without notice. Actual prices are set by individual dealers and may vary.

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