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If there was any doubt in regards to the trade going totally mirrorless, the practically nonstop stream of latest mirrorless digital camera releases has put these doubts to relaxation. 

Canon’s EOS R was launched in October 2018 to a lot fanfare and fast follow-ups have continued ever since with splashier specs. The EOS R and RP had been, for probably the most half, merely mirrorless variations of the 5D Mark IV and 6D Mark II, respectively. They finally didn’t spark that a lot pleasure. 

However with the discharge of the R5 and R6, Canon has made true successors to these two DSLRs. These cameras, together with the upcoming R3 and rumored R1, have confirmed that Canon are taking this format very critically and aren’t going to easily sit by and let Sony take all of the mirrorless glory any longer. 

Let’s shortly have a look at what makes the Canon R5 vs. R6 totally different in an effort to determine which one is the higher match for you.

Canon R5 vs. R6 Specs

The R5 and R6 are each unbelievable cameras with loads of highly effective capabilities and, truthfully, they’re – at the least at first look – seemingly extra comparable than they’re totally different. They’ve virtually precisely the identical physique, for one. Their sizes are nearly an identical, although they do have some variations in controls. They’re additionally outfitted with  the identical processor and autofocus methods. They each have the identical RF mount as the remainder of Canon’s new mirrorless cameras, permitting full interchangeability of lenses. There are sufficient variations, nevertheless, to place them towards totally different goal audiences. 

Canon R5 vs. R6 Options

Now let’s dig a little bit extra into the specs and options of the cameras and see how they examine.

Physique

The general bodily measurement and form of the our bodies are nearly an identical, although the R5 does add a couple of further grams of weight. It’s most likely not sufficient to be a choice maker somehow, however it might be noticeable should you held the 2 cameras successively.

The main distinction between the 2 our bodies comes within the prime plate, the place the R5 carries over the OLED panel from the EOS R whereas the R6 sports activities a extra conventional mode dial. 

The R5 is supplied with a stupendous prime panel display for fast setting adjustments.

The R6 is supplied with a extra conventional, and tactile, PASM-style dial.

View Screens

As mirrorless cameras, each the R5 and R6 characteristic two separate digital view screens: the digital viewfinder (the place a conventional DSLR viewfinder would sit) and the totally articulating touchscreen LCDs that Canon has placed on the again of a lot of their DSLRs. In each circumstances, the R5 barely outpaces the R6. Its 5.76 million dot OLED EVF is among the many highest resolutions accessible, whereas the R6’s 3.69 million dot OLED EVF is extra typical, falling in keeping with cameras such because the Nikon Z7 and Sony a7 III. Each supply 120 FPS refresh charges and 0.76x magnification, making each extraordinarily succesful, although the R5’s is a little bit nicer.

By way of the rear LCD, the R5 once more barely reveals up the R6 with a 3.15” LCD in comparison with 3”. It’s a small distinction, however a distinction nonetheless.

Sensor

The megapixel races that had been the craze a couple of years in the past have slowed however it’s nonetheless a simple level for comparability. Megapixel counts are actually largely extra helpful for serving to to establish the audience moderately than which digital camera has “the very best expertise”.

There’s an expectation that dearer cameras have larger decision sensors, and whereas that’s not all the time true, on this case it’s. The Canon R5 affords a 45MP sensor whereas the R6 has a 20.1MP sensor.

Sensors round 20MP have confirmed to be a candy spot for a lot of photographers, providing sufficient decision for the overwhelming majority of makes use of whereas retaining smaller file sizes and velocity. The 40MP+ sensors are focused at customers who want probably the most decision potential – primarily panorama and industrial studio photographers.

So whereas the R5 has greater than twice the decision of the R6, this can be much less of a greater/worse state of affairs than merely totally different instruments for various jobs. Along with the file measurement advantages, there are different benefits to lower-resolution sensors. For instance, all else being equal, a sensor with decrease decision typically performs higher with low mild settings than a sensor of the identical measurement with a better decision. The smaller file sizes additionally allow longer burst caches, indispensable for sports activities and wildlife photographers. Many flagship cameras, for instance, proceed to remain at decrease resolutions thanks to those advantages. 

The opposite distinction between these cameras is a redesigned low-pass filter on the R5’s sensor, in comparison with the extra commonplace low-pass filter on the R6. 

What’s a Low-Go Filter?

A low-pass filter blurs tremendous excessive element topics (ones that will trigger moiré, reminiscent of positive fibers and patterns from garments and even hair). Moiré offers off a rainbow, jaggy, or in any other case distorted look to those gadgets and will be fairly aggravating, particularly for video shooters, and laborious to edit away. That is turning into much less of an issue with each new digital camera launch due to larger and better pixel counts making these aberrations merely tougher to see within the closing consequence. Extra digital camera releases are omitting this filter altogether in favor of final sharpness. Cameras which are extra suited to videography usually tend to preserve the filter whereas excessive megapixel, landscape-oriented cameras will take away them (although the 50MP+ 5Ds R is a notable exception). 

As an alternative of simply eradicating the filter for one mannequin and protecting it within the different, Canon selected to present the R5 the identical redesigned filter as in its flagship 1D X Mark III and preserve the usual one inside the R6. The brand new filter tech supposedly affords the very best of each worlds: distinctive sharpness with no aliasing/artifacting.

ISO

You do see some low mild profit from the R6 over the R5. The R6 affords an additional cease of native ISO (102,400 vs 51,200). And when you most likely don’t wish to push both digital camera that far, you will notice a slight enchancment in picture high quality from the R6 when you begin to push the ISO. 

Autofocus

The autofocus methods within the R5 and R6 are an identical. They each use the identical hybrid Twin Pixel Autofocus System with head, face, and eye detection expertise (together with Animal AF Monitoring when capturing canine, cats, and birds). They’ve the identical AF protection and, whereas the R5 claims to have a slight AF velocity benefit, the fact is that they doubtless carry out largely the identical. Particularly when paired with an RF lens (versus an EF lens + adapter), your autofocus efficiency goes to be completely top-notch. 

Burst Taking pictures

Wildlife and sports activities shooters ask numerous their burst capturing capabilities. For probably the most half, efficiency goes to be the identical for each cameras. Each supply a most of 12 FPS when utilizing the mechanical shutter and as much as 20 FPS when utilizing the digital shutter.

The second a part of burst capturing is what number of photos you’ll be able to seize in a burst. Right here, the smaller file measurement of the R6 affords an obvious benefit, with the power to seize 240 full-resolution uncooked photos in comparison with the R5’s 180.

Nonetheless, there are two components that make this distinction negligible in actual world capturing. The primary is that even pushing the toughest (20 uncooked frames per second), you’re 12 full seconds of burst in comparison with 9 full seconds. It’s unlikely that anyone would ever must shoot bursts for that lengthy. Second, these numbers are each for full decision information, with the bigger R5 photos inflicting the smaller quantity. Should you completely wanted to shoot that many photos, you might decrease the decision of the R5 to roughly match the R6’s and certain get as many, or probably extra, pictures in a burst. 

The Canon R5 is able to capturing 8K ProRes Uncooked externally to the Atomos Ninja V and Ninja V+.

Stricken by overheating points and complaints of dangerous rolling shutter upon launch, the R6 has been enhancing over time due to firmware releases.

Video Capabilities

Each the R5 and R6 supply a number of highly effective video options. You’ll be able to reap the benefits of Canon’s Twin Pixel Autofocus, 4:2:2 10-bit bitrate, C-Log, H.265, and video options reminiscent of zebras and focus peaking (lacking from a lot of Canon’s earlier non-cinema choices).

Nonetheless, the R5 does supply some important video energy upgrades over the R6. Whereas each can help you seize unbelievable Full HD and UHD 4K as much as 60p, the R5 goes even additional, providing DCI 4K as much as 120p and as much as DCI 8K at 30p. Whereas resolutions above 4K aren’t terribly necessary (proper now), the additional decision will be good to have (permitting the power to crop into 4K) and will supply a bit extra future proofing than the R6. It’s higher to have the aptitude and never use it than to want it and never have it (should you can afford it). In any other case, the R6 ought to meet your wants. However take into account that the R5 affords full-width video recording, permitting you to reap the benefits of the total body sensor. The R6 has a 1.06x crop issue, shedding a little bit little bit of sensor house, however not an enormous quantity. 

The Canon R5 takes UHS-II SD playing cards and CFexpress Sort B playing cards. Study extra about CFexpress in our What is CFexpress and How Does it Compare? put up. The R5 will help CFX playing cards with 400MB/s writing speeds, or VPG400 score.

The Canon R6 affords twin UHS-II SD card slots and helps twin card recording (as does the R5 however solely the CFX slot can deal with 8K).

Reminiscence Playing cards

The R6 affords twin UHS-II SD card slots and the power to both report sequentially when you replenish your first card or to report onto each concurrently for backup functions. Since SD playing cards have been the usual for some time, many photographers will doubtless have already got a stockpile of them available.

The R5’s larger decision sensor, and particularly its 8K capturing capabilities, require one thing quicker than SD. When you nonetheless get two card slots, one in all them is a CFexpress Sort B. CFexpress affords far quicker learn and write speeds than SD, making them crucial for 8K video and useful for growing speeds throughout different duties. Nonetheless, they’re nonetheless considerably pricier than SD playing cards and it’s much less doubtless you’ll have already got them. Study extra about this comparatively new card format in What is CFexpress and How Does it Compare?.

Battery Life

Each cameras have respectable battery life, however the R6 does edge out the R5, being rated for 360 pictures in comparison with the R5’s 320 pictures. Relying in your capturing fashion, this may increasingly or might not be important for you. Should you shoot in excessive quantity, the longer battery life may make the R6 extra interesting, particularly if you additionally issue within the smaller information being simpler to work with.

The Canon R5 affords mic and headphone ports, USB-C, Micro HDMI, and a PC Sync-In port for flashes/radio poppers. There’s additionally an N3-style port on the entrance for RS-80N3/TC-80NS wired remotes.

The Canon R6 affords mic and headphone ports, USB-C, and Micro HDMI however no PC Sync-In port. Speedliters might want to depend on the new shoe for triggering. Within the place the place that’s on the R5 is as an alternative a sub-mini port for RS-60E3 wired remotes.

Connectivity

If you wish to wirelessly join your digital camera, the R5 and R6 are comparable, although there are once more small variations that favor the R5. Each can join by way of WiFi and Bluetooth, however the R5 can use each 5GHz and a pair of.4GHz spectrums (solely 2.4GHz for the R6) and it affords Bluetooth 5.0 (4.1 for the R6). Should you want or choose wi-fi file transfers, the R5 will get the job achieved extra shortly.

Worth

This all brings us to the relative worth factors between the R5 and R6. As of June 2021, the R5 is out there from Canon at $3,899 whereas the R6 is significantly cheaper at $2,499. With the discharge of the R3, regulate these costs as they might go down even additional by Christmas. 

In case you are simply stepping into the EOS R sequence of cameras, you’ll wish to begin investing in RF lenses, that are typically dearer than comparable EF lenses, and also you’ll wish to get some CFexpress playing cards should you get the R5. These components push worth factors even larger and may affect your alternative primarily based in your whole finances. 

Conclusion

Each the R5 and R6 are unbelievable cameras and convey an thrilling evolution to Canon’s mirrorless digital camera lineup. The R5 extra carefully targets working skilled panorama or studio photographers who need absolutely the highest degree of element and probably the most potential decision to work with. It additionally appeals to hybrid shooters and videographers. The R6 affords a characteristic set (and worth level) that appeals extra to generalist shooters who don’t want probably the most excessive specs however who wish to begin investing within the EOS R ecosystem.

Unsure which digital camera is the higher choice for you? Lease the Canon EOS R5 and the Canon EOS R6 and see which one higher suits your wants. Getting each cameras in-hand will inform you significantly better than any on-line evaluate can. Remember to check out some RF lenses, too!

Tags: Best Mirrorless Camera for Photography, Best Mirrorless Camera for Video, Canon Mirrorless Review, Canon R5 Specs, Canon R6 Specs Final modified: October 19, 2021