Inside the Canon EOS R5 is a new full-frame sensor with 45million effective pixels. Canon has introduced a new version of its Dual Pixel CMOS AF sensor design, called Dual Pixel CMOS AF II and this helps deliver some impressive autofocus functionality in the EOS R5.
For example, 100% of the vertical and horizontal space of the sensor is covered by the autofocus (AF) system and there are 5,940 selectable AF points. In addition, the detection and tracking is said to be improved with better eye-detection performance and it’s capable of detecting human heads and animals including dogs, cats and birds.
The animal detection, combined with the maximum continuous shooting rates of 12fps (frames per second) with the mechanical shutter and 20fps with the electronic shutter should be a major bonus for anyone shooting birds in flight.
According to Canon, the EOS R5 can focus in 0.05 seconds, which is a new world record, and in light as low as -6EV.
Further good news is that all the autofocus functionality is available in all of the video modes.
Interestingly, although the Canon R5 has a lower resolution than the 50.6Mp Canon EOS 5DS and 5DS R, a newly designed optical low pass filter means that Canon is claiming that it can actually resolve more details than these cameras.
While the Dual Pixel CMOS AF II sensor design has photodiodes that work in pairs to enable phase detection focusing, it also facilitates some interesting additional features. With the EOS 5D Mark IV, for example, Canon introduced Dual Pixel Raw which enables three types of post-capture adjustment to the image using Canon’s Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software.
Image Microadjustment lets you shift the focus slightly, Bokeh Shift enables out-of-focus highlights to be moved along the horizontal plane and Ghosting Reduction can help reduce the impact of artefacts such as flare.
Now the Canon R5 introduces Dual Pixel Raw – Portrait Relighting. This lets you select the area of concern in a portrait and adjust the exposure of your subject without affecting the background
In-Body Image Stabilisation
In-body images stabilisation (IBIS) is now an expected feature and although Canon has previously relied upon lens-based stabilisation, the EOS R5 has 5 axis IBIS. It also steals the IS crown with a claimed shutter speed compensation of 8Ev. That’s the difference between 1/500 sec and 1.3sec!
With the exceptions of the Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM and RF600mm f/11 IS STM, the IBIS works in tandem with lens stabilisation to deliver the best result possible. This is facilitated by the improved communication between the lens and camera body which is made possible by the RF mount’s 12-pin connection.
Video
For video, the main headline for the Canon R5 is that it can shoot raw 8K 12-bit video at up to 29.97fps. It’s also possible to shoot in 4:2:2 10-bit in Canon Log (H.265) or 4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ (H.265).
In lay terms, an 8K video frame is equivalent to a 35Mp image and shooting in 4:2:2 10-bit with Canon Log means there should be plenty of scope for adjusting/grading footage post-capture. It also means that the EOS R5 can be used alongside other cameras, including Canon’s cine range, and the footage can be made to match.
As I mentioned earlier, the footage is captured using the full width of the sensor so the video isn’t cropped.
Alternatively, 4K video can be recorded at up to 119.88fps in 4:2:2 10-bit in Canon Log (H.265) or 4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ (H.265) 4:2:2 10-bit in Canon Log or 4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ. That should be great news for slow motion video fans.
If you prefer to record 4K video to an external storage device, there’s an HDMI connection that can cope with recording at up to 59.94fps.
The Canon R5 also has an HQ (high quality) mode that can be activated for 4K recording. This sets the camera to use the 8K technology and downsample the output to 4K.
Heat generation is often a concern when shooting high-resolution video. According to Canon, the materials used to construct the R5 offer good heat dissipation and the company’s engineers have endeavoured to keep heat-generating components apart. Also, technological advancements mean that R5 uses energy much more efficiently than earlier cameras and there’s less heat generated.
Consequently, the Canon R5 can shoot 8K video for up to 20 minutes before it shuts down to protect it from heat damage. Switch to 4K footage and Canon claims that heat will not limit the recording time.
Why Shoot 8K video?
With 4K footage being a stretch for many computers in current use, some people may be wondering why anyone would want to shoot in 8K.
Well, aside from being able to capture huge video files with masses of data and detail, it also means that you can produce 35Mp still images from the movies. That could be a huge bonus in some instances, but it’s important to remember that shooting video constrains the shutter speed (it’s usually advisable to use a shutter speed that’s twice the video frame rate) and of course, you can only shoot for 20 minutes before the camera needs to cool down.
Another benefit of shooting 8K video is that you can make dramatic crops and still produce 4K or Full DH video. If you’re shooting two people in an interview, for example, you only need one camera to shoot both together as well as the ‘cutaways’ of each by themselves. Similarly, when demonstrating a product or technique, you can cut from a full-length shot of the presenter to a tight crop of the product.
Memory Cards and battery
Although it’s great that the Canon EOS R5 has dual memory card slots, some photographers may be disappointed to discover that one is a CFexpress card while the other is compatible with SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-II media.
CFexpress cards are still uncommon and expensive. However, this type of card is required to facilitate 8K recording.
While Canon has introduced a new LP-E6NH (7.2V 2130mAh 16Wh) battery for the EOS R5, it has the same shape as the LP-6N (7.4V 1865mAh 14Wh) which is used in Canon’s recent enthusiast-level DSLRs and the EOS R. That means that the older battery type can be used in the R5.
Communications
As we expect now, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity is built-in to the Canon EOS R5 (5Ghz) and it can connect to a smartphone or a WiFi network to share files. There’s also FTP/FTPS transfer.
The Canon R5 can also be controlled remotely using the Camera Connect and EOS Utility apps, or it can be tethered to a PC or Mac via WiFi or a high-speed USB 3.1 Gen 2 connection.
Images can also be transferred automatically to the image.canon cloud platform to share and print images or integrate with Google Photos or Adobe Creative Cloud workflows.