Canon EOS R5 II in-depth review – Niraranra

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Product images: Richard Butler

Canon’s EOS R5 II is the corporate’s newest high-end, full-frame mirrorless digicam, which now positive aspects a Stacked CMOS sensor and most of the autofocus options of the corporate’s new flagship R1 mannequin.

Key specs:

• 45MP Stacked CMOS sensor
• Eye-controlled AF topic choice
• As much as 30fps steady taking pictures with blackout free viewfinder
• In-body stabilization rated at as much as 8.5EV correction, coordinated with lens
• Pre-burst seize (as much as 0.5 sec in stills, 3 or 5 sec in video)
• 8K Uncooked video seize as much as 60p
• Canon C-Log2 profile
• Waveforms and false colour show
• AF educated by machine studying for particular sports activities
• AI-enhanced post-shot noise discount or upscaling
• Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax)
• 1x CFexpress Kind B, 1x UHS-II SD

The Canon EOS R5 II is obtainable, at a really useful gross sales worth of $4299. This can be a $400 improve over the unique mannequin (although cheaper in actual phrases if you happen to account for inflation). A equipment with the RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM has a urged worth of $5399.

There can even be a selection of three accent grips, lined later within the article.

Index:

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What’s new

The most important change within the EOS R5 II is the transfer to a Stacked CMOS sensor. As we have seen earlier than, this permits the digicam to learn out its sensor a lot, a lot sooner than typical BSI or FSI chips. This pace permits the digicam to seize 8K video at as much as 60p and bursts of stills at as much as 30fps.

If 30fps is an excessive amount of for the taking pictures you do, the digicam could be custom-made to shoot at 20, 15, 10 or 5fps as a substitute. We discovered the readout charge in stills mode to be 6.3ms (∼1/160 sec) and that it seems to learn out in 16-line chunks. This can be a good bit slower than the likes of the Z8 (∼1/270).

The EOS R5 II’s sensor makes use of Canon’s Twin Pixel AF design, with two photodiodes for every pixel location, which means virtually your complete sensor can be utilized for phase-detection autofocus. However it doesn’t have the cross-type association used within the EOS R1. It additionally omits the unique R5’s Twin Pixel RAW possibility, however we suspect only a few folks discovered a great use for this.

Eye-control AF

The EOS R5 II will get the identical up to date model of Eye-control AF that seems within the R1. Like the primary fashionable model within the EOS R3, this lets you choose a topic to deal with by trying in its route: as quickly as you half-press the shutter button or hit AF-On to provoke focusing, the digicam will decide the topic nearest to the place it thinks you are trying.

The newest model has sensors with a wider area of view, to get a greater view of the attention as a complete, and revised algorithms that ought to work higher when the attention is farther from the viewfinder. This must be significantly helpful for folks carrying glasses and is supported with an eyeglasses detection mode, to keep away from it getting confused by the extra lens and distance between the sensors and the photographer’s eye.

‘Digic Accelerator’ co-processor

The EOS R5 II has the identical ‘Digic Accelerator’ co-processor used within the R1. The best way Canon talks about it’s instantly similar to the best way Sony describes its ‘AI processing unit’: a devoted processor targeted on crunching its method by means of the complicated algorithms generated by AI mechanisms, which implies the primary processor can keep targeted on issues like distance measurement and speaking with the lens, moderately than attempting to do every little thing directly.

Canon says this processor helps run extra complicated publicity and white stability algorithms, too, boosting the digicam’s elementary features, in addition to powering a few of its novel options.

Our of digicam JPEG 1/125 sec | F2.8 | ISO 51200	JPEG reprocessed with “Neural Community” noise discount 1/125 sec | F2.8 | ISO 51200

Pre-capture

As with the R1, the R5 II could be set to seize as much as 1/2 a second of motion earlier than you absolutely depress the shutter, as long as you’ve the button half-pressed beforehand. It will possibly additionally pre-capture 3 or 5 seconds of video.

Motion Precedence modes

One of many largest options the R5 II shares with the R1 is its slate of Motion Precedence AF modes. These are based mostly on machine studying educated on how totally different sports activities look: how lively gamers’ our bodies are positioned and what the ball appears to be like like at key moments. The digicam is ready to observe the ball and work out which participant to prioritize. For example, Canon says the Soccer/Soccer mode has been educated to acknowledge the next actions occurring: “Shoot, header, brief cross, lengthy cross, dribble, clear, place kick, save by keeper, throw in, sliding deal with”.

At launch, the EOS R5 II may have AF modes for Soccer (‘Soccer’ on cameras with US firmware), Basketball and Volleyball. Canon didn’t say whether or not it plans so as to add different sports activities, by way of firmware, later, however implied it could be attainable.

Pre-registered individual precedence

Along with the generic topic varieties the digicam has been educated to acknowledge, it is also attainable to register as much as ten units of ten folks within the digicam’s reminiscence. If engaged, the digicam will attempt to give precedence to these people if it identifies them in a scene.

This could possibly be used to make sure you get images of particular gamers at a sporting occasion or, as an illustration, throughout wedding ceremony shoots, the place you may set the digicam to prioritize the betrothed, moderately than risking the digicam getting distracted by different members of the marriage social gathering that occur to get nearer to your AF level.

You may even create a precedence rank of the folks you’ve got recognized in order that the digicam is aware of to deal with the bride forward of the groom, forward of the maid of honor, and so forth. Regardless of giving the digicam solely a single picture of every topic, it proved fairly good at recognizing the folks we requested it to prioritize.

AI-derived noise discount or upscaling

Unique picture 1/2000 sec | F2.8 | ISO 640	Up-scaled model 1/2000 sec | F2.8 | ISO 640

Just like the R1, the R5 II positive aspects two post-shot choices to reprocess your information utilizing the total energy of its AI-derived algorithms. It is not acquired the processing energy or battery life to use these as you shoot, so you may want to pick which pictures to course of, after the very fact. Even with a devoted ‘accelerator’ chip, each processes take a number of seconds to use to every file.

The primary possibility is to up-res the pictures to twice their authentic decision (4 instances the pixel depend). This makes use of machine studying to anticipate what may happen between the captured pixels, to spice up the obvious decision. Considerably unexpectedly, this course of is carried out on JPEG or HEIF pictures solely, moderately than the Uncooked information.

The opposite possibility is to use complicated “neural community” noise discount to information. This once more relies on machine studying and makes an attempt to tell apart between noise and element to offer a clear however detailed picture. The choice could be utilized to Uncooked information however Canon says that the JPEGs which can be then created can’t then be up-sized.

Blur/Out-of-Focus detection

The opposite post-capture cleverness the EOS R5 II acquires is its capability to test how in-focus the chosen topic is. It is based mostly on the digicam’s topic recognition system, so works greatest with human faces.

A metadata tag figuring out essentially the most exactly targeted pictures is added to the file and can be utilized to filter your pictures, both in playback mode on the digicam or in Canon’s Digital Photograph Professional software program, if you get again to your laptop. There are vital restrictions to when the system works: you should be utilizing an digital shutter mode and have topic detection turned on. It additionally solely works for JPEG pictures: the function will function in case you have the digicam set to Uncooked + JPEG however you may solely test the outcomes or filter your pictures if the Uncooked file has been deleted.

The R5 II could not have the ability to shoot fairly as quick because the EOS R1, however any quantity of 30fps taking pictures is prone to make you respect the power to house in on essentially the most targeted pictures.

Anti-flicker

As with the EOS R3, there are alternatives each to sync the digicam’s taking pictures to match the brightest level within the brightness cycle of lights that glint at 100 or 120Hz in response to 50 or 60Hz electrical energy, and there is additionally a Excessive Frequency Anti-Flicker mode that assesses the sparkle charge of fast-flickering gentle sources reminiscent of LEDs, and chooses a fractional shutter pace at a harmonic frequency, to attenuate seen banding.

Utilizing these modes reduces the digicam’s most taking pictures pace significantly, as it will probably solely shoot at particular moments within the flicker cycle of the lighting. For 100/120Hz flicker, Canon quotes figures of 12-15fps in e-shutter mode, 8.6fps in digital first curtain mode and 4.8fps when in mechanical mode.

The EOS R5 II nonetheless has a mechanical shutter when wanted, although: permitting flash sync at larger speeds, as an illustration. This can be utilized with steady taking pictures at as much as 12 fps.

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What’s new for video

The EOS R5 II positive aspects a full-sized HDMI socket, over which it will probably output a Uncooked video stream

The Stacked sensor underpins most of the leaps ahead within the EOS R5 II’s video capabilities, however along with the newfound pace, Canon has labored to boost the digicam’s usability as a video digicam, borrowing options from its Cinema EOS line (eventually).

So, along with the digicam’s 8K and inner Uncooked capabilities, the R5 II additionally turns into the primary digicam in the primary EOS line to achieve waveforms, a false colour show and zebras and to make it simpler to optimize publicity. It additionally has a tally lamp, to let an individual in entrance of the digicam know when it is recording.

The digicam may also seize prime quality footage (8K Uncooked or 4K compressed) to its CFexpress card whereas recording decrease decision and extra closely subsampled and compressed proxy footage to the SD card.

Uncooked video

The EOS R5 II can seize both 8K Uncooked footage at as much as 60p or ‘SRAW’ 4K video at as much as 60p. Each choices use the 1.89:1 side ratio DCI format. Canon hasn’t given particulars on how the 4K Uncooked is generated (downscaling or sub-sampling). The digicam makes use of Canon’s compressed ‘Uncooked Gentle’ format for the 50 and 60p footage, to maintain file sizes manageable.

Each DaVinci Resolve and Adobe’s Premiere seem to assist Canon’s Uncooked and Uncooked Gentle codecs natively, whereas Apple’s Remaining Reduce Professional or Avid Media Composer require the set up of a plugin from Canon.

Uncooked video permits a barely higher diploma of lightness adjustment (typically incorrectly described as “ISO” or “Publicity” adjustment), and white stability correction than compressed and gamma-encoded footage. It is not something like as huge a distinction as Uncooked vs. JPEG in stills, although, as 10-bit Log information can absolutely encode the sensor output and are designed for tonal edits in a method that JPEGs aren’t, and the Uncooked footage is often 12-bit.

Uncooked taking pictures additionally provides far more management over noise discount and sharpening, that are sometimes utilized to a point in gamma-encoded information, giving extra freedom however including an additional step to the workflow.

Compressed video

The R5 II’s compressed video choices are extra in depth, giving the selection of 8K or 4K derived from 8K at as much as 30p. Each of those choices can be found within the 1.89:1 DCI side ratio or within the 16:9 UHD form, which crops the perimeters of the footage in a bit.

The R5 II may also shoot sub-sampled DCI or UHD 4K at as much as 120p, whereas sustaining the identical angle-of-view. We measured the DCI 8K as having a rolling shutter determine of 12.6ms (∼1/80 sec), which suggests the primary motive to shoot the much less detailed sub-sampled footage shall be to entry these sooner body charges or to keep away from any warmth considerations, moderately than due to any must decrease rolling shutter.

Past this there are DCI and UHD 4K choices taken from an roughly APS-C a part of the sensor. There are additionally choices to seize 2048 x 1080 full-width or edge-cropped Full HD footage at as much as 240p, with APS-C variations of every obtainable at as much as 120p.

The EOS R5 II positive aspects the power to seize C-Log2 footage, in addition to C-Log3. C-Log3 is a extra expansive model of the unique C-Log profile, however C-Log2 is a curve designed to encode a fair wider dynamic vary.

The EOS R5 II is the primary digicam outdoors the Cinema EOS vary to have the ability to seize C-Log2, which makes it a lot simpler to make use of in a workflow alongside these cameras.

Additionally aiding cross-compatibility is the adoption of the XF-AVC S and XF-HEVC S codecs, that are the identical as used on Canon’s Cinema EOS and professional camcorder strains. Each choices permit 10-bit 4:2:2 seize, however with the H.264-based XF-AVC S format dropping to 8-bit if you choose 4:2:0 chroma sub-sampling, whereas the H-265-based XF-HEVC S information provide you with a selection of 8 or 10-bit for 4:2:0 seize.

The EOS R5 II can shoot 4K derived from 8K at as much as 30p.

The EOS R5 II continues to have the ability to file HDR PQ footage for show on HDR shows. Curiously, the HDR PQ possibility could be mixed with the HDR Video mode that concurrently captures usually and unexposed footage so as to add extra highlights to the tip end result (at as much as 8K/30 or 4K/60).

Twin Capturing

There’s additionally an choice to seize UHD 8K (7620 x 4230px) JPEGS to 1 card whereas the digicam is capturing Full HD video at as much as 30p on the opposite. This function requires the extra highly effective LP-E6P battery and, naturally, signifies that your shutter pace decisions will apply to each the video footage and nonetheless pictures, however the digicam can seize stills at as much as 7.5fps relying on whether or not you are capturing 30p or 25p video.

Selection of accent grips

The EOS R5 II could be paired with the $350 BG-R20 battery grip that may also be used with the unique R5, R6 and R6 II, but it surely may also be used with two extra accent grips which can be solely designed to work with it. The primary is a BG-R20EP battery grip that features an Ethernet port, giving 2.5 Base-T connections, costing $500.

The CF-R20RP accent grip provides each a fan and an Ethernet port to the digicam, however does not duplicate the controls. Picture: Canon

The third possibility is the CF-R20EP Ethernet and fan grip, priced at $400. In contrast to the opposite two grips, this does not have duplicate controls for portrait taking pictures, it is only a fan designed to drag cool air by means of and decrease the temperature of the digicam when taking pictures video. This will prolong the taking pictures period for all however essentially the most demanding video modes and helps preserve the taking pictures period in hotter situations. It additionally contains an Ethernet port for quick cabled community connection.

As with the unique EOS R5, Canon has printed particulars of how lengthy it expects the R5 II to have the ability to proceed recording video earlier than it overheats. We’ve published these in full on a separate page in order that videographers can test whether or not the digicam meets their wants and whether or not they’ll want the fan grip, however with out having so as to add one other massive desk to the center of the evaluation.

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The way it compares

The Canon EOS R5 II is explicitly each a successor to the EOS R5 but additionally the de facto continuation of the EOS 5D sequence, a sequence of cameras for fanatic and professional photographers and video shooters. As ever, essentially the most instantly comparable competitor comes from Nikon, whose Z8 goals to do a lot the identical factor, simply because the D800 sequence of DSLRs did beforehand.

There are not any different like-for-like opponents to those two cameras: Sony gives the a7R V for photographers wanting high-resolution stills, however with nothing just like the pace or video functionality of the Canon and Nikon cameras, or the a1, which gives each pace and a few video capabilities however at a worth that pushes it very closely in direction of the Professional finish of the viewers. It is a fairly outdated digicam at this level, so could be purchased effectively under its record worth, however do not let that cover the truth that its main intent was to compete with the Z9 and R3/R1s of this world. We’re together with it right here extra for curiosity, than direct competitors.

The upgrades to the EOS R5 II convey the digicam not less than into line with these of the Nikon Z8, with sooner Uncooked taking pictures, 8K/60 Uncooked for these that may deal with the file measurement and including the extent of video assist instruments that was seeming considerably missing within the present digicam.

What this desk cannot actually seize is the advantageous element reminiscent of Registered Particular person Recognition mode and the activity-specific autofocus conduct algorithms. How effectively these work could, not less than for the sorts of photographers who shoot the related kinds of topic, outline the margin by which the EOS R5 II seems to have overhauled the Nikon within the everlasting sport of leapfrog the 2 firms are locked in.

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Physique and dealing with

Apart from the ability swap transferring, Canon hasn’t modified a lot of the R5 II’s management format. Notice the massive rubber hood that protects the brand new multi-function scorching shoe.

The R5 II’s physique is extraordinarily just like that of its predecessor: related sufficient that it is BG-R20 battery grip can be utilized with the prevailing mannequin. The one main exterior change is that, just like the EOS R6 II, the ability On/Off swap on the highest left-hand nook is now a stills/video swap, and the ability management is now across the rear command dial on the highest plate.

This modification will little doubt infuriate upgraders who’ve change into used to the dealing with of the prevailing R5, however after a few days of by accident flicking to picture mode, moderately than discovering the ability swap, it quickly sufficient turns into second nature.

That is no unhealthy factor, as we actually preferred the best way the unique R5 dealt with: it is a pretty big digicam however its grip may be very effectively formed and proportioned, and the controls had been all effectively positioned and cozy to make use of for prolonged intervals.

New menu part

The menu choices that customise the management of the digicam (together with whether or not Eye Management is lively), now achieve their very own menu tab

The EOS R5 II bears witness to that rarest of issues: a change to Canon’s menu format. Along with the acquainted menu sections, there’s now an olive inexperienced tab containing all of the management customization choices from the menu, to allow them to all be simply situated. This contains management customization for taking pictures and playback mode.

Viewfinder

The EOS R5 II nonetheless makes use of a 5.76M dot OLED panel and nonetheless maintains the 0.76x magnification however the optics have been considerably redesigned to permit the implementation of Eye-control AF. This makes the viewfinder seem bigger as you take a look at the digicam, however in follow, it is the identical measurement if you’re utilizing it.

What does not come throughout from the spec is that the brand new OLED panel can go a lot brighter than the one within the authentic R5 (although not as shiny because the one within the R1), permitting the inclusion of the ‘Optical Viewfinder Simulation‘ mode seen on the EOS R3. It can’t precisely preview HDR PQ taking pictures, although. There may be additionally 1mm improve within the eyepoint, to 25mm, which implies you may see your complete viewfinder panel from a tiny bit additional away from the finder.

The rear display screen stays the identical 3.2″, 2.1M dot, absolutely articulated unit.

Multi-function hotshoe

The EOS R5 positive aspects the multi-function scorching shoe from the EOS R3. This has a row of contacts that can be utilized to feed a digital audio sign into the digicam, permitting the usage of the DM-E1D digital stereo mic; the contacts may also present energy to the ST-10 radio flash set off or to offer a wired information connection to an Android smartphone utilizing the AD-P1 adapter.

The shoe itself is sealed, however if you wish to preserve a water resistant seal with a weather-resistant flash, you may want to make use of the AD-E1 adapter.

As earlier than, the EOS R5 II has one CFexpress Kind B card slot and one UHS-II SD slot. This implies you are at all times prone to have a card that’ll work with the digicam, but additionally means there is a longer record of video modes that may’t be saved to the smaller, slower card.

Battery

The EOS R5 II takes a brand new battery however, as is regular for Canon, it is also capable of settle for present LP-E6N or E6NH (although not the unique E6). The LP-E6P is ready to present extra sustained energy than earlier variations, which is required for a few features, together with Pre-burst taking pictures, HDMI Uncooked output, Twin Capturing (simultaneous stills + video) and use with high-powered units mounted within the multi-function hotshoe. These features and the digicam’s highest efficiency will not be obtainable with older batteries.

The upper res, brighter viewfinder leads to a CIPA ranking of 250 pictures per cost (up about 15% in contrast with the unique R5), whereas the ranking when utilizing the LCD is up 70% at 540. As at all times, we discover the CIPA testing methodology is far more demanding than most individuals’s real-world utilization, they usually change into much less and fewer significant the extra burst taking pictures you do. These aren’t unhealthy numbers, all issues thought of.

The digicam could be charged over USB however to energy the digicam utilizing USB you may want the brand new PD-E2 energy adapter or a high-powered USB PD energy supply. We do not have specs for the PD-E2 but, so cannot verify which Energy Supply modes are required to energy the digicam.

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Autofocus

Photograph: Richard Butler

The EOS R5 II basically has the identical AF system and setup because the EOS R1, which is designed for the challenges of sideline taking pictures on the highest degree. Regardless of this, it isn’t overly complicated. Or, not less than, needn’t be.

At its coronary heart, it is fairly simple: there are 8 totally different AF space modes starting from a tiny spot to deciding on your complete scene, which lets the digicam select the place to focus. These embody three customizable focus zones, the place you may edit the form and measurement of the main focus area. Urgent the ‘Data’ button engages monitoring, which means that the AF level will transfer to observe no matter you had been pointing at if you initiated focus.

There are additionally variations of the Spot, Single Level and Expanded areas with a padlock image, which don’t permit around-the-frame monitoring. This implies you may rapidly swap between monitoring and non-tracking variations of the identical AF space with out disengaging monitoring general. As with all Canon’s high-end fashions, there is a menu choice to restrict which AF areas can be found, simply to those you recurrently use, to hurry up choice.

Topic recognition

Separate from this are the digicam’s topic recognition modes, which permit it to detect folks, animals or automobiles. There’s additionally an ‘Auto’ setting that makes an attempt to search for all three.

We primarily used the folks mode and located it to be extremely efficient. The system is guided by your chosen AF level, so if you happen to determine you need to deal with a topic on the proper of the body, you may place an AF level to the proper and make sure the digicam will prioritize that individual. And, whereas the system will observe topics close to to the AF level, not simply these instantly beneath it, it is selective sufficient that we usually discovered we might depart the folks detection mode on, even when capturing different topics. We would not essentially suggest the identical strategy with the Auto mode, although, as there are such a lot of extra potential targets for it to pick.

Blur/OOF

The digicam’s Blur/Out of Focus mode is a genuinely intelligent function, letting you in a short time slender your pictures all the way down to the best-focused pictures. There are a couple of quirks round its use, although.

The actual fact it solely works in digital shutter mode is affordable sufficient, as these are the modes that shoot quickest and are prone to profit from you with the ability to filter to simply the sharpest targeted pictures. Nevertheless, the truth that you may’t test pictures if you happen to’ve shot Uncooked or Uncooked+JPEG (except you offload or delete the Uncooked picture), provides an additional step to consider: it is easy to look again at your pictures and surprise why the digicam hasn’t made a sharpness evaluation: the reply being that playback mode exhibits the Uncooked picture and the main focus tag lives within the JPEG.

Eye Management

Canon guarantees enhancements to the Eye Management system, however we had a really related expertise to these we had with the EOS R3: at its greatest it may be a very intuitive means of choosing a topic to deal with however, to various levels, we did not all discover it to function at its greatest. For example I typically discovered the Eye Management goal would function barely to the left or proper of the place I used to be trying, and I might must re-calibrate the system to get it to work once more. The actual fact I discovered it extra dependable when carrying glasses than with contact lenses, which makes me suspect I do not at all times place my eye in exactly the identical place, relative to the viewfinder, which is inflicting the offset issues.

Eye Management made it attainable to pick which of the numerous detected topics the digicam would deal with. It appeared to be improved, in contrast with the EOS R3, significantly when carrying glasses, however to not the extent that I felt I might depend upon it for my taking pictures.

General we discovered Eye Management works significantly better as a way of choosing between acknowledged topics, moderately than for choosing factors inside a scene to deal with. It is tough for us to understand how effectively the system will work for various people and their taking pictures wants, however we suspect it’s going to be helpful for some and indispensable to others.

Read about our experience of shooting bike racing with the EOS R5 II

Efficiency

We subjected the EOS R5 II to our customary AF exams, in addition to placing it by means of its paces at a moderately tougher sporting occasion.

As you’d anticipate of a contemporary digicam, it aced the straightforward straight-on check, because it has no drawback assessing and predicting distance and driving the main focus to the right level.

What impressed us is the tenacity of the topic monitoring modes. A variety of fashionable cameras can proceed to trace the topic because it turns the corners, however even among the greatest take a beat to return to phrases with the change in strategy pace because it does so. With out topic recognition, the digicam did extraordinarily effectively, however with topic recognition on, its hit-rate was very excessive.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16

We set the R5 II to its most 30fps pace and located it did a extremely good job of staying persistently targeted. Although it does seem like specializing in the topic’s cap, moderately than their pupil.

Blur/Out of Focus evaluation

The digicam’s Blur/Out of Focus evaluation thought of all however one of many pictures we shot to fulfill its lowest threshold and all however 5 to hit its Commonplace degree of acceptable blur. 156 of the 168 pictures met its highest bar.

Nevertheless, in follow, we discovered that even setting the digicam to its most stringent, Excessive threshold ended up deciding on some pictures with movement blur in them, which considerably undermines the usefulness of the perform.

This picture was rated to the very best customary by the digicam, and this one exceeded the Commonplace threshold, neither of which we would contemplate acceptible to be used at full decision.

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Picture High quality

Our test scene is designed to simulate quite a lot of textures, colours and element varieties you may encounter in the true world. It additionally has two illumination modes to see the impact of various lighting situations.

The EOS R5 II is actually indistinguishable from its predecessor when it comes to element. It will possibly’t fairly match the resolving energy of Sony’s 61MP a7R V, but it surely’s in keeping with it most direct peer: the Nikon Z8.

The similarities persist as the sunshine ranges drop: at average ISOs it is constant each with its predecessor and its friends and maybe a contact noisier at very excessive ISOs. Not sufficient that you simply’re ever prone to discover.

The marginally darker rendering relative to the unique EOS R5 makes the comparability a bit tough however the colour response of the JPEGs appears to be like very related. The marginally sandier pink patch on the high left, in contrast with the Nikon and Sony, is prone to play an element in Canon’s rendering of some pores and skin tones being so well-liked.

The default sharpening is well-judged: pulling out a great degree of element however with none signal of over-shoot at high-contrast edges. Shade aliasing appears effectively managed too, if you happen to examine the best textual content with the Nikon.

JPEG noise discount appears to strike a great stability between element retention and noise suppression, with refined element in related coloured topics trying pure. It continues to do fairly effectively even at very excessive ISO settings, sustaining element and colour, regardless of how noisy the underlying information is.

Dynamic vary

As we have seen with different Stacked CMOS sensors, there is a slight improve in digital noise, which clips dynamic range a little earlier (on the lowest ISO setting the place dynamic vary is most important). That is nonetheless extra pronounced in digital shutter mode on the EOS R5 II, so we would counsel utilizing one of many mechanical modes if you’re knowingly taking pictures excessive DR scenes, however for a lot of kinds of taking pictures, the elevated pace is prone to make this trade-off worthwhile.

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Exposure latitude | ISO Invariance

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AI upscaling

Whereas its Sony and Nikon rivals supply multi-shot pixel shift choices to spice up their output decision, the Canon EOS R5 II makes use of AI-trained algorithms to interpolate higher-resolution pictures from Uncooked information, on a file-by-file foundation.

This has the drawback that it does not actually seize any extra element, but additionally means you need not shoot on a tripod and any advantages aren’t undermined by transferring topics.

We have added an upscaled version of the standard test scene JPEG to our comparison tool, so you may see the way it compares with the outcomes of a pixel-shift mode. We discovered we acquired higher outcomes by reprocessing the unique Uncooked with much less sharpening and fewer noise discount earlier than upsampling. Although there’s most likely a cheerful middle-ground between the default and minimal setting proven under.

Actual-world picture, default settings	Actual-world picture, sharpening and NR lowered
Studio scene picture, default settings	Studio display screen settings, sharpening and NR lowered

We hope to match these outcomes to different widespread software program within the coming months.

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Video

The EOS R5 II’s core video specs are just like these of its predecessor: it will probably shoot 8K at as much as 60p in Uncooked, or 8K/30 in processed and compressed type. It will possibly ship DCI or UHD 4K at as much as 120p however tops out at 30p if you would like oversampled footage derived from 8K seize. However, whereas these specs are just like the prevailing mannequin, it reveals much less rolling shutter, because of its Stacked CMOS sensor.

Its spectacular specs need to be tempered by the truth that it is extraordinarily tough to course of a lot information in a comparatively small digicam physique with out warmth turning into a difficulty. All of the R5 II’s most spectacular video modes 8K/60 Uncooked, 8K/30 compressed and the HQ 4K/30-from-8K are greatest suited to capturing a sequence of brief takes, moderately than recording prolonged performances.

The instances quoted by Canon are maybe a bit conservative, however in case you are a eager filmmaker, or anticipate to shoot outdoors a temperature-controlled setting, the added dependability and shorter restoration instances introduced by including the non-compulsory fan grip.

The EOS R5 additionally provides vital enhancements for the video shooter, in comparison with the Mark 1. Not solely does the stacked sensor convey decrease ranges of rolling shutter, however the digicam additionally positive aspects Canon Log 2, which captures a wider dynamic vary than the Log or Log 3 choices within the present digicam. Not solely does it encode a wider dynamic vary but it surely additionally means you should use a variety of LUTs designed for the Cinema EOS vary, making it simple to benefit from.

The R5 II additionally positive aspects four-channel audio enter (by way of the connections within the hotshoe) and gives a waveform show, which makes it a lot simpler to set and assess publicity when taking pictures Log.

Video efficiency

The EOS R5 II’s element ranges are a match for its predecessor. And, as you’d anticipate, there’s an considerable element profit to utilizing the digicam’s ‘HQ’ modes that derive 4K from 8K seize. That stated, there is no additional lack of high quality if you happen to use the digicam’s sub-sampled 4K/60 and 4K/120 modes.

That is no actual shock because the rolling shutter charges for all of the sub-sampled 4K modes are the identical. Curiously, whereas the 8K/60 Uncooked and (subsampled) 4K/60 SRaw exhibit the identical rolling shutter charges as most of the compressed video modes, the 30p and slower variations use a slower readout charge.

We have requested Canon for readability about this, and what advantages it brings, and can replace the evaluation if we get a solution.

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Conclusion

The EOS R5 II is improved in virtually each respect, relative to the unique digicam. It will possibly shoot sooner, positive aspects a extra succesful autofocus system, higher video instruments and, most notably, Canon’s Eye Management AF system. Virtually no matter what sorts of pictures you get pleasure from, the EOS R5 II may have supply some extent of profit over the prevailing mannequin.

The result’s a digicam that may do just about something you ask of it. Motion, landscapes, video, you identify it. Together with the Nikon Z8, it is among the many most broadly succesful cameras we have ever seen, and priced persistently with the historic EOS 5D sequence. We discovered it snug within the hand, with well-positioned controls and an interface that was fairly fast to familiarize ourselves with (although it could be good to have a fast method of adjusting Auto ISO minimal shutter pace).

For topics the EOS R5 II has been educated to acknowledge, it does an important job. Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 @ 63mm | F2.8 | 1/400 sec | ISO 100

In reality our foremost concern wasn’t something the digicam could not do, however that it does a lot that it is unimaginable to place ourselves within the footwear of the huge vary of photographers that may choose to purchase one. We tried to shoot some motion however weren’t capable of finding the time to additionally shoot landscapes, wildlife, occasions or shoot as a lot video as we would have preferred. The EOS R5 II merely does too many issues effectively to get an entire image of its capabilities.

So, though we had been very impressed by the Motion Precedence mode when taking pictures Basketball earlier than the launch, we have not had an additional alternative to place it by means of its paces. If Basketball or Soccer/Soccer pictures are essential to you, we expect it could possibly be a decisive profit, however we would counsel renting a digicam to type your personal impressions.

Perspective corrected in Adobe Digital camera Uncooked Canon RF 24-70mm @70mm | F5.6 | /1250 sec | ISO 100 Photograph: Richard Butler

Should you do not personal a current digicam, the EOS R5 II may be very simple to suggest: it does an unlimited vary of issues and does most of them extraordinarily effectively: it isn’t essentially head-and-shoulders higher than the Nikon Z8, however in case you have any Canon lenses price sticking with, it is a actually spectacular all-rounder.

It is a extra complicated story if you happen to’re eager about upgrading from the already excellent EOS R5. Should you shoot video, there are particular advantages. In case your pictures includes capturing motion, the Mark II’s extra refined autofocus system and higher burst taking pictures may effectively make it price upgrading. But when neither of this stuff are central to what you want, it is a tougher name.

Scoring

Scoring is relative solely to the opposite cameras in the identical class. Click here to study what these numbers imply.

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In contrast with its friends

The Canon EOS R5 II’s most important competitors comes from the Canon EOS R5. The R5 II is, to various levels, a greater digicam in each regard and we expect it is smart to decide on the brand new mannequin over the prevailing one, virtually no matter what varieties you propose to shoot with it. For many individuals it’s going to be price a major premium over the EOS R5. Nevertheless, if do not shoot fast paced topics or video, it is much less clear whether or not it is price upgrading, and it could come down as to whether Eye Management AF works for you.

The EOS R5 II goes toe-to-toe with Nikon’s Z8. They each shoot quick and have excellent AF programs, the Canon can shoot Uncooked stills sooner whereas the Nikon has the marginally higher video specs, with particulars like oversampled 4K/60 straight from the digicam. The R5 II’s Motion Precedence AF system and Eye Management might set the 2 cameras aside, if you happen to shoot the sports activities it has been educated for, and the Eye Management system works reliably for you. General, although, the variations between the our bodies will not be as vital because the impression of lenses, for most individuals. In case you have any RF or Z-mount lenses, or have a choice for the particular lenses every model gives, that most likely issues greater than the cameras.

Sony does not actually supply a like-for-like competitor to the EOS R5 II. The professional-focused a1 is considerably dearer, whereas the a7R V does not come wherever close to the pace of the EOS R5 II. The Sony a7R V has the next pixel depend sensor (and a excessive res mode in case your topics and workflow lend themselves to combining a number of Raws after the very fact). For panorama work, the Sony is a critical contender, but it surely does not have the breadth of capabilities of the Canon.

Pattern gallery

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Overview samples

Pre-production pattern gallery

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