Canon EOS R5 Review & Sample Images by Ken Rockwell 

Yip. Thanks!!!!!!!!

shonen84 I agree,Ken’s style is pure gold in my opinion, I and so many other got so much priceless info from him over the years. God bless you, Ken

Ditto! Fab website and now a fab RU-vid channel. What a great range of picture examples. A moon shot thrown in as well - truly awesome!

same here. Ken is THE man.

Thanks! See the full review at www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/r5.htm my R6 is on its way; should be about the same for less money www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/r6.htm

Thanks Douglas!

I like and have followed Ken for years, but he must be getting paid for by Canon, as he is outright lying and completely distorting everything he can think of related to the R5, and literally making things up about the new SONY. I have a 5DSR, a 1DXII and two C300M2’s. However, probably because Canon started the mirrorless race 4 years later than SONY and is now very obviously afraid to have the R5 take market share away from their videography cameras, they have aborted several critical features and competely botched others. No secure redundant dual cards, even though it has two slots. That alone makes it too risky to use when there are plenty of better options that do provide that. Pretty much all pro options for the past several years. A hard stop 30 minute recording limit, with a 2-3 hour “recover time” during which it is a brick- I mean come on... 8K+ is mostly used for long form interview on journalism, but this camera will not give you much more than 10 minutes (if you are lucky) after setup. It’s stills are great, but again, no secure, redundant storage. For anyone who has ever lost a shot due to SD failure (over 50% of photogs, and 70% of working pro’s) that is just asking for failure. Meanwhile he lied about everything he could think about related to the A7S3, which all over the Web by people who were loaned the camera, as well as people they then loaned it to, both SONY users and haters are calling it the best video camera ever produced- pretty much at any price. Like I said, he must be getting paid or gear from Canon...

Sandra Muncelli Hi Sandra, nope; Canon doesn’t send me anything. I just love their stuff. Remember that I’m an artist making work to hang on gallery walls. I’ve never used anything Canon for video as you are. I spent ten years in Hollywood; if I’m shooting a motion picture, I’m renting Panavison or Arri. Thanks!

@@sandramuncelli7976 I'm not sure that your argument is made more persuasive by questioning the character and scruples of Mr. Rockwell. Nor does it convince me that you like him. Certainly, if I want a commercial videographers take of the R5, I would have watched (and in fact have watched) someone other than Mr. Rockwell, who I primarily know as a knowledgable stills photographer from his extensive work done over the decades on his website. If you'd like to read more, you can find him at the following link. www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/r5.htm

@@dwm_hc - You are so correct! But then again, Ken Rockwell is one of the more despised people in the industry by photographers, stores and educators alike, so I am in good company for sure! anotherangle.eu/posts/why-ken-rockwell-is-bad-for-photography/

Thanks!!! My kids made me do it.

THANKS!!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!!! I remember the yellow pages; there are still some of them lurking on my site that I see every once in a long while, ha ha.

Thanks Dean!!!!!!!

Exactly. I wrote that in the previous decade in 2018, when that was true. Today in 2020 the Canon EOS RP is better for half the price. Things change and I change with them. Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV I got the RP and sent it back first week. Felt so so cheap. A7iii is way better. It's not even close. Come on you gotta be kidding. Lmao. I agree that the R5 is an awesome camera. No doubt whatsoever. But your modus operandi is sing high praises about a camera and then blast it not long after. Wow you just lost all credibility with me after the RP comment. I shot the RP with both RF 24 105s. It takes great pics but in no way shape or form is it anywhere near the A7iii. You took some magnificent pics with the top Sony cameras. It looks just like the ones you got with the R5.

@@KenRockwellTV AND when the A7 iv and A7 R5 comes out it'l be the next "best ever" and then you'll slam the R5. And then then when the R5ii comes out Yada yada.

As I keep saying, the camera doesn’t matter. I make the same pictures regardless www.kenrockwell.com/tech/notcamera.htm

@@KenRockwellTV So true. From my perspective the photos you got from the D850 are some of the best photos you have ever presented on your website. Guys like you can produce magic from any camera. But wow your D850 photos are breathtaking. No need for a $3800 overheating camera with overpriced lenses.

Thank you!

Thanks! I don’t know that anyone bashed me; I speak from genuine experience and talent (ahem) so casual shooters often have misconceptions and disagree with the way full time career pros shoot. remember DPR has never been written by shooters; their founder was a computer programmer who sold it to amazon years ago, and today at best its writers are young hobbyists - not experienced career artists or full time pros by any stretch of the imagination. They’re thorough, but lack the experience to know what’s really important and often follow the same misleading trends as other hobbyists. Thanks!!!

Thanks! Love this thing.

Even if I wasted time with 8k, how would you see it in 8k? Only 3% of views on RU-vid actually see my 4k content in 4K. Thanks!

And easy with this camera. Thanks!

Thank you!!!

Thanks! I just say it like it is. I don’t watch RU-vid - except for Jay Leno’s garage.

Johnny Bravo damn right

As we say, Go big or go home. Thanks!

Then why are most of your actors or high profile people midgets. America's f*d in as many ways as it might be superior to SOME countries. Australia is a much better country and we don't all have 20 guns up our sleeves at all times. 'Big' heads and tourist attractions might be what you're referring to so have fun with that once you're shitty present starts a war with every country on earth. I don't think there will be an America sometime in the near future. Just a crater. Also you're very biased to Canon, Sony is superior for video.

One Texan told me some years ago it tooks him 2 days to drive around his land by car. My answer: yep once had a car that slow too. Could you imagine his face??

@@steffenrosmus1864 haha savage

Thanks!!!!

Thank YOU for reading it all! You guys make it all worthwhile. I love my Nikons, but these Canons are even better, at least to me lately. THANKS!!

Bingo! Thanks!

Me too! Thanks!

See www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/r5.htm#usage and see my other guides RP etc). I set all my cameras the same; I just don’t always spend as much time writing use guides. Thanks!

Thank you!

Thanks for noticing, I put a lot of effort into getting straight to the point.

Thanks!

Thank you!

My kids made me. Thanks!

I use my iPhone for video, which is better than these cameras. THANKS!

Thank you!

That’s what this is. If I shot video, I’d look at a Panavison or Arri rental for the project - or a real video camera. Thanks!

Great camera, eh? Thanks!

You’re awesome thanks!

Agreed. Thanks!

I'd love to see Canon drop another body with a pixel count of 26 or 30mp exclusively focussing on photocentric features. R5 has everything, but 8k is kinda overkill and many photographers don' need that. (IMO) R6 is an awesome option, but for those who need that additional/extra pixel, a body with 30mp, top LCD (Culling the top LCD in R6 is a crime :( -- Personally I would feel handicapped), illuminated buttons, better weather sealing, etc., will be something awesome. With that, photographers will have an option to choose between R5 and R6 and priced accordingly to be the "best universal camera" (As Ken mentioned in his 5DMk4 review). I believe Ken's feedback will be given priority by Canon :)

Thank you!!!!! This is why I do this.

thanks!

He knows what he shoots. If versatility is the key to bring you good images, it will be good.

They seem to have improved a lot in this mirrorless generation.

They work great; just look at the pictures. It’s not 1987 any more; they work awesome today.

Zooms are better than ever in 2020. Soon it’ll be all you need

Thank YOU!!!! I spend a lot of time keeping it short and to the point. THANKS!

That’s right! Thanks!

Thank you!!!!!!!

Yes; all that’s fairly common today. Just trying to stick to what’s special and unique in the interest of time. Thanks!

Thanks! But when the EOS R5 Mark II comes out, you’ll want that too. May as well get the R5 now so you can enjoy it and make great pictures with it for the next three years rather than waiting to get one used then. Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV but since buying my last beautiful hunk of "L" glass , I am running out of body parts to sell . Being a small time restaurateur in the age of 'rona is not the most lucrative of vocations 🤣😅😥

Thank YOU!!!

@@KenRockwellTV Thank YOU, Ken! I shall read Every Nikkor and Nikkor S lens review from you, prior to getting any other lenses down the road. I look forward to seeing not only their image quality, but also their build quality as well. My only slight concern with the Z7's build quality, is that I read of instances of disintegrating rubber around the grip on some models. I was told by Nikon that, if one gets a more recent model of the Z7, that it won't occur. So, evidently Nikon was aware of it, and made a fix in newer models.

The RP is lighter and less expensive and takes the same pictures, just not as many per second. RP sounds better to me! Thanks!

Ken Rockwell thanks for you comment. Just saw how good the autofocus works on the R5 and the tracking! There must be some reasons why it’s 2.000 USD more expensive. But I just upgraded from my Nikon D90, after I tried taking sunsets and saw that 95% of the shots were out of focus as camera searched between close flower, bushes, far away trees and sun at virtually infinity. So understood it‘s a 14 year old technology against a 1 year old technology.

Thanks! I dig this camera and I guess it comes out.

Bought my first SLR used at age 11 in 1973. My parents bought or loaned me cameras well before I saved up to get my own. Thanks!

Es Verdad - truth! Typical with telescopes like this. Thanks.

Not at all necessary. It’s just the trend and the future, but if you’re happy, no need whatsoever to spend money. See also www.kenrockwell.com/tech/upgrades.htm Thanks!

THANKS!!! You should see their first day of school pix up at my site's NEWS page today.

Thanks!

Haven’t tried it for video. Never found anything great stabilizes better than an iPhone for video. Thanks!

Thanks!

Canon EOS R5. Much better as I see it. Better handling, better images (better color). If you want to make money at this when you say ‘pro,’ then spend as little as you can on gear until you actually start making money. Personally I’d stick with my favorite 5DS/R which is on dale on close out for $1,499 USD at www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1119027-REG/canon_0582c002_eos_5ds_r_dslr.html?BI=287&KBID=1037

Everything I said I saw. Not sure what your question is. I so love this thing. Thanks!

​@@KenRockwellTV - No question. Just thanking you for putting me in the direction of the R5. I don't watch and trust a lot of YT's as you said, many with conflicts of interest. Found an R5 in stock after 20 minutes of deep searching and it will be here on Friday! Looking way forward to it! Had no idea that Sony was old news and old tech as you said. Thanks for setting me straight on that. I had thought about that new low light Sony because I do a lot of video each week. But I never liked those other deep menus and 8K will be great so I don't have to setup multiple interview cams! I had budgeted quite a bit more $$$, but I already have Canon glass, so the R5 is perfect based on everything you explained and its specifications. And saving a lot of money over the 8K I had considered.

That’s right! Thanks!

Exactly. I so hate the Z system, but talk about it because everyone wants to know. Thanks!

And sharpness is so not important - but people worry about it. Thanks!

24-240 is great: see my quick samples at www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/lenses/24-240mm.htm thanks!

Ken Rockwell I will, once I receive my R5. Thank you.

That’s right! So happy the big dogs back in town (Canon). Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV just that damn price. Im so not interested in video, I wish there was a R2 and a half with all the video stuff crippled (just basic video) and say 2/3 the price.

Me too, glad you love yours.

@@KenRockwellTV Since the R5 depleted my budget, I decided to hold off on the Canon 85 mm RF. On a lark I picked up a used copy of the Samyang 85mm F1.4 on eBay for $500. After its firmware update, it is a truly remarkable lens for the money.

Of course I’m biased, I’ve been shooting a long time a d have my preferences based on what actually works well. Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV respect!

As soon as my R6 shows up! Just got my RF 70-200/2.8 and 85/1.2L to review next week. Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV great lenses, can't wait to see your review. Would appreciate if you take a look at my modest channel of drone vedios, that I do in UAE.

@@oAwwAo I'd love to see the UAE from the air. Where's you channel? THANKS!

@@KenRockwellTV ru-vid.com Would so much appreciate your opinion

Yes! See an seasoned pro comparison of brands at www.kenrockwell.com/tech/comparisons/nikon-vs-canon-vs-sony-full-frame.htm thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV ... your conclusion: „Sony needs to step up its game to stay in the game it invented“ ... 😄 ...

Thanks love my song!!!!

@@KenRockwellTV Happy to see your reply. Keep rocking. I can't wait to see your exhaustive review with sample images shot with your lens.

@@tonygreenmike Here you go! www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/r5.htm

@@KenRockwellTV Thanks Ken. I watched your R5 review on youtube. I was fascinated to see the images. The exhaustive review that I mentioned in my earlier comment was regarding the RF-70-200. Waiting to see your clicks with that lens. :) I will be reading your R5 review witten on your website too. Thanks again :)

His probably right,. 45% of market shares goes to Canon,. While 55% goes to nikon, Sony, fuji, Pentax, lumix, etc.,. Almost half of market shares goes canon,.

@@kenjiyamamoto9499 market share does not equal product quality. Canon is fantastic, I do not dispute that, but this does not mean that other companies produce inferior products. Look at the original EOS R review, he thought that was the best mirrorles camera ever existed....

And for good reason! Thanks!

As we say in America, second place is the first loser. Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV I thought in America everyone is special :-). ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-w6Xtk7ALaUI.html

Thank YOU!!! Full written review & sample files at www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/r5.htm

Thank you!

Canon makes all the lenses I need, and I’m no fan of off brand lenses. While the junk brands can have great optics, their long term support makes less sense. Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV Junk brands? That's a good one. Opine much?

That’s a tough one. The 1DX III, as an SLR, makes a load of noise and the finder gets all wishy washy since the mirror is spending as much time moving as actually showing you the finder imahe. I’d try the R5 or R6 first; they do it much more elegantly. Thanks!

Ooooh, the finder is awesome! You see how the picture is going to look - BEFORE you take it! Always bright and sharp, even with slow lenses.

I tried it, but I love real stereo. It's moving because I'm moving; it's not tape dropout. THANKS!

Agreed. Ken, if we can't see you moving on screen, then what's the point?

same here. I use to have canon M3 small apsc mirorles for travel video cam,, then I realize my samsung phone have smaller sensor but better dynamic range video

See www.kenrockwell.com/tech/dynamic-range.htm I’ve never had a problem; my canon images look much better than from Sony due to the better color - but we all have our preferences.

@@KenRockwellTV I'd never say I had a "problem" with any system, I've been doing photography since the days I had a darkroom, i also read the basic photo 5 by Ansel Adams (before they condensed it into 3 books). I"ve pushed and pulled film, shot Kodachrome 25, 64 and other slide films with very narrow dynamic range. Indeed, knowing your medium is key and of course you can be creative and get fantastic photos with all sorts of gear, some scenes surely do not require more dynamic range. WIth all this said I never see a camera having more DR to be an issue, later in post I can crush the shadows or clip the highlights with a simple slider and add all that i want back. There's a lot of situations where I have to take the light I'm given and I do not have the opportunity to change or add light to improve it and in those scenarios the A7R3 has been a fantastic camera. Much of what I enjoy shooting are live performances that have often very high contrast stage lighting, oftentimes some of the performers are not lit favorably. Coming from using Canon cameras it was one thing I REALLY noticed was much better (for me). Other things about the Sony I didn't care for, god awful LCD screen, terrible feel in the hand without adding a grip, disappointing AF especially in video. The menus which everyone seems to hate have never been an issue. I'd love to shoot an R5 or have another photographer with one present at the same event with the same conditions and compare the output side by side. I also realize this review is for photography not videography but it's a nice bonus being able to shoot literally 2 hours of continuous 4K video without issues short of restating it every 30 minutes. Again, I'm pretty confident in my skills as a photographer, I even do sunny 16 calcs in my head to this day having shot so many cameras with broken light meters it's 2nd nature. I'll have to look at more comparisons but from everything I've experienced and seen in the past DR is one thing the Canon has been behind on compared to other brands and for some of us that's a very big deal.

Yes. The R5 and R6 finders update much faster. Thanks!

Only from Canon. Thanks!

No; I expect cameras to work properly as shipped and don’t waste much time maintaining software unless something really important gets added. Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV ok ty

Thanks!

Thanks!

That's not panning: that's live RealAudio 3D 360º spatial recording, accurately recording me moving back and fourth! 3D Audio, not mono. Thanks for noticing!

@@KenRockwellTV Thanks for your reply! I'm not sure what the benefit that did for this video. We don’t see you moving around and the sound, for me was moving left to right - it did not sound like it was moving from front to rear. I have a set of studio monitors. Is there some sort of setting I needed to set? and/or additional speakers? or speaker placement adjusted? No offense, just trying to understand, but I also noticed someone else on FB link your video, saying it was good but also didn’t like the audio.

And the photos all look pretty much the same, but boy, do the LCDs look different! Thanks!

I spend it much more on canon. Hope that’s obvious. See www.kenrockwell.com/tech/comparisons/nikon-vs-canon-vs-sony-full-frame.htm

Mine just arrived. I’m going to open it line here in a little while. Should be the same as R5 minus voice recorder and with better controls (I prefer dedicated mode dial. Thanks!

Sony will respone ! With a Superior Camera that won't catch fire lol

2013, when the 5D Mk III was so much more awesome than anything else, and Nikon was still churning out the same camera every year, just with a different model number. Canon read and listened to my reviews where I listed what was wrong with the earlier models and corrected it in newer models, while Nikon is still making the same dumb mistakes a decade later. Also Canon is still high quality (Made in Japan), while Nikon gave up and just out-sources almost everything to China. I'm not paying top dollar for offshores. THANKS!

Exactly! Thanks!

Hi! See my definitive sample high ISO image files at www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/r5.htm#highisos and www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/r6.htm#highisos and www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/mirrorless/z6.htm#highisos where you can compare the same scene at every ISO with each camera. R5 is the best, others about the same as each other. Thanks!

As always, the definitive answers lie in my written review and sample files and never at RU-vid. See the samples from both cameras at www.kenrockwell.com/sony/a7r-iv.htm#perf and www.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/r5.htm#highisos and you can see for yourself. I worry less about shadow details than the colors in the important parts, and for that, Canon looks way better - but we all have our preferences. For the most glowing shadows, use iso 50 on either of these. Thanks!

Hi! I don’t see that the af is any different between shutters. AF only works when the shutter is open, shutter type only matters when the picture is captured; AF is done the same way for each. 2,) my R6 isn’t here yet. We’ll see. The R5 seems pretty awesome tracking action and R6 should be the same. Thanks!

Thanks! See also www.kenrockwell.com/tech/pro-camera.htm

You’re right; I got mine when it came out. There’s why I said “about.” Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV welcome Sir Ken !

Thank you! I like to go fast and get it over; look for the gear or settings icon in your player and set playback speed to 0.75 or 0.5x. Cool, huh? Thanks!

Aha! That’s exactly why. Thanks!

Correct. The world changes. This is what did it. Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV Classic Ken Rockwell quick witted smart mouth lol🤣🤣🤣 I can't wait for sony to bust Canons ass lol with new tech lol

Canons adapters work GREAT! No need to buy new lenses unles you want to. Seewww.kenrockwell.com/canon/eos-r/lenses/ef-adapters.htm much better than Nikon, whose adapter works poorly

Thank you for the reply; I appreciate it. Keep up the great work!

Thanks!

8k video? Who cares - how do you see it? Even 10 MPs more than enough, see www.kenrockwell.com/tech/pixel-dumping.htm thanks!

I should them all. I’d forget Sony now that we have Nikon and Canon. It’s not 2013 when all we had was Sony; the canons are much better if you actually shoot. See www.kenrockwell.com/tech/comparisons/nikon-vs-canon-vs-sony-full-frame.htm for details Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV thank you ken! so now i only have to decide which canon body to buy, right? :) so which one should i buy? 5 or 6? i do want the ibis and 2 card slots, thats why its these two only for now i guess...

True stereo recording precisely captures my motion. My upcoming five new videos are recorded in mono due to these comments - because I’d rather not have to put my head in one of those 1870s portrait head holders. . Lets see if you like those better in a week or so when they release about the R6 and the RF 100-500mm. Thanks!

Correct. It’s in stereo and I move around. Thanks!

That’s right, the Canon EOS R9 is way better than the old Sony A9 II from 2019. Thanks!

@@KenRockwellTV mate that makes not sense whatsoever!

It’s not 2013 anymore. Time to man-up to Canon from Sony. Thanks!

Thanks!

You need to set sharpening higher. They’re all as sharp if you set them right. I set my JPG sharpening to the maximum (7,5,5) on my R5.

Ken Rockwell You shoot jpeg and not RAW?

Shadow detail loss at high ISOs is in all cameras, and in our eyes. It’s the physics of how both work - I’m just the first to show it that clearly. Thanks!

Yes! A new day dawns in photography. Thanks!

THANKS!!!