A look at Canon's latest release: the EOS R5 and EOS R6

Canon has released the highly anticipated new cameras: the EOS R5 and EOS R6.

These are two full-frame cameras that will anchor their mirrorless lineup. However, neither of the two cameras replaces the original EOS R.

But is the excitement surrounding the release of the two new cameras worth it? Let's take a closer look at them.

Canon EOS R5

Canon's EOS R5 is the mirrorless 5-series equivalent, making it ideal for both stills and video. So what does it have?

It has a brand-new Canon-made 45MP CMOS sensor and the Digic X processor from the 1DX Mark III. Both let the EOS R5 to capture 8K RAW video at up to 30p, 10-bit 4:2:2: 4K up to 120p, and full-resolution images at up to 20fps with the electronic shutter or 12fps with the mechanical shutter, internally without any crop or focus limitations. It doesn't appear that RAW recording is possible in the 4K modes.

The new "Dual Pixel CMOS AF II" offers 100% coverage of the focus area, made up of 1,053 automatically selected AF Zones. The system boasts new machine learning AF tracking algorithms. Together with the new sensor and the faster Digic X processor, it promises excellent performance whether you're focusing manually or using the head and eye detection. 

For the first time, the new EOS R5 also brings 5-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS) to a Canon camera. The system reportedly provides "up to 8 stops" of shake correction, thanks to the same in-lens stabilization found on some RF-mount lenses. 

The body's design has a 5.76M-dot OLED EVF with a 120Hz refresh rate, dual card slots (one CFExpress, one UHS-II SD), a 2.1M-dot fully-articulating LCD, headphone jack, a mic port, micro HDMI port, and built-in Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. You get all that packed into a weather drip-and-dust resistant body that Canon says is on par with the EOS 5D series.

You can preorder the EOS R5 for shipping in late July. Its price is about $3,900 without the kit. With a kit, including the RF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, you're looking at about $5,000. 

Canon EOS R6

The EOS R6 is based around the 20.1MP CMOS sensor from the 1D X Mark III. It has the same Digic X processor found in the EOS R5 and 1D X. This means that the R6 can shoot 10-bit 4:2:2 4K video up to 60p, 1080/120p slow motion, and full-resolution stills at 20fps using the electronic shutter or 12fps using the mechanical shutter. It's all internal without any crop or focuses limitations.

There's no RAW video capture on the EOS R6. However, stills shooters get the same advanced "Dual Pixel CMOS AF II" and same IBIS system as the EOS R5, as well as a new LP-E6NH battery with a higher capacity (also found in the R5).

The design of the EOS R6 is relatively simplified. There's no top LCD, and the OLED viewfinder is a slightly lower resolution (3.69M-dots), and the fully-articulating LCD on the back is a bit lower resolution at only 1.62M-dots. However, you get dual card slots (both UHS-II SD), headphone jack, a mic port, a micro HDMI port, and built-in WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity for wireless control or image transfer. The camera is "weather, drip, and dust sealing on par with the EOS 6D series."

On the accessories side, there's also a new optional BG-R10 battery grip that's compatible with the EOS R5 and the EOS R6. The grip holds two batteries and is compatible with the new LP-E6NH, LP-E6N, and LP-E6 batteries.

You can now preorder the EOS R6, but it won't ship until the end of August. The body of the camera is about $2,500. With the kit, with the RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM, at around $2,900, or the more expensive 24-105mm f/4L IS USM for about $3,600.

Conclusion

Canon has introduced two highly-anticipated new cameras in two price points, which will likely attract photographers. Having choices is never a bad thing. We think the hype is probably worth the wait.