Canon announces the EOS R5, an 8K-shooting pro mirrorless camera

Canon has announced the EOS R5, by far the highest-end mirrorless camera it’s ever made. Following Canon’s solid entry into full-frame mirrorless with 2018’s EOS R and last year’s cheaper EOS RP, the R5 is a serious pro-level flagship with a price tag to match. At $3,899 without a lens, this is now Canon’s second most expensive camera behind the new 1D X Mark III DSLR.

The R5 is built around a 45-megapixel sensor with a native ISO range of 100-51,200. The headline feature is that it can record uncropped 8K RAW video at 29.97 fps in 4:2:2 10-bit color, as well as uncropped 4K DCI at 59.94 fps, representing a major upgrade on the limited video capabilities of previous EOS R models. Canon says the R5 can shoot continuously at 8K for around 20 minutes at room temperature.

When shooting still photos, the R5 operates at up to 12 fps with the mechanical shutter and 20 fps with the electronic shutter. It has in-body image stabilization that Canon claims can provide up to 8 stops of correction in tandem with OIS lenses. Canon is also touting the R5’s autofocus system, with dual-pixel coverage across almost 100 percent of the AF area and 1,053 zones, plus the capability for eye-tracking with dogs, cats, and birds as well as humans.

The R5 is visually near-indistinguishable from a typical Canon full-frame DSLR. Canon showed a willingness to experiment with features like the touch-sensitive strip on the original EOS R, but it’s clear from the R5’s design that it’s intended to be a drop-in replacement for pro photographers and videographers who are used to DSLRs like the 5D series. The biggest difference for them will be the electronic viewfinder, though the 120 fps refresh rate and 5.76-million dot resolution should help ease that transition. There’s also a 3.2-inch 2.1-million dot vari-angle touchscreen.

If the R5 is a little out of reach or 8K isn’t a priority, Canon is also releasing a similar camera called the R6 at a lower price. It has more or less the same design as the R5 but uses the 20.1-megapixel sensor from the 1D X Mark III, meaning its video capabilities top out at 4K/60 or 1080p/120. The viewfinder resolution drops to a still-solid 3.69 million dots, while the touchscreen is slightly smaller and lower-res at 3 inches and 1.62 million dots. The R6 will cost $2,499 body-only.

Canon has four more native RF-mount lenses rolling out this year, including a 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1, a 600mm f/11, an 800mm f/11, and an 85mm f/2. The company is also introducing 1.4x and 2x teleconverters for RF lenses.

The R5 is set to be available at the end of July, and there’s a $4,999 kit option that comes with a 24-105mm f/4 lens. The R6, meanwhile, will ship toward the end of August with a $3,599 option that includes that same lens or a $2,899 kit with a 24-105mm f/4-7.1.