Should I Get the Canon EOS R5 Mark II or the EOS R1?

It is surprising how similar the performance and feature set of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II are to those of the flagship EOS R1 announced at the same time.

Check out the R5 II vs. R1 specification comparison along with the visual comparison of these cameras. What are the differences between the Canon EOS R5 Mark II and the R1? Here is a summary of the R1's advantages:

• 40 fps for 230 frames vs. 30 fps for 93 (having faster continuous shooting available is an advantage, but 30 fps is really fast)
• 2.7 ms imaging sensor readout speed vs. 6.3 (faster is better, but 6.3 ms is sufficient for most needs)
• Up to ISO 102400 and 409600 vs. 51200 and 102400 (at the same ISO settings, the R1 will have less noise when viewed at the pixel level. However, the R5 II image properly downsampled to 24 MP should appear similarly clean. The highest ISO settings are unusable)
• Up to 1/64000 shutter speed vs. 1/32000 (crazy fast holds a small niche advantage over extremely fast)
• Cross-type AF points (holds the potential for higher AF precision)
• Smart Controllers (powerful controls after some acclimation)
• 9.44 million dots, 0.90x EVF vs. 5.76 and 0.76x (bigger and better)
• Dual CFexpress type B memory card slots vs. CFexpress type B and SD (though some may prefer having an SD slot available)
• Integrated vertical grip, LAN port, and GPS (outstanding grip ergonomics, the grip, port, and GPS are available accessories for the R5 II)
• Superior dust and weather resistance (with both bodies significantly sealed, will we notice the difference?)
• More controls and buttons (these make the camera faster and easier to use. And, more complicated?)
• More powerful 2750 mAh LP-E19 battery pack vs. 2130 mAh (but the R5 II holds 4260 mAh in the vertical grip)

The R5 II's advantages are:

• 45-megapixel imaging sensor vs. 24 (a big difference, but not everyone finds the higher resolution worth the increased storage size and processing time)
• 8k vs. 6K (higher resolution is better if you use 8k)
• Waveform monitor (why doesn't the R1 have this?)
• Has an SD card slot available (accommodates less expensive, but slower, memory cards)
• Holds 4260 mAh of power in the vertical grip vs. 2750 mAh
• Considerably smaller size and lighter weight (without a vertical grip)
• Has a cooling fan available
• Considerably less expensive (always a solid advantage)

While the most demanding professionals will want the R1, the R5 II's performance is sufficient for a high percentage of needs and some of its advantages are significant.

Let me know if I missed a meaningful difference.

If you have not already done so, order these cameras immediately if you have even a remote interest in them.

More Information

Canon EOS R5 Mark II

Canon EOS R1