UPDATE July 17th,2024: First Leaked Image of the EOS R5 Mark II
Canon EOS R5 Mark II First Leaked Image
UPDATE July 5th,2024: The EOS R5 II is set to be announced on July 17th, and become available mid of August with an MSRP of $3,999
The camera world has been eagerly waiting for the Canon EOS R5 Mark II for a long time now. Don't get me wrong, the current EOS R5, released in July 2020, is still an excellent camera even by today's standards and is now heavily discounted. However, there is always room for improvement, and we are excited to see what the new model will offer! As you know it is mostly about what we want rather than what we need! (Read: The latest new Canon camera was released more than a year ago!).
Canon EOS R5 is a great camera even four years after its launch
What changes are coming with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II?
Let's look at the main areas where the R5 Mark II is expected to differ from its predecessor. Please note that these are a mixture of assumptions, expectations, rumors, and speculations at this point.
Price
Canon has a tough challenge ahead; the new camera must offer significant improvements to justify a potential price increase. The R5 had an MSRP of $3,899 at launch, so we anticipate a similar or slightly higher price for the Mark II. This pricing would put it close to the current price of the EOS R3, potentially making the R3 seem less attractive, as the R5 Mark II is expected to outperform it in every aspect except ergonomics and battery life.
Sensor
Rumor has it that Canon will use a 45MP sensor in the Mark II, just like the Mark I, but this time it will be a stacked type. If true, this would be a significant upgrade, likely the biggest improvement over the original version. Currently, the EOS R3 is the only mirrorless Canon camera with a stacked sensor, but its resolution is limited to 24MP. Therefore, many Canon professionals and enthusiasts will be eager to get their hands on a stacked 45MP sensor. One of its biggest rivals in a similar price range, Nikon Z8 sports a stacked sensor which even helped it get rid of the mechanical shutter but we think that The R5 II will have both mechanical and electronic shutters.
Related: Cameras with Stacked Sensors and No Blackout Viewfinders
Cooling
Canon faced one of the biggest recent fiascos in the camera world when it was discovered that the R5 overheated very easily shortly after its launch. There is no doubt they will address this issue effectively with the Mark II. While I don't expect to see an active cooling system like in some other cameras (read: Cameras with Active Cooling Fans ), a clever design should solve the problem passively.
Canon EOS R5 C with its Active Cooling System is quite bulky!
Video
The Canon EOS R5 Mark II will retain the 8K video capability and other high-quality 4K formats of the Mark I, but this time without the overheating issues. Canon is known for limiting some features to ensure its mirrorless cameras don't compete with its cine line, so don't expect groundbreaking new features. However, it will still be one of the best 8K cameras on the market, with minimal rolling shutter thanks to its stacked sensor.
In addition, the recording limit of 30 minutes in some formats on the R5 will be gone with the R5 II.
Size
The need for better cooling suggests that the R5 Mark II body will be slightly larger and bulkier than the R5 Mark I to allow for improved airflow. The R5 is relatively compact, especially compared to cameras like the Nikon Z8 (see below), so a small increase in size likely won't bother many people, in my opinion.
Canon R5 vs Nikon Z8 Size Comparison
Aufo Focus
The AF performance of the R5 is no slouch but it misses some of the object recognition modes that were introduced in the latest RF mount cameras, these will be implemented in the R5 II for sure (It is guaranteed that we will see extensive use of the term 'AI' in the press release). Additionally, the AF sensitivity of the R5 was EV -5, while the R6 Mark II had an improved EV -6.5 sensitivity and the R3 had EV -7.5 sensitivity. Therefore, the R5 Mark II will likely match the R6 II, or even better match the R3 with its new AF system.
Besides, The R3 has been the only camera that has the Eye-Controlled AF feature, and Canon is expected to add this to the R5 II as well as its upcoming flagship, EOS R1.
Related: Canon EOS R1 vs R3: A Size Comparison and 11 Things to be Improved to Compete with the Z9, A1, and A9 III?
Other Features
Video/Stills Dial: The R5 Mark II will certainly feature this dial, as all recent RF cameras, such as the R6 Mark II and R8, include it.
Video and Stills Dial on the Canon R6 Mark II
Pre-SHooting Buffer Feature: The R6 Mark II was the first RF camera to feature this, and we're confident the R5 Mark II will have it as well. The question is, will the R5 Mark II have the same implementation or an improved one? There have been complaints about the R6 Mark II's implementation, which is reported to be less practical compared to recent Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, and Nikon cameras. We hope Canon addresses this issue.
Related: Cameras with PRE-BURST Shooting Mode in 2024
Zero Blackout Viewfinder: This comes free with the Stacked sensor, so if the stacked sensor rumor is true, you will have a seamless viewfinder experience with the R5 Mark II which is really helpful for shooting fastmoving subjects as in sports and bird photography.
Viewfinder Resolution: The R5 uses a 3690k-dot electronic viewfinder, which is on the lower side compared to modern professional mirrorless cameras. In comparison, the Nikon Z8's viewfinder is 5760k-dot and the Sony A7R V s is 9440k-dot. For this reason, Canon is expected to upgrade the R5 Mark II's viewfinder to at least 5760k-dot or a higher resolution system.
Full-size HDMI Port: Even the R5 C cinema camera, released alongside the R5, didn't feature a full-size HDMI port, which was a significant oversight by Canon. If they are serious about offering a competitive hybrid camera, they must include a full-size HDMI port this time—there's no other option!
Lens Breathing Correction: Currently, only the R6 Mark II, R8, and R50 cameras in the Canon lineup have this feature. There is no reason not to include it on the new R5 Mark II, which will be a higher-class camera than all of these.
Related: Canon Lenses Compatible with Focus Breathing Compensation - 2024 Update
R6 Mark II, R8, and R50 cameras feature Lens Breathing Correction
In-camera Focus Stacking: I have tried the in-camera focus stacking with the EOS R10 (read: Canon EOS R10 Real Life Review) before with great results. In-camera stacking is much more faster and easier than stacking the bracketed images later in a software and we hope it becomes more common in new cameras. I am pretty sure Canon will add this feature to the R5 Mark II.
Multi-Function/Interface Hotshoe: This new hotshoe type which provides additional connectors over the typical hotshoe to enable new types of accessories was introduced later than the R5 , and it will definitely find its place on the R5 Mark II.
Battery Life: The CIPA rated battery life of the R5 is only 320 frames which is very poor for this class of cameras. However, Canon managed to increase the battery life of the R6 II over the R6 significantly while still using the same battery, so I expect to see a similar increase in battery life for the R5 II too.
Below you can find the battery life of the main R5 alternatives:
Canon R5 Battery Life and Features Compared to Main Competitors
Conclusion
Canon took longer than expected to develop the EOS R5 Mark II, and we hope this delay is for good reasons. We are confident that it will be released sometime in 2024 and become a top seller in its price class.
But more importantly, what do you think about these potential improvements? Are there other features that you want to see on the R5 Mark II, please share us in the comments section below.
