Canon has finally(!) launched the EOS R5 with all its 8K and 4K goodness. For good measure, the company also released a much more affordable EOS R6 that is a little pared down in features though still an impressive video camera.
They look very similar, but there are a lot of differences in terms of video specs and a lot to know about each.
Caleb from DSLR Video Shooter is here to walk up all through the basics of both cameras and how they compare to one another.
Looking at the similarities between the two cameras we have a solid list. It makes the R6 seem like a deal if you don’t need the top-of-the-line features of the R5. The list includes:
- Full-Frame No Crop Video
- In-Body Image Stabilization
- 10-Bit 4:2:2 All Modes
- Canon Log
- Oversampled 4K Video
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF II
- Upgraded LP-E6NH Battery
- Fully Articulating Vari-Angle Screen
- Newly Developed Sensors
- DIGIC X Image Processor
Getting into the differences we have to talk about resolution. Obviously the R5 offers 8K, which is not available on the R6. The R6 only offers up to UHD 4K, while the R5 can do DCI 8K and 4K in addition to UHD.
Frame rates are another major difference. For 4K, the R5 will reach 120p while also offering true 24.00 fps and PAL frame rates. The R6 goes up to 60p with 30p and 24p. Full HD is interesting, as the R5 only hits 60p while the R6 has up to 120p.
Both cameras offer practically no crop in any of their modes, though the R6 does have a very small 1.07x crop at maximum settings.
This is provided by the oversampling functions with the R5 taking the native 8K resolution and either producing an 8K video or a downsampled 4K file. The R6 also does this but the smaller resolution leaves it with 5K to downsample to 4K. This means the R5 will likely produce sharper footage.
Where the cameras are surprisingly close is the HDMI output. Both offer their 4K resolutions at up to 60p in full 10-bit 4:2:2. This brings us to another similar spec, internal 10-bit 4:2:2 recording with C Log. This can be recorded in H.264 or H.265, though raw is reserved for the R5’s DCI 8K mode.
As for the actual compression, the R5 has everything you would expect with All-I and IPB options available. The R6 only offers IPB, meaning it has a greater potential for artifacting in busy scenes.
IPB is smaller, though, which can help. Put into actual data rates, the R5 is a lot heavier with raw hitting 2600 Mbps, 8K from 680-1300 Mbps, 4K from 170-1000 Mbps (depending on frame rate). The R6 starts in the same place but only goes from 170-340 Mbps.
Finally, both cameras have maximum record limits of 30 minutes. We should all be familiar with that, but it is a little unfortunate. The R5 also has a little bit of overheating to note at its greatest resolutions.
Honestly, most people will probably be just fine with the R6. Knowing the differences is the first step in making a decision. Basically look at where the R5 differs and if the advantages are worth the extra cash.
[source: DSLR Video Shooter]
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