I went to chase kingfisher....ended up with pigeon :D
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b3c26ab8_o.jpgPigeon by Kari, on Flickr
R6+RF800mm
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I went to chase kingfisher....ended up with pigeon :D
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b3c26ab8_o.jpgPigeon by Kari, on Flickr
R6+RF800mm
Regarding the R5's heat issues, this is quite an interesting read: https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/202...heat-emission/
Found out last night interesting issue with R6. Interval timer skips images if you don't give atleast 2s cap for interval vs exposure. No matter do you use curtain or mechanical shutter. 4s f2 iso3200 90 images with 5s interval skipped half images. With 6s intervall no problems. This is quite wierd, since with 5d4 i was able to use +1s interval with no issues, until the exposure time started to be near 10s.
Need to continue testing, how this goes with shorter exposure times, but if i have to use 3s intervall on 1s exposures, not sure am i happy when taking aurora timelapses on northern finland/norway with real shows, when i need short exposure. Card speed had no change on this and i have every single NR etc. turned off so that i don't have any effect on time lapse shooting from them.
That is odd. Hopefully that is remedied.
Having more and more fun with the R5.
This was taken using a tripod mounted Canon 600mm + 1.4TC + RF-EF adapter with the camera in 1.6 crop mode and mechanical shutter.
This yields a field of view equivalent to a 1344mm lens .... all the focus points are active across the viewfinder and the camera almost immediately locks onto the birds eye.
Just about every shot is tack sharp on the eye (no AFMA required!)
https://joeleadephotography.zenfolio...84793303-5.jpg
1/640 sec. f/5.6. iso 1600
Tested something totally different with my R6 and the RF800mm.
These are taken using skywatcher mini. Was suprised how well you can actually take deep space stuff even with F11. Currently have found out that atleast 1 minute exposures are quite well keeping focus. Now i need to start find the sweet spot with iso values. These images are taken with iso 10000 and naturally have stacked images + darks added.
Damn addictive even with this kind of equipment :D
Plejades. 1min exposure x8 with iso 10000 with 5 darks
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...fdcddc0c_o.jpgPlejades R6 RF800mm by Kari, on Flickr
Andromeda 40s exposure x 49 iso 10000 with 10 darks
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...13d6a21e_o.jpgAndromeda R6 RF800mm by Kari, on Flickr
Great stuff Kari!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I am getting more and more accustomed to the R5 and it's various functions.
One thing I thought I would share:
The older batteries (LP-E6N) will work in the camera, however, they do not have enough power for the mechanical shutter to work at its highest speed no matter what other combination settings you use. The electronic shutter will shoot at 20 fps with the older batteries. I don't know if using two of them in a battery grip would change things.
The new battery (LP-E6NH) will allow the high speed setting to function with the mechanical shutter even when it gets below 1/2 power.
Do you know how fast of fps you get with the older batteries? I've been curious.
For whatever reason, it is part of the spec that you need LP-E6NH batteries for 12 fps. I just noticed you also need to be 1/1000th of faster on the shutterspeed.
Attachment 2876
I went to that info in the manual as well and tried multiple settings of all parameters even shutting off AF with a high shutter speed at f/4 and a fully charged battery and could not get the highest speed mechanical shutter .... the indicator blinks. I was shooting from inside the house where ambient temp is not an issue
I am not certain of the exact mechanical shutter speed I am getting with the old batteries... it is very adequate for my bird set up .... I would estimate maybe 6-8 per second ( again this is a total guess ).
The electronic shutter does not seem at all significantly reduced .... but I have not made any specific measurements of it either.
And about the new battery. Last night finally was good night for northern lights aka me shooting timelapse. After 2500 images i changed battery but still had 1 block left on indicator, so i quess on not so freezing weather you can shoot close to 3k images with one battery. This is quite nice ramp up from the older model.
Wow --- sweet! I'm really looking forward to seeing your timelapse (or even some stills). I saw that the aurora forecast was looking very good so I went out with a few friends to a site that I've always wanted to shoot. However we were foiled by clouds... the bane of aurora shooters. Stayed out until 2:00 am so I'm chugging extra coffee today :)
So, my R5 arrived last Friday. I had been thinking that I would test it for a week before posting anything (technically, I am testing this :) ). But, I responded to a question earlier today, so....
Initial impressions are positive. Perhaps the biggest surprise is how much it melts away while I am using it to the point where I am not thinking about the camera at all. Perhaps this is because the R5 is very much a combination of the 5DIV and M6 II. In a way, taking the best parts of both those cameras that I really like, combining them, and making other things better. It has a few quirks I am still working on.
Two images that I cropped pretty tight, both taken from my office window set up as I have used all summer, and what can I say, it does not disappoint.
R5, 700 mm, 1/500, f/5.6, ISO 3200 (no noise reduction)--11.2 MP
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3b8aa633_h.jpg537A1067 by kayaker72, on Flickr
700 mm, 1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 6400, 5.8 MP...but with some noise reduction
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c516d62d_h.jpg537A0227 by kayaker72, on Flickr
Great detail in both of those images.
I have been shooting mostly with my 600 + 1.4 TC .... image quality is great and using the histogram in the EVF it is very easy to expose to the right (and not blow the highlights) which results in minimal noise up to ISO 6400. Beyond that I am using Topaz Denoise AI.
I programmed the * button to set the image format so I can quickly go into crop mode for smaller or more distant subjects. I find myself using mechanical shutter (which is very quiet) almost exclusively for my back yard bird set up. Electronic shutter, although totally silent, produces so many images that are very similar it ends up taking a lot of time to sort through them.
Are you using animal eye AF?
Hi Joel.
Thanks. Its funny, I wasn't posting those pics for "quality," in which case I would have used Denoise (it is very good), but more to show what out of camera quality is like (even on the second, the noise reduction was not applied to the bird itself, but to the background). But as soon as I posted on Flickr, they had several likes. I might have to go back and update.
I do have Eye AF programed to my "AF ON" button and Expanded AF set to the "*". I haven't yet played with crop mode, but will likely set it to something. In a brief amount of time I have used it, the Animal Eye AF is very good when it is on, but if it doesn't think there is a bird or animal there, or if the animal/bird is oof, it goes to the closest object. With the "*" button to a controllable AF point, I can quickly take control myself, tell the camera where to look, but then pivot back to Eye-AF.
I haven't even tried the electronic shutter yet. I have been toggling between "H" and "H+". It is funny, as critical as FPS are to certain circumstances, when not in those circumstances, it is actually an issue. As I've been weighing what I wanted to improve, not filling my buffer after 2 seconds was more important than FPS as I often want to shoot a sequence that is 3-5 seconds. As a quick example, yesterday, I got a series of a bird in the bird bath. About 4 seconds, but I have those entire 4 seconds.
Brant,
I have been very pleased overall with the R5 but have not yet had a good chance to try it for birds in flight.
I anticipate it will be very good with the RF 100-500mm lens.
I do have a nice series of images from the back yard that I will share on the forum soon.
Happy to hear that you are also impressed.
Seeing some really impressive images here and will admit that the eye AF tracking and IBIS have me seriously considering an upgrade.
One thing that I am wondering about is the crop mode. Joel, what advantages are you finding with it? As I understand it, it is truly a crop. Why not just crop in post?
Is a larger subject simply helping with composition or is there something more substantive, like eliminating distractions for AF lock? I do suppose the file size is smaller.
It is nice to see people are enjoying the new cameras. I wonder what the DSLR phase out period will be and when many people have changed to mirrorless? When will the new RF mount lenses become the new standard or will many people use their EF lenses?
Dave
Thanks Joel. Can't wait to see the backlog of pics.
I am impressed, and of course my impressions are still forming. But while the 1DX III was very obvious in what it was and what it did, the R5 is more subtle. For example, the 12 FPS is not much slower than 16 FPS, but the shutter is so quiet, there is no blackout after the initial image, there is little vibration, so, it does not feel like you are blazing away taking that many pictures. Subtle in little things like the shutter release is somehow the most responsive I have used in that if I quickly press and release it, even in H+ mode, I do only get one picture instead of 2-3. The ergonomics on the buttons is perhaps the most intuitive. The only issues I am having is getting used to the MFn button location (for some reason I keep hitting the video record) and I find the Menu button location awkward. Then, as you mentioned, it is nice having the histogram and level through the viewfinder as I am more quickly making my adjustments. I can say, I prefer the view through the OVF, but if using an EVF I might as well lean into its advantages.
Anyway, still getting used to it.
So, one option I was/am actively considering was just riding out my dSLR and EF lenses for another decade or so. As I am sure there will be photographers that select that option, I suspect we will see DSLRs in use for years. But, I also suspect the 1DX III may have been the last DSLR Canon releases. What has my attention is the utter lack of release of any other DSLR, even something lower end like a Rebel, in 2020. Granted, the T8i was released late 2019, but, when else has there been nothing...no releases of lower end DSLRs? Instead, we have the M50 II rumored to be released as Canon's only lower end body in 2020.
Canon is already on record that there will be no new EF lenses, although I am hoping that doesn't apply to EF-m as I want higher end lenses for my M6 II.
In short, I think we are perhaps already reaching the end of the phase out period in terms of new releases. Maybe we see a new Rebel, but I am thinking that is less likely. Instead, the rumors are all for new R mounts, an even higher MP body (~80-90 MP), and perhaps 2 less expensive bodies. I am curious what Canon will do with the <$800 entry level crowd, but perhaps that is what the M line is for. In terms of phase out of sales, maybe 2-3 more years?
As for RF lenses, that is another debate. The adapters are good and really do make this essentially seemless. I currently only have an adapter with a filter (and currently only have a CPL filter), but how nice would it be to only carry around one set of filters and not have to worry about screwing filters on or off? I am excited by this potential, but, of course, I lose it as soon as I go with RF lenses. But, on the RF side of things, it appears the extra buttons on the RF mount allow for extra communication for IBIS and in-lens stabilization giving RF lenses better stabilization than EF lenses, then I am seeing reports that RF lenses have slightly faster AF and that EF lenses occasionally freeze or hunt on R bodies. For me, two other considerations will be the fact that I still have an EF mount SLR and DSLR, so I need EF glass, and then potential resale value of the EF lenses. Is it still reasonable? Has it bottomed out? I haven't even looked yet.
Those are good questions .... wish I had precise answers:rolleyes:
I will have to see if cropping a full frame image in post is equivalent to shooting in crop mode, I have not tried it yet.
I would say that the eye tracking is definitely better with a larger subject in the frame and absolutely the file size is smaller. The files are similar in size to a 17 mp camera. (ie the original 1Dx was 18 mp)
Composition is improved as the field of view is equivalent to a lens with 1.6 X the focal length of the lens you are using. Thus my 600mm lens will provide a field of view similar to a lens of 960mm.
As Brant wrote....no need to ditch EF lenses as they work great with the adapter. In the shorter focal lengths there are already some great RF choices.
For birders, in the future there may be great RF lenses to be had but right now in the super telephoto world EF rules.
There is a rumored 500mm f/2.8 in the works!
Hey Canon: I would love to see an RF 600mm f/4 DO lens!
This is a very quick (ie maybe not precise) comparison images of a test chart.
Images were obtained at a distance of about 30 feet with 600mm f/4L + 1.4TC tripod mounted with mechanical shutter: 1/800 sec. f/8.0. ISO 6400
Images converted using DPP4 and then the only other processing was cropping in photoshop to attempt to match the size of the image shot in crop mode. The first image is full frame shot in full RAW quality.
https://joeleadephotography.zenfolio...07448088-4.jpg
https://joeleadephotography.zenfolio...07448096-4.jpg
https://joeleadephotography.zenfolio...07448043-4.jpg
I shot these using the same settings I have been recently using for birds and in the same location so it's a more real world scenario as opposed to a studio.
Here are the same two images after processing similar to how I might do with bird images but somewhat simplified .... I used Topaz AI sharpen and DeNoise with just the auto settings and then used the camera raw filter to adjust clarity and contrast to a very small degree.
https://joeleadephotography.zenfolio...07475070-4.jpg
https://joeleadephotography.zenfolio...07475037-4.jpg
Thanks for these. I love this community :cool:
Ok, so IQ appears identical to my eye. The focusing comment is really interesting, and certainly a smaller file has benefits. Thanks again, very helpful.
I did some test with my R5 in my backyard on a sparrow. The bird was sitting about 30 ft. away. When having "Cropping/aspect ratio" set to "FULL", the camera could not detect the individual bird.
When I set it so "1.6" it was able to detect the eye of the sparrow, or head of the sparrow in case the sparrow looked away.
This may be a valuable option if you were planning to crop significantly after the fact. Downside of it would be that it is less forgiving in your composition, as there is less to crop.
I cannot discern much difference either.....makes sense I guess. The crop mode is just selecting a smaller area of the same sensor on which to project the image so it appears larger in the frame but does not have any more pixels on the subject.
So, other than the AF eye tracking improvement, the biggest advantage may be the ability to frame small subjects better in camera with a file size that should be easier to deal with in post and take up less card space. Another possible use might be if you wanted to use EF-S lenses designed for APS-C sized sensors.
Yep, those look pretty similar to me as well. Thanks for the comparison.
I've now set my "DOF" button to switch between crop and FF. Looks like I could also modify the video record button and the light illumination button. As I play, I might do that with say, turning on or off Eye AF.
I think it is hard to make reasonable used lens market evaluation during the covid area. Given how well the EF lenses work on the new cameras I would predict lens value will surely fall versus 2-3 years ago, but I'm not sure how much. The lower supply items I would guess hold up stronger unless there's a RF direct replacement.
I haven't bought anything in a while. My last purchase was a 85 f/1.8 in January new that I thought was a smokin deal at $269.
Dave
Finally had time to put one time lapse shot with r6 and sigma 14mm lens ready. Still kinda suprised that i need to have 2s "buffer" on the build in intervalometer for shootin, pretty much after i go over 2s exposures. Bit annoying but can live with it =). Shooting northernlights with proper display should not be issues since can then go to shorter exposures.
Anyways, here is how it looks in better than average night here in southwest finland. Quality is 4k so wait for it to be available and have some volume on =) and run it on full screen.
Can still say, that this R6 body is one really nice low light monster.
https://youtu.be/O4-UTadGqNI
Agreed. Great video.
Karsaa,
I very much enjoyed the video also! Whatever the inconveniences of the intervalometer, you have produced a fabulous result.
Danny
So, I have had my R5 for about two weeks. If anyone else is interested, I thought I would provide some impressions.
In general, it is very much a "5-series" camera to me. There is no mistaking it for a "1-series"...but it is perhaps the best 5-series camera I have owned. It is a little smaller, but the ergonomics are great, better, IMO. Buttons are generally exactly where you would want them. You can control so much without moving the camera from your eye. New to me, but I've even started reviewing images in the EVF without removing the camera from my eye. Is it light years better than my 5DIV, actually no, I am pleased with how the 5DIV holds up across the board. But, I really love my 5DIV, and the R5 is an improvement.
Some specific observations:
- Battery life: Much better than expected. First battery charge included a lot of time in menus, reviewing images, and transferring images from camera directly to the computer (I do not have a CFExpress reader): 1087 images. Second battery charge, 1026 images transferred to computer with 30% charge remaining. This is actually better than my 5DIV.
- EVF: It is good, but it is still an EVF. For enjoyment, I prefer the experience of an OVF, but this is close. It is good. Plus, for photography, having all that data (level/histogram/etc) through the viewfinder is very useful and I am enjoying all that more that I thought I would.
- Buffer: I have yet to hit the buffer. Perfect.
- FPS: I have actually moved from "H+" to "H" mode as 12 fps was a bit more than I needed for backyard birds. I am happy to have it as an option, but 8 fps is good. As for the 12 fps, I seemed to have access to it well below 60% of a battery charge. This could be as the battery ages, but on a brand new LP-E6NH battery, it seemed to give it to me at lower charges. I will toggle between these modes for action and am happy to have 12 fps and even 20 fps as options.
- Image quality. Excellent. Very detailed, as you might suspect. But great tonality, colors, etc. I really liked the 5DIV's IQ. Is this an improvement, technically I've seen charts/measurements that say it is. But it is very much in the same realm of the excellent IQ of the 5DIV. One thing that surprised me, which makes me think it is an improvement, was a couple of sunset shots, I had more detail in the highlights than I was expecting.
- High ISO performance. I really like the high ISO noise. You still lose detail similar to the 5DIV, perhaps a half stop to maybe a full stop improvement, but even when you have noise, it is cleaner, at least so far. What ISO threshold I will use as a cut off changes with subject matter, but I will likely be using 2/3rd to 1 full stop higher ISOs with the R5.
- File size. I really do not feel I need 45 MP. It was actually a negative in my mind. But, really, the trade off for MP is file size. My computer and LR are handling the R5 files in a very similar manner to the files from the 5DIV. It is not bogging it down. But, and this is what pushed me over the edge on the R5, CRAW. I really do not see a difference between RAW and CRAW files. So, if I am going to be taking a lot of pictures, I am planning on using CRAW. For something important or if I am just taking a few pictures, I will likely use RAW.
- Extenders: Performs very much like a 5-series body. It drives the 1.4x TC without issue. I think there is a slight improvement using the R5 with the 2x TC, but the 2x TC is still noticeably slower than the 1.4x TC.
- AF coverage. Having near complete coverage of the FF area is nice. As an example, I had a fox walking along my rock wall which filled my whole frame, yet, the R5 had focus on the eye in the bottom right corner and I kept the whole fox in frame. Compared to the 5DIV, some of my bison shots I cropped the bison's body so I could keep eye in my focal point area. A win for the R5 here.
- Autofocus....this has become the main selling point right? I am breaking this down:
- Accuracy: Well, single point AF, I find it to be very similar, maybe a bit better than the 5DIV. So, in a way, for mirrorless, that is a win. They are in the same ballpark as PDAF. But, animal eye AF is legit. My hit rate and the accuracy of my hits have both improved over the 5DIV and even single point AF on the R5. It is not perfect. But if it identifies the eye, the hit rate is very very good.
- Autofocus speed. I find this to be very much in-line with the 5DIV. If someone where to do a controlled test, it might be a bit faster. That would not surprise me. But, the 1DX III was noticeably faster. At least IMO.
- Initial acquisition. This may seem odd, I would not have known this existed except that I tested the 1DXIII. But with the 1DXIII, I was usually focused before I had fully pressed the button down. Amazing. The R5 is much more like my 5DIV, there is a lag there. It is a short lag, and once focus is acquired, the Eye-AF really tracks well and keeps you focused, but initial acquisition is still a win for the 1DXIII.
- Ok, a 4th. Eye-AF is changing how I shoot a bit. I trust it. The hit rate is so good. So just like I trust the camera to AE, I now trust it to keep the eye in focus allowing me to pay more attention to my composition.
Compared to the 5DIV and 1DXIII. First, let me say, these are all great cameras and great pictures will be taken by all three. Actually, most any camera in the last 5-10 yrs is pretty amazing and capable of taking great images. Really, we are looking at details. Also, as for me, I have been considering going to a 2 camera system for a while. Specifically, this would be for certain situations where you want quick access to two different lenses or to at least avoid constantly swapping out lenses. For example, in Yellowstone, the 24-70II lived on my 5DIV and the 500 f/4 lived on my M6II, this made my life much easier throughout the whole trip. But, also, I have identified FPS and buffer capacity as two limitations I have with the 5DIV. I know I have missed shots. So, I have been leaning toward a two camera system and splitting the purpose of the two cameras, one more dedicated toward landscapes and the other action.
R5 vs the 5DIV. These cameras are more similar than they are different. The main advantages the R5 has over the 5DIV, for me, are more options for FPS, up to 12 fps, greater buffer capacity, and AF point coverage across the frame. It solves those needs that I had. Otherwise, I was fine with the 5DIV. Of course, I will take all other improvements in battery life, IQ, high ISO performance, etc. The eye-AF is a new wrinkle that I wouldn't say I was looking for, but I can say will be often used moving forward.
Vs the 1DXIII. I honestly thought I was going to get a 1DXIII. I have saved money over the last two years to get it. It would have fit the two camera system very well in terms of having a more dedicated landscape camera and an action camera. I was very impressed when I tested one. Great IQ, drove my lenses fast, acquired targets quickly, etc. Also, my computer handled the 20 MP files with ease. The only real negatives would be size, weight, and the fact that everything about it is bigger. As odd as this sounds, but I travel a lot (well.....:rolleyes:), that battery charger is huge. So, then, when I am traveling, if I want two cameras, not only am I traveling with the two cameras, but the accessories for the two cameras. Comparing two amazing cameras comes down to personal wants/needs. For me, this came down to the speed of the 1DXIII versus the convenience/size/weight of the R5, plus, the potential of the Eye-AF for tracking on moving subjects, which I haven't tested yet, but reviewers seem impressed (on perched birds, this is a tie with pros/cons for each camera).
Honestly, based on first the reviews and then my own experience, the R5 is a better camera than I expected it to be. Important to me, it checked the list I had created using the 5DIV. If I travel and want two cameras, there is overlap where I am just adding a second camera but no additional accessories. If I want to travel with one camera, I can travel with the R5 and have a great general purpose camera, which has really been my photographic style, if I have one.
So, two weeks since it arrived, the R5 stays. Part of me still wants the 1DXIII....but, as usual with any type of gear acquisition syndrome, it's cure is to get out and use the gear you already have. So, now I have a camera that will shoot 12 fps for 10-15 seconds before the buffer fills for when I am shooting faster action. Excellent.
Brant - super review, thanks for all those details! The R-bodies are clear winners in so many ways. I'd certainly lean to getting one when the 1DXIII becomes the 1DX-R. When I imagine all the mirrorless benefits merged with the 1DX, it boggles the mind. But really, I'm still super happy with what I have, and it's sort of like owning a Ferrari and wondering if I should get a Lamborghini (just a tiny bit less costly :p)
I agree, very nice review.
Are you considering adding the battery grip?
Had really nice weather today here on my north finland trip and had also my 800mm with me and ran into lone common redpoll. This image is really tight cropped and slight edits without any sharpening etc.. just some colors clarity etc.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a258be2e_k.jpgUrpiainen by Kari, on Flickr
Have to say that once the weather is clear this lens with r6 is really boosting my bird photo graphy.
Thanks. I think you are providing ample proof that Ferrari still has some game in them.;)
Thanks.
As for the battery grip, I am. It is a bit lower on the priority list. Right now I am trying to sort out the memory card situation. What do you think about yours? I have never owned one for my previous cameras, but I am thinking about one for the R5. As long as the batteries stay at >1000 images per charge, that will be great for my typical shooting style, but I can see an advantage for a photography dedicated event where keeping the fps up longer and getting over 2,000 images before swapping out batteries would be useful.
Great that it is opening up a new type of photography for you.
I did get a battery grip for the 5DIV and the battery life is a non issue ..... I have shot 8 hours days with thousands of images on two batteries and I think they drive the big lenses quicker too.
Not sure about getting one for the R5 ..... I really like the compactness and light weight of the system as a whole (especially with the 100-500) and I am hesitant to add weight and size.
I did purchase one 64 gig CF express card and a reader.