Making the Jump to Mirrorless

[DavidWare]

Hey everyone, it's been a while. Nice to see there are still some familiar faces around despite these boards not being as busy as they once were.

I used to frequent here years ago but slowly drifted away as life happened. Got out of the military, started a family, all that jazz.

Anyway, I have recently considered upgrading my kit after having my 5D Mark III for just over a decade now, and while perusing Bryan's reviews of the newer RF lenses, I was reminded of this board and decided to stop by.

I was hoping to see if anyone here has made the jump from the 5D to the R5. I imagine it will be nothing but an improvement across the board, but I wanted to hear it first hand from real life people and not paid reviewers.

Currently I am considering selling all of my kit aside from the 35mm f/1.4L II and 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L II and purchasing an R5 with the 24-105mm f/4L and an EF lens adapter. Maybe a battery grip as well, but I haven't used one of those since I had my T3i.

The kit I would be selling is a 5D Mark III, 24-105mm f/4L, 85mm f/1.8, 100mm f/2.8 Macro, and some other assorted accessories like a 320EX, RSS plate, remote shutter, etc. Hopefully I'll get fair prices on those to take some of the sting away from the cost of the R5.

It's nice to be back, looking forward to any responses.

[Joel Eade]

I made the switch to the R5 when it was first released and have been very pleased. It's a fantastic camera.

I know Brant (Kayaker) is also using the R5 primarily.

With the adapter it can utilize all your EF lenses perfectly so you might re-consider selling the EF 24-105. Not sure if the RF 24-105 is any better. The only RF lens I own is the 100-500mm.

The battery grip is worthwhile for extended shooting.....I have used it many times all day with plenty of battery to spare.

You will love it!

[Kayaker72]

Hey David,

Good to hear from you.

Yes, a number of us have migrated over to the R5. Myself, Joel, Busted Knuckles, Jonathan and I think a few others. It is a phenomenal camera. The primary advantages, IMO, are:

• FPS. I am usually at 9 fps with mechanical shutter. I do occasionally shift to 12 fps with mchanical shutter or 20 fps with electronic (silent) shutter. But 9 fps is usually enough. But, this is a big advantage over the 5D3 or 5D4.
• Customization. May sound odd, but you can customize most buttons. When going after wildlife, I have 2 if not 3 different types of AF I can switch between just by AFing with a different button.
• Eye-detect AF/X-detect AF. Amazing for birds and other wildlife. Good for people, but locking onto the eye as the subject moves allows you to focus on other elements, such as composition. I will say, I think this feature suffers a bit in low-light. But, I picked up the R5 during a lockdown, and my hit rate on perched birds went through the roof compared to my 5D4 or M6II.
• Size. The R5 is a bit smaller than the 5D3/4. It fits my hand better.
• IBIS. I just got back from a trip to Europe. I left my travel tripod at home. I did want to pack it, but it was cut at the last minute as I knew I could get down to 1/4 or even 0.5 sec hand held shots on my 24-70 II with IBIS. I was gone for 17 days, and I needed the weight/space for other stuff. So, yeah, IBIS works, even with EF lenses.

Some do appreciate the extra megapixels. I had to update my computer as transferring files literally made my computer (built in 2011) beep and stall. But, runs very smoothly with the new computer. Sometimes it is nice having a few extra megapixels, such as when cropping.

CRAW...I really should use it more, but it a nice new feature if you are looking to keep file size down.

EVF. Pros and cons, IMO. Both are significant. As the pro, the EVF does things that let you take better pictures, such as viewing the level/histogram/etc through the viewfinder. Huge. You also get to AF across your entire frame, huge. So, in terms of taking good photos, the EVF is a benefit, and I will say, I do not mind the R5 EVF. But, as a con, I simply enjoy the experience of photography more though an OVF. So, quality vs enjoyment.

Battery life. Battery is now more of a clock rather than a frame counter. I tend to get 4-6 hrs of use per battery. If I take 4,000 pics in that time or 100 pics, that is what you get on that battery.

Image Quality. The 5D4 was a step up over the 5D3. The R5 is a smaller step over the 5D4. In most cases, the IQ difference between the 5D4 to R5 is not noticeable, IMO. To the 5D3, you'll mostly see it in low light. Noise is finer/better. Banding, which really wasn't a problem, IMO, (I occasinally saw it) on the 5D3 is gone on the R5. Colors have shift a bit between each and I consider the R5 to be the most realistic.


All that said, the R5 is a great camera. It has replaced the 5D4 as my main camera to the point the 5D4 is used as a back-up when I want 2 cameras (and if size is a factor, I take the M6II) or I want to use the OVF.

There was a discussion on the R5 I started a year or so ago. People had been talking about it in pieces in other threads, so I tried to consolidate.

As for lenses, I still shoot EF glass. I havn't bought a single RF lens. Others have. They are great lenses. I would consider the 100-500 better than my 100-400 II....but I do not have a problem with my 100-400II. I wouldn't mind a more silent motor for video that you get with the RF lenses, but I do not take video professionally, and every time I've asked people if they can hear the ticking sound of the EF's USM motor, people do not know what I am talking about. So, I know it is there, and I hear it, but that is about it. I'll switch someday. Just saying that EF glass works just fine on the R5.

[Jonathan Huyer]

Hey David - welcome back! I think Brant and Joel nailed it with their replies. I moved from the 5D4 to the R5 over a year ago, and I have the RF 100-500 as well. The eye-detect AF is really fabulous for sure, especially with birds and people. It's not so great with other wildlife, but I'm sure it will keep getting better. I shoot in CRAW (compressed raw) all the time. It improves the buffer and reduces storage size without compromising quality. The R5 isn't perfectly weather sealed --- the viewfinder fogs up in wet weather, even when I use a rain cover. But it still works fine. I also own a 1DX III and I don't think I'll ever get rid of it, because I still love the OVF over the EVF. But there are so many advantages to the mirrorless system.

[neuroanatomist]

Mirrorless bodies definitely offer some advantages. Personally, I like the information available in the EVF, and more importantly the full-time DoF preview in the viewfinder.

For lenses, I’d say only update if needed especially if cost is an issue. The RF 24-105/4 is a good lens, but the adapted EF version you have would also work. Optically they’re pretty similar, the RF lens does have the control ring (a nice feature once you get used to using it), but you can get the adapter with that feature so you have it on all EF lenses). That’s the only lens priced the same as its EF predecessor. The other RF lenses cost more but add more (e.g., the 100-500 has an extra 100mm, the 70-200/2.8 is much smaller/lighter and optically better, the 24-70/2.8 adds IS, etc.).

By all accounts the R5 is excellent. I’m certainly happy with the R3 as a replacement for my 1D X, and the R8 is also great as a travel camera, FF sensor and a lot of performance for the cost.

[DavidEccleston]

If comparing RF to EF, don't forget the new RF 85 doubles as a macro lens and gains IS... haven't used it though, so don't take this as an endorsement. The 100-500mm is the killer-app for the RF system to me so far.

[Joel Eade]

I shoot CRAW most of the time and I use inexpensive SD cards ..... they are a bit slower but that hasn't been a limiting factor for me. I just have trouble seeing the value in CF Express Type B cards to make them worth the expense, lol. If I were shooting professionally I might think differently.

[neuroanatomist]

I shoot CRAW most of the time and I use inexpensive SD cards ..... they are a bit slower but that hasn't been a limiting factor for me. I just have trouble seeing the value in CF Express Type B cards to make them worth the expense, lol. If I were shooting professionally I might think differently.

I always prefer writing images to two cards. Failures happen (not to me yet, fortunately). But just like I back up my computer regularly, I prefer having two copies of a photo from the moment I take it.

Not possible with the R8 which I took to Italy recently, in that case I copied the files off the SD card each night (to the 13" MacBook Pro I brought with me, and from there to a USB flash drive as well, the latter to guard against loss/theft).

[Joel Eade]

My experience mirror yours, I haven't lost any images and when on a trip I also download CRAW files nightly and copy to external drives.

Actually when I used dual cards in the past I would usually set them to just switch when one was full rather than record the same images to both.

I have never filled up a 128 gB SD card in one day.