R5? R6? Anyone?

[Karsaa]

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

[Jonathan Huyer]

Finally had time to put one time lapse shot with r6 and sigma 14mm lens ready.

Fabulous video! Really smooth action with the time lapse. Thanks for sharing that!

[Kayaker72]

Agreed. Great video.

[Minerve101]

Karsaa,

I very much enjoyed the video also! Whatever the inconveniences of the intervalometer, you have produced a fabulous result.

Danny

[Kayaker72]

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Buffer: I have yet to hit the buffer. Perfect.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Autofocus....this has become the main selling point right? I am breaking this down:
    
    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.....), 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.

[Jonathan Huyer]

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 )

[Joel Eade]

I agree, very nice review.

Are you considering adding the battery grip?

[Karsaa]

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.

Urpiainen by Kari, on Flickr

Have to say that once the weather is clear this lens with r6 is really boosting my bird photo graphy.

[Kayaker72]

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 )

Thanks. I think you are providing ample proof that Ferrari still has some game in them.

I agree, very nice review.

Are you considering adding the battery grip?

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.

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.

Have to say that once the weather is clear this lens with r6 is really boosting my bird photo graphy.

Great that it is opening up a new type of photography for you.

[Joel Eade]

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.

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.