Canon R5 vs R6mII

shroob · Dec 5, 2022

Hello everyone,

I currently use a Nikon D500 with Tamron 150-600 G2 and have done for about 2 years. This was my first camera and I'm looking to upgrade. I have decided on either a Canon R5 or R6II with the RF100-500 lens. I'm also considering getting the 800 f11 or 1.4x TC.

I mainly shoot birds. Occasionally small mammals. However, birding is my primary hobby.

I cannot decide between the R5 and the R6II. I was hoping if I asked here people would help make the decision for me. Please note, where I am the price difference is minimal.

I am currently leaning towards the R5 simply because of the extra megapixels which will allow me to crop more. The birds are often quite far away.

For all other features the R6II is meant to be better (autofocus, low light, FPS, battery life, pre-burst shooting). However, I'm not sure if 24 MP will be enough if I need to crop.

Please could you give me your thoughts and recommendations on which camera to buy.

Thanks in advance.

expro · Dec 6, 2022

For me the difference is higher mp compared to newer technology. I suspect the 6ii is quite advanced in several areas not just AF, delivering better IQ more often.

That’s why I bought the R3 as it is a generation forward of R5, and 6ii may prove to be a pretty close mini R3.

cfieldgate · Dec 6, 2022

More MPs are only an advantage if you print large - say A2 or greater. If you don’t, then even a heavy crop (say 1/4 frame) from a 20+MP camera displayed on Insta or Flickr or FB etc. will be absolutely fine. Back in the day we made fine A3 prints from quality files of only ~6MPs.

For those interested in BIF, check out the latest Whistling Wings YT video.

Whilst he doesn’t have an R6 or R6II, his comparison of the R3, R5 and R7 for fast moving, small birds is worth consideration.

Canon_Guy · Dec 6, 2022

expro said:
For me the difference is higher mp compared to newer technology. I suspect the 6ii is quite advanced in several areas not just AF, delivering better IQ more often.

That’s why I bought the R3 as it is a generation forward of R5, and 6ii may prove to be a pretty close mini R3.

Exactly ;-) .

expro · Dec 6, 2022

Many thanks. This describes exactly my experience.

CameraCarl · Dec 6, 2022

Ordinarily I would say to get the R5, but I talked to a Canon sales rep who said that the new 6D Mark II has two features that I wish were on my R5 or R6: Artificial shutter sound for the fully electronic shutter. And pre burst for RAW images when in electronic shutter mode where the camera stores a number of images in a buffer and saves them as soon as you release the shutter. This way if you aren't fast enough fully pressing the shutter button when a bird leaves the perch, but you had the button half pressed, the camera saves a few pre-shutter release images.

If those features are more important to you than the extra megapixels in the R5, then the R6 Mark II would make more sense.

Higgins2002 · Dec 6, 2022

cfieldgate said:
More MPs are only an advantage if you print large - say A2 or greater. If you don’t, then even a heavy crop (say 1/4 frame) from a 20+MP camera displayed on Insta or Flickr or FB etc. will be absolutely fine. Back in the day we made fine A3 prints from quality files of only ~6MPs.

For those interested in BIF, check out the latest Whistling Wings YT video.

Whilst he doesn’t have an R6 or R6II, his comparison of the R3, R5 and R7 for fast moving, small birds is worth consideration.

The readout speed of the sensor does not change with the different frames per second.

if it takes 30 ms too read the data of the sensor it is the same readoutspeed in 30fps as 1fps, he seems to think otherwise in the video where he states 15fps for R7 to help with rolling shutter.

Steve Balcombe · Dec 6, 2022

cfieldgate said:
More MPs are only an advantage if you print large - say A2 or greater. If you don’t, then even a heavy crop (say 1/4 frame) from a 20+MP camera displayed on Insta or Flickr or FB etc. will be absolutely fine. Back in the day we made fine A3 prints from quality files of only ~6MPs.

I know that for me, for most of my shots, a final 4K 16:10 image (3840 x 2400) is about right - I rarely need any more. (FWIW that equates to about 9MP.) So in extremis I can crop an R5 image to about half the width and height; using the R7 I need to keep a little more, about 55%, but I'm much less likely to need to crop an R7 image if shooting at the same focal length.

The R6II would be more likely to get me into trouble, because even for a 1:1 crop I'd need almost two-thirds of the width and height. But that's still a decent amount of flexibility, and all the other improvements mean a better chance of getting the shot compared with the R5.

BTW I work in the print and graphics industry, and for an A3 spread the industry standard 300 dpi means ~5000x3300 px. I'm not saying you can't get a great print from 6MP, especially with a continuous tone printer, but with a bit of room to crop for composition a 20MP sensor is nearer the mark.

Steve Balcombe · Dec 6, 2022

Higgins2002 said:
cfieldgate said:

More MPs are only an advantage if you print large - say A2 or greater. If you don’t, then even a heavy crop (say 1/4 frame) from a 20+MP camera displayed on Insta or Flickr or FB etc. will be absolutely fine. Back in the day we made fine A3 prints from quality files of only ~6MPs.

For those interested in BIF, check out the latest Whistling Wings YT video.

Whilst he doesn’t have an R6 or R6II, his comparison of the R3, R5 and R7 for fast moving, small birds is worth consideration.

Click to expand...

The readout speed of the sensor does not change with the different frames per second.

if it takes 30 ms too read the data of the sensor it is the same readoutspeed in 30fps as 1fps, he seems to think otherwise in the video where he states 15fps for R7 to help with rolling shutter.

I haven't had time to watch the video yet, but it's possible he means you can use EFCS which gives a very creditable 15 fps with much less rolling shutter. This is not due to the frame rate, it's the mechanical second curtain.

(On the other hand it wouldn't be the first time I've seen dubious advice from WW. I'll watch the video later...)

Higgins2002 · Dec 6, 2022

Steve Balcombe said:
Higgins2002 said:

cfieldgate said:

More MPs are only an advantage if you print large - say A2 or greater. If you don’t, then even a heavy crop (say 1/4 frame) from a 20+MP camera displayed on Insta or Flickr or FB etc. will be absolutely fine. Back in the day we made fine A3 prints from quality files of only ~6MPs.

For those interested in BIF, check out the latest Whistling Wings YT video.

Whilst he doesn’t have an R6 or R6II, his comparison of the R3, R5 and R7 for fast moving, small birds is worth consideration.

Click to expand...

The readout speed of the sensor does not change with the different frames per second.

if it takes 30 ms too read the data of the sensor it is the same readoutspeed in 30fps as 1fps, he seems to think otherwise in the video where he states 15fps for R7 to help with rolling shutter.

Click to expand...

I haven't had time to watch the video yet, but it's possible he means you can use EFCS which gives a very creditable 15 fps with much less rolling shutter. This is not due to the frame rate, it's the mechanical second curtain.

(On the other hand it wouldn't be the first time I've seen dubious advice from WW. I'll watch the video later...)

Yes I missread ...15fps MS,

cfieldgate · Dec 6, 2022

Steve Balcombe said:
cfieldgate said:

More MPs are only an advantage if you print large - say A2 or greater. If you don’t, then even a heavy crop (say 1/4 frame) from a 20+MP camera displayed on Insta or Flickr or FB etc. will be absolutely fine. Back in the day we made fine A3 prints from quality files of only ~6MPs.

Click to expand...

I know that for me, for most of my shots, a final 4K 16:10 image (3840 x 2400) is about right - I rarely need any more. (FWIW that equates to about 9MP.) So in extremis I can crop an R5 image to about half the width and height; using the R7 I need to keep a little more, about 55%, but I'm much less likely to need to crop an R7 image if shooting at the same focal length.

The R6II would be more likely to get me into trouble, because even for a 1:1 crop I'd need almost two-thirds of the width and height. But that's still a decent amount of flexibility, and all the other improvements mean a better chance of getting the shot compared with the R5.

BTW I work in the print and graphics industry, and for an A3 spread the industry standard 300 dpi means ~5000x3300 px. I'm not saying you can't get a great print from 6MP, especially with a continuous tone printer, but with a bit of room to crop for composition a 20MP sensor is nearer the mark.

I’d agree that more is always better, but it’s diminishing returns. Few here it seems actually claim to print their work at all, so for them more MPs is just a comfort blanket. Other options also exist to scale up images, although that may not appeal to some.

DuckShots · Dec 6, 2022

we are only as good as our next picture

My drinking buddy.

Ephemeris · Dec 6, 2022

Canon_Guy said:
I think it is a simple decision: if 500mm (+1.4x) is sufficient for your use, take R6II since it is just better camera.

If you will crop significantly, take R5. Just bear in mind that R5 has notably worse noise at 100% at higher ISOs.

Where would I find the noise comparisons at higher ISOs?

Is it a better camera? Is that kind of the question being asked?

DanInSoCal · Dec 6, 2022

The reason there are two different cameras, is because they have different optimal use cases. My favorite analogy is asking, which is the best car, an SUV or a two-seater? Well, it will depend on if you haul stuff more often, or you do twisty roads more often. The choice depends on the work.

I see the R6II as more of an action (high frame rate), low-light (fewer, bigger pixels) body, really good for landscapes and portraits too, but not as good at wildlife (cropping) or highest resolution video.

I am contemplating getting the R6II alongside my R7. I mainly do wildlife, birds, and macro, where I really want lots of pixels on subject, and the R7 is great. But in low light it is deficient, and being a crop sensor, doesn't have as nice of bokeh. So the R6II would fill in the gaps. If I had to choose one it would be the R7. You have a similar choice to make.

Regards,
Dan

BirdShooter7 · Dec 6, 2022

CameraCarl said:
Ordinarily I would say to get the R5, but I talked to a Canon sales rep who said that the new 6D Mark II has two features that I wish were on my R5 or R6: Artificial shutter sound for the fully electronic shutter. And pre burst for RAW images when in electronic shutter mode where the camera stores a number of images in a buffer and saves them as soon as you release the shutter. This way if you aren't fast enough fully pressing the shutter button when a bird leaves the perch, but you had the button half pressed, the camera saves a few pre-shutter release images.

If those features are more important to you than the extra megapixels in the R5, then the R6 Mark II would make more sense.

Unfortunately, the way Canon implemented it is way less useful than it could be.

FarmerPhotos · Dec 6, 2022

R6 mark 2 not mine

CameraCarl · Dec 6, 2022

BirdShooter7 said:
CameraCarl said:

And pre burst for RAW images when in electronic shutter mode where the camera stores a number of images in a buffer and saves them as soon as you release the shutter. .

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, the way Canon implemented it is way less useful than it could be.

In a way hearing that Canon's implementation is less than desirable makes me glad that I do not intend to replace/update my cameras.

Quarkcharmed · Dec 6, 2022

Canon_Guy said:
Canon_Guy said:

For my purposes, having 45Mp is much more important than having 40fps (I don't even need 20).

Click to expand...

OK, no problem with that. Still this thread is not about you and it does not mean it is not a better feature if one owner does not benefit from it.

Exactly, so my question was, you said the R6II is a better camera, but for what exactly?

Canon_Guy said:
Canon_Guy said:

Canon_Guy said:

Canon_Guy said:

Canon_Guy said:

Canon_Guy said:

Canon_Guy said:

If you will crop significantly, take R5. Just bear in mind that R5 has notably worse noise at 100% at higher ISOs.

Click to expand...

Looking at the noise at 100% view is absolutely meaningless

Click to expand...

Not in the case OP would crop a lot. I am just pointing this fact out since when cropping a lot we get closer to the 1:1 so the noise is more apparent.

Click to expand...

You said 'worse noise', so worse than what?

Click to expand...

Worse than without significant cropping.

Click to expand...

Cropping always increases overall noise, it's not something specific to the R5.

Click to expand...

Agreed, that is why I did not write it is specific only to R5. I only pointed that it out that in case of huge crop, noise will be more significant since on a pixel level the noise of R5 is quite pronounced due to the small pixel size.

No, not because of the small pixels, but because you crop that much.

If you crop an R5 image by 75% and an R6 by 75%, you get roughly the same noise in both images, but more resolution with the R5.

Photodog2 · Dec 6, 2022

For your use case, looks like you should also consider the R7. Think about it.

shroob · Dec 6, 2022

Photodog2 said:
For your use case, looks like you should also consider the R7. Think about it.

I have thought about the R7, however, from a number of youtube videos I've seen the rolling shutter and autofocus isn't as good.

Neil Schofield · Dec 6, 2022

shroob said:
Neil Schofield said:

If you shoot BIF, then don’t not overlook or discount the R3, it’s a far superior body in my view, you can use electronic shutter at 30 fps and it locks on and tracks like glue, you will have a wider focus area on the 800f11, and it handles the 100-500 with TCs very well, but most importantly for serious BIF no rolling shutter

Click to expand...

I do shoot BIF sometimes. However, the R3 is 'only' 24 MP, the same as the R6II. It's also quite a bit more expensive. The reason why I'm leaning towards the R5 over the R6II is the extra MP.

It's my understanding the R5 and R6II do not have noticeable rolling shutter.

If you’re using electronic shutter then you will have considerable issues with rolling shutter for serious BIF with All R bodies except the R3, if your using mechanical, then no issues just less fps and no silent shooting

Canon R5 vs R6mII

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