Canon announces EOS R5 with 8K RAW video recording and HEIF photos

The latest mirrorless cameras from Canon are aimed at professional vloggers and content creators meant to compete directly with Sony's and Nikon's existing offerings. The flagship EOS R5 can shoot 8K RAW video and has up to 20fps image capture speeds, while the cheaper EOS R6 packs many of the same features for half the price.

These cameras are in direct competition to the Nikon Z7 and Nikon Z6 we reviewed previously. The 2019 EOS R model did not stack up against the competition, but these new cameras offer new specs and what seems to be a better build quality at first glance.

EOS R5

The flagship mirrorless camera sports a 45 megapixel full-frame sensor and is capable of shooting images at 12fps with the mechanical shutter and 20fps with the electronic shutter. This is faster than most cameras in its class on the market. The other major feature for this model is 8K RAW 10-bit 4:2:2 video recording with 5-axis in-body image stabilization.

The EOS R5 body retails for $3,899. Pre-orders are open now and will ship on July 30.

Additional features of the EOS R5

• ISO range of 100-51200
• 1,053 automatic autofocus zones
• Eye, face, and head detection autofocus
• Animal detection
• 5GHz and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
• One SD card slot and one CF express card slot
• Shoot images in HEIF, JPEG, and RAW

EOS R6

The cheaper option, but by no means cheap or limited, is the EOS R6. It has a 20.1 megapixel full-frame sensor and can also shoot at 12fps with the mechanical shutter and 20fps with the electronic shutter. Canon boasts that this model has the same base image sensor and image processor as the EOS-1DX Mark III.

The biggest differentiator for this model is the lack of 8K video recording. The EOS R6 can record in 4K 60fps 10-bit 4:2:2 and has the same 5-axis in-body image stabilizer.

The EOS R6 body retails for $2,499. Pre-orders are open now and will ship on July 30.

Additional features of the EOS R6

• ISO range of 100-102400
• 1,053 automatic autofocus zones
• Eye, face, and head detection autofocus
• Animal detection
• Built in Wi-Fi and bluetooth
• Dual SD card slots
• Shoot images in HEIF, JPEG, and RAW

New RF Lenses

• RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM for $2,699
• RF600mm F11 IS STM for $699
• RF 800mm F11 IS STM for $899
• RF85mm F2 MACRO IS STM for $599

Just as with the Sony and Nikon offerings, the two new mirrorless cameras are nearly identical in capability with only differences in sensor resolution and video justifying the $1,400 price jump. Canon is offering some top-of-the-line specs this year despite only being in the full-frame mirrorless business since late 2018.