Review of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II: Is It Worth the Upgrade?

After four years, Canon released the EOS R5 Mark II. The second iteration of the successful EOS R5 has received many upgrades. Is it enough for existing EOS R5 owners to make the jump to this newer model? Being such a photographer, I had a look.

Despite some shortcomings, the Canon EOS R5 is a capable camera that, after four years, still holds its place. However, there are a lot of new developments that make the EOS R5 feel a bit outdated. The EOS R5 Mark II received a lot of updates that take the camera to a higher performance level. Before I dive into the test, let’s take a look at some of the EOS R5 Mark II features:

• 45 MP backside-illuminated CMOS sensor
• 30 fps 14-bit lossless compressed RAW with electronic shutter (12 fps with mechanical shutter)
• 6.3 ms sensor readout
• 0.5-second pre-capture ability
• Up to 1/32,000 sec shutter speed with electronic shutter
• Improved eye-control AF
• Autofocus up to -7.4 EV
• In-body image stabilization up to 8.5 stops
• Bright blackout-free OLED EVF with 5.76 million pixels
• Anti-flicker and high-frequency anti-flicker
• Speedlight flash supports electronic shutter
• Multi-function hot shoe
• AI Neural Network upscaling and noise reduction in-camera processing
• Up to 8K 60p RAW video recording and 4K 60p SRAW
• Canon Log 2 and Log 3
• Simultaneous proxy recording at 8K 30p
• Waveform monitor, false color, zebras, and tally lamp
• HDMI Type-A (full size) and HDMI RAW output
• Improved heat dissipation through ventilation openings

The Canon EOS R5 Mark II in Detail

The Canon EOS R5 Mark II has some design upgrades. The body is much sleeker, resembling the Canon EOS R3. The magnify, info, and Q buttons are slightly more raised, making them easier to locate. Perhaps the biggest change is the dedicated movie/stills switch that replaced the power switch. The latter is now located on the right side of the camera.

The large eyecup of the EOS R5 Mark II is striking. However, the viewfinder is not larger and has the same pixel count as the previous model. The extra space is used for the eye-control AF sensors. On top, you find the multi-function hot shoe with an annoyingly difficult-to-remove weather-sealed protection cap.

Canon has replaced the micro-HDMI connector with a full-size HDMI Type-A port. There are two heat vents, one located at the bottom and one next to the connectors, for improved heat dissipation.

The menu has received some minor changes. Each page now has one extra menu item, and an additional group has been added for camera customization. The AF menu has undergone a huge change, which should make it easier to set up autofocus behavior.

The grip is slightly improved, making it more comfortable to hold the camera, although this may be a personal opinion. The camera is nearly identical in dimensions, being only a bit taller. However, the weight is slightly less.

Image Quality

The Canon EOS R5 Mark II has a new backside-illuminated CMOS sensor. It retains the same usable pixel count. However, the sensor has a larger physical pixel count of 50.3 MP, which is used for system functions.

The available ISO range is ISO 100–51,200, expandable to ISO 50–102,400. When looking at the noise performance with the standard in-camera JPEG settings, there is not much difference from the EOS R5.

Correcting a deliberate underexposure can be considered a good measure of the dynamic range. The ISO will have a large influence on the performance. I used ISO 400 for this test, which shows a 4–5 stop recovery room without the noise becoming too intrusive. Again, there is no significant difference from the previous model.

The Canon EOS R5 Mark II allows for JPEG and HEIF images to be upscaled in-camera through the Neural Network. This results in a 179 MP image. Noise reduction is also available. I didn’t test this function, but I wanted to mention the ability.

Autofocus Performance and Frame Rate

The frame rate tops at 30 frames per second with 14-bit lossless compression RAW. It supports full AF and AE capabilities and a blackout-free EVF. Needless to say, this is with the electronic shutter. With the mechanical shutter, the camera is limited to 12 frames per second. The sensor readout is an impressive 6.3 ms, which eliminates most of the dreaded rolling shutter effect. For comparison, the original EOS R5 has a readout speed of 16.3 ms.

The buffer can hold a maximum of 200 JPEG images at maximum frame rate speed or 93 raw images. The real-world amount that can be captured continuously depends on the write speeds of the memory card used and will be more than the mentioned buffer capacity.

The autofocus system received some large improvements. Notable is the Action Priority option, where the autofocus tracking is optimized for soccer, basketball, or volleyball. It is optimized for different action movements for those sports, including joint and ball information. Perhaps more sports will be added with future firmware updates.

The camera allows for specific face priority. You can store up to ten different faces to be recognized and prioritized. Another nice feature is the ability to switch from AF point selection to Servo AF when focus is established.

Setting the focus point can be done with eye-controlled AF. After a one-time calibration step, it is possible to look at the subject, and the AF point will follow. It makes it extremely fast in positioning the autofocus point.

Using the Camera

Being familiar with the EOS R5, the EOS R5 Mark II does not hold a lot of surprises. The most common issue is likely the new location of the power switch. However, this is mostly a matter of getting used to. Just keep in mind not to mistake the movie/still switch for the power switch.

The camera performs well in nearly every situation, ranging from casual use to shooting sports and fast-moving subjects. The autofocus performs well without a doubt, though it requires a bit of a learning curve at first. Even if you’re used to the EOS R5, it is necessary to carefully explore the autofocus options.

The Action Priority mode is a great option that allows for a high hit rate. However, customizing the autofocus options and combining the wrong settings can result in reduced performance. Use the QR code provided in the menu to learn more about the settings.

I find the eye-controlled AF reliable. It performs even better than I remember from testing the Canon EOS R3. Looking at the subject will automatically set the autofocus point. However, the option is not always the best choice. I tend to look at the sides of the frame for composition. In that case, it’s quite annoying to have the autofocus point follow my eye movement.

As always, use the available options in the right situations. This also applies to the faces you can store to prioritize certain people for autofocus. This can be handy in some situations but not always. Having the option available is a great advantage.

I found the autofocus to be very sticky, with a high hit rate. When combined with the 30 frames per second burst rate, this can result in a lot of images to choose from. The EOS R5 Mark II has an automatic selection method when using JPEG/HEIF images. Since I mainly shoot in raw, I didn’t look at that option.

Video Capabilities

I had no opportunity to try out all the video capabilities of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. However, I find it important to mention a few options nevertheless.

Besides the 8K 60p raw recording option, the camera offers a selection of tools to help get the right shot. A waveform monitor, false color, and zebras are available. The camera offers both Log2 and Log3, and there is 24-bit 4-channel audio. The video format includes XF-HEVC S and XF-AVC S with 4:2:2 10-bit.

The menu system for video has received some changes and offers a lot of customization possibilities, such as user-defined profiles. The camera has an HDMI Type-A port, and ventilation is improved. A dedicated grip accessory with a built-in fan is available to further enhance cooling capabilities.

My Conclusion

After a much too short period of time using the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, I find it just as much fun to use as the original EOS R5. There are a lot of changes regarding the setup of the autofocus system. It should be much easier, but it takes time to get used to it if you’re used to the old system.

I didn’t compare the autofocus side by side with the original EOS R5 due to time limitations. The difference is there, but I can’t say if it’s significant or not. The pre-capture function is a great addition and increases the chances of capturing the right moment.

I started with the question of whether upgrading from the EOS R5 to the EOS R5 Mark II is worth it. I don’t think there is a straightforward answer. It all depends on how you use the camera. Let’s take a look at some of the main differences between the EOS R5 and the EOS R5 Mark II:

• 30 fps 14-bit vs. 20 fps 12-bit (electronic shutter)
• 6.3 ms readout vs. 16.3 ms (electronic shutter)
• Up to 1/32,000 sec shutter speed vs. 1/8,000 sec
• Autofocus at -7.4 EV vs. -6 EV
• 6,144-zone metering vs. 384-zone metering
• Full-size HDMI vs. micro-HDMI
• Upgraded AF system with better subject detection
• Eye-control AF
• Pre-capture ability
• Blackout-free EVF with increased brightness
• Longer recording times before overheating

Keep in mind that this list is limited. There are more differences, such as WiFi, USB-C speed, upscaling and noise reduction, the multi-function shoe, Canon Log, and video recording settings.

Looking at this list, I think an upgrade is useful for photographers who use the camera for sports, action, and bird photography. The improved autofocus, increased frame rate, and fast sensor readout are significant upgrades.

If you use the camera for less demanding types of photography, such as weddings, the improvements may be less compelling. The eye-control AF can be great, and prioritizing faces can be helpful. However, depending on how you use the camera, these systems may not always be ideal. For landscape photography, the upgrade offers no real benefit at all.

If you’re planning to upgrade from an EOS R6, EOS R7, or EOS R8, the EOS R5 Mark II will be a no-brainer. I would advise: go for it. However, the original EOS R5 is still a good camera which can be purchased for a significant lower price.

If you own an EOS R5 already, consider the newer options. If you can benefit from it, an upgrade can be a good choice. If the benefits aren’t that beneficial, perhaps you should wait a few years, perhaps for a future Canon EOS R5 Mark III.

What I Like

• 30 fps 14-bit lossless RAW
• Sensor readout of 6.3 ms
• Pre-capture
• Improved AF capabilities
• Eye-controlled AF system
• AF sensitivity increase to -7.5 EV
• Bright blackout-free EVF
• Full-size HDMI Type-A connection
• Waveform and false color for video
• C-log 2 available
• Dedicated video/still switch
• Improved cooling

What I Don’t Like

• Older batteries will limit functions
• Protection cap for multi-function hot shoe difficult to remove
• No possibility to activate pre-capture with custom button
• (Still) no possibility to quickly access exposure bracketing
• Quick access menu two-row design is more difficult to use
• Ideally, a multi-function hot shoe adapter is advised for regular flashes
• IBIS can have a noticeable hum