LUXURY vs NECESSITY | Don't WASTE YOUR MONEY On The WRONG CAMERA! | Canon Wildlife Camera Guide
R3, R5, R6 Mark II, R7, R8 & many more. There are almost endless options available for wildlife shooters in the Canon line up, but which camera is the best bang for your buck and will give you the best results?
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This is the Equipment I recommend:
Canon EOS R5 amzn.to/2FV1Fpq
Canon EOS R6 amzn.to/3qOtEbQ
Nikon Z9 amzn.to/3GeMscb
Sony Alpha 1 amzn.to/2WsXKYZ
Canon RF 100-500 L IS amzn.to/3liEIx0
RF Extender 1.4x amzn.to/3bMD5nO
RF Extender 2x amzn.to/3cuMdwD
Sony FE 200-600 amzn.to/3faCMVj
Sony 1.4x TC amzn.to/2WsXMA5
RF 800 F11 amzn.to/3ldq6Pr
RF600 F11 amzn.to/3bIBrDJ
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV amzn.to/2ToffWf
Canon 600 L IS III (I have v. II) amzn.to/3dZM7wn
Canon EF 5.6/400 L amzn.to/2AJwbQk
Canon 1.4x TC III amzn.to/2T7vAhz
Canon 2x TC III amzn.to/3fPnYdr
Canon 600 EX - RT amzn.to/3czhDRf
Wimberley Head II amzn.to/3dOuqzI
Gitzo 5543LS (new version of my tripod) amzn.to/3dRfxg3
Gitzo GT2545T Travel Tripod amzn.to/3BSmhXJ
Wimberley Flash Bracket amzn.to/2LweMg5
Wimberley M-6 Extension Post amzn.to/2LxCvfQ
Better Beamer (check for compatibility) amzn.to/2AxbbfF
Flash Battery (Godox & Flashpoint is the same) amzn.to/3fNDWVD
Power Cord amzn.to/3cBJGzt
Y connector amzn.to/2X22zoT
Novoflex STA-SET amzn.to/2y5s1Bt
LensCoat LensHide amzn.to/3bAkoAo
LensCoat Lens Hoodie amzn.to/3fStHiI
Canon 2.8/70-200 II amzn.to/3cArBSB
Canon 4/24-70 amzn.to/2AwjeJE
Canon 4/16-35 L IS amzn.to/3fPqPDb
JBL Clip3 Speaker amzn.to/36225D5
Sandisk Extreme Pro CFexpress Card type B 512GB amzn.to/38FPKHg
Sandisk Extreme Pro amzn.to/2WXKt7n
Panasonic Eneloop Pro amzn.to/2X2SQ1q
Minox 8x43 amzn.to/2Z7YxxQ
Canon LP-E6N amzn.to/3byTSYg
Manfrotto Mini Ballhead amzn.to/3dR2pYm
FStop Gear Sukha Backpack amzn.to/2Q3e4fZ
Atomos Ninja V amzn.to/3GYFV5v
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 So many options!
0:48 Best = Most Expensive?
1:39 Cheap & Small (R100)
2:32 Tiny Creator (R50)
3:45 Old Guard (Eos R & RP)
4:06 Bottlenecks
4:46 Entry Level Wildlife (R10)
6:58 cRAW is Your Friend
7:56 Wildlife Monster (R7)
13:09 Full Frame vs Crop Body
13:51 Small Allrounder (R8)
16:36 "Can do it all" (R6 Mark II)
20:47 Old School (R6)
21:42 Mega Pixels Galore (R5)
26:42 The Ferrari (R3)
31:05 DSLRs
33:09 The Future
34:07 What's The Right Camera For You?
canon camera bodies are very nice but they need to give us 5.6 to 6.3 long telephoto lenses
500 5.6? 600 6.3 ?
@@Convergence33 600 is now more demanding..but it has to be zoom lense like 100-500
@@soumakbinduwildlifei would prefer a cost efficient prime (600 6.3 or 5.6) 100-500 is good as it is, then there is also the 200-800
@@Convergence33 100-500 is good..but i will definitely not choose 200-800 for two reasons..first one is aperture value and 2nd one is no weather sealing
Thats why i would prefer a 600mm prime to accompany the 100-500 😊
Thorough and fair review, Jan. I’m a R5 shooter for the 45 mps. The perfect combo for me atm for bird photography is the R5 + F4 600m with 1.4 teleconverter. 🎉 Will rock the R1 when it’s released.
For anyone looking to buy into the canon mirrorless system this is incredibly helpful from Jan. I am an amateur bird photographer and i have an R6, R5 and R7, purchased in that order. The R6 was a quantum leap ahead of my DSLR. I’ve taken some great images with it. However, if I could make my choice now, I’d go with the R7, for me it’s the natural birders camera incorporating great reach with a very good auto focus and image quality. I use it with a EF 100 - 400 mk2 and some times 1.4 extender. And the RF 600, with great reach and results. Ok, I’m not a professional but sometimes I cannot really see too much of a difference between images taken with my R6 and R5. But if I were buying now and budget allowing I’d go R7 and even the RF 100 - 400, a great little lens, brilliant image quality and ridiculously light. The only issue I have with the R7 is that it is very small in my hands and I think the controls on the R6 and R7 are more intuitive.
Canon now has R7 R8 R6II all very solid in its intended purpose and price range but R5 is a bit lagging behind. I honestly think Canon should do an high megapixel like 60mp or even 80mp in R5 price range and separate R5C line.
Thanks for sharing!
I've found this to be very helpful, thanks, as R7 is one I'm currently considering. (Enthusiastic amateur here!)
I’ve spent the past 6 months or so watching your videos and those from many others to decide what camera I want to invest in for when I graduate in a couple weeks. I mainly want to focus on wildlife video and after lots of research I bit the bullet and went with the r3. I really appreciate the videos you’ve made to help me with my decision Jan and can’t wait to take it into the field!
R5 and R6II, for all the reasons you mention. Totally agree.
Nice to see a comprehensive and succinct review of all the canon camera option. Thanks…
I totally agree - the R3 is still the best-feeling camera I've ever shot. It's all personal, but it came as close to perfection in design as possible for me. They were still in short supply, and all those "rumors" came out that the R1 release was imminent, and I sold mine for almost exactly what I paid for it. If I had any idea that we STILL wouldn't have an R1, I would have kept it. My only complaint was the resolution. I sell prints, and I really like being able to crop and still make a respectable size print. If I was taking photos for social media, it would have been pretty much perfect. I got spoiled by the low light performance of the R3's stacked sensor. It's hard to think of the R5 as being the "wrong" camera, especially with the big discounts we've seen recently. But I'm pretty much commmitted to not buying any camera in the future unless it has a stacked sensor.
Thanks so much, Jan for a succinct but complete summary of the features and differences and pros/cons. I use an R5 mostly for wildlife. I moved from the Fuji system a couple of years ago when it seemed Fuji was just not going to invest to compete with the AF of the others. I love my R5 and look fwd to using the new 200-800 that’s coming soon. I will trade in my 600 f11. I don’t really need more pixels but am hoping the r5 II will offer some AF improvements and maybe a stacked sensor. When I want a bit more reach with my r5 I shoot in 1.6x mode which essentially gives me apsc reach and pixel count. I have been so confused about the differences between all the canon lineup and really appreciate your style of explaining and comparing all of the models. I do have a bit of lens envy of some Nikon and Sony friends lenses (weight, reach, and speed). But, overall, happy and hopeful and excited to see future lens and body releases from canon.
Very well explained, thank you Jan!
Brilliant and balanced overview of the Canon range
Thank you for the video. Reading the title, I thought you would be talking little about the advantages of DSLRs! I’m a hobbyist and committed to DSLRs forever. I make my living from other sources therefore; photography is purely a passion for me. And I find my time-tested pro DSLRs more than enough to meet my needs. Granted, these cameras lack some of mirrorless camera features however; they have some distinct advantages as well. Most important of them all is the OVF advantage which enables me to see my subjects and their movements at the speed of light. Thus I capture fast actions instantly. Second is the ergonomics. I know the cameras are heavy but they didn’t suddenly get heavier with the arrival of MILCs. They are nice to hold and can withstand light to medium bumps and shocks well due to strong build quality. The other strength is the battery life. I leave home with fully charged cells quite often carrying no spare ones most of the time and return with thousands of frames captured over the whole day. The cameras I use have great AF feature which is why, this is not an issue. Last but most important, image quality of DSLRs are at least at par with MILCs if not better. I embark on wildlife photography tours with my mirrorless owner friends quite often and my images have never looked inferior. My goto setup for somewhat static subjects is Canon 1D Mark IV + EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II + 2x III. I use it both hand-held and on tripod/monopod. With this combo I’m planning to shoot a sprinting Cheetah after its prey somewhere in Africa soon. My BIF combo is 7D + EF 400mm f/5.6L USM. Another fail-proof rig. I also use three 5D iterations except the last one for street life and landscape photography. In these genres as well my cameras are top-notch. All my cameras have tons of shutter life remaining so, no need to replace them in the next ten years or so. I belong to old school and love this protocol. That’s why I’ve bought a Carl Zeiss 50mm 1.4 manual focus lens recently and just love using it. Instead of wasting money on unnecessary gears, I divert those personal budgets for wildlife safaris at a home and abroad. I returned home from Nepal just a month ago with hundreds of Asian One-horned Rhino, Sambar Deer, Marsh Mugger Crocodile, Ghorial, Blue Peafowl, Woolly-necked Stork photos and shots of many other birds - all captured with my Old Gold gears. Did I mention capturing some optic white serene Himalayan Peaks as well on a golden morning? Many of my friends are ready to pay me hefty amounts for prints of some of these images. But I offer them the files as gifts on pen drive and ask them to print those themselves from reputed studios. Sorry for the long deliberations. Thanks again.
Another great and super informative video Jan! For what it's worth I like my combo of an R7 for its great reach and the R5 for general usage and anytime there might be some action. However I'm keeping a close eye on the R5 mk II. If it has a stacked sensor I would be very tempted as the rolling shutter effects including all the warping and wobbling are a pain on the R5 and even more on the R7
I bought the R6mk2 i februar this year. I´am more than happy with it, upgrading from a D5mk2. Selv om 24 mp is enough i most circumstances am I looking forward to the R5mk2. Must be a dream combination with the new RF 200-800. 🤩
Thanks Jan, I live in FL but take 2 or 3 month long trips all over North America. I am one of the many, I think 🙄, coming from DSLR world. I had Nikon D7100 and many prime/zoom lenses. LOVED that camera and system, have taken 1000's of shots and filled many peoples living rooms with shots of National and Provinicial Parks from the west. So after doing due diligence and researching MANY MANY videos and 'in the field' actual shots I decided to go mirrorless with the R6 Mark II. I took it to a National Park near me and all I can say is WOW!!!!!!!. I took about 150 frames in idiot mode and was COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY!!!!!! VERY impressed with results, my wife could not get over it. So I am glad I watched videos like yours and I am VERY glad to have upgraded. Most of my photography is of epic landscapes but I also do wildllife, Grizzly Bears and Elk, large mega-fauna but I think I have caught the Bird bug . . . . LOL oh no 😖 So I will be watching more of your videos and looking into your master classes as I now prob need to pick up some major Zoom lenses, in the past I have never needed more than maybe 300mm or so, but now I have caught the excitement bug again as when I first got into photography back in 2013. Just wanted to say hello to everyone and to thank you for your very informative videos 👍👍
Thanks for sharing! The differences are huge these days
Hi Jan! Great informative reviews. I shoot mostly with the R5 and think it is the greatest camera so far. I also have an R7 and have a bit of a love/hate relationship. When hiking long distances I have a M6ii and just love it for landscapes and large animals like bighorn sheep. I am not waiting anxiously for a new body for the first time in twenty years. I’m sure the R5ii will be an exciting upgrade but I won’t rush in as my kit is serving me well. Thanks again for your great videos and beautiful photography.
I upgraded from a 6D to an R6 MkII and am very pleased with its performance. The only body I would potentially upgrade to at this point would be the R5 MkII when that comes out, but right now I feel like I have an excellent camera in the R6MKII, for wildlife photography, macro photography, portraits, landscapes and video.
Thanks for the excellent review of the Canon R bodies. I currently shoot with an R5 as my main body, but an R7 is my backup and I sometimes bring it out when I think the bit of extra "reach" might be helpful.
13:04 really shows the quality of the 2x teleconverter. Beautiful!
I love my R5, but just picked up the wonderful little R8 as an IR and backup body.
EOS R7 + R6 ii at the moment: R7 for reach, R6 ii for low light, ultrawide. Both for video + photo. Your review fits well to my experince in both cameras and the rest of the bunch (for me, the rest only after specs/controls/battery): good capabilities, moderate prices (on the higher side of the spectrum) all used with older and more or less simple EF glass which works very well with these advanced cameras!
Great summary! I use the R5 as my primary and R6 Mk II as my backup, Waiting for R5 Mk II.
I've shot with my R5 since it was first released, mainly doing landscape (and I love it), then I got an R3 this last October to shoot a skateboard event; OMG, what a beast of a camera! It takes everything you throw at it!
Very helpful indeed. I got an R7 because it's light weight, puts lots of pixels on the subject (I usually can't get close enough), and because its autofocus is supposedly better than the 7D2. So far, I haven't figured out how to unlock that better AF performance.
Great video. Thanks for this very complete walk through. I‘m currently using the r7 and r6m2 for all the reasons you have mentioned. R7 in combination with the 100-500 delivers up to 800mm with 32mp and f7.1 which is pretty amazing. The r6m2 i‘m using for eveything else like landscape and macro and also when i‘m traveling „light“ and only take one body with me.
Great to hear!
Big R7 fan here. I came to Canon from a different brand so the location of the wheel wasn't a big deal. I was learning new button layouts regardless of which camera system I bought. 10 months into my journey with the R7 and I am thrilled with it and the Canon RF lenses. 100-500 for a wildlife photographer is an excellent lens. The 24-105 F4 is also a great lens. I will say the 105mm Macro is an excellent lens but I liked the 105mm Macro from my prior brand better. It just had that "something" that is missing in the Canon lens. The 16mm F2.8 is a lot better lens than its price would suggest. Overall, happy.
I have an R3 and R5. Love both
Thanks for this video - very helpful. Will be looking into your Prosets now, is a great style. Thanks again.
Awesome, thank you!
Such a great and informative video as always Jan, thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it
Great breakdown, especially acknowledging that most folks can’t afford the latest and greatest.
Thanks for the Canon product comparison, Jan! I own two R5s. Reasons why I chose R5 from Canon's current lineup are the following reasons: abundant buffer, writing speed of CFexpress Type B card, easy operation of 3 dials and joystick, and 45Mpx trimming tolerance. Canon is expanding its lineup with subtle product differentiation, but I think the three dials and joystick should remain in all models.Of course, I have high expectations for the R5 Mark II!
Agreed!
Yan, I think you nailed it. Congrats ! Like you, the R5 is the best choice. 45mp images is a must if you want to crop on small birds like I do. You explained the differences between each camera very well. This video is a reference for those looking for Canon cameras. Very well done !
Glad you enjoyed it!
R7 wins in 90% of scenarios in my opinion. The only issues i have with it are no 4k120 and id like a stacked sensor for faster readout. i still shoot electronic 90% of time though without issue. The 4k60 crop mode is fantastic though. The biggest argument against the r7 is the about 1 stop difference in noise levels between it and full frame and dof. However lets say you have a R7 with 100-500 and a R5 with 100-500 side by side. A bird pops out on a branch 20 yards away. Both camera are at 500mm and other settings the same. Take the photo and on the r7 and you dont need to crop, or just a minimal crop, and on the r5 youre cropping a ton to get the same framing and make the subject big enough in frame. Youve lost the noise advantage and your image is less detailed because it has way less pixels on subject. "But what if you dont have to crop then the R5 will be better" If you dont have to crop with the r5 at 500mm then you could zoom the R7 out to 300~mm and be at 2/3rd of a stop faster than the r5 at 500. This basically eliminates dof and noise advantage of ff. Or you dont zoom out and you get way more pixels on subject and have a tighter shot. On the r5 you dont have that option. Reach is king for me with wildlife photography. Im going to use that extra 300mm equivalent i get from the r7 a lot more than ill miss the 60mm i lose on the short end.
Sounds reasonable! But I hate canon for completely botching the layout of the buttons there, the original 7d and the mk2 were professional cameras, the smaller sensor made it more valuable for certain tasks. What were they thinking by placing the thumb wheel on top there? Wtf, I think canon really wants to force their customers to buy their full frame cameras.
@@Universal_Craftsman pretty much everyone I've talked to who's used a R7 actually loves the wheel placement. I love the position because my thumb is in perfect position to use it
@@TheMrNeffels I see your point, but I reckon it's quite odd, for people that used a 5d and a 7d in the past, witch had similar layouts, now a r7 feels completely different from an r5 I guess, I didn't had a chance to try them yet, because it will take a few years until I can afford them second hand. I also don't know why they didn't get rid of the vertical thumb wheel completely and made a horizontal thumb wheel like the Sony A73 has, but I guess the vertical thumb wheel with the joystick in the middle saves more space though. Off course some changes might be necessary, because also the way we use the cameras changed. Perhaps Canon wanted to field test the new design on the r7, and keep it the same for the "professional" bodies, so if people don't like the new design Canon doesn't get too much flak for it, and people hating on the r7 isn't that big of a deal for them. Maybe if the new design catches on they will release the r5 mk2 etc with it. But they could have given the r7 more buffer and overall better specs so it would be a professional aps-c camera, and make a different version for general people and hobbyists.
My opinion: disagree. As Jan states, it depends on what you want to do. I use a 600mm fixed focal length and am switiching between full frame and crop mode on the r5 all the time. For me it would be a downgrade to not have the full frame option on a 600. If you are on zoom lenses it would be fine.. or if you are far every time.
That gorgeous Sunbird at 12:41. Love it!
I have been using R5 and R7 for bird photography. The next model I am looking forward to is R7 Mark II with autofocusing and image quality comparable to R6 Mark II. For bird photography, a good APSC sensor with 40MP+ is a no-brainer.
When would the R7 Mark II be on the market? Can't you switch the R5 to photograph in APS-C mode (even with FF lens)?
@@thierryhoornaert9950 R5 in APS-C mode has only 17.5 MP (= 45/1.6^2) but R7 has 33 MP.
Great comparison. Video. I have the R3 for birding. It works great and I crop photos. I understand more pixels the better but what are you doing the the finished product. My previous camera canon 1D mark 2 n… 8.2 meg and I printed to A3 no problems. R3 at 24 meg cropped easily prints at A3… if you put on line you have to drop the file size even further. If you want bill board size photos go for the R5. Either way canon forever.
Thank you for the great review.
Love my R8. Currently in Japan on holidays shooting with my R8 and the RF IS F4 L series lenses (14 - 35, 25 - 105 and 70 - 200) and my 50mm 1.2 L. Covers everything that I need and producing some amazing photos and a very nice lightweight setup.
Thinking about getting one as a Christmas gift for myself. I can get the R6II, but the size and price of the R8 are both very tempting, Considering pairing it with RF24 1.8 and maybe RF85 2.0. How is the battery life on yours, this is my main concern.
@@KonicaHexanon whatever you buy get full frame, apc is too cropped and most are horrible in the dark
Thanks for this comparison video. I shoot with the R6ii an a RF100-500 as my go to lens. Thought I would like more megapixels, this seems to be my best value for now. Maybe when the R5ii is out, the R5s will drop in price. But for now I’ll concentrate on my skill and glass. Thanks again.
Hello Jan! Great Video. One thing you have forgot about the original R6 is that you can shot something like 200 pictures in raw before the buffer fills up. This (and the money) was one big reason for me to pick up an R6 instead an R6 Mark II. Cheers mate ^^
Hello, I'm glad you recommend the Canon R5 because that's what I have 😉. So thank you for the recommendations. I agree with you that the R5 is a very good compromise. I'm taking photos of birds and 45 mp is needed to frame the photo. Thank you for a good episode. Regards.
Thanks for the comprehensive review. Currently, have a 5d ii, a 1n RS and an R. Even after watching this I'm torn. Love the ergonomics of the R3, love the sensor in the R5. I'm leaning towards waiting to see what will be released in 2024.
Excellent overview, Jan.! FYI, in the US (anywhere else?) the Canon R5 is currently on sale at a BIG discount... $900 off, which reduces the price to $2999! When Canon does really large discounts like this, it often signals they are clearing the shelves to make way for a new model coming soon. So I suspect we will be hearing about about an R5 Mark II in the not too distant future... probably by the end of February 2024 at the latest. Personally I don't think this should take the current R5 out of consideration... it's still a great camera! Jan, something you only slightly touched upon was a key difference between an APS-C (i.e., R7) and full frame (i.e., R6II, R5) is that the latter will require much larger, heavier, more expensive lenses! When choosing a camera, one should carefully consider the entire system. Finally, it still baffles me why Canon felt the need to come up with a unique control layout for the R7. Because I use a combination of crop and full frame cameras, I much.prefer their controls be as similar as possible so that switching back and forth between them is as seamless as possible. It is also disappointing to me that the R7 isn't able to be fitted with a battery grip. Particularly because the R7's footprint isn't all that different than the R6/R6II/R5, Canon should have made the R7 able to share the BG-R10 grip available for use on them. But, hey, these are just my personal gripes. These may be no bother at all to other users.
I was in doubt for a long time for a mirrorless camera. The ones I was considering were R6, RP and R8. Since then I was researching a bit because I would like to make photo's from concerts, nature, people and wildlife. After that I chose the R6 and I'm happy with that. I'm having 24-10 f4-7.1 stm and 50mm f1.8 stm as the beginners lenses and would like the expand them in near futuere to 24-70mm f 2.8 and 70-200mm f2.8. 😊
I own both R5 and R7, shooting mainly R7 because of higher pixel density/more effective reach. Would love to add a STACKED APS-c camera similar to R7 in future, but for now quite happy with my R7+100-500mm combo.
Same here
Simply, excellent review! Congratulations!
Glad you liked it!
Very nice video. I have the 5D IV and R5. I’m waiting for R5 II. Like your R6 insights.
My upgrade from the Canon DSLR (EOS 6D) was the R6 and this was a huge step forward. The AF is so much better than the DSLR's i had before (550D, 70D, 6D), and with better AF, the performance of all lenses will be improved. For me it is a perfect camera, because i can adapt my EF-Lenses and i do not need more than 20 Mpx. Just now the rebates for the R6 are great, 1400€ in Germany. But regardless your choice, it is a good time to go into the R-System, because one can purchase toe "old" cameras for much lower price.
Great video Jan :) In spite of all its weaknesses, and their are several, the R7 is pretty much my only choice, as I just really need the reach. Anxious for an upgraded R7... Mk II ? But I know that could be quite some time. So for now, I'll just have to keep working with my R7's, which isn't exactly a bad thing :) LOVE my R7's ;) Oh btw, I think it should be mentioned, that the R7 puts more pixels on the bird, than ANY other body, crop, or FF, from any brand, twice that of the 45mp R5.
I use the R for landscape and the R7 for wildlife. 32 MP seems to be the sweet spot for me.
Great video Jan! Canon has agreat line up of body choices... The best thing Canon did was give us great eye detect AF by putting DigicX on all of its bodies except the R100. I use the knock out combo of the R7 and R5 along with the 100-500 and RF1.4x for my birding. Award winning results!
Awesome, thanks for sharing
Just got the R7 as my first camera and paired it with the RF 100-400. Mainly because I love birds (and I trusted the reviews). But I am already missing the third wheel for ISO on the back even if I never had a camera before that one. Maybe that is something I have to get used to. The eye focus is really a no-brainer and it works great. Of course, it has its limitations but as a nonprofessional, I'd rather have a not-perfect picture than no picture at all.
Great video. I'm looking to upgrade to mirrorless soon- I still shoot on a crop sensor DSRL (Rebel T7i). I've had my eyes on the R6 ii but I worry about the megapixels. I shoot mostly birds and I've gotten so used to my 150-600mm lens on a crop sensor body where I still end up cropping in all the time. As much as I've always wanted a full frame for getting into portraits or street photography, I'm worried about losing reach. Makes me really consider saving for an R5
This was an excellent review. I am currently using the R7 for all of my photography. I like to shoot wild life but I also like to shoot landscapes. I am hoping to extend my kits to include the R6 MkII sometime in the future. Thanks for the review.
Glad you enjoyed it. The R6 II would be an excellent compliment and would allow for wider landscapes shot, too
Since 2022 got back into Canon with a R5 + R3. Like them both and use them for different applications. I like the controls on the R3 better though.
Very nice and detailed comparison! Probably the best video for Canon mirrorless lineup out there. Great work! For me personally, I still love using my 5Dmk3. There's something about the EVF that I just can never get used to. Result wise, using mirrorless can definitely get great photos much much easier than DSLR. While the mirrorless AF ability is truly amazing, the eye tracking kinda feels like cheating and takes some of the fun away from me. As a 10+ year DSLR user, if I'm enjoying operating DSLR a lot, I'm just going to stick with it, until I really feel the need for a mirrorless in the future. This reminds me of driving auto car vs manual car, they essentially achieve the same thing. But eventually the future is going to be mirrorless as technology advances.
After several DSLRs I started into Canon mirrorless first with the M5 and then upgraded to the RP from my first ever full frame. I loved it but the frames per second and auto focus couldn't keep up with sports so 2 years ago I got the R6 and have been very pleased with it. That being said I just upgraded last week to the R6ii mostly because I shoot a lot of horse portraits and horse show jumping and after a year of waiting for Canon to add horses to their animal I detect in the original I gave up and bought the r62 for that. So far I'm very impressed. Now I just have to sell my R6 to help cover some of the cost....
Thank you for the video
Really informative. I’m thinking for my budget and travel/ buildings the R8 or possibly the R7 will do. The main challenge is the shortage of r to ef mounts as I have lots of ef lenses including 3 great L zooms.
A good overview of the different cameras. I have recently made the switch from a 7D mk ii as its showing it's age and starting to have issues. Got the R7 and RF 100-400. So light and easy to hold compared to my old setup with the 7D mk ii and EF 100-400 L. Couple of visits to the airport and I have been very happy with it. Looking at either the R6 mk ii or R8 to replace a 6D as my second camera.
Your example bird shots are amazing
Thank you so much 😀
R5 is just amazing!
A great Video! I use a Canon M50, and I use small birds like you often, so my next choice is Canon R8.
I love my R5 for the 45mp.
Me2
Fantastic video, Jan, with a wealth of useful information! It should really help people looking to get into more serious photography, or enter the Canon world. I am in the second camp, coming from Pentax for many years. I wanted to get into wildlife photography, and a used R7, with its high-res sensor and amazing AF made a lot of sense. I paired it with a used EF 70-300 L-series, and the results are really blowing my mind! Like you said, the AF of these mirrorless cameras makes wildlife photography effortless, compared to a traditional DSLR, especially without stabilization in the lens. Again, great video, and thanks for the advice!
Thanks for sharing!
I currently only have an R7 since I’m mostly into bird photography. But I’m getting an R8 as an everyday camera for its R6m2 full frame sensor. Once the R5m2 comes out, I’ll decide whether or not to upgrade.
Thanks for the well organized comparison and description of pros and cons for each of the many mirrorless camera bodies on the market from Canon. Planning an upgrade from my 10yr old EOS Rebel T3i, which was my first and only DSLR, I've felt overwhelmed with choices and many cameras feeling like they offer similar specs at wildly different prices. Your video helped confirm my initial choice, the R6 Mark II is probably the best all around option for me and fits my budget without splurging for top of the line features I'll rarely use, such as 8k video. Plus with that extra $1k savings I can invest in an extra lens or accessories. Good video. You've got a new subscriber!
Thanks! Yes hard to go wrong with an R6 II
I have the R7 and the R5 but I tend to lean towards the R7. I mainly shoot wildlife and it has just been amazing for that for me. I do like the R5, but just don't use it as much...maybe now with the 200-800mm lens coming out, I'll use it more!
I have the R7 and R8 currently and will be getting the R5 Mark II as long as it has the stacked sensor. Ideally dual CFE slots instead of the combo.
Great review Jan, thanks for that. A bit off topic, but when you edit (c)raw files how do you know that the colors aren’t too much compared to real life?
I still use my original EOS R + 100-400mm mk ii (+ extender 1.4x iii). I get amazing results with this gear, even with its obvious limitations. I find it difficult to upgrade to some body less capable than the R5. I don't want to lose the amazing 30MP full-frame sensor, so not even the R6ii is appealing to me. But the R5 is still expensive (both new and second hand), so I'll have to wait a bit more.
I found the Battery grip from the RP fits and works perfectly with the R8
Thx Jan for a most informative video on the Canon EOS R series of mirrorless cameras. After watching this video and a few others, I opted for a refurbished R5 from the Canon Store for the amazingly low price of $2100 recently. I paid more than that for my original R6 body. Am thoroughly enjoying the R5 and set it up for back button auto focus using your YT video recommendations for back button auto focus. Works great. Always enjoy your videos.
Awesome, enjoy!
I'm now using an R7 up from a 70D. Love it. Esp the eye tracking for birds. Even some reasonable landscapes on it. Haven't tried fungi as yet. Budget was a huge factor in my decision
Thanks for sharing
Jan there is a vertical grip available for the R8 it is the same one as the RP and it hooks up in the same way as RP which is made by vello . The R8 which is a good camera for the dollar like what you said .
This was an excellent video! I am curious why you suggest a R8 over the first R6
I have been using R6 for 2+ years. It has taken great photos most of the times however there are some issues I have learnt about it with extensive experience. When on H+ highest frame rates, the image quality is unacceptable and it also misses the autofocus, also if your background is busy even with great light it misses most of the times. 20MB is also a limitations, though pictures are fine for social media, for tiny birds the images are too small to be used for printing. I did test the R5 and I agree with Jan on the heating issue. I tend to leave my camera switched on when exploring for birds and R5 was getting heated up even on standby mode. Hence I decided to wait for R5 Mark2. If R3 was closer to 45MB it was a no brainer...so may be R1 will be R5 sensor+R3 capabilities :)...so I wait..
I have a 90D (basically a DSLR version of the R7, except the Digic X eye tracking (which does not always work properly on all animals by the way) and some functions of course) and the crop factor of the sensor is really what I like the most because of that extra reach. Sure, an R5 is nice. But it is still just 17 megapixel when cropped down to APS-C. Just because the specs look impressive does not mean the camera is impressive for ones own use. Great video.
I have used 90D for 2-3 years now. Amazing camera especially if you plan to shoot macro. With EF 100mm F2.8 L and it's super fast focusing and is crisp sharp, it's been a joy to use PLUS given the crop factor it works like a 160mm macro. That being said I do agree that if you are getting into the field and the budget allows it - mirrorles cameras and lenses might be a better long term solution. If you do not have the budget a used DSLR might be perfect. Also I do like the ergonomics - it is right for my hand size that I can use it one handed as for the new super small bodies if paired with a heavier lens this becomes impossible.
Saying the 90D is basically like the R7 is really doing the R7 a huge disservice. I owned the 90D and replaced it with the R7 and, while the AF on the R7 is at times not comparable with that of the higher-end R cameras, it runs circles around that of the 90D. Even when the eye tracking doesn't catch the subject (which may happen on every R camera, btw), the AF will recognize the subject and track it a lot better than the 90D could ever do.
@@AndresGarcia-hu8ij You're right of that. I own both the 90D and R7. The 90D is still a capable camera that is still able to do amazing things the R7 could do just as well.
Currently shoot with a R6/R7 combination. Came over after using Pentax my entire life (:sigh:), started with the R6. All Pentax cameras have ibis so that was a priority. I like them both in tandem. They each excel at a particular area: R6 (low light, full frame), R7 (action, megapixels, video). I like them both over having just one R5. I have been thinking about the R5ii… but each time I think about what kinds of features I’d be looking for, the specs continue to just reflect the R5i. I really do think that 40sMP is the sweet spot. 60MP and I start to wonder if my M1 Max MacBook can keep up with that. I have zero video concerns. These might just be the cameras until the next gamechanger type of body comes out. I think I’d probably upgrade a lens before I upgrade the camera. Canon really has an amazing lineup! If I didn’t have the R6 first, I’d probably instead go with a R7/R8 combo. Really only the battery and I really don’t like the RP body (wish they chose to put it in the R10 body!!)
Highly agreed! I found myself on the R6 lineup. After moving from the 7D to the 1DmkIV, 5DmkIII, 6D (first with the wifi), and 5DMKIV, the R6's have been amazing. The R6 has a short time of launching 2 years, and you can keep the technology and quality up to date. Not mentioning it paired with the RF glass. ...I regret not to pick up the R6mkII soon it was launched.
It's going to be interesting what the specs of the R5II and R1 are going to be. I'm really curious to see if spending much more on the R1 could be justified if the specs were in a different league than R5II, especially for smaller birds and birds in flight.
I’m seriously considering a R6 MK II soon. Was looking at the R5, but I think it’s more than I really need as photography is just one of my hobbies. I’ve had a 60D for the past 12 years and am finally looking to upgrade. I’ll wait for the CES in just over a week to see if Canon releases the R5 MKII, but I think I”ll end up with the R6 MK II and the 24-105 L lens. Will also get the EF to R adapter so I can still use my 100mm Macro L lens and a couple others I have from my 60D.
I currently have the R7 as my first mirrorless. Its more of a replacement for the 90D than the 7D2 level. Will purchase the R1 if its at least 45 MPix, otherwise I will wait for the R5ii Great video- as always.
Coming from the 70D which served me very well to the mirrorless range I was torn between the R8 & R6ii. Went with the 6 and have loved every minute of it. The feel of the R8 just didn’t sit with me which was actually the deciding factor. Everything else was an added bonus.
Thank for sharing
Love my R6 Mk2 a great camera.
I have an R7, love the reach .. if budget permits would love an R5, maybe a second hand one
Since my action subjects, dragonflies, are not there during winter, I sold my R5 and kept the R8. When spring starts I can see if I keep going with the R8 or get the much rumoured R5II. I miss the buffer, CFe and the joystick, but the much more reliable AF in the R8 makes up for that.
Do you think R8 and R6 mark ii have same auto focus performance?
@@nk-oi3oo I don’t have an R6II to compare with, but they have the same sensor, processor and focus algorithms.
@@KoenKooithanks for the reply, also wondering if R8 has wide autofocus with 600 f11 and 800 f11 like R6 mark ii does or it is narrow box?
There's a workaround for the R8's battery grip, You can use the Vello Battery grip for the eos RP
I have an R7 now and I Will probably go for an R5mII if it’s affordable for me. If not I’ll try to get a good bargain on an R5. I have had R6 as my full frame body and was pleased with that except for the low resolution. I want to shoot wildlife and landscapes primarily. Great video for newcomers, but I have followed your channel for 2 years. I do agree very much on your recommendations. Thank you.
Sounds like a good plan
Great video 💯💯💯💯
Great video as always Jan! I’ve been using the R7 for more than a year now and it is a great camera, but I’ve finally invested in an R5 which will hopefully arrive soon, looking forward to the 45 mp and improved dynamic range!
Great overview of all the choices. As primarily a landscape shooter who also loves to try my hand at wildlife, the R5 is the camera I picked back in 2020 and it has been a magnificent body ever since. At this point I would only see myself upgrading to another version of the same body, whether that is the upcoming R5 Mk II or perhaps the iteration after that one it is hard to say. I find the RF 100-500 used with that body is a great walk about combo, although it can be a little short for smaller birds. I may consider adding the RF 200-800 at some point in the future.
Thanks for sharing!
This has been really helpful. I know nothing really about Canon cameras and on doing a bit of homework on them recently have been considering the R7 or the R6 mk11. I use Fuji X-T5 at the moment and I want something with faster/more accurate AF for a start. However, there is one thing that I don't quite understand and it is causing me to hesitate - the Fuji has pre-shot which saves each image as a separate file, but I understand that the Canon saves them all to one single file - not sure how that works when viewing on a pc? I like to get my photos into File Explorer and delete what I don't want from there first, before editing the rest in another prog. Can I still do it that way with the Canon pre-shot images?
My first camera was the original R6, which is a great camera, but I bought an R5 6 months ago. The R5 miles ahead of the R6. That 45mp is so good for wildlife. I'm looking forward to seeing what the R5 Mk2 is going to be like. Thanks Jan, great vid 👍
Same here, after switching to the R5 it is hard to imagine going with less megapixels.
Would you say it’s just the megapixels that separates the two or is there other things that you’d say are miles ahead? asking because I I bought an R6 a little while ago.
@@stevemoore-vale5632 I also owned the R6 before getting the R5. Yes, the MP really make a significant difference in how much you can crop an image.
@@ElBoyoElectronico coming from a 5d4 I do miss the cropping ability but the autofocus is such a step forward from what I had.
Thanks for sharing
I'm still rocking my original R6 that I purchased 3 years ago. I do feel like I want more reach and/or more megapixels, but I can't quite swing the higher price of the R5. The R7 is tempting because of the reach, but in all other ways, for me, my original R6 still rocks. I never have overheating issues, the autofocus is always amazing, burst speeds are really good, and battery life is long enough. Eventually I'll upgrade (the current sale price on R5 is quite tempting - I suspect a successor is coming very soon), but for now, my money is probably better spent on glass.
Great summary as always, Jan 😊. I’m delighted with my R6mkii - I guess if Canon produced a 32mp full frame body it would be the sweet spot for me… Personally I’d rather they concentrate on some new lenses to match up with Nikon’s new offerings ! ( 600mm f6.3 🙏)
Always so torn between the two, canon has great mid range bodies, while Nikon is blowing it out the water with their lenses.
Hoping for this lens, too!
Your bird photos are truly impressive! If you ever happen to come across the ditch to NZ for a visit, be sure to go to Tiritiri Matangi Island. I have a 5D Mark III, 40D and a 1v, and recently took the plunge into mirrorless with the R8. I've been more than impressed by the R8 (particularly considering its price), and it easily outperforms the 5D in terms of its autofocus and low-light capabilities. This probably isn't a surprise given that there's more than a decade between these bodies. For me, the R8's main shortcomings are the lack of the quick display on top of the body to quickly review my settings (something the R6 also lacks) and IBIS (but I've never had that before anyway so I figured I could survive without it). Most of the other things people mention about the R8, such as the little battery, loss of mechanical shutter, joystick, etc, I've adapted to extremely quickly. If I had a *lot* more disposable income, I'd be holding out for the R5 Mk II for sure.
I'll be in NZ in June/July this year and Tiritiri Matangi is one of my first stops on the list. Just picked up an R6 excited to see how it performs on the trip.
@@slevitron1543 I hope you have a great trip!
Im still using my EOS 6D i love it
concise but informative video as usual Jan ! btw, are you based out of QLD ? up north cairns ? the birds I see in your videos are not found in Victoria. it is so tempting to visit QLD to see different birds and flora.
I live at the Sunshine Coast
Don't forget the R5c, can do up to 8k60 with caveats, but technically the R5 is not the only 8k cam with canon. Great vid.
HolaJan, puedes orientarme por favor, me gusta sobre todo la fotografía macro y de paisaje y estoy indeciso entre la R6II y R5, puedes orientarme. Muchas gracias.