Canon announces new EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II full-frame mirrorless cameras

Canon has announced two new full-frame mirrorless cameras. The Canon EOS R1 is Canon’s new flagship full-frame mirrorless camera. It’s designed for both professional video creators and still photographers who work in areas such as sports, news reporting, and high-end video production. The Canon EOS R5 Mark II is an update on the original R5 which launched back in 2020.

Canon EOS R1

The EOS R1 has a new Canon-designed 24.2 MP full-frame back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor. Canon says it offers 16 stops of dynamic range. In addition, the sensor has fast read-out speeds which Canon says virtually eliminates rolling shutter. The ISO range for video shooting is 100-32,000 (expandable to 204,800). The EOS R1 also features a new DIGIC Accelerator co-processor alongside the DIGIC X processor. Canon says this delivers “incredible processing speed.”

Video resolutions

Canon EOS R1 back view
Image courtesy: Canon

The EOS R1 can shoot in an impressive range of video resolutions. You can internally record full sensor 6K DCI (6000 x 3164 17:9) 12-bit Canon RAW video at up to 60p. Dropping the resolution to 10-bit 4K UHD you can shoot at up to 120p while still capturing audio. At 2K and HD, you can also film at up to 240p for super slow motion. With all of these resolutions you can record in full frame without any crop. In addition, file formats include 4:2:2 10-bit and 4:2:0 8-bit in H264 or H265 with the options to record in Canon Log 2 and Canon Log 3.

Other video features

The EOS R1 has dual CFexpress type B card slots for recording. This means that you can record RAW to one card slot and a lower resolution proxy file to the other. There’s also a full-size HDMI socket for connection to an external monitor. Audio can be recorded in 24-bit 4-channel LPCM or 16-bit 2-channel AAC. The EOS R1 has a built-in microphone and there’s also a 3.5 mm stereo minijack for an external microphone. In addition, there’s a 3.5 mm stereo minijack output for headphones so you can monitor your audio.

Autofocus and IBIS

Canon EOS R1 top view
Image courtesy: Canon

The EOS R1 features Dual Pixel Intelligent autofocus (AF) with cross-type AF points. This means it’s sensitive to both horizontal and vertical details. As a result, the autofocus gives more sensitivity and precision, especially in low light and low-contrast conditions. In addition, the EOS R1 has in-body image stabilization (IBIS), which delivers up to 8.5 stops of stabilization when used with certain Canon R mount lenses.

Other features

The EOS R1 has a vari-angle 3.2-inch LCD with around 2.1 million dots. There’s also a 0.5-inch OLED electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 9.44 million dots. The EOS R1 weighs around 2.5 pounds (1,115 g) including a battery and memory cards. For power, the camera uses Canon’s 2750 mAh LP-E19 battery pack. In addition, there’s built-in Wi-Fi and support for UVC (USB Video Class).

Canon EOS R5 Mark II

The EOS R5 Mark II features a completely new Canon-designed full-frame back-illuminated stacked CMOS 45 MP sensor. Like the R1, the camera is powered by the DIGIC X processor and DIGIC Accelerator coprocessor. The ISO range is 100 to 51,200, expandable to 102,400.

8K video

The EOS R5 Mark II can shoot 12-bit RAW video at 8K resolution, and there is an S-RAW setting for 4K RAW video recording. If you don’t want to shoot RAW, you can also record MP4 video in 8K up to 60p, and 4K up to 120p with audio. For slow motion, full HD can be recorded at up to 240 frames per second. In addition, the EOS R5 Mark II has a CFexpress type B slot and an SD card slot, which means you can record proxy files together with RAW recordings.

Canon EOS R5 Mark II top
Image courtesy: Canon

Other video features

The menus on the EOS R5 Mark II now feature the same terminology as Canon’s Cinema EOS cameras. This will make it easier to use the camera alongside Cinema EOS cameras such as the EOS C400. The EOS R5 Mark II also offers Canon Log 2 and Canon Log 3 recording for greater latitude in post-production. In addition, the camera has video exposure tools such as false color and waveform. The EOS R5 Mark II has the same 8.5 stops of in-body image stabilization as the R1. However, the autofocus doesn’t use the cross type AF that’s found on the flagship model.

Other features

The EOS R5 Mark II includes a full-size HDMI output as well as external microphone and headphone sockets. While the 3.2-inch LCD screen is the same as the EOS R1, the electronic viewfinder on the EOS R5 Mark II has a lower resolution at 5.76 million dots. The EOS R5 Mark II is also lighter than the flagship model at around 1.5 pounds (670 g) with a battery and memory card. For power, the R5 Mark II uses Canon’s LP-E6P batteries.

Canon EOS R5 Mark II back
Image courtesy: Canon

What we think

The Canon EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II are very impressive cameras for shooting video. Both offer very high-resolution internal RAW recording, though you will need large capacity memory cards to store the footage. In addition, exposure tools such as waveform and false color, together with Canon Log 2 and 3, means that the cameras will easily partner with Canon’s Cinema EOS cameras. One concern has to be the maximum recording times given the overheating issues that Canon’s mirrorless cameras have had in the past. However, the Canon EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II are sure to be in high demand when they hit the market later this year.

Pricing and availability

Canon says that the EOS R1 will be available in November 2024 and will cost $6,299. The EOS R5 Mark II will be available in August 2024 and will retail at $4,299.

Pete Tomkies
Pete Tomkies
Pete Tomkies is a freelance cinematographer and camera operator from Manchester, UK. He also produces and directs short films as Duck66 Films. Pete's latest short Once Bitten... won 15 awards and was selected for 105 film festivals around the world.

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