How do Canon’s new full-frame mirrorless cameras compare? We tell you in this in-depth EOS R5 vs EOS R6 comparison.
The Canon EOS R5 might be the camera giant’s new full-frame mirrorless flagship, but it’s far from the only game in town – in fact, for most people the affordable Canon EOS R6 might well the camera they’re seriously looking at buying, rather than just eyeing covetously.
Not that the EOS R6 should really be considered a major step down – it’s more like a compelling alternative to the EOS R5 than a major compromise. Hierarchically, it sits between the Canon EOS R and the EOS R5, and is the mirrorless equivalent of Canon’s 6D-series DSLRs.
The EOS R5 and EOS R6 have a lot in common: they share an almost identical body, have the same in-body image stabilization system, can both shoot at 12fps using the mechanical shutter (or 20fps with the electronic equivalent) and both benefit from the latest version of Canon Dual Pixel autofocus.
The most obvious difference between the two is their price tags. The Canon EOS R5 has a body-only price of $3,899 / £4,199 (around AU$7,585) and will be available from the end of July, while the Canon EOS R6 is significantly more affordable at $2,499 / £2,499 (around AU$4,515).
So what else explains the price difference between the new full-frame mirrorless cameras? And which camera do you really need?
One of the biggest differences between these two full-frame cameras is their sensors. While the Canon EOS R5 has a brand-new 45MP sensor, the EOS R6 uses a chip that’s very similar to the 20.1MP one found in the Canon 1D X Mark III.
Both sensors are the same size, of course, but this does mean that each has slightly different qualities. What’s impressive about the EOS R5 is that it doesn’t suffer from any of the traditional limitations of high-resolution sensors, like limited burst shooting – both cameras can shoot at 12fps/20fps with their mechanical/electronic shutters – which is why Canon has been keen to give the camera its ‘no compromise’ tagline.
That said, lower-resolution sensors do bring some advantages. One is simply a more manageable workflow – fewer pixels means smaller file sizes, which can be a big boon for event photographers like wedding snappers. By dint of its lower resolution, and therefore less strenuous bandwidth demands, the R6 can actually shoot continuously for longer than the R5 – more than a thousand frames in JPEG mode, or up to 240 raw images (the R5 can shoot 350 JPEGs or 180 raws).
There’s also a theoretical advantage in low light (see below). Naturally, landscape photographers will err towards the 45MP resolution of the EOS R5, and the R6’s 20.1MP might be considered a little low, with the older EOS R offering 30.3MP. But it’s important to state that there isn’t necessarily a ‘better’ when it comes to resolution, only what suits your style of photography.
While the Canon EOS R5 has the upper hand when it comes to resolution, the EOS R6 has a theoretical edge for shooting in very low light.
The R6 has an ISO range of 100-102400 (expandable to 50-204,800), compared to the R5’s 100-51200 (expandable to 50-102400). That’s an extra stop of ISO performance, and while this doesn’t necessarily translate to better low-light performance, a higher ISO range can suggest lower noise at equivalent sensitivities – and the R6’s sensor does have larger photosites than its sibling’s.
Canon also says this slight advantage for the R6 extends to focusing – while the EOS R5 can apparently focus in light down to -6EV, the EOS R6 goes slightly further by being the first EOS camera to offer a minimum EV for AF of -6.
