- By Bhavya Desai
Undoubtedly the biggest news that is making the rounds in the imaging world these days is the expected launch of the latest mirrorless offering from the Japanese manufacturer, the confirmed EOS R5 and the not confirmed yet EOS R6. We can confirm from our sources that the launch is slated for the 2nd week of July, whether this will be 6th July as already rumoured awaits to be seen. But this confirmation also clears any doubts (if any) on the expected delay of the launch due to the current pandemic situation.
And this also means that there might be a lot of other manufacturers who also might have their original plan on track for the launches of their new product. For instance, users are eagerly awaiting the announcement/news on the Sony A7S III which is also expected to be launched soon.
It is no surprise that this will be a ‘digital only’ launch followed by a very limited number of units available for use/reviews. With limited units I am not certain how Canon will allow users to touch and feel of the product. Especially in a category like this where the customers do tend to get their hands on the products. Will this dent its sales chart?
What we know about the EOS R5?
In case you haven’t read all the news, then in a series of teasers Canon has already given the viewers an idea about some of the of the EOS R5. Some of it is already confirmed by Canon while other things are still rumoured.
For instance, Canon has already confirmed that the EOS R5 will be able to capture 8K video using the full width of its sensor with users being able to extract oversampled 4K video and high-resolution still images from the video footage for use and will be the first camera at that. But some rumours also suggest that the camera will be able to shoot 4k at 120 fps. If that is really happening, then it has us super excited since we love those slow-mos.
But what Canon has also confirmed is that the Dual Pixel AF will be available in all video modes and at all resolutions and frame rates in the R5. That is much needed and a great news. And not only that, it will also feature IBIS, which combined with lens stabilization will have one of the most powerful stabilization in the business.
The camera will also be able to shoot 12 fps in burst mode with the mechanical shutter or 20 fps with the electronic shutter. All the wildlife and sports photographers might get excited with this news.
But we do anticipate certain limitations on the 8k and 4k shooting capabilities to avoid heating issues, especially considering that the camera is expected in a compact body.
What to Expect: Pricing?
There is no way to be certain on the pricing for the product currently since the pandemic has sent the cost and overheads supply chain in a tizzy. But considering that it will compete with the existing products available from Sony, Nikon and Panasonic, I would anticipate it to be around the ₹ 2.5 lacs mark.
Will the Design be the same as the R?
It is obvious that the design will be based on the EOS R, which means that it will feature a compact body, but in all likelihood the touch bar at the back will be replaced by the scroll wheel.
We are also particularly interested to know about the battery life of the camera. Although Canon has not confirmed anything about the battery yet.
Will the R6 be launched and the strategy?
While the manufacturer is tight lipped about the R6, we are certain that the camera will be launched alongside the EOS R5. The camera is expected to have all the top features like the R5 (surprising to believe) powered with a much lesser 20-megapixel sensor as rumoured by Canon Rumours.
The camera will sit in the lower range of the mirrorless cameras adding feature prowess to the line-up. The reason if feel that the R6 will make its debut the same day is because as a strategy it makes sense to offer two cameras in different segments with similar products.
Plus, when Canon launched the EOS R couple of years ago, it was still trying to find its feet in the mirrorless market. The following year they launched the RP. So I wouldn’t expect a company like Canon to make the same mistake again.
What this means for the segment?
While everyone is fixated on what features will the R5 or the R6 have, essentially what everyone is missing is the fact that with this launch Canon will leapfrog itself in the mirrorless race. When the R and the RP was launched, everyone including us criticised the manufacturer for entering the market late and possibly not introducing the best products/features in the segment.
Cut to two years, Canon seems to have now found its feet firmly in the segment and probably improved leaps and bounds in this segments. Of course, what is the level of performance that the products will deliver remains to be seen. But it would be surprising if they didn’t. Either ways it will open up the doorways for other manufacturers to push features like full width 8k to the consumers. So all in all it is the consumer who will certainly benefit from this.