Canon Eos R5 Mark II Review: A Major Upgrade With Cutting-Edge Autofocus

The Canon Eos R5 Mark ii is the latest in a long line of pro-level Canon cameras whose pedigree stretches all the way back to the original Canon Eos 5D, which launched way back in 2005. The sequel to the (at the time) revolutionary Canon Eos R5, the mark ii slides in as more of a refinement of its predecessor which was such a huge leap above what the previous 5D Mark IV could do. One notable upgrade is the capability to control the autofocus with your eye while looking through the viewfinder, a feature the R5 Mark ii shares with the even pricier Canon Eos R1.

On paper, this looks like an incredible camera, but the question is whether it will appeal only to Canon's existing photographers looking for an upgrade, or if it might be attractive enough to win over converts from other platforms.

Canon provided The R5 Mark ii along with the Canon RF 24-105mm f4-7.1 IS STM lens, and an EF-RF adapter for this review. I used the adapter with a Sigma 150-600mm f5.6-6.3 lens to test the wildlife photography capabilities of the R5 Mark ii.

There's no denying the superb quality of images produced by the R5 Mark ii's 45MP full frame sensor. There's plenty of resolution here for post-production cropping, it handles high ISO noise remarkably well, and Canon's color science is instantly recognizable and beautiful. Dynamic range is also good, so you can easily rescue highlights and shadows when shooting RAW images.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Video is a similarly stellar story, with the camera being able to shoot 4K at up to 120fps and RAW 8K video at up to 60fps. The footage is absolutely gorgeous, and the R5 Mark ii easily matches competing cameras in terms of its capabilities as a tool for cinematography.

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Andy Zahn/SlashGear

Pre-capture is available for both photo and video, which is an advantage compared to Nikon's high end cameras which can only pre-capture for still photos. Another advantage is that the Canon R5 Mark ii has a maximum full resolution RAW photo shooting speed of 30fps compared to the Nikon Z8 and Z9's 20fps.

For such a powerful full frame camera, the R5 Mark ii surprised me by how small and lightweight it is. Combined with the Canon RF 24-105 f/4-7.1 lens, it was an easy kit to carry with me on hiking trips, and for people with small to medium size hands it's quite comfortable. However, for my extra large hands it was definitely somewhat cramped, and I couldn't fit my pinky finger on the grip.

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On the plus side, I love the grip material Canon has chosen for the R5 Mark ii; it's firm and durable, as are the port covers. I am reasonably confident that they should hold up over years of heavy use, something I can't say for the materials utilized by Nikon for these parts. The fully articulating display also seems quite durable, so those concerned with the potential fragility of this type of display need not worry. Of all the fully articulating displays I've used, Canon's have reliably proven to be the best.

I regularly use a wide range of camera systems in the course of my work, so I'm used to hopping between radically different control schemes and camera software. While I used Canon DSLRs for many years, when coming back to their mirrorless system I experienced an unexpectedly steep learning curve navigating the various menus. To anyone who's already used to Canon's mirrorless camera menu system, this will of course not be an issue, but it's something to consider if you're thinking about jumping ship from your current camera system for the R5 Mark ii.

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With that said, the actual controls on the camera are robust and arranged in a logical manner which I picked up very quickly. Eye-control autofocus is a particularly powerful tool which makes switching subjects much quicker and more intuitive. You may need to run the calibration process several times to make it really effective, but it's worth taking the time to set up, and it's one feature that really makes the R5 Mark ii stand out.

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Autofocus performance is itself fantastic, and the results are perhaps the best I've seen in any mirrorless camera. It reliably recognized subjects, grabbed focus almost instantly, and hung onto that focus despite rapid and unpredictable movement. Eye-detection autofocus (not to be confused with eye-control autofocus) was highly reliable, which meant I could rely on the camera not to let me down and deliver great images of my family, pets, and local wildlife.

With an MSRP of $4,299, the Canon R5 Mark ii doesn't do itself any favors in comparison with the competition. It's $600 more than the Nikon Z8, and around $900 more than the Sony A7R V, which is enough that you could pick up one of those cameras plus a lens with the savings. It puts the R5 Mark ii dangerously close to the territory of the Fujifilm GFX 100S ii, which while not exactly a direct competitor, is nonetheless a tempting alternative given how capable Fujifilm's medium format system has become.

Nevertheless, for Canon photographers heavily invested in the brand's lenses, the high price is likely worth paying if you're currently shooting with the original Eos R or the R6 and are looking for an upgrade. It's only newcomers considering moving over to Canon who are likely to be put off by the price of admission.

It's worth taking a moment to talk about the lens I used primarily to test the R5 Mark ii, and the available selection of other RF glass from Canon. If you're coming from a Canon DSLR system, your EF mount lenses can be easily adapted to RF mount via a range of adapters. However, some of the native RF mount lenses launched over the last few years are certainly worth your consideration.

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The Canon RF 24-105mm f4-7.1 IS STM I used for most of my time testing the R5 Mark ii is pretty much the definition of a "kit lens," with its relatively dark variable aperture and basic design. However, I was surprised by many excellent images I was able to capture with it, with the only major caveat being strong and rather ugly vignetting in one or two shots. For the most part, it got the job done and is a fine low cost option.

With that said, I would certainly recommend spending more on one of several other lenses with a similar focal range which Canon offers. If you're able to drop some serious cash, the RF 24-105mm f2.8 L IS USM Z is a particularly impressive optic in the same zoom range as the lens I tested, and there are few comparable lenses with a constant f2.8 aperture. The RF 24-105mm f4 L IS USM is much more reasonable at less than half the cost of the f2.8 version.

The Canon Eos R5 Mark ii is a fine camera which is certainly capable of going toe-to-toe with any modern flagship camera. Between its rugged build quality, fully articulating display, and the best autofocus system I've ever used, it's certainly a compelling option, particularly considering its similarly impressive video capabilities and gorgeous image quality. If you're already invested in Canon's RF ecosystem and are looking for an upgrade, you won't be disappointed.

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However, the painfully high price of the R5 Mark ii is enough to make it significantly less appealing to those who might be considering moving over from a different camera system. Both Sony and Nikon offer great alternatives at a lower price tag. However, if you prefer Canon's admittedly excellent color science to that of the other available options, that may not matter. There's no denying that I captured some great images with the R5 Mark ii, and I wish every camera had eye-control AF.

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The R5 Mark ii is available for preorder directly from Canon, or from B&H Photo Video, among other retailers.