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Canon used to be the king of high megapixel cameras. Team Canon wowed photographers the world over when they released both the Canon EOS 5DS and the 5DSR. These 50.4 Megapixel cameras were way ahead of their time. The amount of detail they could capture was unmatched. Still, Sony has since taken the Full-Frame crown when it comes to high megapixel sensors. The 61.2 Megapixel sensor in the Sony a7r IV is currently the pound-for-pound Full-Frame resolution king. However, this may change in the not too distant future. New reports of a high-resolution camera, the Canon EOS R5S, have surfaced. Find out all the juicy details about it, and see what we think it needs to feature to be successful after the break.
Some sources apparently approached Canon Rumors and told them that they have exciting details about the upcoming Canon EOS R5S. If these snippets of information turn out to be true, we’re in for a treat. Not only could this camera be real, we might even hear about it early next year, which is even better.
Table of Contents
Canon EOS R5S Alleged Specs
- A 90MP sensor
- A “Pixel-shift like feature” that could help generate 300+ Megapixel images
- A nearly identical camera in terms of design as the EOS R5
- Dumbed down video features
- There may be a slight revision to the IBIS system
- It will feature a similar price to the Canon EOS R5 ($3,899)
Just those few specs alone are enough to make any photographer’s shutter finger quiver. How accurate these specs are is anyone’s guess, but they don’t sound too far fetched. I could definitely see the camera’s price remaining the same as the R5, as it would be suicide to price it any higher. A pixel shift mode is the logical next step for Canon’s new IBIS system too. To be a real success, though, Canon needs to add a few more features to really take it over the edge.
What We Want to See in the Canon EOS R5S
So just how do Canon take the Canon EOS R5 and improve upon it further other than jamming a whopping new big sensor into it? To start with, they need to rework the ergonomics of the camera body. Canon was so close to creating an ergonomically perfect camera with the EOS R5 and EOS R6. However, we would not be opposed to the camera body being slightly larger so that the jog dial can fall in a more natural position. Currently, you have to contort your thumb to reach it. Canon really needs to move the joystick too: it was in a peculiar spot on the R5 and R6.
The autofocus system in the EOS R5 and EOS R6 is leaps and bounds better than the system in the original EOS R. However, we’d like to see more processing power so that the camera can do an even better job at human and animal eye tracking. Perhaps even take a page out of Olympus’s book and incorporate subject detection too. Think along the lines of cars, trains, planes, specific wildlife and so on. We’d like to see even better dynamic range performance in the Canon EOS R5S. Again, the R5 and R6 were leaps and bounds better than many previous Canon cameras. Still, With the EOS R5S being targeted at fine art, high-fashion, and landscape photographers, any improvement in DR would be welcome.
With the Canon EOS R5S, Resolution Is King
Along with a massively enhanced sensor, we’d like to see higher resolutions carried over to the EVF and the LCD. Canon, give us the highest resolution LCD to date. This camera will be about capturing the tiniest of details. Give us an LCD that can let us see those details out in the field. Still, the same thing can be said about the EVF. The EVF on the Sony a7s III, which I reviewed, was the closest any manufacturer has come to making an EVF feel like an OVF with the added benefits of screen overlays. It’s a work of art, and it’s the only EVF that hasn’t triggered crazy headaches for me when using it. Perhaps push refresh rates up to 240hz instead of 120hz too, to really make it an over-the-top performer.
It’s time for a manufacturer to go all-in on one standardized memory format, and it might as well be Canon. With a 90 Megapixel sensor, the image processor will have to churn through incredible amounts of data, especially with possible pixel shift images pushing 300+ Megapixels. The Canon EOS R5S will need to use CFexpress cards. Just ditch the SD card at this point and use CFexpress. Yes, they’re expensive, but if you’re purchasing cameras pushing $4,000, you can splash out $150/$200 on a CFexpress card. You know it makes sense to ditch the SD format at this point.
Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference
Other things we want to see are the same or better weather sealing, increased battery life, wireless charging (why is this not a thing in cameras yet?), and Wi-Fi 6 compatibility for speedy wireless file transfers. Canon, please add backlit buttons and a GPS module too. These just need to be standard going forward. Canon really hit a home run with the EOS R5 and R6, so they don’t have to add drastic amounts of new features to take them up a notch. Still, these small additions will go a long way to making the EOS R line even better.
What Do You Want to See in the R5S?
We always value your opinion here at The Phoblographer. It’s the reason why we always want you to tell us what you want to see. What do you want Canon to stuff inside the body of a high-resolution camera? Are you okay with just a bump in sensor size, or do you want even more bells and whistles? Lets us know in the comment section below.