Canon’s pivot to mirrorless cameras was nothing but a step that was long overdue. Despite being somewhat late to the industry, the company managed to introduce models that were revered and loved by many professionals. Examples include the Canon R6 Mk II and the R7. However, as the company grows its portfolio, it may also be leaving some models behind. And after the Canon R, it seems the next in line is the original R5.
In a report by Asobinet, the publication has noted that the EOS R5 has been listed as discontinued on many Japanese retail websites. For instance, MAP Camera and Camera Kitamura have both said the model is no longer in production.
Even on Canon Japan’s website, you can’t buy the camera because it’s backordered. However, on Canon USA, the R5 is still available. The changes are that R5 is not yet discontinued and may be experiencing some supply chain lag. Or, it is also possible that with the R5 II now here, the company may not want to push the other models, and so, it may take some time to phase out, but it will happen for sure.
The Canon R5 was truly ahead of its time. The camera was launched in 2020, with a 45MP CMOS sensor, DIGIC X image processor, dual pixels, and image stabilisation, amongst other things. The camera also featured great controls overall and could withstand rain. When paired with the L series lens, you had the perfect combination for outdoor shooting. The camera was beefy, sturdy, and felt really nice in your hands.
While the design was nice, the autofocus was just as exceptional. With various updates, the camera showcased a flawless autofocus system. To us, it was as good as Sony’s. It could not only track subjects but do so accurately. This means when you are shooting f1.2, you will still get the subject in focus. In fact, we even found the device to be better in low light. As we said after the July 2022 update:
The Canon R5 continues to be one of our team’s most highly recommended cameras when it comes to versatility. The most recent 2022 firmware updates take what was already great and makes it even more competitive. Portrait photographers will appreciate the enhanced eye detection stability for improved performance. Automotive photographers will rejoice with the upgraded vehicle tracking.
The R5 also offers some stunning colors, and when you edit RAW, you will notice that too. The images reminded us of the 5D Mk II, where one can make human skin look great by using warm white balance. You can also edit the channels to get vivid colors with ease. While RAW offers a good dynamic range and the ability to push and pull images, JPEG offers a fine balance between detail and high ISO. The latter will allow you to shoot up to ISO 51,000 with ease.
Overall, the Canon R5 is a remarkable camera for stills, but the R5 II was simply catering to hybrid users. If you are a serious enthusiast looking to get a new camera, the R5 is the right choice, especially on the secondary market. Buy it before the price skyrockets.
Something that should be really considered is that it was the last Canon full-frame camera to offer multiple exposure RAW files.