FIRST LOOK REVIEW: Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6

This year has been a dramatic one for everyone, including those in the camera industry. The coronavirus has affected every aspect of the economy and hit the camera world severely, resulting in one manufacturer, Olympus, stating that it will no longer make cameras.

However, there have been bright spots. Canon offered one of the brightest when it announced in February that it would develop a new EOS full-frame mirrorless camera, which would be the company’s “most advanced full-frame mirrorless camera ever.” Then, in July, it officially announced that it would offer not only the EOS R5 but also another EOS full-frame mirrorless camera alongside it, the Canon EOS R6.

And although Sony and Nikon have offered impressive products this year, like the video-centric Sony a7S III full-frame mirrorless camera and more entry-level Nikon Z 5 full-frame mirrorless camera (as well as its impressive full-frame DSLR, the Nikon D780), it may be Canon’s year to reclaim the industry buzz and perhaps market share from Sony.

I had the opportunity to shoot with both Canon models for the past few weeks. Here are some of the features I’ve liked about the 45-megapixel EOS R5 and 20-megapixel EOS R6 as well as some areas where they may come up short.