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YK: Capturing the Art in Life’s Little Moments with the EOS R5 Mark II

2025-01-17
11
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Urban photographer and content creator Lee Yik Keat, better known as yk (@yk), has been using the EOS R5 Mark II for 6 months and counting. He shares his discoveries about it, and how it’s not only elevated his shooting experience but also changed his workflow and approach to photography. (As told to SNAPSHOT)

 

In this article:

What it takes to capture authenticity

Capturing small, unscripted everyday moments on the streets is what fuels my passion for photography. Whenever I go out to shoot, I take extra time to observe, noticing the little nuances in how people interact with their environment as well as how light affects the buildings and structures all around. In my pictures and videos, I aim to convey these moments in a way that truly reflects the energy and vibe of the actual scene.

The EOS R5 Mark II works like an extension of my eyes and my mind, freeing me to shoot in the moment without having to worry about challenging lighting conditions or technical difficulties. Here are some of the features that worked well for me.

 

The speed to capture fleeting moments

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM/ FL: 24mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/22, 1/5 sec, EV +0.3)/ ISO 100

Every second counts in my run-and-gun style of street photography. The EOS R5 Mark II helps me get the sharpest shots within a millisecond, which other cameras I’ve used can’t do. Once I’ve framed the shot and released the shutter, I know my focus will be quick, tack sharp, and accurate, and that the fast 30 fps maximum continuous shooting speed would likely nail the frame I envisioned.

Quick, accurate, and persistent focusing


EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM/ FL: 70mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/2.8, 1/640 sec)/ ISO 1600

The EOS R5 Mark II’s new Dual Pixel Intelligent AF system incorporates more deep learning technology than previous cameras, which makes it better at detecting and tracking subjects even when there are obstructions in front. The image above, captured in an instance of eye contact, is one example. With other cameras, the focus is likely to drift to the metal gate in front. However, the EOS R5 Mark II’s AF swiftly locked onto the subject's eye, allowing me to capture a successful shot before the subject noticed and looked away.

These improved AF capabilities work especially well with the Register People Priority mode, which has transformed my workflow for concert and event shoots when I need to photograph specific people constantly. I just have to register the person’s face: the AF will swiftly lock onto them and track them despite foreground distractions such as stage equipment or other people. It’s very helpful because such foreground distractions are the norm!

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24-70mm f/2.8L IS US/ FL: 57mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/2.8, 1/2000 sec)/ ISO 1000

Intuitive focus control

What you decide to put in focus changes the shot, and that’s especially true for scenes with glass reflections like the above. 

The Eye Control AF, which lets you control the focus with your line of sight, is one of my favourite new features on the EOS R5 Mark II. My eyes are more instinctive than my hands at finding subjects, so the Eye Control AF provides a faster, more intuitive way to respond to photo opportunities. It’s also fun to use—it feels like a game hunting for focus! I was previously reliant on the rear LCD monitor even for photography, but I now use the viewfinder more, especially when hunting for subjects or focusing on singular light sources.

For another review of the EOS R5 Mark II’s AF system by action photographer Mark Teo, see:
EOS R5 Mark II: A Photo & Video Test in the Boxing Ring

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM/ FL: 37mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/2.8, 1/200 sec)/ ISO 800

Up to 30 fps high-speed continuous shooting to catch blink-and-you-miss-it moments

One challenging thing about freezing moments is finding and selecting that one frame that best translates the energy and vibe of the actual scene.  The EOS R5 Mark II’s 30 fps maximum continuous shooting speed works with the capable AF system to capture the perfect slice in time. It can be combined with the Silent Shutter function, which allows me to shoot stealthily, giving the subject space and preserving the moment’s sanctity. 

Pro tip: Street photography with a big camera 

It may seem daunting doing street photography with a big camera like the EOS R5 Mark II. However, the speed and performance are unmatched and make up for the size, and you can still shoot discreetly with technique. For example, I don’t hold the camera in front of my body until I need to shoot. I also “hunt” for shots from a distance, and make quick decisions.

 

Rich video features that showcase more aspects of the scene

Shot on the EOS R5 Mark II + RF28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM

Video is a huge part of my online content. Besides tutorials and other content featuring myself, I also shoot videos of subjects interacting with other people or with the environment. As video preserves the entire sequence in motion from start to end, you get a better sense of space, realism, and interaction that you can’t from stills—like in the above video of a man doing taichi in the void deck (public space) beneath a public housing apartment block in Singapore.
 

EOS R5 Mark II photo video switch

Fast toggling between photo and video modes
One improvement I’ve found very convenient on the EOS R5 Mark II is the Photo/Video switch on the top left panel. It allows me to quickly toggle between photo and video modes, so I can capture brief moments happening on the streets in both still images and videos.

Pro tip: YK’s formula for creating great videos of interactions

Besides the climax/actual action, I also keep the moments before the actual action, as well as those immediately after as the subject might have follow-up emotions or actions. This builds up the moment and creates a good flow, giving viewers a better idea of what’s happening.

The tools to nail crucial technical aspects in-camera

Working efficiently is important especially when it involves content for fast-paced social media. For work, I usually churn out photos within a day and videos within three days; I like spending more time on the visuals I create for personal projects, so I usually try to get photos out within 3 days, and videos within 4 to 6 days.
I’m rather perfectionistic with my visuals, and with such tight timelines, getting as much done properly during the shoot as possible helps to reduce extra work doing post-processing.

Watch: Against the sunset

Shot on the EOS R5 Mark II + RF24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM

Exposure is one of the things I must get on the spot, especially for video. Blown highlights and crushed blacks are impossible to recover in post-processing, and there’s also the efficiency aspect. The EOS R5 Mark II adds a waveform display for video, which provides details about the brightness of the entire image. This helps me get the best dynamic range by checking that my highlights and shadows are not over/underexposed, and it’s especially useful under harsh lighting when the LCD display may not be accurate. 

I like the natural Canon colours, so I usually record with the standard (SDR) gamma. But I’ve also found that I like using Canon Log 2 for high-contrast scenes. Its wider dynamic range retains much more information in the highlights, shadows, and midtones, so I can show the audience more details in the sunset, for example. Having so much control feels really good! 

Pro tip: Use colour profiles like Picture Styles or LUTs to enhance the colours

On the EOS R5 Mark II, you can apply Picture Style and the Cinema EOS system’s Custom Pictures to enhance the colours in your normal and Canon Log 2/3 videos. They work like presets. You can also import your own LUTs, which I do for my Log videos. For non-Log videos, I use Picture Style-Landscape for scenery, and Picture Style-Portrait for people-centric scenes and fine-tune the colours later.

 

Capturing nuances even in low light

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM/ FL: 70mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/2.8, 1/80 sec, EV -1.3)/ ISO 2000

The EOS R5 Mark II has significantly better low-light capabilities due to its new back-illuminated stacked sensor structure—I don’t have to end outdoor shoots earlier because it’s too dark! I can dial up the ISO speed higher than I used to without the image getting too grainy and unusable. It’s wonderful especially for shooting video in dim situations since I like my videos to look cleaner. 

Watch: A public housing estate at night

Shot on the EOS R5 Mark II + RF28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM

In the late evening, residents return home from school and work and a public housing estate comes alive.

 

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM/ FL: 24mm/ Manual exposure (f/2.8, 1/80 sec, EV -1.3)/ ISO 20,000

I’m bolder with pushing up the ISO speed for still images—grain will look like it’s shot on film if I reduce the colour noise. My usual threshold is ISO 12,800, but on the EOS R5 Mark II, I’ve shot as high as ISO 20,000 with satisfactory results, like in the above image taken at musician Lauv’s concert. This is useful for freezing moments in dark concert venues. When I'm shooting concert tours, I often have just 30 to 45 minutes to select, post-process, and transfer images to the artist! With such tight turnaround times, the EOS R5 Mark II's high ISO capabilities, dynamic range, and beautiful out-of-camera colours come in handy as I don't have to do much post-processing for the images to look good.

 

YK's top 10 lenses to use with the EOS R5 Mark II

1. RF24-70mm f/2.8L IS USM

This lens is my main workhorse. Its focal range covers most of my needs, and the constant f/2.8 aperture is ideal for achieving background-subject separation on cluttered streets.

 

2. RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z

This is my new favourite. The ability to control the aperture directly with the iris ring saves so much time! On older cameras like the EOS R5, the iris ring works only during video shooting, but on the EOS R5 Mark II, it works during still shooting, too. You can also attach the Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E2 for smooth zooming during videos.

Watch: In the rain

Shot on the EOS R5 Mark II and RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z with the Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E2

 

3. RF35mm f/1.4L VCM

What I like the most about this lens is its sharpness and wide aperture. The latter is extremely useful for low-light situations. 35mm is a great focal length to incorporate both subjects and the environment, which I do daily. It has an iris ring too.

 

More images by yk with the EOS R5 Mark II

 

About the Author

Yik Keat
Yik Keat is a self-taught urban photographer and is a highly sought-after creator who is known for his ways with colours and his ability to bring out personality on the streets. He has worked for brands including Adidas, Apple, and Leica. Yik Keat puts his heart and soul in every photograph and wants the audience to be captivated in some kind of way.
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