The new EOS R5 Mark II boasts a mind-boggling number of new and improved features. Here are 7 of the most important.

Ever since the EOS 5D was launched in 2005 as the world’s first full-frame DSLR camera for the mass market, Canon’s EOS “5” series has built a reputation for changing the full-frame interchangeable lens digital camera world. From the EOS 5D Mark II that introduced users to a whole new world of DSLR filmmaking, to the EOS R5 that debuted 8K and deep learning-based autofocus capabilities on a mirrorless camera, the EOS “5” series still revolutionises the market with every new iteration, introducing new features and specifications that never fail to surprise users.

The EOS R5 Mark II, the second-generation EOS R5 announced on 17 July 2024, is no exception. Packed with numerous new technologies and features, it has evolved significantly from its predecessor. We highlight its most significant features in this article.

Watch: Discover the New Canon EOS R5 Mark II

 

1. Faster, smarter, better: Empowered by 3 improved core technologies

The numerous new capabilities of the EOS R5 Mark II are made possible by huge improvements to three of its core technologies: its image sensor, image processing engine, and processing algorithms. Together, these have taken the camera’s speed, ease of use, and image quality to unprecedented levels.

Image sensor
While the EOS R5 Mark II retains the 45 effective megapixels of its predecessor, it debuts a new back-illuminated (BSI) stacked CMOS sensor that is like the one on the EOS R3. Capable of faster data readout than conventional front-illuminated image sensors, the BSI sensor paves the way for faster continuous shooting and makes it easier to acquire the light information necessary for AF tracking. 

A new image processing system: Accelerated Capture
As more processing power is necessary to process the faster, larger data output from the new BSI stacked CMOS sensor, Canon developed the new DIGIC Accelerator, which can perform the computing required for functions like autofocusing (AF) and auto exposure (AE) instantaneously. It is combined with the DIGIC X image processing engine to form the new Accelerated Capture system, which enables the 45 megapixels’ worth of information from the EOS R5 Mark II’s image sensor to be processed at least as fast as the 24.1-megapixel EOS R3.

With the new Accelerated Capture system, the EOS R5 Mark II is capable of:
- The same 30 fps maximum continuous shooting speed (in electronic shutter mode) as the EOS R3
- Computing AF and subject tracking at up to 60 fps
- New, updated deep learning-based subject-tracking capabilities

The faster image sensor readout and processing speed also reduce rolling shutter distortion by a tremendous 40% compared to the EOS R5, improving the electronic shutter mode’s usability.

Greater application of deep learning technology
With the EOS R5 Mark II, existing deep learning-based subject detection capabilities also get a boost, particularly with the addition of new tracking functions for sports photography. These were made possible by the new Accelerated Capture image processing system, whose ability to analyse a massive amount of information in an instance allows the camera to take more details into account during its subject detection and tracking computations. For example, information about the information on athletes’ joints and the ball position helps the camera to track athletes’ movement more tenaciously and reliably.

Using deep learning to enhance image quality
On previous cameras, deep learning technology was used mainly to improve AF and tracking performance. The EOS R5 Mark II and the simultaneously announced EOS R1 are the first EOS R system cameras to enable deep learning-based image quality enhancement in-camera without the need for a computer or cloud processing platform.

This manifests in two tools:
- The In-camera Upscaling tool quadruples the number of pixels in each image to generate ultra-high-resolution 179-megapixel images
- The Neural Network Noise Reduction tool reduces the noise in high ISO speed RAW images to an unprecedented level.

In addition to the above, deep learning technology is also used to improve the camera’s auto-exposure and auto white balance (AWB) functions, making them more accurate.

 

2. Dual Pixel Intelligent AF: A next-generation AF system

Dual Pixel CMOS AF system originated as Canon’s unique image sensor-based phase detection AF system, where every pixel on the image sensor consists of two photodiodes that perform phase difference detection, a process important to autofocus detection. It reached its second incarnation, Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, when the DIGIC X image processing engine enabled improved subject detection through the application of deep learning algorithms.

With the new Accelerated Capture system, AF and tracking performance have progressed to a whole new level. Hence, the debut of the Dual Pixel Intelligent AF system, which takes the AF system of the EOS R mirrorless series cameras into the next generation. The new system not only boasts faster, more precise AF tracking that supports the EOS R5 Mark II’s faster continuous shooting speeds, it also comes with new deep learning-based subject detection capabilities such as the ability to detect the upper bodies of human subjects, promising better tracking performance in complex scenes such as sports, events, and concerts.

 

Locks firmly on the intended subject, even when the subject is crossed

With Dual Pixel Intelligent AF, the camera is better at distinguishing between tracking subjects and other objects, which enables it to track the intended subject more persistently even if they temporarily cannot be seen or change their posture significantly. This will benefit scenes such as team sports like basketball and soccer, where the subject is likely to get crossed by other people such as teammates or opponents.

The camera is also able to differentiate between a person’s head and distinguish it from obstructions that might block it from view. This ensures that the AF stays firmly on the person’s face or head even if a ball or racket gets in the way.

Watch: AF stays firmly on the subject even when it is crossed

 

Action Priority AF: Analyses and detects action
While previous subject detection categories were based on immediately visible characteristics, Dual Pixel Intelligent AF is equipped with a new Action Priority AF mode that can detect actions specific to three sports: soccer, basketball, and volleyball. It achieves this by detecting and identifying multiple people, the status of their joints, and the ball position, and then using the information to identify athletes executing key action sequences and shift the AF frame accordingly. This is an asset for capturing decisive sporting moments, one of the toughest challenges in sports photography.

Register People Priority: Ready to lock on specific people
When there are multiple people in the frame, the Register People Priority function remembers and prioritises pre-registered individuals for subject detection and tracking. The version on the EOS R5 Mark II is improved over the EOS R3, and can track individuals even when their faces are turned diagonally away.

Detectable subjects
In addition to the abovementioned new detection and tracking capabilities, the EOS R5 Mark II can detect and track the same subjects as the most recent EOS R series cameras—with better, more tenacious performance resulting from its expanded deep learning algorithms and the powerful Accelerated Capture system.

People	Animals (Eyes, face, full body)	Vehicles
Eyes Face Head Full body Upper half of body (NEW)	Dogs Cats Birds Horses	Motorsports (cars, motorcycles) Trains Aircraft (airplanes, helicopters)

 

3. Eye Control AF

The EOS R5 Mark II adopts the EOS R3’s 0.5-inch 5.76 million-dot high-definition electronic viewfinder (EVF), which offers twice the brightness of the EOS R5, promising users a clearer, brighter view of the scene. It has also inherited the EOS R3’s innovative Eye Control AF feature, which uses line-of-sight detection sensors to allow users to control the AF frame with their eyes.

Aided by the fast computing by the Accelerated Capture system, Eye Control AF users can look forward to swift, intuitive, and responsive control over focusing and tracking even in intense, fast-evolving races and sports scenes that require frequent switches of the main subject.

Watch: Tracking with Eye Control AF

 

4. Up to 30 fps continuous shooting; shutter and drive improvements

The EOS R5 Mark II’s ability to shoot up to 30 fps in electronic shutter mode is the product of its new BSI stacked CMOS sensor’s faster data readout speed, combined with the Accelerated Capture system’s ability to swiftly process and analyse the massive 45-megapixel data output. Autoexposure, AF, and tracking calculations are possible up to 60 fps. These are speeds equivalent to that on the EOS R3, which has half the pixel resolution.

This is complemented by a blackout-free EVF display option, which ensures that users always have a good view of their subjects and AF tracking status, increasing the chances of perfectly framed keepers even at the fastest continuous shooting speeds*.

More electronic shutter functions

When using the electronic shutter mode, users can configure the continuous shooting speed to their needs, with intermediate shooting speeds available. Settings are:

- H+ mode: 30, 20 fps
- H mode: 20, 15, 10 fps
- L mode: 15, 10, 7.5, 5, 3, 2 fps

When using the electronic shutter mode to shoot difficult, unpredictable moments, users can increase their chances of success and supplement their intuition by using the new Pre-continuous shooting mode, which records RAW, C-RAW, JPEG, or HEIF images up to 15 frames before the shutter button is fully pressed. Individual frames can be accessed immediately without processing, offering more convenience than the RAW Burst mode on existing cameras.

*Continuous shooting speed may decrease depending on the subject/shooting conditions, camera settings, or if flicker is detected, the lens being used, and other factors. Please see the Advanced User Guide for details. For lenses that support maximum continuous shooting speeds when using Servo AF, please refer to Supplemental Information for EOS R5 Mark II on the website cam.start.canon.

Other notable electronic shutter features:

- Reduced rolling shutter distortion
This is reduced by up to 40% compared to the EOS R5. Rolling shutter during video recording is also reduced.
- Compatible with flash photography
On the EOS R5, flash photography with a Speedlite was not possible in electronic shutter mode. On the EOS R5 Mark II, this is possible up to 20 fps*.

*Without flash metering between shots.

Compare: up to 40% less rolling shutter distortion than the EOS R5

 

5. Deep learning-based image quality enhancements

On previous EOS R series cameras, deep learning technology was mainly used to improve AF performance by aiding with subject detection and tracking. With the EOS R5 Mark II and the concurrently released EOS R1, its uses have been expanded to include image enhancement via two new in-camera features: In-camera Upscaling and Neural Network Noise Reduction.

These two features were previously paid tools available through Canon’s Digital Photo Professional image processing software, but are now easily accessible free-of-charge as in-camera functions on the EOS R5 Mark II.

In-camera Upscaling

The In-camera Upscaling tool uses an algorithm that employs deep learning technology to increase the pixel resolution of JPEG and HEIF images while preserving the visual resolution of the original image. It doubles the number of pixels on the horizontal and vertical axis, generating an upscaled image that has four times the number of pixels of the original, so a 45-megapixel image from the EOS R5 Mark II can be upscaled to 179 megapixels.

Neural Network Noise Reduction

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM/ FL: 24mm/ Manual exposure (f/5.6, 1/20 sec)/ ISO 12800/ WB: Auto

Neural Network Noise Reduction is another feature that was developed using deep learning technology. Trained on a massive dataset of before-and-after noise reduction images, it processes RAW images to reduce noise while preserving resolution.

By using Neural Network Noise Reduction to process RAW images, and then upscaling and cropping the resulting JPEG file, users can obtain extreme crops with unprecedented image quality without the need to use a PC.

 

6. 8K 60P RAW recording; integration with the Cinema EOS workflow

On multi-camera video production shoots, EOS R series cameras are often used alongside Canon’s professionally established Cinema EOS cameras. Taking that into consideration, the EOS R5 Mark II has been designed for better integration with the Cinema EOS system workflow.

For example, the EOS R5 Mark II supports the XF-HEVC S and XF-AVC S formats that are standards in the professional video production and filmmaking industry. It also features the Cinema EOS system’s Custom Picture colour presets, making it easier to match visual aesthetics. Users can also opt to display a Cinema EOS-style quick settings menu. All these make it easier to use in a workflow or production ecosystem that also includes Cinema EOS cameras.

A rich variety of recording formats to suit different productions

The EOS R5 Mark II supports both the cinema-standard DCI and broadcast-standard UHD formats, and can record 8K 60p RAW videos and 4K MP4 files internally. It also supports more recording formats than the EOS R5. New formats include:
- 4K DCI SRAW: A smaller less resource-intensive RAW video format for productions that require RAW but not 8K
- 2K DCI Fine: A higher-quality 2K format achieved by oversampling from 4K
- 2K DCI
- Full HD Fine (Full HD oversampled from 4K)

This makes it the first EOS camera outside the Cinema EOS system to support DCI 2K. 

In addition, users can also look forward to 4K 60p video resolution improved from the EOS R5.

12 video recording formats including 8K 60p RAW and 4K SRAW

One of the first EOS R series cameras to feature Canon Log 2

 

Other notable video features

- HDMI external RAW recording
Up to 8K 30p ProRes RAW external video recording is possible through the EOS R5 Mark II’s Type-A HDMI output terminal.

- LPCM 24-bit 4-channel audio recording
The EOS R5 Mark II supports LPCM 24-bit 4-channel audio input in addition to the conventional ACC 16-bit 2-channel input. 4-channel input provides better support for in scenes with multiple audio sources such as interview recordings, live recordings with separate microphones for instruments and vocals, simultaneous recordings of ambient noise, and voice memos by the camera operator

 

7. A cooling fan accessory that enables at least 120 minutes’ 8K 30p video recording

The EOS R5 Mark II is also equipped with an improved internal heat-dissipating structure, which uses a graphite sheet and aluminium plate to disperse heat from the sensor to the exterior, allowing users to shoot for longer durations.

Users who require even longer video recording durations can purchase the Cooling Fan CF-R20EP, a cooling fan accessory that dissipates internal heat, supplies extra power, and provides an Ethernet port for additional high-speed data communication capabilities.

The Cooling Fan CF-R20EP forcibly cools and dissipates the heat that builds up within the camera during video recording, extending recording times especially at higher resolutions. For example, it enables at least 120 minutes of 8K 30p MP4 video to be recorded continuously compared to approximately 37 minutes with the camera alone. This makes it well-suited for documentaries, events, and film productions that require the camera to be left recording. The Ethernet 2.5G BASE-T wired LAN port supports a high-speed wired internet connection, which will benefit livestreaming as well as workflows that require onsite file transmission.

Note: When the Cooling Fan CF-R20EP is attached, the cooling fan may generate sound that is recorded as part of the audio.

New battery; two new battery grip options

The EOS R5 Mark II uses a new battery pack, the LP-E6P, to support the increased power requirements from its new and improved features. It also accepts the existing LP-E6NH/LP-E6N batteries, although some features may be restricted.

Users who desire longer shooting times can choose from the abovementioned Cooling Fan CF-R20EP as well as two new battery grips, all of which can be installed with two batteries.

Battery Grip BG-R20EP and Cooling Fan CF-R20EP are both equipped with 2.5G Base-T compatible LAN ports, which will speed up the transfer of large video and image files through a wired internet connection.

These supplement the camera’s built-in Wi-Fi 6/6E* wireless compatibility, which supports the 5GHz/2.4GHz wireless bands and the high-speed IEEE 802.11b/g/n/a/ac/ax transmission standard. The camera’s multiple built-in antennas support MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output), which improves transmission quality.

*Excludes 6GHz.

Other features

 

 

*Compatible with Type B
** Some types of data cannot be stored on SD cards. Up to 2 TB is supported (a card exceeding 2 TB is handled as a card of 2 TB).

 

EOS R5 Mark II: Sample images

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM/ FL: 124mm/ Manual exposure (f/2.8, 1/2000 sec)/ ISO 3200/ WB: 4600K

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF600mm f/4L IS USM/ FL: 600mm/ Manual exposure (f/4, 1/4000 sec)/ ISO 1600/ WB: Auto

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM/ FL: 200mm/ Shutter-priority AE (f/4.5, 1/350 sec, EV -0.5)/ ISO 320/ WB: Auto

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF100-300mm f/2.8L IS USM/ FL: 300mm/ Manual exposure (f/2.8, 1/3200 sec)/ ISO 320/ WB: Auto

EOS R5 Mark II/ RF800mm f/5.6L IS USM/ FL: 800mm/ Manual exposure (f/5.6, 1/320 sec)/ ISO 200/ WB: Daylight