Canon R5 - 2 Year Long Term Review from a Pro Wildlife Photographer - Should You Still Buy in 2024?

I have been shooting with a Canon R5 for over 2 years now and one of the questions I get most often is if I think this camera is still worth buying in 2023. In this video I give you all of my thoughts on it and answer that question. Thanks for watching!

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

My long term review of the Canon 100-500mm lens here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6vCYoaBf7qLiposi=FS-RvIjON6CpRIEG

[@17nmurph]

So informative Harry, I love my R5 too! All of your photos and videos are just breathtaking! Thank you!

[@ChrisSaunders]

I am not a pro but I love my R5. Thanks for putting this out there - the constant push on most channels for the latest and greatest is exhausting!

[@ralphholmes6387]

I just bought an R5. For sure an upgrade for me! I use it for portraits, landscapes, sports, and wildlife. Your photos are amazing!!

[@alimel1267]

Wow, thank you for sharing this amazing video, I just bought the Canon R5, switched from Canon M50, huge difference and now I start my new journey on learning everything about this amazing camera. I’m just a beginner wildlife photographer.

[@iLLSinceProductions]

Been looking to upgrade from my 5D3 and this truly answers most of my questions.

[@adamernsterwildlife]

Awesome video! I just made one of similar aspects. Have been using the R5 for 2 years and love it! Keep up the great work

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thanks! I will check it out

[@jeffcowan2667]

My Nikon D3 that I still use is still relevant to me. I love the images that this camera produces. My buddy has an R5that he has had for a few years now, and he still loves it!

[@explorevanisle2924]

Thanks for the great easy to follow video, I have the R5 with RF100-500 and struggle a bit with sharpness with it and how I have my camera set up. Your photos are stunning and I can only hope to be half as good as you. 😄

[@MarkAlderson]

Great discussion and great videos and photos! I have an R6 and love it, although I always wonder if I should have went for the R5, but the smaller file size is working for me now.Thanks!

[@rajanvr6688]

Thank you for sharing the excellent experience and adventure you have had with the R5. I was planning to buy it, then heard that the Mark 2 is coming out. So guess I need to wait.

[@Chris-NZ]

Really good to get a long term real world evaluation from a full time photog. Had mine for a year and a half, mainly but not entirety a stills person and agree entirely with you especially on the customisation and coming from the 5D series in true Canon style a painless swap. Cheers from NZ 😀

[@Shutter_heart]

Very honest opinion you’ve shared!!

[@joecronin5017]

great as usual, good to have both covers all situations

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thank you! I agree. You could also get an R5 and R6 II for less than the cost of a Sony A1. I personally would also take those 2 cameras over having an A1 myself.

[@christoschatzimanolis6456]

Stunning images and great review!

[@ronrotunno2901]

Great job on the video Harry, always such good content in all you do. I recently purchased an R5 due to the price drop and I couldn’t be happier with it. Some may want to wait for the Gen 2 version and I get that but this edition suits me just fine. The R5 was a fine camera when it was launched and that hasn’t changed. In my experience high ISO noise has been very manageable especially when stacking images when doing nightscape work. Moving from Sony R series back to Canon. Thanks again.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thank you!! I say it all the time that I would put the R5 up against any of the other brands flagships and it will sting hang with them. Sure it could use some upgrades if you’re comparing. But overall it remains a fantastic camera that I still shoot with daily.

[@tonygreenmike]

Stellar shots Harry 👍

[@danielson_9211]

Had mine for over a year and love it, I borrow my sister's A1 and brother's Z9 at times and don't miss anything going back to the R5. Would like to see a 200-600 for the extra reach but the extra 100-200 range on the 100-500 comes in handy a lot of times. Thinking of getting the R3 but might wait for the R5 II. Waiting on firmware update hopefully they give us the sound for shooting in electronic shutter.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Awesome to hear! Thanks for watching!

[@BenniOSM]

I'm using the 1.4x adapter for which is almost perfect. But that 300 mm start is something one needs to keep in mind though

[@Jack-xp8yr]

The R5 is finally at a price I can afford and after watching this video. I feel way more comfortable about making the purchase. Thank you for a no nonsense follow up review.

[@johnjackson9601]

Thank you for the information. I just purchased one today!

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@davidbarr9475]

Absolutely stunning work. Great review. I currently shooting the r6mk2 with adapted ef 100mm to 400mm L2. I'm love this camera but am bummed that recently canon put the r5 on sale for ab what I paid for my r6mk2. Maybe one day. The r6 mk.2 is amazing for my wildlife. I just wish like you said if they could have made it like 30 mp. I would love to get an r5 used.

[@STEVEHADDOCK]

Great video! Thank you very much. Could I ask what settings you usually use for video?

[@NECPER]

Very useful. I have R6 and R7, but I am looking to upgrade to Mark Ii of R5 and R6. I’m just an enthusiast photographer. Thanks for sharing.

[@simonbrumby]

Great vid, nice rational explanations. Currently shooting the R5C and enjoying it. Are you shooting primarily in log and then grading with a 709 lut as starting point? Thanks.

[@stevenheapy9331]

Just found your channel and your vide is great. I’ve had r5 for about 1.5 years mainly underwater photography and love it. I’m also going to afraid would like to do a bit more video would be very interested in your video settings as the videos were excellent

[@robferguson6798]

Great video Harry Love your honesty and your no bells and whistles approach. I am a Sony supporter but really am looking hard at canon. I think after watching this it’s time to pull the trigger. Great images. Cheers from Vancouver Island!

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Awesome! I’m curious to see what the R5 II brings however even once released this camera still competes in this market despite being several years old now

[@delboy1727]

Very useful, thank you. I have just ordered an R5, knowing full well that a MkII could be just around the corner. However, I am still shooting on a DSLR (5D MkIII) and an R5 is definitely going to be a significant step up.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thanks for watching! You won’t be disappointed. Huge upgrade!

[@AtaBoraBasar]

It has many strengths, it's a great camera.

[@DayumMarq]

Great video. One thing though is that Sony has around 7 more customizable buttons, also an extra wheel. When I switched to an r5, I missed how customizable Sony was compared to the r5.

[@RuN_Alex]

Thanks for your review. This is a great camera! I am waiting to buy this used on a fair price.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thanks for watching! I expect the used market will see many more of these soon if the R5 II announcement comes as rumored. I would have no hesitation buying this camera even with an updated version released if so.

[@achimboers]

Have an R5, actually appreciate the SD card now, yes it’s slower, but I was without the CFexpress card and being able to continue with a micro SD from my raspberry pi, just saved the day

[@julianuk3266]

i came on here wanting an opinion on the R5 but was just left in awe at your wildlife photography imagery.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thank you so much!

[@StephenShankland]

Helpful video. I'd love to see a walk-through video of your autofocus settings for various scenarios. I was holding out for the alleged R5 Mark II but took a trip to Alaska so bought the R5 and have been pretty happy.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thanks; I will try to get a video out on my AF setup once I return home in January

[@StephenShankland]

@@HarryCollinsPhotographyExcellent, I look forward to it.

[@ElBoyoElectronico]

I just bought one! Love it very much 😊

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Great to hear!

[@arthur3038]

Awesome video! It might be one of the best time tu purchase R5 now. We just bought an additional one.. the R5 came down price wise (switzerland) significantly - I guess, because R5II is blinking down the road and even maybe the R1 has some influence on the momentarely pricing. ..

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Great point!

[@garrywatters1140]

Bought the R6 when it first came out and used it daily for two years. I then decided to buy a new r5 and was blown away with what it could do. Still got the r6 as a secondary camera and use it often but the R5 is still my go to camera.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thats a great combination as well. I shot with the R6 as my low light camera on several trips before getting the R3.

[@paulhubert3882]

Thanks for making a video about a camera that features the camera rather than the person making the video. Great stuff.

[@chrishollingsworth7110]

Love my R5, looking forward to the next Firmware release. Supposed to carry the R5 over and update it till the R5 II in 2024.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

I’m anxious as well to see what that update brings

[@cb160]

Great video clearly a great camera still. I would love to hear you thoughts with a video reviewing the 100-500mm and comparing it to the larger prime lenses canon has to offer. Thanks 👍

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Great suggestion! I will try to put that together asap between some upcoming trips I have

[@cb160]

@@HarryCollinsPhotography Thank you that's great. It's a lens that I have wanted to get for a while but have yet to pull the trigger on it.

[@birdingman]

Have the R6 (for videos) and R3 (for photos) pairing with the RF150-500 & bought recently (not use yet) the R5 + RF1200, expecting to have more fun with it. This said, I'm an amateur photogrpher and so just doing it for un. Learned something from your video so thanks for sharing. Cheers

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Wow the RF1200 huh? I'm anxious to get my hands on one of those, one of these days. Thanks for watching!

[@tonygreenmike]

08:23 Absolutely ! and also 8k is an overkill for stills shooters. 30 mp is a sweet spot for a good enough resolution ! I personally look for a well rounded camera (tough weather sealed body, 30mp, BI sensor [if the BI has any supreme edge over the other sensors], top of the line AF, IBIS, illuminated buttons, built in hard disk,). Instead of churning out more hybrid models, I wish purpose specific models are introduced - I guess SONY is doing that way.... something like S for sensitivity, R for resolution..and so on..what I mean is stills-centric and video-centric models to be available separately. 45mp and 8K are like best of both worlds of stills and vdo respectively, yet the 8k with certain limitations did not serve its purpose completely. People who shoot short clips or any footage that is less than 30 mins won't find the overheating beyond 30 mins as a trouble though..As a stills photographer who wish to have the 45mp and other features that are so apt for stills has to pay that extra bucks, because it has an '8K vdo capability' , which I won't need it as much as the videographers need it. Models with "best of both worlds" will be preferred by folks who do both stills and vdo and by the camera rental companies. Ken Rockwell in his review of 5d mk4 stated it to be the best universal camera that time, yeah something like that. I guess it wont be hurting for Canon to introduce purpose specific models..like EOS R5P or R5S for Photography /Stills and EOS R5V for video..we have a C for Cinema already...

[@Wellsbrian7]

Great work!

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thank you!

[@vijithuae]

👏👏👏

[@thomastuorto9929]

Yup, useful! But I already knew. The Sony A7R5 is a contender also for someone switching but, for Wildlife fps! = This camera. I have thought this camera is the best all-around bang for the buck for the last 2 years, Even more so if you just caught Canon's xmas sale at 3k US. Their RF lenses are a little expensive for someone who doesn't have any Canon perks but the image quality is stunning. Thanks for the vid. Beautiful photos & vid footage. Congrats on you winning anya awards & such.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@OhhhBugger]

I was extremely impressed by it's low light capabilities. It's more than amazing at handling things to about 12,000 ISO, and then just use Topaz. The shutter is quiet too. You could probably throw one of these off a cliff and have it still work. Very durable. All in all, and excellent camera. I wish they would make the same camera, but a cropped version :( The R7 is NOT that...

[@gunny2044]

Fantastic work, Professor. I'll have me people contact your people.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

😂😂

[@thewildgoose1979]

I believe my new R5 is back focusing. Something you cant micro adjust now. I do have a 1.4 converter, with the EF 100 - 400 on it and wondered if thats a problem.( using the converter) Ill be doing more tests to see. I have read on the internet where others have discovered the same problem.

[@janwilson9485]

It probably wont be as this was a problem for dslrs due to their focussing method. Have you damaged your lens? Is it the same with all lenses?

[@CanonPhotoshop]

Curious if people think that the R5 is worth buying at $3,000 in 2024. It’s 4-year old technology. I’d love to have it, but my financial logic tells me to wait for the mk2, even if it’ll be $4,000. (Nobody spends $3,000 on a 4-year old computer). The only improvement I would want from the mk2 is focus response. I don’t want to miss shots because the camera can’t find the bird, jet or other fast moving object. Would I be disappointed with the original R5? Are current R5 owners impatiently waiting for the mk2 - ready to buy it immediately after its release? Thanks. I appreciate your input.

[@amendegw]

Spot on, Harry! I also have the R5 & R3 and find myself using the R5 for more than 75% of of my shots. The reason... as you noted is the ability to crop the R5 images. I haven't been doing a whole lot of video but starting to do more - loving the 4K 120p for wildlife. My only wish is that Canon had comparable lenses to the Sony 200-600mm or the Nikon 500PF or the 800PF (at that bargain price). Keep these great videos coming.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Jerry, thanks and I totally agree! Definitely need some updated lenses but I’m afraid of the costs that Canon will charge once released 😂

[@jerjaws]

The new Sony body’s are excellent for button customization. Vs older bodies.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

I totally agree. The A1 is also much more customizable than the Z9 which needs several more buttons added. Maybe saying Canon is better, is the wrong choice of words, perhaps I should have said for me personally theres one or 2 functions that Sony hasn’t added yet when I shot with the A1, that I’m used to having on the Canon bodies so I just prefer the Canon setup.

[@michelletoth9125]

Hey! Not sure if you'll see this but I'll ask away anyway. I just watched this and I love your shots! I do a lot of bird photography but I've only ever had my one camera, the t6i. I was thinking of upgrading to this in the next half year or so, and I was wondering if you knew where I could get a good price for the body. And what lens adapter would you recommend (from EF to the R mount)? Stoked to see if I can get this camera because going from 4fps shooting to 20(!!!!) is crazy to me. I just moved to British Columbia and I'm already seeing so much wildlife here, but my current camera's just not doing me enough justice. Thank you :)

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

I think the prices are going to come way down because the R5 II will be out soon. I would also take a look for used or refurbished bodies from B&H or canons websites. You can get good deals there. I use the cheapest canon brand RF/EF adaptor (the one without the control ring is cheaper) and it works great

[@michelletoth9125]

@@HarryCollinsPhotography Thanks! Yeah I think I'd honestly prefer refurbished/used. I'll check it out!

[@chuck2388]

I live in Florida and like photographing birds. I’m strongly considering an R5. Can you recommend a good lens or two? You video convinced me to get the R5. Please keep them coming. Thanks.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

You will love the R5! If you can swing it I highly recommend the 100-500. I have a video review of that as well. Or the new 200-800 may be an option for you as well kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6vCYoaBf7qLiposi=zN9cZWVvt446x2-f

[@richardreynolds8326]

I really enjoyed your video….i was thinking between this camera and the 1dx mark ii….i just want the truest color tones to wildlife, not altered…

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thank you!! Having had both, I think the R5 is the better option in my opinion. The 1dx will be cleaner at high ISO but everything else about the R5 is better.

[@richardreynolds8326]

@@HarryCollinsPhotography thank you…

[@love4wildlife]

Have a couple of R5's and given all that's packed into them, the cameras are NOT the limiting factor. That would be the guy pressing the shutter (me). Whether one uses Sony, Canon or Nikon matters much less these days in my humble opinion. Learn how your camera works along with its limitations. Then get out there and do stuff. It is of course good to be aware of what the competition offers but don't succumb to paralysis by analysis. BTW, love the channel, Harry. Coming by often for a visit.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

This is great advice and very true! Thanks so much!

[@sabinroca111]

@@HarryCollinsPhotography I have bought R5 yesterday and what will you say about this decision of mine, is it best decision to buy still in 2023?

[@darkbidding]

Have you had any issues with the hot shoe becoming loose? I’ve read enough about people having that problem that I wanted to ask. The one thing I wish the R5 had that the Z9 has is the stacked sensor to mitigate the rolling shutter issues.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Interesting. No I have not had any shoe issues at all. I also don’t have many (if any at all) issues with rolling shutter personally. But I also don’t shoot sports or people really where it could become apparent. Hopefully down the line in future generations, global shutters will make their way into this lineup and that will eliminate the issue altogether.

[@darkbidding]

@@HarryCollinsPhotography Thanks!

[@justingates1122]

could imagine hearing that noise from that lion attack

[@HusbandnWifeDuo]

Love from Mississauga, Ontario! You have covered the camera well! However, my (wife part of the equation) is that all these new cameras are just too expensive for amateurs and enthusiasts. Just 2 questions, therefore: (1) who are these expensive cameras for? and (2) what is the best economical bet for a lightweight full frame mirrorless camera for wildlife photography. I am a short 5'-6" tall woman in my mid 40s and have a Canon EOS RP.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

The Canon R8 seems like an amazing value for the money. It has many pro level features in a much more affordable body

[@HusbandnWifeDuo]

@@HarryCollinsPhotography Thank you, that is what intrigued me too.

[@HusbandnWifeDuo]

@@HarryCollinsPhotography Yes, that seems to be a viable solution. Thanks for the advice.

[@lowercasechris]

That kingfisher at 8:20.. basically saying ah shucks

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

😂😂

[@stubones]

I think we can absolutely say Canon should just “man up” and give us stacked sensors in all mirrorless bodies. For all the bold claims about increased readout speed, the rolling shutter distortion on my R6 mkii makes the ES almost unusable for ball sports. It doesn’t take much movement for a ball that’s supposed to be round to become misshapen. Having to use the mechanical shutter defeats the purpose of the camera. 12 fps is fast and usable, but I’m irritated I need to wear out the MS just so I can shoot sports. This is where Nikon and Sony are ahead now. I’m sure canon will follow suit in the future, maybe even with the R5 ii.

[@ForrestWest]

I shoot Canon and I also have the Sony A7iv and it has more customizable buttons than my R7 and R8. It's right in that 33 megapixel sweetspot you were talking about. It pretty much is that camera that's better for low-light and it's very customizable. Also my Sony 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 135mm GM prime lenses focus quickly and silently while the small Canon RF primes are all pretty noisy when focusing. I love my Canon cameras for wildlife and I can adapt my EF lenses to both systems. It's nice having a lot of choices and I enjoy shooting Canon and Sony very much.

[@konstruktief]

I love the R5. It's an insanely capable camera for stills with regards to speed, autofocus and image quality. It works ok for the occasional short video too. What I really don't like about Canon and what makes me consider a switch to Nikon is their non-existent policy towards serious enthusiasts who find the cheap plasticky RF lenses an insult but can't afford the big whites. After 2 years with the R5 I only use my EF mount glass and don't even think of investing in RF. Whatever happened to Canon's DO lenses? Whatever happened to interesting lenses in general? Look at Nikon - they came up with the 800/6.3 and the 400/4.5 and people are raving about them. Another very interesting lens is the Nikkor Z 24-120/4. When will Canon put out something in this class? I'd hate to say never but it seems they're not interested in this market segment anymore. They probably only care for the hobby snappers and the sponsored pros and nothing in between. Hey, I can even use my EF lenses on a Nikon Z body with an adapter. So why stay in the Canon ecosystem? Not sure anymore.

[@mLichy911]

I just shot the A1 + 600 F/4 GM this week/still have it on loan for a bit. It makes me appreciate the R5 even more. I also tried the Z9 within the last month with latest bird AF as well. Canon is just so far ahead, when it comes to bird AF/their algorithm. Almost night and day vs Sony A1 in my tests, with latest firmware. I was even using old EF 500 vs new Sony 600 lens. Their AF detection was almost total opposite. Canon got the birds eye 80-90%, and Sony was missing 80-90%, or only getting rough body/form, or i had to use small spot focus like DSLR. Sony was pretty good/fast at BIF, but still hit and miss. Often grabbing foreground when bird was about to land, but R5 held on. Or A1 focus point was rubbering banding/flying of the eye or body in flight, but R5 was very locked. Even with Sony set to full lock on focus sensitivity and medium/smaller zone setup. Canon i could use full zone/wide AF. After all the Sony hype, I have to wonder if people actually tried the R5/compared properly. It was immediately obvious to me, after using R5 for 3 years. Z9 is getting better, but was still not to level of R5, for bird AF, and R3/R6ii is even above R5s capabilities. I just got a capture card to record HDMI from the cameras to my ipad, so I may release some videos, live/straight from the cameras in real-time to show the differences.

[@Jessehermansonphotography]

Great camera, but I switched to the R7. R5 is better but I like the pixel density of the R7 and now my 100-400 mk ii is really nice

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Interesting to hear. I haven’t had time to check out the R7 much yet. On my to do list.

[@Jessehermansonphotography]

@@HarryCollinsPhotography a lot of folks have complaints with it due to keeper rate. I don’t really have the same problems since I shoot mammals or perched birds mostly. But apparently BIF the hit rate can be a little poor. IQ is awesome and the video was that comes out of it looks really nice. Overall I am happy with it. Canon cut some corners but hopefully they release a V2 that has at least one of those corrected. (1. Mechanical shutter is loud and can cause shutter shock 2. Rolling shutter is noticeable) if canon increased the readout speed I would be very happy with the camera. I’m happy with it now but it would be just about perfect if it had a faster readout speed.

[@dkastra26]

I selled my a1 and z9 for the r5. I dont shoot Wildlife. I only want the Cameras. But for me personally is the r5 the Right thing. Z9 is Nice. A1 dont have good colors. I Need so much Time to edit with it. Z9 is Perfect But to Heavy for me with a 70/200

[@dkastra26]

Ok i bought a z9 again 😂

[@tonygreenmike]

02:14 never knew that a sloth could scratch that fast,

[@georgescanvas]

High quality video - with only 5000 views at the time of this comment. Shows you how fickle these digital platforms are, and how people have lost their ability to identify good content.

[@HarryCollinsPhotography]

Thank you so much for that! I really appreciate it. Always frustrating to not get a lot of views when you put a lot of time and effort into videos but for those who do see I hope they find it helpful!!

[@cybeliometalbest25]

Nature is sometimes cruel but the death of this hippo by this lion still disturbs my thoughts to this day. Thank you for sharing your passion for photography with us with your advice technical and experience in the field.

[@VAM_Films]

It’s unfortunate that consumers have made it a habit to question whether or not their $3k camera will be relevant in more than two years. Apple really laid the foundation for making people get FOMO on not buying the latest tech every year.

[@Jack-xp8yr]

It's the greatest marketing ploy ever. Most will never use what they have to it's fullest potential. But but the new one as a new bell or whistle.

[@mbismbismb]

Cause not everyone can afford cf express… canon not allowing 3rd party already makes those budget conscious r5 users very angry haha so if u add all cf slot like the z9, ppl will flipped out

[@konstruktief]

That's not a valid argument anymore. You can buy a very good CFexpress type B card for the same price or even cheaper than a fast SD one.

[@mbismbismb]

@@konstruktief what brand offer the cheaper than sd card with the same storage?

[@konstruktief]

@@mbismbismb Look at Angelbird for example. They make super solid CFExpress cards with guaranteed sustained write performance. I got a 160GB one specially made for 20fps bursts of RAW images for pretty much the same price as a SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB V90 which can't even handle those bursts properly and causes blackouts and freezes.

[@WiFuzzy]

Its a horrible camera. You should give it to me and stop suffering.