Canon R5 Review For Wildlife - FIELD TESTED on safari in Botswana!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Please let us know your experiences with the R5 or indeed any mirrorless cameras. Do you own an R5? if so check out Janine's video on her preferred settings. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHKrXodsns5oo5I​

[@whiterock1865]

Check out compressed raw file format (cRAW) to get filesize much smaller (-50% file size) with no noticeable loss in quality.

[@tenman76]

This review should be the standard in which all camera reviews should be judged against. It is factual, fair, technically accurate and honest. Really well done Janine.

[@ro3843]

Yes this is one of the few truly expert and trustworthy sources on KZbin

[@RickLincoln]

You are so good at this! Your example photos and videos, you're presentation skill, and your knowledge of photographic equipment is amazing.

[@MK-bg9bj]

Best R5 review i have watched so far. Sharing real life experience is really useful.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi, thanks so much - really appreciate your feedback - cheers Janine

[@NVIK5]

The best, unbiased review I have seen so far on this camera!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Viktor, thanks so much for watching, glad you enjoyed it - happy shooting!!!

[@michaelhains2291]

Duade Paton and Jan Wagener have done good reviews on the R6 and R5 respectively. Mainly bird images, but balanced reviews.

[@fuzzytalz]

I’ve had my R5 since late August 2020. I love it. It’s far from perfect but it’s the most transparent mirrorless camera I’ve used, pretty much disappearing when I start shooting. That’s the highest praise I can give for a camera system.

[@richardpill8322]

Best review so far of the R5 that I have seen, just what people need, thanks.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thanks so much Richard, really appreciate your feedback - best wishes and happy shooting Janine

[@claudiowong1882]

It's amazing, probably the best and most comprehensive introduction and experience I've ever seen about Canon r5.

[@dougrich675]

Nice work, one of the best (clear AND comprehensive) of the 8-9 reviews I’ve watched for R5.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Wow, thanks Doug for that huge compliment - stay tuned for another comprehensive review of the R6 by Charl coming up soon - cheers Janine

[@JohnDoe-zg6fn]

By far the BEST review I have watched yet on the R5. Thank you so much for taking the time to be as in-depth and honest about this camera as possible. Great job and keep up the good work! 👍👍

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi John, thanks so much for watching - I am glad you enjoyed it. Cheers Janine

[@beatfarmerfan]

That’s a great review Janine, thank you! I would really like to have that camera as my every day go to, but with the cost of a computer upgrade, the Camera and lenses, I think I would be happier spending that money on visiting you guys for a week, and bringing my 5D m4! One dream at a time! 😁

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Steve, yes... it is an amaaazing all rounder. That is for sure. You will get amazing travel photographs... but Charl will soon come out with an extensive R6 review and there is many reason I do love that camera to bits... maybe that is more in your price league? But no question - the mirrorless range of Canons is far from cheap and therefore a no go for many people. I truly hope we can welcome you here in Botswana soon.- cheers Janine

[@brucemacneil]

A visit would be awesome. On the computer note - after moving to R5 and mirrorless I switched my desktop from Mac Pro to the new M1 Mac Mini with 8GB ram. It is amazing - 10X performance for a tenth of the price.

[@AshleyPaul]

I was going to say, if photo and video are your priorities, considering changing to an M1 Mac. I did and it has no problem keeping up with the photos and videos, while being much more affordable than the Intel Macs I sold to purchase it, and I swear it feels snappier somehow.

[@brucemacneil]

@@AshleyPaul I remain thrilled with my M1 Mac Mini - and a BENQ SW2700 display and external SSD. Definitely great.

[@ignaciocarrera5668]

Thank you so much Janine for your review. I found it to be really objective and answered a lot of my questions. As an SLR Canon 1Dx Mark II shooter, I have a hard time justifying the cost of the new mirrorless cameras. Keep reviewing and letting us know. Cheers. Ignacio

[@davidromea7245]

Thank you for this R5 video as well as the set-up one. Having just taken advantage of the $900 price drop and coming from my trusty and well-used 5DIV bodies, this was just what I needed to get started in the mirrorless world. After a few days playing with my 100-400 II and 600 III f/4, I am blown away by the ease of use and amazing control of light exposure. Canon's brilliant decision to keep the controls similar to the 5DIV is making this transition relatively painless. And you get an extra wheel! Since I wear glasses while shooting, I actually find the R5's viewfinder is easier to use. I can't wait to try out your dual back button focus setup in the field. Not having to constantly use the joystick to move focus points will really be a game-changer for me. Thanks again for these well-made and informative videos.

[@ryomiran4637]

Best camera review on KZbin. I never comment but this video makes me want to go thru every single videos you created. Thank u so much.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Wow, thanks!

[@ghananatgeo]

This is the best and honest R5 review I have watched. Thank you so much. This is very important for me living in Ghana, West Africa.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Glad you enjoyed it Gideon... cheers Janine

[@matt.pereira]

Wonderful, wonderful review - a joy to watch all the way through!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Matt, thanks so much for the big compliment - cheers Janine

[@fatbaldandhappy]

I've been watching dozens of videos on the R5 while considering a purchase. This is hands down the best one I've seen. A very experienced photographer who obviously knows her stuff and can speak about real world considerations rather than lab based results and tech specs on paper. Thank you and thank you again.

[@PangolinWildlife]

HI, thanks so much for your amazing feedback... that is hugely appreciated. cheers Janine

[@russellfowler3799]

What a brilliant review, cutting through corporate PR and giving unbiased, practical, informative, expert views from the field. I'm saving my pennies now. I must get back to Bots, I must get back to Chobe, I must get back to Pangolin. Another super video as are all others from this team.

[@bjarnehansen3812]

This is the best review of the R5 for wildlife photographers though there are other great reviews. Well done, Janine! I have had the R5 with a battery grip for a half year and I can recognize most of your observations. I have used a 1DX mk ii for about four years but I rarely grab the 1DX mk ii any longer as it is lacking a lot of features though better build (a tank) and with slightly better ergonomics. I will probably sell the 1DX mk ii and get a R6 (without grip) as secondary camera as the 1DX is too big and heavy and too incompatible with the R5 to become a secondary camera. I can see you often use the 200-400L as I also do. I never got the 200-400L to work well and consistent with external extenders (the internal is a joy and works very well) with the 1DX mk ii or 7D mk ii with OVF. However, the R5 works very well with x1.4 and even x2 external extenders giving a lot of flexibility. My wife has recently upgraded her 80D to a R5 as well mostly using a 100-400 mk ii as you also do. She is pleased with the R5 as well. I noticed you got 1080p/120FPS video with the new firmware this morning so you have one issue less. When will you open for tourists again and on which conditions (vaccine, tests ...)? B.R. Bjarne

[@michaelk5173]

I have had my R5 for about two months and love it. I am still discovering interesting tweaks and have final found an unconventional topsy-turvy back button focus ability. I use the standard meter/focus setup, and assign AF Off to the *….. I’m can compose and press it then shoot away, the R5 will not try to reacquire a target….works for me!👍🏼 Great review!

[@Quivver77]

Fantastic review! Easily one of the best R5 reviews for wildlife anywhere. Your honesty about the autofocus and animal autofocus is really appreciated! Your presentation style with real images taken in the field is excellent as well! I was going to buy the R5 but now i think I'm going to wait for the R3 or R1 which might be an ideal replacement for the 1dx II.

[@PangolinWildlife]

I am super excited for the R3 to come... but also keep in mind that continuous software updates can fix a lot more in a mirrorless camera than in the previous DSLRs - cheers Janine

[@bryanbrice808]

As an amateur I was looking to venture into the full frame camera range and was thinking about the 5D when I heard about the R5. I waited and I am glad I did. While it does cost more, I didn't feel it was that much more since i was making the jump to a more professional level anyway. I also love the immediate results I can see through the view finder when making adjustments. This has really helped me move into using the manual mode. Thank you Janine for the review and especially thank you for the video on the setting for the R5 for wildlife!!!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Bryan, I am so glad the two videos helped you out to get started with your R5... you are going to have sooo much fun on a full frame camera and will be astounded by the results. Hope to see you around here sometime... cheers Janine

[@bryanbrice808]

@@PangolinWildlife thanks Janine, my daughter and I will see you July of 2022, we are excited to experience Africa

[@PoornaPrakashParvathala]

This is the best review of R5 i've watched on the internet

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thank you

[@Andrew-nx5hh]

Janine, Outstanding review on not just the camera but also the implications of upgrading to a large megapixel camera and investment requirements for storage, computer processing, etc. Common sense plus a thorough review of the critical details. Doesn't get any better than this. Well done and thanks for your hard work presenting this.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thank you so much Andrew. Greatly appreciated.

[@Jeje-rb1vu]

Amazing video. Thank you. I recently purchased an R5 and the RF 100-500 F/4. I am going on my first safari in a few months.. what other lens would you recommend to bring? I am assuming some animals will be close.. I am thinking of the 24-105 f4 but part of me feel I need one lens that's F2 for low light... Any advice would be very much appreciated!

[@brucegardner4057]

Hi, Over the past nine months I have been getting used to new R5 and R6 bodies which replaced a 5D4 and 90D, although I still have to get seamlessly familiar with both i the field, I'm very happy so far. I was in the Serengeti in June and now I'm really looking forward to joining you guys next year in November. Your videos are excellent and I have learnt a lot from them. Many Thanks.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thank you Bruce. See you soon!

[@colinb188]

Great video, just purchased the R5 and I love it. Mainly shoot birds so the cropping capability is fantastic and the eye AF is wonderful. Would highly recommend this camera, the Canon 800mm f11 works well with it too.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Colin, glad you are enjoying this - did you see my video on how to set it up ? cheers Janine

[@paulcooper8818]

Well organized, thorough presentation with useful personal experience to boot

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Paul, thank you so much for your feedback - I really appreciate it!

[@sebastianreiprich3747]

At first thank your for this great review. Those sample images you showed were simply stunning! Two things though: 1. Canon does only advertise that the animal eye AF works for cats, dogs and birds. Some people found out that it also seems to work for other animals and even insects in some cases. But since Canon never stated that the R5 is capable of doing this it wouldn’t be fair to talk it down because of this. 2. I would like to know how you tested the ISO capabilities. I believe you have a point in that it might not be as good as the 1DX. But keep in mind that the R5 has more than twice the pixels of the 1DX. So comparing both of them at 100% might show better results on the 1DX. It would be interesting to see a comparison of the images when they are exported to the same size.

[@lindabeck2965]

A great down to earth review without all of the sales pitch and right to the point in an operational setting. Would really look forward to a similar review of the Canon R6 and then a frank summary of one against the other as the R5 is a very pricy and sophisticated piece of gear for most probably bar the professional.

[@theworldofjonas]

I’m a Nikon shooter, but as much as I love my Nikon equipment and the brand in general, they need to improve their AF so much! It’s hard to see how nicely the Canon tracks the animals eyes. Can’t wait for the Nikon Z9, hope it will have all the features I’m waiting for.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi, thanks so much for your input - cheers Janine

[@2klember]

We all hope that Z9 will be another D3 wow effect for Nikon shooters. I love my Nikon cameras and I will probably not switch to mirrorless because of the small size but Z9 could be a game changer. I hope.

[@ianworthington2324]

Most honest review I've yet seen. Many thanks.

[@peterroadson2493]

Thanks Janine. I bought a R5, and folowed your advice in setting it up. It works fantastic. Love your videos and hope to visit your wildlife center some day.. Thanks again.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Glad it was helpful!

[@declantarpey6642]

Thanks again Janine. I am just getting used to my R5 and I did find when shooting a Kingfisher in flight I needed a high iso of 4,000 in order to shoot at a speed of 1/3,000s (f4.5 on a 600mm lens). The image is not as crisp due to a grain effect. Apart from that I'm loving a lot of the features.

[@gilpatmore4312]

best review so far of this camera, Thanks!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Gil, wow - what amazing feedback. It was a big project for me so you just made my evening. cheers Janine

[@DirkDien]

Great insights into the Eye AF with mammals and your wildlife photography over there Janine! I'm looking forward for the other reviews as well. Just got my R6 a few days ago and I'm really happy with it so far. Hope to meet you guys at some point on a safari. Best from germany, Dirk

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Dirk, we really hope to welcome you on Safari here in Botswana very soon... the R6 is beautiful for wildlife and if you stay tuned to our channel you will get an extensive review by Charl on the R6 very soon... cheers

[@PangolinWildlife]

Maybe check out my set up video... many things are similar to the R6 and it might help you find your way around at the beginning....

[@DirkDien]

@@PangolinWildlife yes I did, thanks a lot!

[@jayfromaz]

I'm an ex photo journalist. This is absolutely a wonderful camera. I don't have problems with the buttons or the eyepiece. I own several other cameras. However, this is my go-to camera now. I can't say enough good things about it. Canon has produced something that's a quantum leap ahead of what they've had before. I own Canon and Sony cameras. The Canon R5 is a game changer. Also I have a ton of Canon lenses and their adapter is wonderful. It is an expensive camera. But for me worth every penny. One of my favorite features is being able to use the three dials in manual mode for f-stop, shutter speed, and iso. I typically use it like a regular DSLR type camera and not the back screen. However, the reticulating touch screen is great. I could go on and on but look at various reviews and see if it's good for you.

[@tonyesposito9602]

Hello Janine, brilliant review, I agree with everything you say about the focus system on the R5, quite often I have had to use the manual focus override to get the camera to focus on what I want, I love the quality of the photos and being able to crop a little more, although not a fan of big crops, I can honestly say I won't be replacing my DX3 anytime soon, and if I have to be honest if I still had the DX2 that would be the main go to camera for fast action and flight shots.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Tony, interesting to hear that you still prefer the 1Dxii over the 1Dxiii - cheers Janine

[@tonyesposito9602]

@@PangolinWildlife Hi Janine sorry for not making myself clear, I meant if I still had the DX2 I would choose that over the R5 for fast action photography, I love my DX3 :-)

[@photography6777]

Exceptional Review… love this honest evaluation, Janine !!

[@michaelcarnes2087]

this is a great review and full of important information. I did order the R5 for it's ability to shoot a wide range of subjects, wildlife, portraits, sports.

[@PangolinWildlife]

It gives you huge flexibility - cheers Janine

[@ChrisRenePlaylist]

This is really good. I love the way you share all the information. thank you

[@guillmunoz7474]

Wonderful presentations skills, excellent assessments of needs versus technical capabilities, and perfect video editing to complement all the points. Finally, you shared the photos you created with an R5, proving you are the professional you claim to be. I will be switching from Nikon to the R5. Thank you for an excellent and honest reviews, and indeed - I have become a subscriber

[@sarajcory7425]

I absolutely love my R5 with either the F/11 800mm RF or the RF 100-400 (not L) lens for birding and night photography. I'm older with arthritis and don't want to lug around heavy glass anymore. I'm finally getting the birding shots I've always dreamed up. Took a bit of adjustment and set up, but the eye focus is spot on. The camera, in some aspects, sees better than I do.

[@ElenaHanak]

That is the best Review of R5 I have seen! I don't mean the camera by this (I use Nikon) but how review is made! I've seen reviews of Duade Patron and Jan Wagener which are also very good but you mention some aspects they don't. The quality of review is on a very high professional level. Your review is much better than on some other channels with 1mio subscribers! Great Job, Janin!! I saw also your vedeos on other channels where you were invited (not on Pangolin) and I found them very educational and very professional. Thank you very much! Keep on going!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thank you Elena. High praise indeed.

[@dannydanquah3681]

That's an excellent review right there. To quickly switch between stills and movie, I've set my M-fn button to do that so it's just a button press. Also with eye AF locked on but not that sharp image, what I've been doing lately is that even with the lock on, I still press the AF-on button and my subject will be clearer in the VF before I press the shutter.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Danny, thank you for your great feedback. Yes, the M-fn button is an awesome magic button. But I was sad to give it up as I originally liked to customize it to switch to my custom modes. - the AF tip is a great one... I found it was a weird phenomenon

[@patrickhudgell]

Thanks for another great video. I agree with everything you have said about the R5. I have also set up two buttons for back-button focusing and I am now used to using the standard AF for finding approximate focus on an animal or bird and then instantly switching to the other button to get the eye focus. As you say, one of the main advantages of that is for freedom of composition as you can move the animal anywhere in the frame and the camera still holds focus. The other thing I would say is to use the custom settings for different scenarios. As there are also custom configurations video then you can set up different frame rates and instantly switch from one to the other. You mention the problem of large file sizes but I have actually found that my files are now smaller. I have tested RAW, CRAW and jpg and in most cases (as long as my exposure is correct) I have found the jpg images to be virtually indistinguishable from RAW. Consequently I now generally just shoot jpgs which are around 17MB rather than using RAW which always gave files of around 25MB with my previous Canon DSLRs. I can still do a bit of post-processing if needed as long as I don't try to pull out shadow detail too much.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Patrick, thanks so much for watching. Shooting with a 20mb camera at the moment definitely gives me smaller file sizes... and there is just something about R5 files (both video and photos) that my computer somehow doesn't like. Processing CR3 files is slower for me .... maybe you can assist me with a urgent question of mine... for me custom settings are only great when instantly accessible which is why I had the programmed on the M-Fn button... however, now this button is the only way to switch to video quickly. So how do you access your custom modes quickly? cheers Janine

[@patrickhudgell]

@@PangolinWildlife The system I use it to set to shutter priority 4k video at 25fps on C1 at 1/50th sec, 50fps on C2 at 1/100 sec and 100fps on C3 at 1/200th sec. I am very new to using video but that seems to work OK. That way it takes two button presses (Mode and Info) plus one on-screen selection of C1, C2 or C3 to go from still shooting to whatever video mode I want. That doesn't include 8k which I tend not to use anyway. Once you have used a particular frame rate for video and return to still images via the mode+info buttons you can then switch back to the last video mode you used by simply pressing the video start/stop button. I am still a bit confused by this as I don't use video often enough to fully understand it but that seems to work OK to me. With regard to file sizes, I always used RAW in the past with my 1D4, 5D3 and 7D2 cameras and tended to keep the RAWs in Lightroom but now find jpg is quite good enough with the R5 so don't need store the huge RAW files.

[@timothylinn]

@@patrickhudgell Good info about how you handle switching C settings with video. As you acknowledge in your original comment, the problem with JPG is that you are limiting your present and future editing flexibility. That may not matter given how you work. I would never do it. I was recently able to go back to some noisy images I shot on a 10D in 2004 and completely transform them using software that is vastly superior to what was available at the time.

[@patrickhudgell]

@@timothylinn I do agree that RAW is best and have always tended to use RAW in the past. I have also found the benefit of keeping old raw files and reprocessing with modern software but the files are so huge from the R5 that I decided to experiment with jpgs too. I don't know if it is the Adobe RAW converter but I can rarely get a better result with processed RAWs than the out of camera jpgs so I am sticking with jpgs for now.

[@VABrowneMDPhD]

Thank you for a fantastic, substantive, and fair-minded review. I recently purchased the Canon R5 after shooting on the 1DX, 1DX II, and 1DX III bodies for the past few years. I prefer the ergonomics and ruggedness of the 1DX bodies but I like the resolution and broader dynamic range of the Canon R5. My 1DX Mark II/III bodies function better under low light conditions, as one might expect with the larger pixels. Near dusk and dawn, especially when shooting under the canopy in the rainforest, the 1DX bodies provide a better image at high ISO values 12800-20000. I also feel that it is very quick and easy to move between stills and video photography settings on the 1DX II and 1DX III bodies compared to the R5. I recently shot short video clips of a great horned owl nest with both the Canon R5 and the 1DX III with both bodies set to 4K 60 P. I easily switched between still images and videos on the 1DX Mark III, but when I attempted to make a similar switch on the R5, the video settings defaulted to 1080 P, instead of the 4K 60 P I set before recording. I am sure that my inexperience with the video settings on the R5 may be to blame.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi, thank you so much for your great feedback and extensive insides into your Canon experience. It sounds like you could do an amazing review yourself. I found that the R5 provides inconsistent results with respect to the low light performance. Have you experienced that too? Sometimes I get really amazing results on 8000 ISO and other times my toes curl up at 800. I figured it had to do with light conditions and distance but it might also be temperature related. I was surprised how good the ergonomics are on the R5 body actually.... but obviously nothing in comparison to the good old brick /1dxii that I have thrown around a few times and always delivers. With respect to video you might check out my set up video as well... I found placing your video onto the M-Fn button is a great solution. While switching to video is quick on the 1Dxiii - the 1Dxii still has the problem that there is no separate video settings which causes you to change your settings permanently when switching... really annoying. - Happy shooting and hope to see you in this part of the world some day! cheers Janine

[@gregoryfricker9971]

Make sure when you guys are doing iso comparisons you are doing so at the same final image size (downscale the r5 image or upscale the 1Dx). Because of course you will have better iso performance at a per pixel level. But that doesn’t matter since you will be sizing it up to a particular print or display screen size which would apply to both cameras. I agree that if you look at Signal to Noise ratios at particular isos you would have ever so slightly less signal in the R5 files as tested by DXO, you can trade detail for noise and do more significant de noising to get an overall better image.

[@beutelm1]

I just love watching your videos for your voice/accent....it’s divine....and the information is great to 🙂

[@AlpeshPatel-jh5ti]

Janine and Pangolin yet another amazing and unbiased video. Thanks for this. Now to see WHEN I buy the R5.

[@jimbabbitt9928]

Use 1/2 press of the shutter button for both AF and metering. Then use DOF button to cycle through AF points (I kept only the spot and zone points active). That way you still use your thumb easily to move the AF point around with the joystick or touch screen. Use the AF-ON button to activate eye focus. That will override the shutter button. This method I find easier than trying to move my thumb back and forth over multiple back buttons. I like having my thumb free unless I am using eye focus by pressing AF-On.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Jim, that is a totally new approach... I just cannot use the top button for focusing anymore... and there is so many reason why - please check out my video on back button focusing that is linked in the Set Up video as well. However, I must agree that my thumb is rather busy between two back buttons and the joystick so I really don't blame you and I think you found a great alternative. cheers Janine

[@ThreeCeeProductions]

When I read reviews I don’t think many know how customizable the R5 is. You can almost change every knob or button to fit how you shoot. Like you I took the AF button for eye autofocus points. I use the shutter for single point autofocus. I also set other buttons in conjunction with modes. One of the best features for birds in flight vs stationary birds in dense foliage.

[@CarolineOrdHume]

Hi Janine. Another excellent video from you packed with detailed information and testing. I love my R5, except the lag from having to wake up the viewfinder all the time which comparing to my 5Dmk4 has made me miss some birds in flight action shots. I hope I will get more used to that though. I have the one spot focus on all the time, set the star button to eye auto-focus (and as you said, use spot initially then I press star to switch to eye autofocus), and the AF on I have set to AF off for composing with single point. Sadly my fingers are not as long as yours. The video button works immediately on C3 settings so if I set C3 up for the conditions I don't have to change the mode, just press the video on button (only just started trying video). The eye auto focus is amazing for me so far but I haven't been able to test on anything other than birds yet. I just got the RF 100-500 which is also excellent. Although I fear now I need to invest serious money in more CFExpress cards as one just isn't going to be enough! Thank you, I am looking forward to watching the other R5 video you have posted.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Caroline, thank you for your amazing feedback. Yes, the issue of extra cards and storage can be frustrating. But it sounds like you have your R5 firmly under control... maybe you have a solution for my M-Fn dilemma in the other video. cheers Janine

[@timothylinn]

If you’re not already doing it, other R5 shooters have been dealing with the lag for the viewfinder to come on by half-pressing the shutter button as soon as they touch the camera to pick it up. By the time they get it up to their eye, it is ready to go.

[@CarolineOrdHume]

@@timothylinnThank you for posting. I have been doing that but it often doesn't quite wake up fast enough. So I sometimes just keep half pressing the shutter button to keep it alive just in case some action happens. I have only had the R5 for a few weeks though, and under lockdown. I love this camera and can't wait to see something other than the same superfast little birds every day!

[@timothylinn]

@@CarolineOrdHume Here’s another thought, Caroline. I was reading reviews of Angelfire CFexpress cards tonight and several reviewers mentioned that these cards slowed down the R5 startup process in a way that other cards didn’t. They described the boot up experience with other cards as instant. This makes me wonder if using a single fast CFexpress card would solve the viewfinder wake time issue.

[@CarolineOrdHume]

@@timothylinn Thank you for sharing your thoughts Timothy. I use Sandisk cards and funnily enough just bought the 512 CFExpress, second hand like new £200 cheaper than new. So, it just arrived yesterday and I will check out if I think that speeds waking up the viewfinder thing. I do think if that is literally the only thing I am not mad about with the whole R5, I can live with it! And I updated the firmware yesterday which gives more options and various improvements, including high speed frames in HD, which I am yet to test.

[@g.s.3389]

what amazing picture you have shown us... compliments...

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Giuseppe, I am glad you enjoyed the Chobe. Maybe you can visit us one day on Safari - cheers Janine

[@Wild4safaris]

Hey Janine, that was an awesome review and great video, well done!

[@mstrathmore]

Such a great review. As anyone who’s ever shot African wildlife will know, it’s a completely different experience to, for example, bird photography with clear backgrounds or large subject/background separation, and where the photographer can set up on location before hand. The speed and unpredictability of the action, especially predator/prey interactions, and the density of the vegetation these often take place in, invalidates a lot of the information or suggestions given in videos by reviewers who have no experience of this. I’m not saying those videos are not useful, but rather that this one is particularly spot-on for wildlife photography of this type.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thanks so much - really appreciate your feedback - cheers Janine

[@blairblankinship4521]

I love your reviews of the camera. Watching your review led me to purchasing the R5. I agree that the eye-tracking is great when it works, but I am very grateful that you recommended the custom set up for both back buttons (one for servo, one for eye-tracking). Thanks!

[@Geophoto63]

!! Beautiful video, one of the best reviews ever about R5 for wildlife photography, thank you Janine for your time.. by the way, you are so !! Beautiful Lady !!

[@PangolinWildlife]

thanks so much Jorge - much appreciated 🙂🙃🙂 - cheers Janine

[@paulwhitton3013]

I just purchased the R5, after only using it once in my local park on pigeons, I agree with everything you have said here, I’m coming from 5D4 and have used all the 5D cameras right through the range. I feel it’s going to take quite a bit of getting use to before I am as proficient as I am with the DSLR cameras, and I don’t think the user experience will ever be as satisfying at this point in the development of mirrorless cameras. I think your review it’s absolutely accurate in every detail, and perfectly describes how I feel about this new camera and tech for me. Though I am excited about it, I am not as blown away by the eye focus as much as I thought, or believed I would be by all the reviews I have see about it, I think it lags a bit on fast movements, and takes to long to fix on the eye at times. Also, I think the electronic viewfinder lags a little on fast panning situations.

[@TheEastbelfast]

The one critical point when comparing the R5 and the 1DX cameras is the ability of the R5 to lock focus the the eye, in particular bird and animals, If only the 1DX mk iii could be upgraded with this feature with a firmware update Great content, love to some day visit your safari 👍🏻

[@SuomiFinland78]

Thanks Janine for the nice video and review :)

[@dcurleyifa]

I have owned the R5 and 100 to 500mm lens for a few months now and the combo is a game changer for bird and wildlife, using the eye focus and not needing to recompose and potentially lose a shot improves creativity. The weight of the R5 and 100to500mm lens makes carrying all day easy and not Hernia inducing like the 1DX2 and 500mm prime was for me. Using the 2 button A/F customisation works very well for me and the viewfinder is the best in any mirrorless camera. My only complaint is battery life it is poor compared to 1DX2 hopefully firmware updates will improve on this over time. Thanks so much for your vids on this body.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi David, it is a fantastic set for bird life.... and I must agree the view finder experience is excellent. - cheers Janine

[@guybedard3557]

Hey Janine, Great job as usual!! I hope you get to “field test” the new R3 when it comes out. I’d like to know how it compares to your beloved 1Dx. Your review of the R5 is exactly what folks like me need. Thanks to you and all the folks at Pangolin for the great videos. I have enjoyed everyone of them. Cheers from Canada

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Guy, so glad it is of assistance... I cannot wait to hold the new R3 when the time comes - cheers Janine

[@MacawAviculture]

Another very well done video! My wildlife photography consists of taking pictures and making videos of my 4 large Macaws and my Cockatiel. My camera of choice for both is my Canon 1Dx Mark 2. Since my entire home has basically been transformed into a huge aviary, each day is an adventure with shooting in different rooms with a variety of lighting. My Canon C100 Mark 2 is used to make much longer training videos for clients interested in learning Macaw aviculture. Based upon the quality of still photos and video with both cameras, I do not see any need to switch to a mirrorless system. Thank you again for the incredible information you share about improving photographic and video outcomes by using the best equipment for each type of photography.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Wow... what an interesting life you lead - cheers Janine

[@MacawAviculture]

@@PangolinWildlife thank you my friend, such a joy to watch and learn from all of your incredible teaching videos!

[@kathleeneveritt5340]

Best r5 review for wildlife I have seen and I’ve seen a lot , I find with both the r5 and Sony A9 if you miss focus especially on a small bird it’s no good “pumping the shutter/back button” trying to get it to focus so I will try your tip of tweaking the focus ring

[@paulhammal7231]

I’m a bit late to the party but I’ve just pulled the trigger on an R5. I can’t wait to get home (I’m currently working in Nigeria) and start playing with it. Wildlife is high on my radar. Super presentation btw, enjoyed it 😊👍

[@Captain-Cosmo]

An excellent review, as usual. Sometimes a review, even a positive one, can help a potential buyer realize that the product is not necessarily an essential for them. Such as the case here for me. The Canon 5D IV is still a terrific camera for my needs. This new camera is certainly a marvel, but I think we've gotten past the point where every new model is a must have. BTW: I love your real-world review style. Relaxed, personal, and practical while also professional. Your 7DII/90D comparison is one of my most-shared photo-related videos. Thank you.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Michael, thanks so much for your great feedback and support. I find the camera fantastic but am also keen to see what the next generation mirrorless has to offer... I believe I will dig into the new firmware update that has been released and see what comes of it too... cheers Janine

[@davearchbell9921]

Hey Janine. Great review. Really love the all the wildlife video and pictures.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Dave, we need you back here soon!

[@miked.7722]

Ive been going backhand forth between the R5 the Sony A7IV and the R7. Thanks to you I'm going with the R5, your video was great. As usual.

[@QVL75]

Wow! This is the best camera review I’ve ever seen. So thorough, so clear, so easy to understand, perfect pace. I didn’t have to keep rewinding like with some other reviews to understand what was said. For BIF where high shutter speeds and heavy cropping are often required, would you recommend R5 or R7 or something else?

[@gdraper63]

Great video Janine. I have purchased one and been using for wildlife for a number of months now. I agree it has some amazing features, stabilisation, evf, pixel count, weight, edge to edge focussing, speed and when the eye focus works, its great...... I do have issues in messy backgrounds, where it refuses to focus at all, let alone on a small bird......my summary is that I can’t wait for the R1 as it’s bound to address the R5 shortcomings..... I still switch between the R5 and 1Dx mkii ( which requires a few seconds of retraining each time) and while both cameras are great, a true blending of the 2 will be the ultimate. Thanks for all your great content 😀

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Guy, I couldn't agree more with your comments. It is astounding how quickly one gets used to the electronic view finder on the R5 - I had actually forgotten a few times that the 1Dxii doesn't have it. But I think your combo is gold for the moment and we will see what the rumoured R1 has in store for us very soon - cheers Janine

[@kennethlui2268]

Now I am done watching your video. Great job. Very concise and thorough review. I agree almost everything you mentioned. Eye AF is game changer, but yet it doesn't work all the time. I have to use two buttons to engage AF, single point and eye AF depending on the situation. Yes, with super tele lens, it may not focus and keep hunting if you focus from far to close or vice versa, especially with busy background. People said that is a problem with mirrorless camera. Canon and other brands also have the same issue. But overall, I love the R5. It is the best from Canon so far.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Kenneth, so glad you are enjoying your R5 - I cannot wait to see what the rumoured R1 might have up its sleeve. - cheers Janine

[@GianpaoloLaPaglia]

This is a real and useful review!! Thanks

[@stevemurnan1702]

For large animals spot focus first on the eye region then switch to the eye af. You can set the 3 back buttons to differing focus modes so set one to spot, one to eye af and the last to a general setting like zone which is slaved to the lens ring control. Switch from one to the other depending on circumstances and you won't miss much at all. It's reliable on RF and EF glass with both of the mk3 extenders. There are reports of 3rd party lenses not working well with th R5 in terms of focus speed, accuracy and frame rate although I've no experience of this.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Steve, thanks for your great input. Yes, I have noticed the lack of focusing speed on all the third party lenses that I have tried. I have set my AF very similar to yours with the lack of the zone auto focus.... three back buttons is just too much for me to decide in the field. But it works well with two! - cheers Janine

[@stevemurnan1702]

@@PangolinWildlife Janine I found 3 BB focus buttons takes a bit of practice but when mastered does make the camera so much more flexible and enables you to quickly latch onto subjects of opportunity without going into menus or turning dials. A steep learning curve though.

[@timothylinn]

Good configuration, Steve.

[@stevemurnan1702]

@@timothylinn It works for me but my personal preference may not be good for others. After some practice I found it became intuitive. It takes a bit of time just like switching form my 5D4 to R5. I find having the AF on button set to eye AF, the AE Lock button set as my normal focusing method (selected using the lens or lens adapter ring) and AF Point Selection button set as spot gives me great flexibility. Then my presets C1 to C3 adjusted to differing iso values C1 slight under exposed, C2 correct exposure and C3 slightly over exposed. I use the presets to cope with changing light conditions as most of the time I know the subject I want to shoot and that fixes the shutter speed and aperture as a constant. This set up allows me to shoot one handed as all the controls I need are buttons on the right grip top and right rear of the camera. After trying many differing configurations over the last 6 months it's the one I've settled on.

[@hansgreife8535]

Thanks for the great video. I love my R5. It is superior to my 5D mark IV in all respects. Eye AF is the best I've ever had in a camera. 45 megapixels allow me to crop an image without losing too much quality. The R5 together with my RF 100-500mm gives me fantastically sharp photos. I won't give it away anymore !!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Hans, so glad to hear how happy you are with your camera. Check out my set up video as well and you might find a point or two to streamline the camera for your next safari as well - cheers Janine

[@hansgreife8535]

@@PangolinWildlife Danke Janine, die nächste Safari würde ich gerne mit Euch machen, nur ist die Planung zur Zeit wegen Corona sehr schwierig.

[@konixtwenty8275]

You are a really phenomenal photographer. Great shots!!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thanks so much 😊 - Janine

[@alexanderpappas6938]

wonderful video Janine, very accurate description of it's pros and cons. I use the R5 extensively the past months and I think it is a great overall camera. I agree with you with spot focusing, even a 5Dmrk4 spot focusing is more accurate and more fast with fast moving subjects and keeps BIF in focus better. This is my experience with eos adapted lenses, with RF lenses the R5 does a much better job in BIF but not with the adapted Eos lenses. the colour and resolution and dynamic range are superb.

[@mmarsbarr]

Best review I've seen / heard / read so far. I experienced the same issue with eye tracking where sometimes you don't want to track the eye for creative reasons, or it gets confused with too many people in the frame. For this reason i configure one of the buttons (in this case the dof button) so that it switches back to non-eye tracking in fleeting situations. It's a little bit of finger gymnastics but it works.

[@mmarsbarr]

Er... Ok you actually mentioned this just after i paused the video to write this. Yet again, that's why this is a great review! 😊 😄 I'll just shut up and watch.

[@PangolinWildlife]

😂😂😂 you just made me laugh - thanks so much for your input and your honesty along the way - happy shooting Janine

[@rogersulenski5646]

Great review and I will watch your video on your settings for the R5 shortly. I have had my R5 for about 4 months now and I love it and always enjoy learning from others their techniques and settings. I enjoy y'all KZbin channel and maybe one day I could enjoy one of the safaris!

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Roger... really hope to welcome you here very soon - cheers Janine

[@Tarzocin]

@20:27 The speed printed on the card doesn't represent write speed, it's read speed. For Sandisk ultra SD, it's approximately 30mb/s

[@wellingtoncrescent2480]

Lovely images, which are always the best part of your videos. Thanks for sharing. I love my R7/RF100-500 for birds and wildlife, but I recently added the R5 as a second body, based on reviews like this. It was a tough decision between the R5 and a second R7, since the R7 has better reach and more "pixels-on-subject" in crop mode (33MP vs 18). Moreover, modern de-noising software makes high ISO performance less of an issue, though dynamic range still suffers in low light. That said, I am blown away by the R5's EFV (5.8 million dots vs 2.4 million), IBIS (8 stops vs 7), and superior video for sporting activities. I also watched with interest multiple videos on the R5 vs R5 Mark II, and I'm not convinced the incremental improvements justify spending an extra $2k as Canon works to clear their R5 stocks during Black Friday sales.

[@neilarmitage6632]

A great all round camera and paired with the 25-105 F2.8 L IS USM Z lense

[@gailbisson7565]

I agree with all of your comments. I like my R5 but still find myself reaching for my 1 DX3 when I know action is likely to happen. I have had no issues with battery life with the battery grip and canon batteries. What I do find it very annoying is how long the batteries take to charge. The animal eye detect is not great for pet photography either as the camera will often pick the nose as the "eye". Enjoyed your review.

[@davidsherman3462]

How long does it take to charge the batteries? thanks

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Gail, thanks so much for your feedback. Yes, nothing beats that good old work horse... the 1Dx series really nailed it. However, you will laugh when you here that I totally overexposed some shots the other day because I had forgotten that the view finder doesn't show the exposure value 😂😂😂 so it is very easy to get used to the extra comforts of a mirrorless camera. It is a bit disappointing on pets as it was intended for cats and dogs I believe. I have noticed the same when shooting my new puppy! However, I see it as a great assistance to your photography... an ability one didn't have before so hey... whom am I to complain. cheers Janine

[@gailbisson7565]

@@davidsherman3462 The R5 manual says "Charging a depleted battery takes approx. 2 hr. and 30 min. at room temperature (23°C/73°F). The time required to charge the battery will vary greatly depending on the ambient temperature and the battery’s remaining capacity." But I find it to be longer. I had my batteries at 63% charge and it took 1 hour and 50 minutes to recharge up to 100%. This was at room temperature.

[@jaredcharney8540]

For my editorial and portrait work I opted for 2 R6 bodies and my now all time favorite lens : the 28-70RF -- I've actually noticed for the higher ISO shots I prefer C1 over LR. One thing I'm disappointed by is the battery grip is not laid out all that well when using vertically. Overall I'm very happy w/the AF and I'm constantly trying to configure ways to get more out of it . Now to finally sell my beloved 1dx2 to get more RF glass.

[@thelookoflifefilms]

I really love mine, the image quality of video and photos is mind blowing, and they weight of it is much easier on me than my 5D MKIV, and after awhile I was able to figure out little tricks on the autofocus eye tracking

[@joaquimjoseaguiar4531]

Hi Janine, first of all thanks for all the vídeos from Pangolin. They are great and I have learned a lot of new things. Regarding low light conditions, did you already tested R6? What are the diference when compared with R5? For wildlife photography which one you prefer? Thanks

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Joaquim, the next review coming up will be an extensive overview of the R6 tested by Charl - then I will follow up with a comparison of the two cameras side by side.... I don't want to go into too much detail but both have their ups and downs and you need to decide first what your priorities are... cheers Janine

[@NOMADXTV]

Most thorough review ever watched, WOW Excellent work!!

[@davidfeatherstone5078]

Fantastic and best review by far. I researched and watched countless video reviews on both the Canon R5 and R6 and opted for the latter simply because I didn’t need 8k video nor a 45mp camera. Look forward to your colleague’s take on the R6.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi David, it is coming out soon and I don't think you will regret your choice - cheers Janine

[@tyranbothma9055]

That was a very interesting and informative video. Thanks so much for sharing it

[@hollyauchincloss7233]

Great review Janine - I have bought the R5 but not given it much of a trial yet as we have been under 'stay at home' order since Christmas! I will be keeping my 5DIV so hopefully the best of both worlds one day when we're allowed out again! Take care, hope to see you again sometime!

[@timdriman4253]

Great video Janine. It is indeed refreshing to see total honesty, and you calling it as you find it. Kudos to you, and Salute! As you know I shot Canon for 19 years, and used the 1DX MKii / 200mm-400mm f4... They were great, until the Sony hit the world stage in 2017. Even though Sony had not even come back into SA, I took a chance and imported an A9i / 70mm-200mm f2.8GM + 2xTC as the 100mm-400mm GM was not available in Singapore at that time. I tested it at Kalizo, on the Carmine Bee-eaters, side-by-side next to my 1DX MKii, and was totally blown away by my hit rate of birds flying, fighting and hijacking each other, I was smitten! Returning back to SA I wrote to Canon SA to ask if Canon would be competing with the A9i in the world of mirrorless, and the response was embarrassing :-( . By that time Sony had come back to SA, and so I sent everything to ORMS in Cape Town, and replaced all Canon kit with Sony kit... It never cost me anything, as there was still value in Canon kit. Since that time I have had the A7iii, A7Riii, A7Riv, and now just shoot two bodies A9ii and A1. Pretty much all the points you made in this critique have been more than covered by the Sony A9ii, and now with the A1, both FF bodies addressed all your dislikes etc, and just set the bar so far above anything else out there ! *All Sony FF Alpha bodies use the same NP - FZ100 batteries, and I get just over 5,000 images on a 128 Gig SDXC UHSii card on the A9ii, and still I have about 30% battery life left. The A1 is in the pipeline and I should have it in my paws before the end of this month :-) The Sony G Master lenses are also amazing ( No adapters required :-p ) My old Canon bag weighed 26 Kilos, and the equivalent Sony bag weighs 10.2 kilos, and with my separate backpack ( A1/ 600mm f4) my total kit is still under the 20 kilo luggage limit! Hopefully we will receive our vaccines soon, and will be back up to see you guys again by mid year.... Of course I will let you get the feeling of what both those rigs feel like when we shoot together again. :-p Warm regards to you all. Tim

[@bornufree]

Tim Is there any video or info to compare the performance of the Sony a9ii vs the Canon R5/6. I’m torn between the two systems I know Marlon du Toit of Wild Eye uses Sony’s I would appreciate your help Also do you have a website or links to your work? Thank you in advance.

[@PangolinWildlife]

No, I am sorry - not that I have come across and we don't have any Sony gear here at the moment

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Tim, good to hear from you ... lets see what the rumoured R1 will have in store - cheers Janine

[@tyroneabdul2004]

Fantastic review! I just got my R5 a few days ago and can't wait to bring it to Africa to shoot!!!!

[@andrewclark6711]

Great Review Janine - I have the R5 and love it its ability to track birds in flight is truly amazing :-)

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Andrew, thanks so much - it is definitely a game changer. That was one of the things I was most impressed with - cheers Janine

[@kilohotel6750]

I have to agree with so much you said. I went from a 1DX2 and 5dsr to the R5 and R6. The joystick on the grip when shooting vertical is in such a horrible spot, I’ve missed shots because I’m just not used to it after six months. I’m supposed to go to Botswana in November and can’t wait, I was originally going last November but that got canceled. It was nice to see how the eye AF works on elephants and other large mammals there.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi, I really hope we might welcome you here with us. I have simply stopped changing the position of my hand so that I don't miss the spot because I cannot find the buttons when going vertical - cheers Janine 😂

[@stevemurnan1702]

I've shot 5 series cameras since the mk2. I changed from my mk4 to the R5 with some trepidation. I need not have worried. The customisation it allows gives me 3 back buttons for various af modes and the wysiwyg of the evf is such a bonus. I wouldn't go back to any DSLR now.

[@PangolinWildlife]

So glad you are enjoying your R5 - cheers Janine

[@garymeyer1861]

Very nice review Janine, I always enjoy your videos. I went with the R6 as I can live with the 20mp and still get the high fps, great auto focus, and ibis that I wanted. Looking forward to seeing more from you.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Gary, great choice -- you will see in the upcoming R6 review of Charl that you won't regret it... cheers Janine

[@kennethlui2268]

Before I watch your video, I can confidently tell everyone that the R5 is outstanding for wildlife photography. Now I am going to watch your video.

[@PangolinWildlife]

😂😂 now I see how you went about... thanks for your input and I agree with you

[@willardivins3736]

Excellent review - I love the approach of spec review, and then the evaluation of their real world practicality in the field. I hope you get a chance to review the upcoming Canon R3, with its rumored stacked sensors.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Me too 😍😍😍😍

[@FTTravelstyle]

One thing to keep in mind when using Canon EF lenses. It automatically goes into the crop ratio and locks it there. Can’t leave it in 1:1 aspect. If you’re using the sigma 150-600 ef mount, it gives you all options.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Fred, with my EF 100-400 mkii and the EF200-400mm with converter I didn't seem to run into that issue. I was able to shoot full frame without crop

[@tamasvarga67]

I think you are mixing it with EF-S lenses.

[@anantkittu]

Superb video.. very informative

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thank you so much

[@bryanandryszak925]

Thanks, Janine, for the best real-life review of the R5 I’ve seen yet. Currently I own an RP and have thought of eventually upgrading to either the R5 or R6. Is there an R6 review planned for in the future? I’ve not (yet) ever visited Africa; but since joining your KZbin channel a few months ago, I hope to plan a trip to Chobe and join your group on safari. Thank you.

[@PangolinWildlife]

Hi Bryan, thank you so much for that huge compliment. Charl will soon come out with an in-depth review of the R6 and then we are planning on a smaller comparison between the two. I really hope we can welcome you to Botswana very soon ... we really miss our guest! Cheers Janine

[@MA-hd4or]

wonderful review. thank you

[@PangolinWildlife]

Thanks a lot - best regards from Botswana Janine