Deciding on the Canon R5 Mark II for wildlife (not a review)

[@WillGoodlet]

Photons to Photos tested the cameras dynamic range and found that the R5 is 0.4 EV better than the R5ii in mechanical shutter mode (which offers better DR than electronic shutter) below ISO 500. After this point the cameras are almost the same. In electronic shutter mode the R5ii performs better by around the same margin, but in electronic shutter it is about 0.5 EV lower than the DR achievable with mechanical shutter. I think the R5ii is definitely the better wildlife camera (where ISO will often be higher than 500) and the R5 is a slightly better and much cheaper Landscape camera.

[@Skua-w3u]

What about the increased fps maximum range (30) in r5 ii vs r5 (20) which is the cause of the dynamic range worsening in r5 ii vs r5. Is the r5 ii dynamic range quality kept at the r5 level when not exceeding 20 fps ? Many thanks.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@Skua-w3u I don’t think so. I cancelled my order (as explained in my most recent video) so I cannot test it. But one word of warning beware the hype around noise at the moment no commentators seem to take account of tie RAW converter which plays a huge role. The same dissatisfaction occurred with the original R5 then after months adobe caught up. First place I would test is in Canon DPP

[@Skua-w3u]

@@WillGoodlet Me too, I cannot make any test because I have no more the R5. I have now the R5 ii which I choosed anyhow mainly because of his improved AF system.

[@WillGoodlet]

@marziofusaroli8955 congratulations on the new camera, just enjoy it!

[@kurtissutley1485]

One thing I like about your content, I never get the impression you're just pushing a product. Your analysis is fair, honest, and full of common sense support. Glad you're back and I'm sorry to rejoin the party late. Keep up the good work.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks Kurtis, that's very kind and thank you for sticking around.

[@stevenrubin820]

I agree

[@cameraconspiracies]

The Nikon Z6 III's left hand mode dial is almost a deal breaker! I'm glad you understand the pain :) Almost nothing should be on the left side of a camera lol.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@cameraconspiracies Haha dead right :)

[@ADof28]

Absolutely. Canon really should've put the shoulder screen on the left if they really think it's necessary. Otherwise, just leave it blank.

[@sorenandersen5729]

This is propably the best review session I have watched. Not only beacause it is a very honest and detailed, but mainly also the setup of doing it in the field. There as so many reviews out there from peoples offices and studios being one long boring and monotone speech. Good that you are back !!!!!

[@zenscape]

Hi Will, I'm a new subscriber, and I'm considering upgrading my R5 to the new R5 Mark 2. I came across your video and found your content to be engaging and informative. It feels like I'm having a casual yet insightful conversation with a knowledgeable buddy. Keep up the awesome work!

[@WillGoodlet]

Hi, thanks for the sub and I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. I'll do my best!

[@danteaubert3645]

I'm in exactly your situation. Not sure any other KZbinr speaks to my situation like you do. Thanks so much.

[@WillGoodlet]

Glad to hear it's useful, thank you!

[@colintraveller]

Because others only care about upselling likes , views etc than ever be critical or question the features ability when thry fail

[@Bassbarbie]

Really interesting, thank you. One thing mentioned elsewhere is that the pre-capture doesn't continue to focus on the subject, it remains on the original focal point. I have the R5 but sold my long lenses and now use the OM system for wildlife (where you can choose how it focuses for pre-capture). There are things I miss about the R5 and one day I could be tempted back, but not yet. Thanks so much for helping me make the decision. I love the reference to wildlife vs. birds too - so true! On my local (UK) patch I find it so much harder to photograph small birds in poor light than larger animals on safari in better light.

[@raygiemza3690]

My honest opinion of this video ... absolutely excellent! The comprehensive , lucid comparative content, coupled with stunning videography, is simply wonderful. Thanks for producing this most informative video. I'm very much looking forward to your future productions.

[@WillGoodlet]

Wow, thank you! that's extremely kind. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@broodjebeeld]

Thanks for this honest and to-the-point review. I own a R5 and I was thinking of upgrading now. After your review I think I wait a little longer. ‘I want it, but I don’t need it’ 😉

[@WillGoodlet]

@@broodjebeeld thanks for watching and I know, that phrase is going around my head too…!

[@stevea7614]

Love it how you have the experience and lack of bias to evaluate practicality from a spec sheet. Bought the R5 after one of your reviews; will hold off on the Mark II for the same reason. Thanks for investing the time to help others decide.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you very much for taking the time to watch. Hope you are enjoying your R5 as much as I am. I'm still experiencing lock-ups with mine but not as bad as when it first came out.

[@fgb3126]

I'm impressed with the speed and fluency of your narration. If you are reading off of a script, you do so with naturalness. It's seamless. No 'uhs' and 'you knows'. It's actually too fast for my comprehension, but that's not a criticism. I gave up some while ago in trying to keep up with the technical aspect of photography. I'm not a naturally oriented person for mechanical and technical pursuits. Which is why I decided at one point I didn't need to go mirrorless. I decided 'enough is enough' in that sector. My photos were high enough quality to satisfy me so I said, 'Good enough'. It was not worth the strain to try to keep going into more and more sophistication (and that's not even mentioning costs). I distinctly remember one night when you and I wrestled with my R7 unit. You helped me to determine that I was not happy going into that at all. I'll always be thankful for that personal attention you gave me.

[@WillGoodlet]

No script, it’s just too much information to write and I cut 15 minutes off this video while editing. I made this video 4 times. I went up that hill 4 times and my Landy hasn’t forgiven me yet!! That’s why I look hungover near the top, I just wanted it all to end…once you’ve done 15 takes about battery grips it gets easier to remember your notes!! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with your approach, in fact it is a very sensible one. Now cameras have become so good, it’s very likely we won’t need to constantly upgrade. On the ums and ahhs, where they occur (and I try hard to be aware when I speak) I cut them out and try to hide the cuts behind b roll when I have the energy. Sadly I am by no means word perfect. I also ditched the music for you, I hope you noticed!!

[@fgb3126]

@@WillGoodlet " I also ditched the music for you, I hope you noticed!!". I did not! But really music for this kind of video would have been really, really distracting.

[@Bassbarbie]

@@WillGoodlet Thanks for ditching music - makes huge difference to me 🙂 I concur re the fluid delivery, and your voice is lovely to listen to - clear and nice pitch.

[@WillGoodlet]

@Bassbarbie thanks for the feedback. Most of the time we need music where we have footage that has imperfect sound. For example where someone else is talking during the sighting, a nearby car has an engine running (often), etc… it’s better to have that than the distractions. Where I can substitute sound samples that I’ve taken at different times and dates I do so.

[@philipculbertson55]

I'm a Nikon shooter, Z9 with no interest in Canon cameras or videos (usuall) but I watched all the way through just for the video clips of the amazing scenery. I even like the clips under the Rover as you are driving. I'm not sure why but the motion of the suspension and crunch of the tires on the rock is mesmerizing. I do appreciate your honesty. As others have commented, there is never any hype or over-exuberant content. Just to the point, honest discussion. I really enjoy the channel.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks Philip, appreciate you enduring a Canon camera video! I struggle with these types of video, I prefer photographing animals. I'm glad someone likes Rover suspensions as much as I do :)

[@ADof28]

At the beginning I thought "OK this is just another cloud review without having the actual camera in hand". But as soon as I watched till the end I instantly liked. Obviously you've done a great amount of research up R5II from wildlife photographers' perspective and answered a log of my questions. Thank you for posting your work and keep it coming.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you for saying this, I really appreciate it. Been taking some flak for making a video without the camera. We can’t get our hands on cameras on a return basis here, so we have to decide without even touching them whether its a buy or not.

[@tonyesposito9602]

Hi Will, welcome back, I have an R3 and R5 and mostly shoot with my R3, you are right in the UK we mostly shoot birds and although I do own the big prime when shooting small birds we need to crop, this is where megapixels help, but I have also been on 3 safaris and the big animals you are so close there is absolutely no need to crop, you are right you don't need the same cameras. I will upgrade my R5 for many reasons, first I don't like the way the R5 focus works it's a bit dated now compared to the latest offerings from Canon, I think the stacked sensor will be better especially for ISO as well as rolling shutter, the other thing I hate about my R5 is when using electronic shutter you have no noise, and you can only use it in 20 fps, the R5 MK2 like my R3 you will be able to shoot what frame rate you like and have a speaker with volume control so you know you are taking photos, and the EVF on the R3 is so much better so this will be nice too.

[@WillGoodlet]

Great info Tony, thanks. I often shoot mechanical to reduce frame rate, and get the shooting sound back ;) I'm always a little torn between the pro bodies and the high MP bodies. I was always jealous of D850 shooters so was very happy to get the R5 on my 400 f.2.8 but I miss their feel and (I don't know if it was just me) their lovely clean feeling files. I was shooting alongside someone with a Z8 for several days and didn't really feel I was missing any more shots, except for trying to sling my lens out the window as quickly. That was a much bigger issue than the AF :)

[@tonyesposito9602]

@@WillGoodlet Hi Wiil, I too only shoot mechanical on the R5 for the exact same reason 🙂 to be honest Will the last 8-9 years I only shot with pro bodies, I had the 1DX2 for 5 years, swapped it for the 1DX3 but didn't see much difference, I absolutely love the R3 it balances so nice with my 600mm prime, and I personally think it's a cleaner image than the R5 definitely better on ISO, funny I too was jealous of Nikon but more so with the new Z lenses, light big primes 🙂I remember that feeling on Safari trying to photo from vehicles with big primes, for me personally I wish the R5 MK2 was a 32mp camera with all the new features in a R3 body.

[@tenman76]

There's lots of click-bait camera "experts" on KZbin currently spewing about the R5 MkII. However, Will's segment here is honest, balanced and very useful.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@tenman76 thank you, I certainly don’t want to be one of them.

[@julioamaral4391]

Thanks, Will! Quite important information for me! I use an R5 in a very similar way than you do. Nature and wildlife in South Brazil, Patagônia, Antarctica, and South Shetland Is. Love the camera. But I am not a rich man, I only love Nature and Photograph. I Will not run for the last camera. Still using my 5D IV altogether and happy with that. Recently purchased the RF 100-500. Going South again in October. I and my wife love your aproach to Nature and Photography.

[@martinpettinger]

Great video Will... but I am still in love with my R3 + 600mm lens... its an amazing work horse ... and you don't have to drill holes into it to stop it over heating !😄

[@WillGoodlet]

@@martinpettinger Haha! It looks built like a tank, you probably could drill holes in if you wanted!

[@chetankher]

Simple, detailed and to the point review. Hard to find such reviewers nowadays on KZbin. Thanks!

[@WillGoodlet]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bronteturner446]

Thank you for the review. Perfect! Where there’s a Will, there’s a way!

[@WillGoodlet]

@@bronteturner446 thanks for watching:)

[@SteveSSBB]

For lens ecosystem I think it is important to keep in mind that Canon offered users a fantastic and seamless solution for adapting legacy glass. EF glass is selling on the secondary market at bargain prices. Many users enjoy ownership of EF glass they couldn't afford before RF came along. That considered I see Canon as a sweet spot for lens ecosystem.

[@WillGoodlet]

It’s true as I said in the video that this rescues the system but I qualify that statement because of service life and parts. With the late EF primes still costing 4-5k usd second hand it is a big commitment. Would that 5k be better deployed on an RF lens? Particularly if it were a mid-market offering like Nikons PF glass?

[@SteveSSBB]

@@WillGoodlet I'm not sure about South Africa, but in North America parts and service is not a barrier. There are 3rd party repair houses still servicing V1 Canon lenses even to the point of machining replacement parts at very reasonable cost and turnaround. I do agree that service is an important consideration which is why I left Nikon. Probably a longer story than appropriate for a YT comments section, but suffice to say that the situation in my region was untenable. Especially where warranty service was concerned. I did have a long hiatus in Sony's camp, too. What I will tell you about my time and ownership in various systems is that they really are six of one and half a dozen of the other. The user experience is a little different, but the results are equal. It is ok to fuss over charts and specs, but if one wants to make compelling imagery one has to commit to being out in the field creating those images. I sometimes look at non-hardware specific threads to find that the best image on the page was made by a camera and lens combo you and I might consider unworthy and obsolete. Or a phone. It isn't by accident.

[@WillGoodlet]

Good to hear the servicing is possible over there. We have very limited availability here. I’m out right this second trying to get shots in the field. Could not agree more about time spent actually taking shots!

[@Brooksms]

Great video, thank you! I’m upgrading due to being fed up with Fuji’s autofocus. The z8 looks great but from comparisons I’ve seen Canon seems much better in AF. I’d hate to risk it not being good enough.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@Brooksms Thanks for watching and the Fuji feedback (I think of the XH2S as the spiritual successor to the EOS 7DMark ii) I shot alongside a Z8 shooter for a 12 day safari last month and he got pretty much the same results as me with the R5. So these cameras are all very good now. Sure the R5ii is better for AF though

[@spenceford4299]

Best all around discussion I have heard to date. You are well Informed. I have mine pre-ordered 5800 Canadian dollars. 3 extra batteries and a regular grip another 880 dollars

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for watching and congratulations on the new camera! If possible please drop me a reply here and let me know what you think when it arrives and you try.

[@Kellysher]

Will, glad to see you back! I really appreciate your positive attitude, informative teaching, creative presentation and really cool B-roll! I do appreciate you taking us into the field and not teaching from a desk! I get a sense of what Africa is like watching your channel. I appreciate you taking us along on these adventures, and I always learn something! Social media leans into negativity, so thank you for embracing an honest hands on approach with real facts and not clickbait. Happy shooting!

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks very much for this wonderful comment, it makes me want to get out there right now and work on the next one! So glad you enjoy them :)

[@matteout_woodworking]

For the video toggle switch. If it's anything like the other Canon camera's you can probably put a different button just to start and stop recording. The camera toggle is fun because the entire setup changes towards taking video. The menu is streamlined. The Custom setup change to your custom video setup. So with a toggle I can do slow-motion on one custom setting. 24 fps on another and a studio setting on the third. While keeping my picture profiles untouched when I toggle to picture mode. And it's all my custom settings. Like Zebra lines or false colour or shutting off autofocus on video. While you might need two or three different autofocus modes ready in picture mode.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for the input on video. Yes I agree and I use the custom modes in exactly the same way. It is also easy to do this on the original mode dial + info it’s two presses instead of one toggle. Crucially for me on the right side. I don’t mind the inclusion of the video toggle it would just have been much better on the right side. If I think about it, it’s only these more recent cameras that place it on the left. From the 5Diii onwards it was on the right side. In any case it’s something to work around for my use case - there are plenty of other use cases where people may prefer it on the left. I think its a setup for press and events where the r5 is a second camera on a strap hanging on the left side. You toggle it with your left hand while it’s hanging on the strap and grab the camera when you need it. That’s my guess anyway- its just a different optimisation that works for some and not so well for others. We will manage!

[@matteout_woodworking]

@@WillGoodlet I don't think you will ever find the perfect camera... the video toggle is basically where the R5 power button used to be. They moved that to the right side. The same location as the R8 and R6ii. Maybe rent one of those bodies and see if it's a huge deal. I own the R8 the real annoyance for me Sometimes is that I don't toggle the power button all the way and it's in lock mode. I never had any issues with the video switch but when I do video it's in the studio on a tripod trying to get a shot of me not cutting my fingers off.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@matteout_woodworking much more to important use case than mine. Keep those fingers please!!! I almost lost my forearm on a table saw. The machinist grabbed me before I leaned on the blade. Wasn’t concentrating properly. Yes, there’s no such thing as a perfect camera. I shoot around most issues. The cameras these days are very good indeed and there are only small things differentiating them.

[@Redeyedvideo]

Very informative, honest and timely - thanks Will. I have the R5 and yesterday I booked a mammal trip to the Kruger and was wondering whether to upgrade if I could get my hands on a MKII. The new eye focus would be the main reason for upgrading but all things considered I think I'll stick for now. I mainly shoot birds and I'll no doubt upgrade maybe early 2025 and hope that I've made the right decision to wait. £4500 is a big outlay for possibly inferior image quality.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you! I certainly wouldn't worry about upgrading for the Kruger trip. If you are driving yourself, you may find pre-capture useful. If you are with other guests in a safari vehicle, and they are not birders (which is common) you won't be getting the opportunity to sit and wait for take-offs to pre-capture. If, you are on your own or with a private guide then you could. But that would be the only real reason to consider it and it's a very very flimsy one!

[@Redeyedvideo]

@@WillGoodlet Hi Will, thanks for your reply. I'll be with a group on a specific mammals tour although we should get plenty of birding in. I prefer shots of birds landing than taking off and my reactions are quite good with anything larger than a Martial Eagle 😉 so I'm not sure pre-capture alone would be worth the upgrade. Agreed, the eye-focussing on mammals isn't great and I often give the camera a little help with manual focussing before letting it do its thing. I look forward to your review when you get the R5 II.

[@petergottschling2597]

Will, did you get a new vehicle? Nice review based on specifications only. I picked mine up a couple days ago but have only taken a few test shots. I do think the focus is better.

[@WillGoodlet]

Hi Peter, no I’ve had two for quite a while and use them interchangeably in past videos. This one is 27 years old and used for shorter local trips. Congratulations on the new camera! I hope it fulfils all your expectations!

[@jimtipton8888]

Thanks Will! Good to see you! I’ve so enjoyed my R5 and it’s been such a great Swiss Army knife camera and since it’s long paid for I think I’ll be sticking with it. Enjoyed learning about the new R5 II though. Cheers!

[@WillGoodlet]

I'm keeping mine too. Obviously, it's easier to upgrade with a trade in but unfortunately I need an extra camera. My sensible side is saying secondhand R5. My wild side is saying try a Nikon and my wallet is saying stop buying cameras!

[@pawetura549]

Super recording and material! Thank you for the review of the R5 Mark II. The R5 Mark II is already on its way to me. I am mainly afraid of the ventilation holes when taking pictures in the forest, meadows, on the beach, etc. (small bugs, midges, sand, dust and other dirt). What can you say about it? What is your opinion? Nikon Z9/Z8 and Sony A1/A7xxx / A9xxx do not have such holes. These holes seem to be isolated from the electronics. However, I am wondering about cleaning it, e.g. removing dust particles, small flies, dirt, etc. Greetings from Poland!

[@WillGoodlet]

Congratulations on the new camera hope it has arrived with you safely! I guess the holes are sealed pretty well but possibly they could be cleaned with a can of compressed air with a nozzle (not from an air compressor as this air has a small amount of oil in it) what do you think?

[@vaskoobscura_]

Awesome very well thought out video. I'm in the same boat as you. I wanted it but didn't need it. But as a fellow KZbinr the content i could create with it had a value of it's own so I ended up buying it. I just subscribed to your channel. Look forward to watching more of your content.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for watching and the sub, it's greatly appreciated. Congratulations on the new camera, hope it's arrived!

[@brianirving5889]

Great analysis Will, your focus on African wildlife photography is a real testbed for what is needed and what is superfluous. As you know, I am UK based so I rarely encounter large game animals, deer being the exception. Antler tips, ears and nostrils are Canon animal eye detect magnets too. Keep up the great content Will and I'm hoping 'Basil' is OK?

[@ChrisSummers]

Really enjoyed your video, Liked and Subscribed! I'm not in the market for this one, I upgraded from the original R to the R6 MkII recently and also own the R7. But some of my photo friends are getting this one so I wanted to study up on it and your content helped. And I am with you on the RF 200-800mm lens, never seen a piece of gear so hard to find almost a year after it's much touted release! Loved the scenes of South Africa as you walked and drove around, been there a few times and one of my favorite places to visit. I'm also a former Land Rover owner, had the Discovery II and I spent enough on repairs over the years to have purchased the RF 1200mm lens instead. But it was the best off road vehicle I ever owned, just had a lot of upkeep!

[@WillGoodlet]

Hi Chris, thanks for taking the time to watch it and subscribe! I've cancelled my 200-800 order, just got fed up waiting. I have photos to take now! Touch wood my two Defenders have been very well behaved and at 27 and 13 years old, I cannot fault them, especially given what they have to put up with. No Chelsea tractors here..

[@janplexy]

As an 5D Mark IV owner, though professional photographer, I think I am more in "want" than "need" category for the new R5mk2, still I ordered it and can't wait it to arrive. I think the new camera will make me shoot more and experiment more. Fresh new camera - fresh new thrill to go use it.

[@view23015]

Well said - new camera bodies , lenses and feature help inspire and challenge me to shoot more, try new things , ideas , etc . They might be small , but the fact that it gets me motivated to get off my butt and shoot more is worth the cost . I do a little pro shooting , but I’m mainly a crazy hobbyist with disposable income and a passion for photography and making & taking great images . My R5II is on its way to join the R, R7, R5 and R3 . I did the changeover from the 7D,7D mark ii, 5Dii and 1DXii ..,

[@janplexy]

@@view23015 Exactly my point.

[@WillGoodlet]

Congratulations! Enjoy the thrill nothing like new camera day :)

[@SVS949]

Thank you very much.... Yes, the new camera is the best, it is clearly visible.... I have subscribed and am waiting for other videos... I am especially interested in Macro and 100mm Macro 2.8 with converter 1/4 ......

[@alankefauver6187]

Some safari vehicles, like the ones used by Pangolin Photo have charging facilities. And, if you have an adapter you can geta charger that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@alankefauver6187 thank you. yes you are right of course some do, especially photographic safari vehicles. But many still don’t have enough power outlets Just something to check really with these power hungry cameras. Not great to travel so far and be caught without a charged battery!

[@phil.eastwood]

this has kind of made my decision just to look at an R5 MK1 - too many extra costs and its still going to fit with all my lenses and batteries etc...thanks

[@WillGoodlet]

Nothing wrong with that at all. It's a very good camera.

[@phil.eastwood]

@@WillGoodlet my thoughts exactly - most of the "new" features aren't massively important to me - just nice to haves , so factoring in everything the original R5 is more than up to what I need it for and would be good as an alternate to the R7 I already have...might get it before a return to RSA next year...

[@jiridvorak]

5DSR owner here, thanks for good review. I am still staying with my 5DSR until R5 mark II drop price of R5 under at least 2000USD.

[@WillGoodlet]

I think the 5Dsr is still as good as it ever was! Only issue I ever had with it was the frame rates but considered it for a long time before the R5 came along

[@rdallen9211]

Brilliant video! So glad to have you back. I absolutely love to get your take on things, and this was a very welcomed topic for sure!

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you! I'm very grateful you stuck around :)

[@stevenwaldstein2249]

Well a very honest and straightforward assessment of the new R5 II. I own the current R5 and several Sony bodies like the A1 and A7RV so I think I will not get it immediately. Maybe down the road but not using my R5 for BIF so I will wait. Will like and subscribe since I haven’t seen any of your content before. Thank you and take care.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@stevenwaldstein2249 thank you Steven and happy shooting!

[@ericaceous1652]

Fantastic point that wildlife photography ≠ bird photography. There's obviously some crossover, but the needs of a bird photographer can be pretty different to to a photographer heading out after mammals, or other larger creatures. It's one of the many reasons I particularly enjoy your channel Will, as you bring an experienced perspective on the genre.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you!

[@jensbuus6386]

Best KZbin about camera gear for a long time! Honest, right pace, great language and you are a wildlife photographer. I am a new subscriber!. I had the pleasure to do a private photo safari in South Africa 2022 with a professional wildlife photographer as guide. An outstanding experience that I want to do again.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you very much for watching and the kind comment, welcome to the channel :) So happy you had a great time in SA! My primary goal with this channel is to encourage people to get into wildlife photography and to come to Africa/SA and visit. Hope you come back and visit soon.

[@DennisSchalk]

Owning an R6 and not being able to afford an R5 MII the actual content of the video is not of utmost importance to me. The only the reason I've watched the video is you being back on the screen. As somebody living in Europe and feeling strongly connected with the wild, especially in southern Africa, I love how you're able to convey your experiences visually and verbally. Great to see you back on the screen, keep up the great work! Looking forward to some less "technical" content.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you Dennis I appreciate it. Hope to show you around my new corner of Africa in the near future!!

[@DennisSchalk]

@@WillGoodlet Can't wait

[@goodshepard00]

Thank you for the information!

[@WillGoodlet]

A great pleasure

[@biotheif1]

thankyou i have just bought the r5 mk2 and beggining to wish i hadn't i do wildlife but also landscape and the lack of dynamic range bothers me, i havent taken it out the box yet and might just get a refund with the price of the camera compaired to the r5 i could get the 70-200 2.8 aswell almost that might be a better choice

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Photons to Photos tested the cameras dynamic range and found that the R5 is 0.4 EV better than the R5ii in mechanical shutter mode (which offers the better DR than electronic shutter) below ISO 500. Above ISO 500 the cameras are almost the same. In electronic shutter mode the R5ii performs better by around the same margin, but in electronic shutter it is about 0.5 EV lower than that achievable with mechanical shutter. I think the R5ii is the better wildlife camera (ISO likely higher than 500) and the R5 is slightly better and much cheaper Landscape camera. Ps. I decided to cancel my own order after hearing that users were experiencing the same freezing that plagued the R5 when it came out. I had to return my first R5 to Canon because of this and it still costs me more shots than anything else on the R5 even though it's far less common now. I will wait for Canon to fix the R5ii before I get one.

[@brandonnickerson3938]

Appreciate the nuanced thoughts on this new Canon release. I find you often put a perspective out there that others miss, as they are so often just repeating talking points that one could find in any number of review videos. I particularly thought your observation about how geographical location and propensity for bird photography in some locales is really driving the conversation around the R5ii. Folks are so focused on the improved rolling shutter management - and the implications for BIF photos - over the original R5 that they're glossing over other important considerations associated with the R5ii (e.g. the dynamic range). Also liked your thoughts on the Nikon vs. Canon lens offerings at this point...though I'm hoping some of these rumored L-series super-zooms might tip the balance in the next few years. Anyway, great video. So glad you're back at it!

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you Brandon. Bird photography is driving the entire conversation, which is understandable. Luckily for the camera companies they are such tricky little b@5t@rd5 otherwise we'd all still be happily shooting at 6FPS (except for cheetahs). I'm sure Canon will bring some more lenses to the table, it's just that speaking vey personally, I don't really want to sacrifice more time waiting. Anyway for now I've ordered a 200-800 I'm sure I'll be happy enough if it ever arrives! Although an internal zoom, full focus ring and a drop-in filter would be ideal and a bit faster. On the DR - canonrumors has an interesting update. R5 wins in mechanical shutter by a small amount under ISO500 - otherwise mostly the same. I think it's a pointless change for landscape to upgrade. Wildlife/birds sure it will be better but the R5 is good enough - I doubt very much it's really any of the modern cameras holding most people back in their photography.

[@raylander6329]

Thank you very much for the careful and thorough observations; I am keeping my R5 for now; GREAT VIDEO AS ALWAYS!

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you! I don’t blame you one bit. Only reason I am even thinking of the r5 mkii is because Ideally I need 1 extra body to help me make these videos

[@billmartin1010]

Eye control AF locks onto a focus point when you press the button. The pipper follows your eye after that, but the focus point does not. So you can check your composition to your heart's content and the focus point does not go with you -- unless you press the button again. Eye control AF is for setting the initial focus point. The focus point doesn't involuntarily move with your eye across the screen.

[@WillGoodlet]

Brilliant that makes good sense and is likely to be very useful especially if the AF recognises more than one animal as a potential target

[@teresamarie3718]

Hi Will watching your content always reminds me of a memorable trip to Kenya many years ago before i took up photography. Love your content and viewpoint. I adapt Canon EF telephoto lenses successful to the Fuji XH2S with a KF Concept adapter. Also work with the Fuji 1.4 teleconverter but not the Canon ones. The XH2S struggles at high ISO and the teleconverter isn't anywhere as good as Canon latest versions unfortunately. Good to hear your thoughts on the R5 and R5ii as a return to Canon body possibility.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@teresamarie3718 thank you for the info on the Fuji. I was looking at it to replace the role of my 7d2 - I think it is a very nice camera for hybrid shooting and I really like the video features (it is much cheaper in SA than it is overseas). I think hearing your comments that I will stick to Canon for now and hopefully the 200-800 will give the extra reach I need from time to time! I’m happy to have brought your trip to Kenya to mind :) Will you head back to Africa again soon?

[@MichaelFogleman]

You got me really excited about the Out-of-Focus Image Detection. But I looked at the manual and it only works on JPG, and it seems it's mostly just for human faces. Bummer. Was hoping it could help sorting through images more quickly.

[@WillGoodlet]

You're kidding! I should have read about it, thank you. Only human faces?? OMG

[@frankanderson5012]

I agree with your summary. It comes down to want vs need and as you say, that’s a motivation for many KZbinrs - they want it to help promote their channel but probably don’t need it to advance their photography. My Canon R5 is not holding me back at the moment, opportunity is, along with my own limitations despite being a photographer most of my life. Just on switching to video mode. I have the fn button set so pressing that goes straight to my chosen video mode. Nice and quick.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks Frank, yes apart from pre-capture in video (perhaps more useful for me than photos) and the overheating in my environment, the R5 is plenty. Luckily I can always use my other camera while it's cooling down again. Good tip on the fn button - although someone commented that this doesn't work on the new camera!

[@adrianlynch9435]

A very good, informative, easy going (as in doesn't come across as spec heavy), excellent opinion about just the spec but even better when you put it in context of the location ie safari shooting (pictures) vs just the spec itself. Also really enjoyed your comparison of the R5 vs R5ii specs again especially in your type of shooting (pictures). Absolutely cracking video. Thanks.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks so much Adrian, really appreciate the feedback :)

[@gordonnorman8259]

Though I am a long-time Sony wildlife shooter, many of my buddies are Canon and Nikon users. I completely agree with your ranking of which factors that are most pertinent to the R5 upgrade and find your logic about those factors impeccable - well done!

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for watching even though you shoot Sony. I was in two minds about comparing the A1 and A9iii but the price difference is quite significant - which cameras are you using out of interest?

[@gordonnorman8259]

@@WillGoodlet I use both but 90+% of my bird shooting requires the A1 for cropping, even though the AF is better on the A9iii. If I know I'll be relatively close to the birds, then the A9iii wins out for ergonomics, precapture, frame rate, bird-eye AF in video, high speed flash sync, etc. despite the 24MP & lower IQ.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@gordonnorman8259 thank you that’s very interesting to know. I gave up using flash after mine was stolen but it would be useful for the sunbirds we get here.

[@mycompasstv]

Great upload, a most comprehensive, real world comparison. I'm chewing on this one. Thank you Mr. Goodlet!

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you so glad it was useful :)

[@jklbd4815]

For anybody who wants to get a pro mirrorless camera for wildlife, the nikon z8 will be his first priority, specially the cost, you can get an used z8 for about 2500$ which is a steal and their new tele lenses ar amazing. The Canon R5 ii is a really great camera but it's too expensive and Nikon has better ergonomics and button placements (except the 3rd wheel, they need to add one). I hope there will be a R7 ii.

[@WillGoodlet]

The best thing about all these cameras is that they are all very much better than my Minolta SRT :) What a choice we have now.

[@tonyedwin2836]

Excellent review as always Will! Now, if you were to start from a clean slate today and build a new camera / lens system with wildlife photography in Africa in mind what would it be? Im torn between the z8 with a 180 600 and a 800 PF ; an R5 with a 100 500 and a used ef 600 f4 and finally an A1 with a 70 200 and a 200 600. After looking at thousands of photographs, with color science in mind, I like Canon, Sony and Nikon in that order. Nikons greens are a bit too vivid even in raw, but thats me. Your suggestions will be much appreciated!

[@WillGoodlet]

Now this is a BIG topic. Is there a definitive answer?...It's hard. The problem is the environments are not homogenous and the animals are so varied and then we have the shooting conditions (foot, safari vehicle, self drive and the travel issue around light aircraft space for gear) what's the best setup for all of them... I also think the Z and RF mounts have more lenses to come that might solve some of the current problems, they just haven't arrived yet. Sony needs to make some lenses too. I mostly think we should ignore cameras to some extent, in two-three years there will be a new one with the feature we are missing, while the lens will be with us for 5-10+ For me, right now, money no object, I would choose a 2x Z8's 1xZ6iii (I don't care about the cameras - it's the lenses I'm after) 180-600 and either Z400 TC or Z600TC (I'm torn and would really like to try them each for a while first). If Canon comes out with the 300 f2.8 600F4 or 400f2.8 - 600 f4.5 that will probably solve the issue for me too. I don't need the zoom, it's the in-built TC that works for me on Nikon. Torn on 400 f2.8 because I like it for larger mammals, closer encounters (private safaris) and low light. With the canon patents, maybe finally one lens plus a small 100-500 or similar would do it.

[@mobelue]

Nice video. Have you tried programming the front depth the field button on the R5 body to switch you in and out of crop mode? It’s very useful and it’s like having an instant 60% extension. I usually get around 20 to 22 megapixel images doing that and it definitely helps with eye auto focus.

[@WillGoodlet]

Yes, I noticed that AF and metering is more reliable in crop. I have programmed my depth of field as a menu button. I crop using a custom menu item. I may play around with it more. Always good to get other views on button customisation!

[@mobelue]

@@WillGoodlet no problem. When you make that customization, it will pull up a menu in the viewfinder or back screen. In order to scroll back-and-forth in the pop-up menu, you may require a different setting elsewhere in the camera. If so, let me know.

[@deonvanrooyen5920]

Thanks Will for another great video! I've been using my faithful Canon 90D DSLR with its cropped sensor with the 100-400mm mark ii lens for wildlife photography. However the time has now finally come to upgrade to mirrorless... (Stuck between deciding on the R5, R5 Mark ii or R6 Mark ii?). Planning a trip from New Zealand to Kgalagadi, Chobe and Namibia next year, (which I still call home)....cant wait!

[@WillGoodlet]

Fantastic to hear about the trip! Will you also keep the lens? If so, you will miss the resolution of the 90D the 45mp might be better than 26mp?

[@jophoto934]

Which camera is your choice for far distance wildlife photography?

[@WillGoodlet]

I think that’s a way of thinking that often leads to problems and sucks people into over-investing in equipment in the belief that it makes a difference. I feel like this because it happened to me and to many others. Distance is a problem that is not overcome by a camera or a lens. Or, if they are, it is at the compromise of image quality. The problem is that atmospheric effects, heat, haze and dust prevent a lot of distant wildlife shots from being useful. My belief is that, for example, an 800mm lens is best used for small subjects that are close by. And wider telephotos for larger subjects close by. The very distant shots should be ignored in 90% of cases unless conditions allow or the extreme interest or rarity of the shot make it worthwhile to take. That said, where you want or need to crop (as many of us have to) it is usually better to crop more pixel dense cameras with excellent or no anti-aliasing filters and bright lenses. The pixel density allows for more resolution in the image or prints but comes with the risk of greater diffraction. This is offset by using brighter lenses. Many of us do not have the choice of using these lenses.

[@alastairwatson2714]

Superb review. Puts many features into a proper real world context which is missing from many other reviews. I have "only" a Canon R so will definitely upgrade.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for watching Alistair. I think you will see a dramatic difference between the R and the R5 mark ii :)

[@alastairwatson2714]

👍

[@rickfarber4243]

Very useful and intelligent video. Thanks.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@rickfarber4243 thanks for watching:)

[@CarlPhilyaw]

I have the opportunity to shoot the r5 mark ii for the last few weeks. Taking thousands of images on it. I feel they did a great job especially with action/sports still images. I use rf 400 2.8, rf 600 f4, and rf 100-300. The tracking is working well. In the studio image quality is very nice. Looks like there a slightly shift in color over the r5 mark. I was not a fan the R5 mark 1. I shoot mostly with two R3s waiting on the R1. Hopefully I can push the iso harder on the R1. But all in all I happy with Canon and the lens. I personally dont want third part lens but I understand the need for people looking a more budget friendly option.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you! Great to have some first hand feedback on it! Would you say the AF (for wildlife / birds in flight) is comprehensively better or more marginal?

[@msmith2016]

One feature that no one ever talks about (probably because they don't need it) but I hope this camera has the ability to record the VF from the external HDMI while still keeping the VF active.

[@WillGoodlet]

I think Froknowsphoto mentioned it in his review at the Canon event - I think I remember him saying it doesn't - not certain.

[@davidsherman3462]

Informative video. Will canon lend you a R5 Mark ii for 30 days so you try it before you buy it? thanks for the video.

[@WillGoodlet]

Sadly no, I am a CPS member but in South Africa that basically means I get a free plastic card saying I am a CPS member.

[@FrancoisdeMelogue]

Great review... First time watching your channel love the unbiased review.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for watching Francois and welcome! :)

[@axelmertens7762]

I have the Z8 with the 180-600 with the D850 with the 500pf and turning seventy ! I have a Z6ii and XT3 also. But its very good to see you back Will!

[@WillGoodlet]

Cheers Axel. I checked the DXOmark scores and was surprised to see the D850 is still near the top of the list. 5th! Seems like you have enough gear to keep yourself occupied for now :)

[@rhinoTube]

That 500pf is going to be the next lens in my arsenal! I'm very happy with my D850

[@HotGates]

Great video, I myself have the Z9 and just sold the R3 to fund the R5II, Here in Greece it will be available August 20th and I already have the RF 200-800 that I really like, But I read Canon will be releasing new tele zooms. The thing that makes me mad about Nikon is the jpeg only feature for the pre capture which sucks.

[@WillGoodlet]

Yes, the JPG precapture is a downside to an otherwise pretty amazing camera. Glad to hear you like the 200-800, normally I prefer to try lenses but obviously not possible, so it's good to hear from people who have it. Looks like Canon is filing some interesting patents for zooms but I'd settle for just getting the 200-800 delivered right now, I really do have a use for it! When I could just go and grab a Nikon 180-600 tomorrow it's frustrating.

[@james123j1]

23:00 - Why not get a powertank and keep the camera charged via usb-c for this use case? Much cheaper and longer lasting than battery swapping?

[@WillGoodlet]

@@james123j1 yep it’s bot a bad idea at all. I just mention it because I often find people visiting underestimate their battery use and very often their storage use.

[@daemon1143]

with respect to the noise and dynamic range and Petapixel's article, Photons to Photos has released the empirical analysis and it's true, the R5 has 0.35 stops greater dynamic range at the low ISO end, converging with increase in ISO, and the mk2 has 0.222 DN greater read noise. The Mk2 is marginally better on both of these measure than the competing Nikons. In all reality, the difference between the R5 and the mk2 is insignificant and the difference between competing brands isn't really significant either. The your lens argument is a good one though like you, I'm already invested in the Canon system. Glad you're back Will.

[@WillGoodlet]

Having shot the z8 briefly, I don't really care too much about what camera I use. They are all fantastic and if one is missing a feature, surely the next model iteration will have it. Lenses on the other hand stay with us for a very long time. My 400 f2.8 ends it's service support life next year and I'm having a hard time thinking about what to replace it with or simply to keep it til it dies.

[@daemon1143]

@@WillGoodlet It's a nice lens and a good length for mammals. Were it I, I'd keep it until it dies, which could be decades off.

[@tommitura]

Thanks for the video. You mentioned overheating on the R5 - have you tried the firmware 1.6 update for the R5? I am considering upgrading my old R6 to either an R6 MKII or R5. An R5 would be preferable, but I will mostly film and shoot in hot and humid jungle / safari climates and am wondering if the R6 MKII would be more reliable. My concerns are (1) the R5 firmware update won't be enough to solve hot + humid weather overheating problems (2) the R5 will now heat up to such high temperatures before turning off that it will damage the camera or corrupt the memory card

[@ADof28]

Video/photo switch is very useful for hybrid shooters, better if it's on the right shoulder. Pre-roll in stills and motion is a game changer. Even FX3 so called cinema line doesn't have that. Back bottom focus of Canon is top of the class. The only two complaints I have would be the lack of internal zoom lens, like the Sony 200-600. Balancing an external zoom on fluid head is a pain. The other is subsampled 4K60P.

[@WillGoodlet]

These are all excellent points.

[@eyoung6943]

I’m SO happy to see coverage of wildlife photography rather than just birds! I want to upgrade from an old DSLR, mostly for bears, moose and wolves, and I’m curious about the AF for moose in particular. (Bears and wolves should be reasonably covered by the dog algorithms.)

[@WillGoodlet]

Glad to find a fellow wild-lifer :) You know, I think that any of the recent mirrorless cameras are going to be very good. If you do run into a problem with the AF, you can always just change between eye and spot AF like I do. I imagine the antlers will be the biggest issue on moose. Speaking for the original R5, the dog AF works well, sometimes struggles with a dark eye in dark fur.

[@RVNmedic]

Thanks Will. This is my first time on your channel and I really enjoyed your presentation. I have subscribed and wish you the best. I have an R5 and I'm on the fence about the R5ll. Just got my 200-800 That I ordered in Dec '23. So far I like it. Heavier than my 100-500. IQ is excellent even out to 800. So be well and keep the videos coming.

[@WillGoodlet]

@RVNmedic thanks for watching and for the sub :) I’m glad to hear the 200-800 is good, bit worried it took so long to get to you though! That’s a far more important item for me than a new camera. I’ll do my best to keep the videos coming.

[@daznich]

Thanks for the useful and balanced summary. I have one on order and share your thoughts on the potential reduction in dynamic range. I mostly shoot electronic shutter with the R5 so I am hoping that the move to 14bit from 12bit offsets some of this difference. Living in the UK and often shooting in poor light, bringing out detail in the shadows is essential for me.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for watching, yes I am very grateful for the sunlight over here, it does make things easier but jealous of your wonderful long evenings. That must be fantastic light to shoot it when it's good. I am hoping the Petapixel/DPReview story is a little overblown.

[@picklebird1261]

I think that one of the reviews I read showed that the slight reduction in dynamic range occurred below ISO 400 and that above ISO 400 the R5 and R5MII were the same. I don't know about you, but I don't remember the last time I shot a wildlife or bird picture at ISO 400 and below! 😆 Seems like all my shots are in bad weather or at dawn or dusk or difficult lighting. For my purposes, I'm expecting them to perform the same at the ISO I am likely to use. Catherine

[@WillGoodlet]

@@picklebird1261 I’m not worried about it for wildlife at all

[@daznich]

@@picklebird1261 I can definitely live with that! 🙂 Really looking forward to trying this out soon.

[@paulgold3928]

Good video. I am wondering if upscaling might not be useful for a big crop zoom of wildlife taken at long distance. Thoughts?

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for watching. Yes maybe but why is it needed in camera? I guess either the expectation is either that it will be better than external software at doing it or needed very quickly (no time for processing) by press, sport and event photographers? For wild-lifers we would probably process the image later.

[@WillGoodlet]

It may be because the new camera no longer uses pixel shift upsizing? If this is better than that, well that would be quite something because it would mean it would work for moving subjects now?

[@paulgold3928]

@@WillGoodlet That would be a great feature, indeed. A completely different question, what CF Express B card to you use in your R5 and what size? Thanks.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@paulgold3928 I use an Angelbird 512 gb with a 64gb backup

[@keeganflahive1604]

I just last week switched over from Canon RF glass and the R5/R7 to the Nikon Z8 and 800mm f6.3 PF lens + 180-600mm Z lens for wildlife. It’s been amazing so far. I was looking at the R5 MK2 but for the price and minor changes plus needing all new batteries and grip I was not doing that

[@WillGoodlet]

I don't blame you in the slightest. What Canon lenses did you give up?

[@keeganflahive1604]

@@WillGoodlet ​​⁠I had the 100-500, 70-200 f2.8 , 15-35mm f2.8, 85mm f1.2, and I had on order the 200-800 but that was literally on back order for 9 months and never got it. I sold it all on Facebook marketplace here in the U.S. got pretty much what I paid for them so it was nice.

[@WillGoodlet]

Great that you were able to sell so easily. One reason I shoot Canon is the second hand market here is a little more liquid. I doubt it's anything like the US though, quite hard to shift stuff.

[@keeganflahive1604]

@@WillGoodletyeah I would bet it’s much harder to switch over camera brands. Facebook marketplace here in the US is a godsend. I have been buying used gear for about 10 years now and it’s also very easy to sell. Otherwise I would’ve stayed with canon. I just didn’t like their wildlife lens lineup. I don’t have $15,000 for a 600mm f4 lens. Really cool video though got yourself a subscriber!

[@felixifloresrodriquez3306]

Will welcome back. Glad to see you

[@WillGoodlet]

Cheers Felix :)

[@saurabhrohatgi9623]

Hi Will, would you suggest Nikon z 400 f2.8 tc vr enough for african wildlife or would a 600mm be bare minimum while on safari. And what are your thoughts on Nikon 180-600mm for African wildlife. Please do a video on Nikon Z8 and what lens would be good for safari in africa.

[@WillGoodlet]

I wish I could! I don't have a Z8 but I did shoot alongside someone with one for 12 days recently and was impressed. If I can get my hands on one somehow I will. On the lenses - the 400f2.8 (I shoot a Canon version) is the original swiss army knife for wildlife. With the TC built-in, it's even better. It's advantage is that you can quickly change from a 400f2.8 which is wonderful for early mornings and low light conditions to a 560 f4 (which is also very good for low light). Effectively it's almost the same as having a 600f4 AND a 400f2.8 in one lens. The other advantage is that for large animals close by (think elephants etc..) the 600mm might be too close. The 600mm F4, will also be great for early mornings and is often a more appropriate focal length, especially for open savanna (not everywhere in Africa is open savanna, some places are very thick trees and bushes). The advantage of the 600 is that it can easily go to 840mm f5.6 and even 1200mm f8 with teleconverters while the 400mm f2.8 will give you 560mm f4 and 800mm f5.6 Also bear in mind that a 1200mm may not be as useful as you think because more distant animals will be obscured by heat haze. It's better to think of these lenses for very small animals that are not too far from you. I find that 800mm is more or less a maximum useful focal length, which is why I find the 400mm f2.8 so versatile. With newer cameras with better noise characteristics, the advantage of the f2.8 in low light is less marked and at night, if you have the assistance of someone with a spotlight it's not necessary either. So it comes down to a decision about what's the best compromise for the type of wildlife and area you intend to shoot in. An additional thought is how to travel with these large lenses. The 400 is a little bit shorter and will fit more easily on small planes. I think the 180-600 is very good indeed for African wildlife. It's a great focal range and can work very well with the 1.4tc to give you 840mm f9. At dawn and dusk and after dark it is challenged to some degree, but these periods do not last a long time, the sun comes up fast. It's also superb for travel and using it in a crowded vehicle. I wouldn't hesitate to use it.

[@saurabhrohatgi9623]

Thanks for the detailed reply...really appreciate it. Looking forward to your future videos

[@johnholinka9361]

Thank you. Best review and eval I have seen so far.

[@WillGoodlet]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mayflip]

Doesn’t the R5 mark ii have an inbuilt extender like the R6 mark ii? If so, I’m surprised you didn’t mention it as I would have thought it was a useful tool for wildlife photography.

[@WillGoodlet]

No none of them have a built-in extender but you may be talking about the crop-mode which is included in most full-frame cameras. All this does is limit the view to a smaller part of the sensor, simulating the field of view from an APS-C (crop sensor) camera, it doesn't do anything we can't do by cropping the image ourselves later and it doesn't improve the quality of the image in the way an optical teleconverter/extender would.

[@MrAndresMira]

I was waiting long time to see this R5 II in the market. Now i will be able to upgrade from my R6 to an original R5 in the second hand market for a very very good price

[@WillGoodlet]

Not a bad plan at all :) I really enjoy my R6 its a very pleasant camera to hold and use

[@ianbrown704]

Great overall review. I am on the fence as you can buy a new R5 MK1 for about £2800 so it’s a compelling proposition😮

[@barboravackova8364]

Thank you for amazing video! I have very similar thought process in this decision. The features such usable raw pre-capture and for me also the ability to take pictures (even if it’s jpg only) during the video recording is a big selling point, because this is where I could possibly get great pictures i didn’t get before.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks very much for watching. The dual jpg / video will help me too. It’s a pity it can’t be larger files but it will probably help me tell stories on YT and still let me get pics - no longer have to choose one or the other.

[@micknificent]

My opinion is for landscape photographers is to just get the original R5 if noise is an issue. The test the R5II’s dynamic range just show the shadows is more sharp or little more noisier which is think with software like Adobe Lightroom’s Classic Denoise feature can be fixed easily. I don’t see the need for faster autofocus and high sensor readout speeds for landscape photographers. Just my opinion. I would get a Hassleblad .

[@WillGoodlet]

You are right, it's pointless. I would love a Hasselblad.

[@peoplewithpixels]

A few (other) things that I might find concerning: weather sealing considering the new added vents, camera performance after battery is less charged -- heard that fps might be affected, potential cold issues as the operating temps are between 0-40 deg celsius and lack of 3rd party lenses.

[@WillGoodlet]

Yes good points. I read the same about the batteries in the manual. I imagined the vents to be almost a funnel or heat exchanger without any points of ingress but that will definitely need to be confirmed by someone with the camera

[@DanBetty]

I have been told by someone with an R5 ii that it will still have the record button and will easily switch to CM 3 but MfN button no longer allow you to switch to video mode, so you can only access 1 mode without taking your eye off the subject a step backwards. Dynamic range is a concern for me shooting ducks like the Bufflehead a step backwards. Clog 2 and 120 FPS with sound are interesting. AND .. I like my R5 s

[@WillGoodlet]

That's pretty annoying to hear, about Mfn.... I love my R5 too!

[@GerhardBothaWFF]

My R7 with the EF 100-400 ii and 1.4xiii is great for birds. The R5ii is great. But I think a well priced used R5 is on the cards for me to compliment the R7. That AF on the R5ii is killer though. But now that I have figured out the AF on the R7, I don’t need anything more - and the R5 should do

[@WillGoodlet]

Sounds like a good plan to me! I'd love to see a really wildlife focused R7 mark ii (that's why I was looking hard at the Fuji XHS2 for a while) but now Canon is making more stacked sensors it may come to be.

[@bridgmanproductions8046]

Fantastic video and a great breakdown of what actually matters for some professionals and their use cases on safari and as others have mentioned, it’s great to have an actual photographer putting their thoughts forward rather than the usual KZbinr voicing their irrelevant gripes with specifications. I personally use the R5 and R6mk2 for events, corporate jobs, sports and aviation and love them both for what they offer in photography and video. I know you didn’t favour the photo and video dial being on the left side and I can 100% understand why in your field and use case. For myself, on the R6mk2 it’s been an absolute game changer in switching modes as I often don’t have a heavy lens to combat with the left hand and it’s a very quick way to switch over. The camera still needs a second to switch modes and by the time it’s ready to start recording or take a shot, my hand is already back at the lens and my much less elusive subjects are in frame and in focus. The R5’s way of hitting the mode button and switching was quite cumbersome for myself and my colleagues and we all ended up mapping the M-fn button to switch between the two modes. As a rather clicky button, none of us liked using it for anything other than switching, so it has worked quite well for us. It’s very fast and we don’t have to take our eye off the EVF. It does still take a couple of seconds to ready itself, so you stand there looking a bit dorky for a few moments, but still better than using the Mode button. I’ll be skipping the R5mk2 for now, although the AF and readout speed upgrades are certainly welcome, however I value the enormous upgrade to the R1 from the R6mk2 and will be focusing on that switch to a professional body first.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for watching really appreciate the info in your comment too. Someone mentioned to me that the M-fn button no longer works on the mark ii?! I was hoping it was still an option. Like any camera we will just have to work around the problems we discover in use. They are all so much better than they used to be anyway! Enjoy the R1 :)

[@WernerBirdNature]

Hi Will, thanks for this well balanced opinion ! In mainland Europe, the R5ii is 4800 Euro, 300 up from when the R5 was released (so a hike lower than inflation). That $400 USD less than what the Brits have to stomach .. likely one of those brexit-bullitholes in their feet .. (I visited Scotland last month and saw plenty more of those bullit holes 😞) I ordered my 200-800 after the first real life reviews (a month after the announcement) and did receive just another month later. As a result, I'm no longer using the clumsy 420-700, but the 100-500 and 200-800 get about the same % of usage. For me (with European pricing), the 200-800 actually belongs in the mid-tier segment. So in the lower mid segment ($2000 - $4000) it's well balanced between Nikon and Canon, only in the higher mid segment ($4k - $10k) we see indeed clear Nikon territory .. but that part of the segment is already out of reach for most enthusiasts. I've read the first stories regarding dynamic range as well, but the most recent thing I read did put it more in perspective: when using ES, the R5ii can actually be better because of the 14-bit raw io 12-bit. Also above ISO 640 both R% versions are nearly the same. On my R5, I can get 4 times more shots from one battery in ES compared to using EFCS. But because of rolling shutter with birds in flight, I mostly used EFCS this year. With a much improved rolling shutter, the R5ii might allow me to use ES more often .. Soo, I'm pretty tempted by the R5ii .. but I'm not so sure I can convince my wife I need it 😛

[@WillGoodlet]

Hi Werner, I feel that the way the camera gets priced in Europe/UK is appalling. As if the USD is the same as a Euro or GBP. Then the tax on top....Maybe it's tariff barriers I don't know. I cut it out the video but one solution, if people are coming to SA and want the camera for that, is to buy it here. We often have very low prices (Fuji HX2S is cheaper here than US for example). People can claim the 15% sales tax back when they leave too - doing this, the R5 Mark ii is USD 4230 here. Pays for an airline ticket. I have the 200-800 on order, I think it will do very well for me when I get it, I'm just somewhat resentful that I paid up front but still have no idea when it's coming (from B&H USA). The reason I don't class it in the middle/upper segment is that I would really like a drop in filter and a proper focus ring. Incidentally, how do you find the manual focus using the control ring? I use MF all the time... When I tried the Nikon Z8 and 180-600 off a friend I was blown away when I touch the focus ring - out of nowhere I had full focus peaking and BRIGHT focus peaking that I could actually see. This is a game changer for me and video. I started thinking, why am I putting up with the Canon implementation and I really started to think about these Nikon lenses. Yes, thank you, I've read the updated DR info. For me, in wildlife, I wouldn't really have cared if it was slightly worse. It's just landscapers who need none of this readout speed probably shouldn't upgrade.

[@WernerBirdNature]

@@WillGoodlet Hi Will, Thanks for such extensive feedback ! Without our huge 21% sales tax, the naked price is only $50 above the US The 200-800 was a different story: in today's USD I paid around $2750, exactly the same amount I paid 2 years ago for the 100-500 when it was on sale. I had hoped to pick it up during a business trip to Japan, but I was there just a week before shipment started. The 200-800 was really hyped in the USA, and at a price a lot lower than the rest of world. I guess that's why the USA has such large backorder .. On the 200-800, I don't abuse the focus ring as a control ring (unlike some smaller bodies, the R5 has 3 dials already) and while looking through the EVF I don't mind the focus ring is white and not black. It works as it should, but for some reason I don't need to use MF to assist AF as much as I do on the 100-500. Also, the lenscoat fits nicer on the 200-800 than it did on the 100-500. And 800/9 gives better bokeh power than 500/7.1. Without using a tripod, the focus ring may be a little hard to reach from the zoom ring, but when putting both white zooms side by side, the relative position between both rings is the same. Activating focus peaking when touching the focus ring is indeed a very nice feature !! Nikon has some nice things, but the Z8/9 are pretty heavy and they can't zoom to 800mm ..

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for the feedback that's very helpful!

[@WernerBirdNature]

@@WillGoodlet Glad to help !

[@t4mor4]

That’s the best summing and comparison of the R5 mk2 I’ve seen. The comparisons with Nikon and Sony was very helpful as I was about to start doing the same myself. You addressed almost all the questions I had regarding the lenses available, and it would be good to know what lenses you would select if you were a tourist going on a safari and you only had a single R5.

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you, I’m so glad it was useful. On the lenses it very much depends on where you go and what you do. Did you have anywhere in particular in mind? I like to shoot 3 lenses - 24-70, either (ef 100-400 / 100-500) and a big prime But if you are in a cramped or shared vehicle its better to forego the big prime. You cannot beat the versatility of the 100-400/500. But it won’t be quite as good for low light. I’d love it if it were just a but longer without the TC issue zooming out. The 200-800 also would work but you lose some of the versatility of the 100-500 for people and travel/nature

[@WillGoodlet]

I feel the 100-400 is too short on its own better the 100-500 plus TC

[@WillGoodlet]

If its one camera its got to be a 24-70 or similar and one of the supertelephot zooms

[@t4mor4]

@@WillGoodlet probably Kruger and a smaller reserve, any suggestions?

[@WillGoodlet]

@@t4mor4 Ah great! There’s a few. You are very welcome to drop me an email about it.

[@TheBigBlueMarble]

The R5 Eye focus has problmes with the animals in the Galapagos too. The sealions and marine iquanas are all black and have black eyes. Tough to lock on to.

[@WillGoodlet]

Oh yes I bet! :) Fantastic place to photograph I'm sure!

[@TheBigBlueMarble]

@@WillGoodlet I have been living in Ecuador for 2 years and planning to lead my first photo trip to the Islands in early 2025.

[@afriquelesud]

Will, kudos to you for the better pronunciation of Nikon. An entire tribe further west should pay attention.

[@wildpatagoniafilms16]

Excellent and honest review Will ! Tired of seeing all this sponsored KZbinrs pushing gear! The part where you talked about the baboon taking a crap while enjoying the view was: gold! 😂 Looking forward more posts like this ! Cheers! 👏

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks for watching! I'm glad someone made it to the end. I want to photograph that baboon, he'd look awesome sitting on the cliff edge watching the sunset :)

[@sdeeks_photos44]

A very good balanced review. In your opinion Will, what canon eos R is best for all types of wildlife ?

[@WillGoodlet]

It depends on your lens choice and what 'wildlife' means :) If it's one camera you will probably shoot a zoom. Too risky in Africa (not sure if you are here too?) not to (I shoot two cameras here, zoom on one and long prime on the other) a lot of the time I'm on the long lens but then all of a sudden all hell breaks loose and I need to grab the zoom fast. So the zoom is much safer but slightly less quality - there's a trade off. Plus I self drive, so I come round a corner and see something and I need to grab something fast. It's got to be small and quick to grab with one hand. So let's say it's a zoom - if it's the 100-400 it has to be the R7 just for the extra pixels. 100-500 maybe the R7 too. 100-500 plus the TC in your bag then the R5 (which I think is a nicer camera than the R7 despite the older AF) 200-800 then the R5. Obviously, if you can afford the R5ii then that's better still but it's not vital. Remember the crop sensor camera is diffraction limited with the F9 / F11 lenses to a greater degree than the R5. A lot of good African photographers shot the old EF 200-400 + TC a very good compromise lens. Canon will, I am sure make an RF version perhaps a little longer with variable aperture. With this lens the best option possible option would be a R5mark ii. However, if you are a private safari kind of person where the vehicle can go off road and shoot at night, you can get closer to the wildlife and may then prefer probably cleaner images from the R1 because you are no longer reach limited and needing to crop aggressively. Of course you could also substitute the R6ii here. Obviously, if you are not committed to Canon I like some other lenses better right at this moment and I think lenses are more important.

[@sdeeks_photos44]

@@WillGoodlet currently use a canon Ef 600mm f4 on a 7d mk ii (that looking to replace) also use TC and can connect my r6 to my ef lens. Also have a rf 100-500mm 5.6 on a r6 mkii but going to add a 70-300mm f2.8 to the bag. I’m from the uk but have done safari photography in Africa, Botswana etc so shoot all kinds of wildlife. I was looking at a r5 or r7 before saw your video.

[@GuidoVanDeWater]

You know I'm not a canon user but still I liked to hear your thoughts about it. Lot of it makes sense, why do we Europeans want a camera like that... I would really love to see you hold my om-mk2 with the 150-400 Pro. Really wonder how you would feel about that camera compared to that many many many times more expensive canon. I think you would love it. What a view BTW! Absolutely stunning location! Grt guido

[@WillGoodlet]

Guido I would LOVE to get hands on and I’ve often thought about OM but I can’t get hold of them here they are sold out permanently and I really need to ‘try before I buy’ with a system change that big - you noticed I’m in the middle of nowhere now - no camera shops for 300km!

[@WillGoodlet]

I want to use from a kayak and in the car

[@GuidoVanDeWater]

@WillGoodlet if I ever come over I would be happy to let you use it. Who knows someday 😅

[@WillGoodlet]

@@GuidoVanDeWater When are you booking your tickets ;) There's a spot for you here if you want to visit.

[@GuidoVanDeWater]

@WillGoodlet ow no you can't do that. That is so tempting haha but i don't know if my family would agree on me traveling around the globe alone 😅 or if I'm able to do that myself 😅 but I would love to ill keep it in mind it would be the best trip ever 🫣

[@Not_Infocus]

Pressing video button in photo mode starts videorecording with the settings you have setup in C3 in videomode... I can't see any problem with the video/photo switch is on left side....... Just setup C3 in video mode to what you use most and then when in photo mode you can record video with those setting just pressing videorecord button

[@WillGoodlet]

The problem is I need more than one mode. The old method was significantly better. Better still would be an additional High frame rate button as on the Black Magics. You need more than one mode so you can use 4K120 quickly when needed. The rest of the time, its ok to shoot 4K60 because it is not so media hungry or heat intensive

[@a3hindawi]

Thanks

[@WillGoodlet]

Thank you that’s very kind!

[@gordonnorman8259]

On a lighter note, once you do upgrade to the R5M2 you can then upgrade your classic Defender to the new Defender 110 (my current safari vehicle) which has charging ports everywhere!

[@WillGoodlet]

Oh gosh I couldn’t do it Basil is much more popular than I am, i’d get hammered:)

[@TJIzzy]

New one will get you stranded

[@nsbhagwat]

Fantastic video. Thx.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@nsbhagwat thank you!

[@Josh_Sattin]

Fantastic rundown! Thanks Will!

[@WillGoodlet]

Thanks Josh!

[@stubones]

If I could afford a new camera I'd be all over the R5 ii. My R6 ii is fantastic, but I really want a stacked sensor.

[@WillGoodlet]

I'd have all of them if I could :) I expect the stacked sensor will make it into the R6iii

[@stubones]

I’m sure it will 😁

[@stubones]

@@WillGoodlet I went for a R3 in the end. Awesome camera!

[@WillGoodlet]

@ congratulations!

[@gongfan5181]

I see you were using an old EF 100-400 lens, but the old lens won't provide you with the best autofocus on the new mirrorless camera.

[@WillGoodlet]

@@gongfan5181 I do use EF lenses, in fact I have avoided the 100-500 as I like to slot in filters behind them as well as use the full zoom with a teleconverter. I use this one mainly for video. I use a 400 2.8 for photos which is plenty good enough. One thing I really like about RF is the ND and Polarising adapters for EF.