EOS R5 - The BEST Bird Photography Camera EVER?

[@dav14pawest]

Jan, this was the video I was waiting for. I don't care about video much so the question was should I spend so much money on a camera that was hyped for video when I will use it primarily for bird photography. You've answered that question with a resounding yes. I was also wondering about back button focus and the animal eye detection but your 2 button solution answers that as well. Thanks so much for a great review.

[@jan_wegener]

It's so strange to see that Canon marketed an insane stills camera as an 8k video camera.....If they hadn't done that, the whole overheating thing wouldn't even be an issue. As a primary stills camera, it would be hard to find a better option on the market right now.

[@dav14pawest]

@@jan_wegener I have a 7D MII and 5D MIV. I use the 7D for birds mostly and the 5D for landscape and night photography. I'll probably sell the 5D (I'm going to take a big hit on it since they are selling new for way less than I paid) The R5 will cover all of my needs for those types of photography. I'm thinking of waiting closer to Christmas to pull the trigger. Canon won't drop the price of the R5 but maybe there will be some package deals for some RF glass at that time. I don't know if I can wait that long. Animal eye detect just looks to be something I want right now. Thanks again for the great video.

[@jan_wegener]

@@dav14pawest Thanks! Yes, it's an amazing camera that will be able to do many things really well. From what I am hearing there are not many available atm anyways. So it might be till Christmas anyhow for them to be more broadly available

[@dprosk2]

@@dav14pawest I am in the same situation... 7D MII for wildlife and 5D MIV for everything else. I pre-ordered the R5 and LOVE IT! The one issue I has was that I had a Tamron 70-200 G2 and on the adapter, that lens struggled with stabilization. I don't know why. The Tamron 24-70 G2 is fine. Maybe mine had some issue. Based on that plus size and weight considerations, I later tried the Canon RF 70-200 in the store and ... well ... I walked out with it. What an amazing combination! Of course an amazing credit card balance as well, but... I'm guessing you don't want to buy my 5D? LOL

[@dav14pawest]

Dan Proskauer good to here you use the same set up. I ordered the R5 last weekend. Who knows when I’ll get it though. I use the Canon EF 100-400 Vii and think it is one of best zooms ever made. I’m thinking it will be great on the R5 too. I don’t have a 70-200 so that may be the first RF lens I buy.

[@rbmcmurt]

Just wanted to say thank you. I've been going through the process this month of upgrading from the EF to the RF system, replacing multiple bodies and a collection of lenses, some of which I've had for more than a decade. Your videos, both the in-the-field ones and the reviews, have been absolutely amazing and probably the single most influential source of information concerning body and lens selection. Thank you!

[@jan_wegener]

Thanks so much, glad I could help :)

[@fernandoish9194]

Wow, that animal eye following feature is really going to be a game changer if it works that well. 90% success rate is just mind blowing.

[@jan_wegener]

Yes, it's been crazy. I will test it further of course, but the results are crazy for Birds in flight

[@popcornparam]

Finally someone who is using the right tool for the right job

[@PaulKentSkates]

But this is KZbin their are norms here!

[@jan_wegener]

hehe, thank you! It's almost like the R5 was made for my needs. I think with the R5, you have to blame the marketing. Marketing an insane stills camera as an 8k video camera really made no sense.

[@nismo09nz]

@@PaulKentSkates few and far between recently 😀

[@varoennauraa]

Yeah, Canon didn’t succeed with their marketing(and Sony REALLY succeeded with their countering marketing), but for me the R5 is really the best video camera as well as best stills camera, as I don’t shoot long occasions, but cinematic scenes.

[@PaulKentSkates]

@@varoennauraa I agree. I preordered the R5 for the reasons stated too. (I was only making a joke). The Sony looks great, but it's not what I am going for in a camera.

[@kennethlui2268]

I shoot bird/wildlife and have been waiting for someone to demo the new Canon R5. You nailed it. You showed us AF tracking, ISO, and image quality. You also showed us how to set up two buttons to switch between single point autofocus and Eye AF. That is brilliant. Chelsea and Tony (youtuber) took the R5 for the spin. Chelsea complained that the camera didn't let her focus on a particular bird. Obviously they didn't study the camera enough to rush out a review. I was skeptic about it. Also, they did the test when the light was so harsh and some bird pictures (not in shade) turned out bad. It was hard to see image quality. I don't think they are into bird/wildlife photography, but very into posting videos on KZbin. Bunch of other youtubers only talked about overheating. That gets old very fast. It is nice to see a wildlife photographer like you to show us the R5's capabilities. I want one because of 12/20 fps at 45 mp. Now you are showing us its super high ISO performance. I am truly sold. ISO 12,800 still looks okay. That is insane. I never use higher than 4,000. Thanks for your excellent video. You just earned my subscription. One question: Did you notice any rolling shutter (jelly) effect when using electronic shutter?

[@jan_wegener]

Hey, thanks a lot! I always try to show "real" real world examples. I had planned a lot more, but this lockdown stopped me. I guess I can still do that down the track. I like watching reviews, but most people just do the same, so I try to be a bit different. I have not tried the electronic shutter, this the mechanical one is so quiet and plenty fast. From what I can see the electronic shutter has worse image quality, which is not something I would really want.

[@kennethlui2268]

Jan Wegener I wonder if you can try electronic shutter next time. Thanks.

[@jan_wegener]

@@kennethlui2268 I should!

[@ReZPhotography]

The joke's on you if you even just waste 1 minute of your precious time watching Tony and Chelsea's (any) reviews :-))) I much rather watch a review like Jan's from start to end and spend my time really "absorbing" it :-)

[@antonioantonucci45]

Dear Jan you are not only a great photographer and teacher but you are a very very good reviewer. I have seen many regarding the R5 in this days but the your is one of the best. As usual a very beautiful and useful video. All the best to you Antonio

[@jan_wegener]

Wow, thank you! Great to hear that. I try to make it more real-world relatable

[@charlieeberly]

Store your preferred video mode/settings in the Custom 3 (C3) mode. Then while taking photos just press the record button on top of the camera to record video in those settings. Press the record button again to stop the video and be back in whatever photo mode/settings your were in.

[@jan_wegener]

Yes, I have done that. The only issue is that when I press the top button, it’s starts recording right away. When I shoot birds outside I hardly ever have the perfect settings saved, so I need to make adjustments. Now I have to make them while the video is already running and when I stop and restart I have to change the settings again. When the settings are correct this works well, but if I have to change settings it’s tricky. Thanks for the help!

[@charlieeberly]

@@jan_wegener Gotcha. There is a setting to auto save whatever changes you make while in a custom mode (like C3) but I have not tried it to see if that works while in that quick record mode. I am guessing maybe not?

[@jan_wegener]

@@charlieeberly oh, I will have to look into that! thanks. That would be helpful during a shoot for sure if it works with the instant recording.

[@jeffmanser2883]

Charlie Eberly Yes it works.. setting up before the shot it the right way to shoot birds stills or video.

[@jan_wegener]

@@jeffmanser2883 that's true, however If I am walking around and stumble on an amazing bird, it's hard to know what the light will be like beforehand

[@f_r_e_d]

Great review, subbed! I love the AF on my R5. I was able to track dragonflies in movement over a pond followed by various fast moving birds with absolutely no issues. I guess I am now a wildlife photographer ha! To any noobs that wants to enter this field, you have now unlocked the biggest cheat code of this field with this system.

[@jan_wegener]

Hey, I totally agree. I did feel like I am playing a computer game with cheats when tracking birds in flight!

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

Tony Northrup also reported the camera can even track insect eyes. That's unbelievable! I like to hand-hold insect macros if at all possible. It will definitely be more doable with animal AF and IBIS. I wonder how it will work with spiders, though. 😉

[@f_r_e_d]

@@jan_wegener @Jan Wegener I still shoot and develop my own film from my F1N, this is crazy tech loaded in the R5. Great intro with the bird btw

[@f_r_e_d]

@@JohnDrummondPhoto I'm sure it will do incredibly well. In the case you have to use manual, you have focus peaking and a manual assist option which work incredibly well on my old vintage FD lenses. On top of that you have the 1.6x crop option if you need to zoom into your macros without scaring your subjects.

[@jan_wegener]

Fred thanks! I wondered which bird would make for a good entry

[@craigb8379]

A brilliant review for wildlife shooters, Jan, and looks like a beast of a camera. That AF performance looks amazing - perhaps the new benchmark across all brands. Your tip for two-button BBF will help a lot of people get the best out of it.

[@jan_wegener]

Many thanks! Yes, it's been steallar so far. That AF with those high mpix and high ISO capability is pretty lethal. Once I set it up with the two buttons it became a real monster. Doing it that way is kind of a fail safe

[@fernandoortega4978]

Hooray! Jan - this is the review I have been eagerly waiting for. You're one of my favorite bird photographers on the planet, so to watch and hear such a thorough review is hugely helpful in my decision as to whether or not to buy the R5. Heartfelt thanks!

[@jan_wegener]

Thank you for the kind words. Happy to help :)

[@crashtest4585]

Hi Jan... Sounds like the R5 is great for your skill set. Also... great idea with the twin back button focusing... 👍

[@jan_wegener]

Hey, yes, I agree. It does what i need very well. Yes, settings it up that way really makes a huge difference. I felt a bit lost only relying on the automatic AF

[@EternallyWild]

Super review of R5! Thanks. After using 7D m ii for three years, I was looking for 1DX m iii, you certainly saved me bucks 😊 Waiting for your videos on camera settings.

[@jan_wegener]

Great! I would chose this over a 1Dx any day of the week. So I’m happy to help 😁

[@grantparnes]

@@jan_wegener Agreed, so who exactly is gonna buy the 1DXiii?

[@jan_wegener]

Grant Parnes live sports shooters where the image needs to be delivered 2 minutes after it was taken. That’s the where low mega pixels and fast fps etc shine

[@grantparnes]

@@jan_wegener Now I know, wondered that for months. Thx

[@noelchignell1048]

@@jan_wegener R6 can do that at less than half the price of a 1DX3 , not as tough but much cheaper to replace so who cares ?

[@lindahall3079]

I’m glad to hear you bought this camera. So many Photogs I’ve seen touting its virtues are Canon sponsors, and received the cameras free. Your video was great, and really showcased some of the super tools of this camera. Will you be doing a video using the R6 as well? It is more affordable for folks like me!

[@jan_wegener]

Hi Linda, if I can get my hands on one I will. Everything is a bit crazy here atm. Glad you enjoyed it

[@BlackOps-Ent]

Shit, how do I sign up for the free equipment? I sent an EF-20 f 2.8 lens into Canon. They're offering me a discount and I can keep the lens. I'm headed towards the 15 - 35 f/2.8 L IS. Can't wait to get this puppy...

[@szymongrochowalski9863]

Finally I found my bird expert photography channel. You nailed it!

[@jan_wegener]

Welcome aboard! :D

[@fintanmctiernan8284]

Thanks Jan, for an excellent honest review.

[@jan_wegener]

My pleasure!

[@brucehutson1050]

Barr none, your review of the R5 is the best of the lot! Thanks for doing this!!

[@jan_wegener]

My pleasure! Thank you :)

[@johnbrown7312]

Great review, makes waiting for my R5 all that much harder.

[@jan_wegener]

hehe! I hope it comes soon

[@codforlife]

Your explanation style is amazing! I watch A LOT of youtube reviews and tutorials and you are easily my new favourite!

[@jan_wegener]

Yay! Thank you!

[@Stefan1968ful]

Very nice video! Yes, after 3 weeks of using the R5, I love it. This camera really rocks, the Animal Eye Autofocus is simply stunning. And what surprises me most is that the adapted EF lenses work like a charm, I can't see or feel any difference from using my Canon 600mm 4.0 III on an EF Mount camera. The speed of the camera is amazing, just the ES I did not try yet a lot. But the 12fps with mechanical shutter is already good enough for my work. I use the R5 with battery grip, without using it with a 600mm 4.0 Prime is not very nice. Ah yes, I took on the weekend short 8k/30 video clips combined with a lot of stills. Never I had any issue with overheating and this at temperatures around 35C. Yes, this camera is really, really amazing. Well done, Canon!

[@jan_wegener]

Agreed. I wondered if the version III 600 will perform much better than m,y version II. I think the Af is even better from what I can see. The mechanical shutter is enough for me as well and it gives you better image quality

[@Stefan1968ful]

Jan Wegener I cannot compare with version II, sorry, all I can say is that the Autofocus performance is incredible, specifically the Animal Eye Autofocus. I just struggle with the DNG converter, the images are more in the dark side, no good. We need a real RAW converter for the R5...

[@jan_wegener]

Stefan1968ful totally agree. The dng converter underexposes by at least 1stop

[@sallyjberry805]

Just found your video - so happy to learn from someone who has actually used the R5 in the field and could give great tips on capturing birds in motion. I'm jealous of you receiving the R5. I've had this on pre-order since day 1 and have no idea when it will be available to ship. As an EOS R user, I'm looking forward to the upgrade. I will continue to watch your videos.

[@jan_wegener]

Hi Sally, I hope yours will arrive soon! Glad you are enjoying my videos.

[@czeyangphotography]

You can customize the M.Fn button to switch to video standby mode. But ONLY the M.Fn button :s

[@jan_wegener]

ha! that's great, I will look into it! That will be amazing! Thank you!

[@ericgangloff]

Indeed, according to documentation only M.Fn button can be assigned with the function. Tested and works well to quick switch between photo - video mode :)

[@jan_wegener]

@@ericgangloff I set it up the other day and it works just like I wanted! :)

[@tanweeloon]

The animal autofocus is phenomenal! I'm floored actually.

[@jan_wegener]

It's pretty incredible!

[@davespencer9658]

Excellent video! You addressed everything I had concerns about. Are you planning to do any future videos with the new RF 100-500, 600, or 800mm lenses on the R5?

[@jan_wegener]

I am, just need to get my hands on them, which is a little bit tricky atm over here

[@davespencer9658]

@@jan_wegener The latest word is around November over here, also. I'm hoping in time for Black Friday. How do you quickly change from landscape to portrait mode with your gimbal head on your tripod?

[@jan_wegener]

@@davespencer9658 You can just turn the lens in the lens collar

[@1young-geezer]

Tremendous review. I would think that you're bird work is probably one of the most demanding tests of a camera's capabilities overall, and the telling and showing of these wonderfully rich and long demonstrations of such was eye opening for me. Great to hear from a true professional's needs and ultimate satisfaction that this particular camera does what none have so far. Wonderful!

[@jan_wegener]

Thanks Todd. So far it's been great and almost tailor=made fore my needs.

[@peterviragphoto]

I was so afraid of the LAG of the EVF @ High continuous shooting, but seems like there’s nothing to worry about. Now only have to wait until it’s back in stock, can’ buy it anywhere atm grr:p Thx for the awesome review Jan!

[@jan_wegener]

Yes, I was too, but it’s a non issue. If I had a choice I would chose and EVF over an OVF. Having the histogram in there really helps. And it’s so bright in low light!

[@peterviragphoto]

Jan Wegener that’s awesome! I had been using a 1dxii for 3 years and when I tried the EOS R I was like there’s no way I’m ever gonna use that for BIF. Mirrorless technology has come so far, looks like the EVF is very reliable & with all the benefits it’s a no brainer over the OVF. That animal eye AF omg, mouth is watering big time right now:))) Keep producing your awesome content Jan. Stay safe & healthy & happy shooting! Thx again :)

[@jan_wegener]

peterviragphoto yes! I used the R and was like, wow that’s awful. But this is pretty much seamless. So that has been a huge improvement. Appreciate the kind words. All fine here but locked in at home for most of the time atm

[@peterviragphoto]

Jan Wegener same here mate, Melbourne/Vic is a mess at the moment, so can’t do much exploration at the moment. By the way it looks like we’re both nocturnal haha

[@jan_wegener]

peterviragphoto yes! With a little daughter the night is the only time I get to work haha. Yes Melbourne is a mess, let’s hope it’s over soon!

[@ScottVincentPhotos]

Nice video Jan. I switched the two back buttons' functions from what you have because holding the AF-Eye focus with my thumb on the * button was hurting after a couple hours of use. However, pressing the regular AF-On button (now as my AF-Eye focus), solved the problem. My * button is now my normal focus, for the back button.

[@jan_wegener]

Yes, best to use what feels best. Either way will work great

[@frankanderson5012]

We need a straight forward review like this, except for the R6 as the R5 is a little out of my budget. Great review though.

[@davidstowephotography]

AF is same on both so most of the great things about the R5 should still be there

[@jan_wegener]

Thank you. I will try to get my hands on one, but it's tricky atm. From my understanding, both cameras will perform in a very similar fashion, with the main difference being the sensor. That's why i felt confident to comment on R5 or R6 at the end of the video. Since for me personally 45mpix will open up a lot more possibilities.

[@TonyGrant.]

Gordon Laing has done a stills only review for the R6

[@frankanderson5012]

David Stowe Photography The AF may be the same, but there are reviews out there that say the R6 is nowhere as good. Something to do with the different sensor.

[@BIGNatureBoy]

Jan, been following your KZbin channel for about a year now. Have never subscribed to any channel until now. Your approach, knowledge and style is appreciated. Wishing you much success. Also wishing the R5 availability was quicker for us mere mortals!

[@jan_wegener]

better late than never :D Yeah I think i got lucky. They shipped small batches at the start, but I knew that I wanted it, so I made early arrangements. Still waiting on my grip, tho! I hope yours arrives soon!

[@corinbradfield4595]

I have just started testing out my R5 but unsure about the set with Animal Eye AF and whether you need the continuous AF on as well. Would love to see how you set yours up.

[@jan_wegener]

This will be my next video where I show all my settings. I found it hard to use out of the box, but the changes I made have helped a lot. I would not turn on the continuous AF as well, it's too annoying as it constantly tries to focus on things.

[@dumchidumchi]

I set up two separate back buttons focus. AF-ON as Metering and AF Start, * as Eye Detection AF. Also on AF tap 4, Limit AF methods, uncheck all AF methods except Face Tracking and 1-point AF. Set up the camera with Servo AF with Face Tracking. I found this set up helps when I go back and forth taking pictures of people/animals and stationary objects. Press AF-ON for normal AF with Tracking, press * for Eye Detection AF, press AF point button to switch to 1-point AF then use the joystick to move the AF point and AF ON to foucs stationary objects. Jan, I'm interested in how you set up yours. Great videos on bird photography.

[@jan_wegener]

Interesting! My video about settings should be out tomorrow! Would be nice to discuss this some more there. There are so many ways to set up this camera!

[@dumchidumchi]

@@jan_wegener Yes, in life there are many ways to do the same thing and that makes it interesting really. Looking forward to your video on your setup. :-)

[@markrichey4997]

FFS. Watching this video has just cost me a shit load.

[@jan_wegener]

and I don't even feel sorry :D You will have a lot of fun with it.

[@karolykrausz5534]

Same here, for the coming months I´m broke :-) :-)

[@andrewclark6711]

Excellent presentation - I have a R5 and agree with all your comments - Some Great Shots - Thanks

[@jan_wegener]

Awesome, thank you!

[@amaurycruz7084]

For a little bit of nitpicking, the R cameras can change the point of focus accidentally when you press your nose on the screen while looking through the viewfinder. Is there any way to prevent this annoyance, which kills a number of good shots?

[@highanddryful]

you can turn off touch screen

[@rodrigopertoti8330]

Amazing video, the new EOS R series is fantastic. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@jan_wegener]

Thanks for watching!

[@AlisonButtigieg]

What a great review, happy that you like the camera! I can’t wait for mine to arrive. Definitely interested in your upcoming video about how to set it up 😉 I have a question - would you say the manual is accurate when it says that after the battery goes down to 60% you lose the 12fps on mechanical shutter?

[@jan_wegener]

I wasn't aware of that (I tossed the manual of course lol). But I did not feel a change in real life. TBH for most things this camera is faster than I need. If I use flash for instance I have to bring it way down or almost no photo will be flashed

[@lafloridabirding1743]

Thanks guys, excellent video, it is of great value to know the story behind the shots. After his visit Glenn left a wonderful impression on us. In particular, it caught my attention that as a tour leader he dedicated part of his scarce time of breakfast time or lunch to fill the bird feeders, allowing them to eat as they please. We will continue to take care of the multicolored tanager and look for better shooting possibilities for the photographers.

[@quazisanjeed6395]

I'm not a videographer so, no comment on that. Being an enthusiast, I love the 18 mp Canon 7D, not the Mark II version for wildlife photograpy. For landscape photography purposes, my 5D II or 5D IV is fantastic. Yes, I would love to have 45 mp sensor but not in 35mm format. I'm ready if it comes on medium format. Abnormally high pixel count on 35mm is a foolish gimmick for non-photographers.

[@frankkearney2456]

This is an excellent video. I sat with my R5 and went through the video and configured my camera according to your suggestions. Then I took it in the field to see how it worked and it was unbelievable how the focus just stuck to a bird. The only issue I had at all was when I was in a flock of skimmers, and the camera got confused as to which bird to follow. In using your normal focus to first direct the camera, I found the "touch and slide" focus point kept moving around and I was having to constantly reset the focus point. I was hand holding and that made it more difficult to reset the focus point. What I ended up doing was to configure the joystick to also move the focus point - in your scenario it was not configured to do anything - and I still kept the "touch and slide" focusing, and so now I had both. Now when I wanted to set focus on a bird before switching to eye tracking (via your excellent double back button directions), I was able to get the focus point to center immediately by pushing the joystick and it made a big difference. I could see how on a tripod the "touch and slide" would be very convenient, but when swinging around and hand holding, I needed more accurate first focus point speed and the joystick was excellent for that, and it wasn't being used, and i could also keep the "touch and slide". Thank you for these excellent videos. I have passed them on to many photog friends. Also your Instagram channel is epic! Apparently you have this "bird" thing figured out lol!

[@jan_wegener]

Hey, great top hear. Yes, multiple birds is the biggest challenge. I didn't mention the joysticks, cause in the standard settings it already moves the points if you press the button, but I suppose you can assign it to move the points without pressing anything else? I might change that myself, good point. Thanks a lot for the kind words :)

[@JessDemant]

Dont forget the Sony A9, but still a great review :)

[@jan_wegener]

Now we all have nice toys :D

[@benjaminmesa1089]

The electronic shutter is great. The eye AF is great. The camera does not overheat when I am just doing stills. Never happens. Fantastic beast, and I found it.

[@jan_wegener]

Agreed!

[@GilbertTV]

the sony a9 has been doing all this for 3 years..

[@jan_wegener]

can't we all have nice things? :P

[@wildcreatures468]

great review...and very practical useful information, esp the two button working for back button focus...

[@jan_wegener]

Thanks :)

[@LuminosityTrails]

The 600mm II prime really is a beautiful lens, we used to have one, so I can tell which photos you have used it with. I was pleased to see some good shots with the 70-200, as I have one, although I usually use the 100-400 as my main wildlife lens. I've only really started taking pictures of birds since lockdown and being on the Mornington Peninsula we have quite a few. I was very interested in all your points, especially the 2 back button focussing - my husband got me to change to BBF on both my 5D3 (landscape) & 7D2 (wildlife), I was reluctant at first but would never go back - I think this camera will be able to replace both of these cameras.

[@jan_wegener]

Awesome, thanks for sharing. I just moved away from Mornington. Such a lovely area

[@KymGphoto]

Thank you so much for this!! I have the camera and have been using it but was confused with a few things. You have helped me with those things!! This is a phenomenal camera!

[@jan_wegener]

Glad it was helpful! Yes, it's pretty fun to use!

[@lcador9]

Excellent video. Turning the camera off so to blunt the buildup of heat is a non-starter for serious bird photographers shooting small birds that appear and disappear within seconds. Missed seeing BIF photos shot with longer focal length lenses like 100-400mm which place more serious demands on auto-focus systems.

[@jan_wegener]

It's not ideal, but it's not just heat, but also battery life. If you let any mirrorless sit idle without turning it off, it will drain the batteries very fast. That's certainly the downside of EVFs and more screens.

[@nicksouthorn1248]

You can turn off auto sensor clean to change lens quicker. Great video, just what I've been waiting for.

[@jan_wegener]

Good tip! Should give that a go, but I guess it helps to have it on from time to time at least

[@nicksouthorn1248]

Jan Wegener yes, you could do it manually at the end of each shoot.

[@jan_wegener]

Nick Southorn I’m would probably forget haha I will have to see what will be best in the field

[@chrislake8879]

Wow! The animal eye detection, high ISO performance and the mega-pixel count sound like a killer combination! I had intended hanging on, hoping for an R7 as a 7D MarkII replacement. Now, I doubt my ability to delay gratification! Thanks Jan.

[@jan_wegener]

hehe! It's been pretty amazing. This one will give you 17 mpix when cropped to 1.6

[@TonyGrant.]

I have been thinking the same as you Chris, but as I suggested elsewhere, might have to rob a bank first!

[@chrislake8879]

Tony Grant I’m similarly constrained and would be a willing accomplice.

[@TonyGrant.]

@@chrislake8879 OK, let's just keep it between us for now!

[@dpenn555]

You can set a custom C3 mode for video. Then when you press the record button it will immediately switch to that mode and start recording

[@jan_wegener]

Yep, the only issue I have then is that I might need to adjust the settings while it's already filming and when I stop and restart I have to change the settings again. Indoor this will be fine, outdoor it's tricky to nail the settings. Thanks for the tip!

[@amaurycruz7084]

Outstanding instruction and suggestions, Mr. Wegener. I'm not sure I understand your asking if anyone knows of a way to press a button and switch from stills to video and vice versa. The camera, like others in the R series, has a dedicated red button on the top right that immediately starts recording video until you press it again. You then go back automatically to stills.

[@jan_wegener]

Thanks. I managed to assign switching from photo to standby video and back to the M.Fn button at the top which is great. I talk more about it in my R5/6 video

[@luismaquina83]

I'm not Canon user but I really think this camera has the best eye animal auto focus, great video.

[@jan_wegener]

from what I have seen I would agree

[@masterpsx06]

You can use red button for record vidéo (and assign it spécific vidéo mode like orignal R), Regular 4K mode (No HQ) isn't bad at all and can be used without overheating (even after camera overheating)

[@jan_wegener]

Yep, cheers :)

[@Pat-1000]

A whole new world has opened up by the looks and sounds of things , thanks for the detailed info Jan ;)

[@jan_wegener]

yes, to me it has. I was like if this is the future, I am all in on that! Almost makes a DSLR look silly. I love my 5D Mark IV, but this thing....

[@jynw29059]

Simply the best, most practical review of the R5 for stills by a long long way thanks!! So good to see a review that actually answers the questions all of us had who already own Canon gear for wildlife had! Will my 600 f4 work with the adapter, yep, does it blackout while tracking in-flight, nope, is the adapter ok or does it slow things down, it's fine Fantastic job Jan

[@jan_wegener]

My pleasure!

[@malcolmstoker2277]

Really clear and useful review for someone who shoots a lot of bird photographs and who is a prospective purchasers of the R5. Many thanks.

[@jan_wegener]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Roshambo3]

That star button customization to switch between AF types is genius. Nice!

[@jan_wegener]

it really helped me! cheers

[@AG-gx9om]

An awesome and detailed review. The ripping off and putting on extender part is especially helpful which I didn't find in other reviews I watched so far. Very much thank you!

[@jan_wegener]

Thanks for watching! Glad I could give you some insights. Maybe I am just faster than most people and they don't notice :D

[@nigelbewley1122]

That's great, Jan, thanks. It has clarified my thinking (and desire) for an R5 and I shall be ordering one. I love the idea of customising two buttons for AF back button focus. One for animal detection and one for standard AF.

[@jan_wegener]

Glad it was helpful! Yes, setting it up that way, made a huge difference for me

[@valdemarcaballero5298]

from a SONY user, i say to you great video!!!!!!! it seems that you have a GREAT CAMERA for your work!!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Thanks for sharing, greetings from Mexico

[@jan_wegener]

Thank you, it seems Canon has finally caught up

[@adityashankert]

Maybe you should try touch and drag AF if its available on R5 for multiple birds. I use it on my RP and love it

[@jan_wegener]

I just set it up! And will mention it in my next video on Sunday! It's really good. Thanks for the tip!

[@collinh8911]

Look forward to your set up video. Really enjoyed learning from you. The AF for birds is something I’ve been struggling with and your experience is appreciated. Thank you.

[@jan_wegener]

Glad it was helpful! The AF, especially for birds in flight will make anyone better at it

[@johnjuby6184]

Jan, I have an R6 and purchased the RF 600mm f11 fixed aperture lens. You might want to check it out so you don't have to lug that huge 600mm. It's amazingly light, just over a pound. They also have an 800.

[@jan_wegener]

I just have the 600 & 800 for a few weeks to see how they perform.

[@thortschman]

By using normal Face detection, there is a button to activate the "face selection" option to switch faces (or eyes), if there are more than one in the Frame. I'm wondering if it isn't the same for multiple animals in the frame. Unfortunatly I can't try it because I don't have the cam...

[@jan_wegener]

I will give that a go

[@jan_wegener]

I think this might work well, if all birds are in focus, but not sure if I can switch to an OOF bird, that I actually want to shoot

[@thortschman]

@@jan_wegener Yes, this is actually the case in face detection. If the face is OOF the software can not dedect it properly. But if slightly OOF it actually works well and fast.

[@jan_wegener]

@@thortschman I think I figured out that you can only swap between eyes and faces when using the fully automatic face detection, not the way I have set it up

[@svperspective9461]

This is the review I've been waiting for. Thanks for putting it together and sharing!

[@jan_wegener]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@JemimahMai]

This was the video I've been waiting for! Thank you so much for making this. Cheers from Canada

[@jan_wegener]

My pleasure!

[@rockychocbill]

Great review and great images Jan. Other people have already asked the questions and made the comments for me. I'm sure you'll be adding new videos over the coming weeks.

[@jan_wegener]

I will, so far I planned one on the settings and one against my Mark IV

[@rockychocbill]

@@jan_wegener I also use BB focus. I loved your two button tip. Looking forward to your settings video.

[@tonyshort7279]

What a great review of bird photography on the R5. I will certainly use some of settings on mine. Keep up the good work.

[@jan_wegener]

Awesome, thank you!

[@alialieslam7223]

Very eye-opening detailed and useful video! Thanks jan! I got answers to all questions i asked earlier!

[@jan_wegener]

Great to hear! Thank you

[@BugBobsWildWorld]

Thank you, Jan. Very thorough! You're helping me to get used to my R5.

[@jan_wegener]

Great to hear!

[@dennusbaum7210]

Jan, Nicely done on Canon R5 for birds. Here is a copy of what B&H send me on R5 & R6 firmware upgrade. Hopefully, this will address some of the overheating issues.

[@jan_wegener]

Yes, the new firmware has been much better

[@zanenail3329]

Awesome Video and Info! It is so great to See someone do an awesome job with the R5 using it how it is meant to be used. A stills camera with the added bonus of Video if you need it for B roll. Keep up the great work!! Have a great Holiday! Z

[@jan_wegener]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@dennishuiberts1812]

Hi Jan. Great video and nice to get some insight in this camera without bashing from the people that only look at test charts and video overheating. Really amazed to see what kind of pictures you get with high ISO values. Did you use noise reduction in camera, or only in post processing? Thanks and keep up the good work!

[@jan_wegener]

Thanks! I didn’t apply noise reduction. I shot in raw and then just opened and converted the file.

[@tommydaynjer5334]

Wow thank you so much for this review! It’s kind of ridiculous that I never can see a new camera get a good review on wildlife and birding photography. This is definitely hitting the spot for me. Thank you! Definitely like the R5 now because of this!

[@jan_wegener]

It annoyed me too, so I had to do it myself :D

[@craigcarlson4022]

Great, practical review. And i like your idea for auto focus set up with the two buttons, one for spot, the other for bird eye focus. Great idea.

[@jan_wegener]

Glad it was helpful!

[@saltxxx]

You’re doin such a great job with all of your videos. Thanks for sharing and keep up your great work!

[@jan_wegener]

Thank you so much!

[@Thultmark]

Yes me too, at last the review I was waiting for dealing with wildlife, ISO and low light performance, cropping etc and with just the right images to demonstrate the points, brilliant! The big question mark for me has been if the R6’s 20MP sensor is sufficient. You have just answered it for me. Nevertheless, it would be great if you are able to show cropped comparison images with the R6. But by that time I might well already have bought the R5! Thanks again.

[@jan_wegener]

I will, if I can get my hands on a R6, which is difficult atm. I am sure the image quality will be stellar, but for birds the 45mpix are just so compelling.

[@susanceltic]

Loved this. Was set to buy the R6, now considering the R5. Cropping is a major consideration. Thank you!

[@jan_wegener]

Glad I could give you some insights. If you crop a lot and the price difference doesn't bother you, I think the R5 is a good choice

[@shlomihaggai6505]

the video I was waiting for. thanks can't wait for the video about the setting

[@jan_wegener]

Coming soon! Glad you enjoyed this one!

[@FlyMastax]

Great video! Still waiting for mine in backorder. Can't wait to set it up like you did and get outdoors! Thank again for this concise video!

[@jan_wegener]

Glad you enjoyed. Fingers crossed yours arrives, soon!

[@MaxWaughPhoto]

Jan, thanks for the in-depth review. The details and examples you provided on the AF and noise performance are really helpful for those of us considering a switch from the 1DX series.

[@jan_wegener]

My pleasure! It will feel quite different to a 1Dx, but I think the performance will be better overall for many things.

[@BryanBenoitPhoto]

Very complete review. Thanks. Looking forward to your settings video.

[@jan_wegener]

Coming soon! Thank you

[@johnd4353]

Great video! One of the best on the R5 I've watched, thanks for taking the time and putting this together

[@jan_wegener]

Glad you enjoyed it! Appreciate it

[@77dris]

Excellent video! I shot sports with the best camera in the world in it's day, the 1D Mark III (and I used it for 12 years successfully). This was the Sports Illustrated goto camera for 11 FPS at 10 MP. I then went to the 5DIV and LOVED its image quality (the best I've ever seen at all ISOs and the files could be pushed and pulled with no fuss). I then got the R, and while it was a fun camera, and good for video, it didn't have the IQ of the 5DIV... the images were much more fragile and prone to shadow noise and banding. So far, from the raw files I've played with from the R5, I can say it's IQ much better than anything I've ever seen before. Now to see how well its AF is - and this is a 45 MP camera shooting up to 12 FPS - I'm laughing at just how spoiled most new shooters are these days. In a way, it sort of takes some of the challenge out of it all.

[@jhellier]

the eos r banding was fixed with firmware update, its the 5d4 that still has banding? interesting that you say the r has more shadow noise though. i would have thought they performed similarly. im still concerned about the r5 photo quality and operating temperature. heard reports of noise and hot pixels with long exposures, and the video recording times seem to be highly influenced by shooting stills. new firmware is coming. time will tell.

[@jan_wegener]

Hey, I agree. I have used most of the old 1D camera and they were amazing back then. Now they feel so outdated. This is kinda the first camera that can make anyone a better photographer. Crazy but true, at least in certain situations. IQ, high ISO and this AF, are just crazy If you are starting out now, you won't know how hard it used to be :D

[@77dris]

@@jhellier Partially Incorrect. I have the latest firmware on the EOS-R and the banding exists. What you are talking about is something different... that issue you talk about shows up when you shoot a shot with high contrast differences, like in a backlight situation (I've seen that video). I'm talking about shadow banding when you pull up shadows on a normal shot (especially at high ISOs). I have the latest firmware released for the R last week (1.7.0 I think). Shadow banding is terrible and really made me not like the R and miss my 5DIV. The 5D files could be pushed and pulled at all ISOs but the R files were much more fragile to me... noise isn't really a bad thing (5DIV noise was like film), but that banding on the R could ruin an image. Yes, hot pixels could be an issue when the camera gets hot, or with long exposures... that would bother me. On a similar note, when I bought the R, I had to return 3 copies because at high ISOs, they all had hot pixels on the sensor that not only showed up in the final images, but showed up realtime in the EVF. I've wondered if the R5 could have similar problems (I'm pretty OCD about things like that).

[@jonathanskoglund9529]

Hi, for the next R5 video could you test out how many stops of stabilisation you get with the 600mm IS in combination with the cameras IBIS. No one seems to know the specifik numbers.

[@jan_wegener]

How would one actually work that out? There seems to be so many factors influencing such a test. for birds, I can hardly shoot under 1/400 to not get motion blurr of the bird moving, so super long exposure wouldn't help much.

[@jonathanskoglund9529]

@@jan_wegener correct, it must be a still object say just a log etc. So if you can handhold 1/100 and then 1/50 that should mean 1 stop could see if you get the (4?) Stops of the 600 is with your 5d to see if it is a legit test. Hard to be super scientific but over all is it 1,2 or more stops 😊 You would be the first to try out these if so.

[@TheJungleDiaries]

THANK YOU this is the review I've been looking for. Can't believe how high that ISO can go!

[@jan_wegener]

Thank you! Yes, it's been pretty nice!

[@oldchannel3882]

amazing, i love the animal eye autofocus feature and how it never gets distracted by backgrounds that get in the way.

[@jan_wegener]

yes, very impressive

[@Squeezesify]

Excellent walkthrough, Jan!

[@jan_wegener]

Thanks!

[@rickyjohnson1034]

The best stills review so far that I have watched . I live in Washington State and in winter , the lack of light , can really push a camera to its limits. in AF and ISO. The R5 sounds like my next camera

[@jan_wegener]

Hi Rick, thank you! Yes, I think it will do well in those cases. Might just look into battery life when it's really cold.

[@maxfactor4209]

What a perfect review. I am really impressed. You can a new subscriber.

[@jan_wegener]

Welcome aboard! Glad you liked it!

[@michaelschmid6424]

Great review Jan! I can see a much higher keeper rate using this camera, I really want one!

[@jan_wegener]

You and me both!

[@Iwtbaf]

Great review my friend thank you very much buying mine in two months

[@jan_wegener]

Enjoy it

[@SaswatMishra14]

What a mind-blowing product !! Thanks for covering this interesting device... truly a game changer

[@jan_wegener]

I agree! Thank you

[@chrismartin7594]

You sell it very well it sounds amazing. I have the 7D 2 I don't have 4k to spare. Think this is very much for the professionals. Maybe one day 🤞. Great vid again .

[@jan_wegener]

Thanks! Hehe, it wasn't even so much me trying to sell anything, rather me being simply amazed by what's possible these days. I agree with you that this is very much a professional camera, but I am sure that technology will trickle down into cheaper bodies, too.

[@markrigg6623]

All those song royalties and you dont have 4k to spare?

[@familyschaeffer8348]

Nice review Jan. You explain things really well. Love the two button back-button focus idea...will definitely give it a try once I get the camera.

[@jan_wegener]

Glad it was helpful! I will do a full settings video soon

[@djack41]

Turn mirror cleaning on camera shutdown "off". Speeds up lens changing.

[@djack41]

Oops....."sensor cleaning".

[@jan_wegener]

Yes, good point!

[@jan_wegener]

I will try it

[@fbimagesphoto]

About the time it takes to swap extenders: even with DSLRs it’s best to turn the camera off before swapping lenses and stuff, as keeping the camera on can lead to static electricity in the mirror box/sensor area, attracting dust. The auto sensor cleaning can also be disabled on most canon cameras. When it comes to EVF, something that I struggle with is the exposure simulation. 99% of the time it’s amazing, but when you shoot at sunset for instance and you want to expose to the right to keep detail in the highlights, you tend to underexpose the shadows, leading to a very dark subject which is hard to focus on! But I’m sure it’s a matter of getting used to. Great video, great shots, and hope to see some of the clever bits of the R5 shared via firmware update for the 1DX III in live view.

[@jan_wegener]

Yes, it's best to turn the camera off for sure. But I could get away with it, if I needed ti make a quick swap, so that was a bonus. I also agree about the exposure simulation. I had to add the histogram to my viewfinder to not be fooled. I did exactly what you did and underexposed a lot of shots when only relying on it. Now with the histogram I can easily double check. Yes, I wonder what they will do to the live view of the 1Dx III. I wonder if it's all just software, or if it needs other things too, for animal eye Af for instance

[@derrickkelly4745]

Displaying the histogram in the EVF will help you judge exposure....

[@fbimagesphoto]

derrick kelly yes I know that, but this I not my point. Imagine taking a picture of a animal at sunset. Let say the animal is in the shade (edge of forest for example) and the sky behind it has amazing colours and detail in the clouds. You wouldn’t want to blow these highlights up for the sake of having a properly exposed animal. So you expose for the sky, which in turns makes everything else super dark (which you adjust in post to get a balanced exposure). Only issue here is that the dark part of the image gets so dark, you can’t even see your subject anymore, let alone drop the focus point where you should. You don’t have this problem with an OVF, as you simply adjust your settings to get an appropriate exposure (ie exposed for the highlights, with dark shadows your recover in post) but that doesn’t change what you see through your lens, and you are able to keep the focus point on your subject. I use both OVF (1DX) and EVF (Gfx) and there are a couple of occasions using the Fuji where I had to guess where the subject was in the frame because I was trying to keep detail in the highlights during capture

[@jan_wegener]

Felix De Lubersac ah yes, that makes sense! That is indeed very hard with an EVF. It’s good in the right conditions, but nothing is perfect I suppose. Could you possibly focus when the background is overexposed and then underexpose?

[@fbimagesphoto]

@@jan_wegener I am sure you'll take cracking shots with it. I am surprised how clean the files are at high ISO. With the 1DX III I have taken the habit of leaving auto ISO on and not thinking about noise. With Topaz denoise I am able to recover some files all the way up to 51200 which is borderline insane. I think the R5 is probably a more attractive proposition thanks to the higher resolution, but I do like the touch sensitive AF on button on the 1DX

[@chrishollingsworth7110]

I just started following and like to compliment your information! You hit the nail on the head with your videos for me. Thanks and look forward to your future videos.

[@jan_wegener]

Thanks and welcome :)

[@bossofthemoss450]

I’m tempted to buy the R5 but as I have a 1DX my iii, I’m more inclined to wait for the R1 to be introduced, as I have to purchase my own gear and can’t afford to keep switching gear.

[@jan_wegener]

I'd love an R1, too, but who knows when it will actually show up. The eye tracing in the R5 is a real game changer and I like the more mix a lot

[@sosomelodies659]

R5 and A9 are the best so far. Waiting on Nikon.

[@jan_wegener]

Yes, might have to wait a little longer

[@Sam1986E]

The R5 is simply EPIC!

[@jan_wegener]

can't argue with that :)

[@Duade]

Excellent review mate, appears to be the perfect wildlife camera. I look forward to seeing the shots you get from it. 👍

[@jan_wegener]

Thanks mate :)

[@burritobrosvideos8060]

Sony a9ii is better...the a9 is better also

[@jan_wegener]

@@burritobrosvideos8060 and does it work on our Canon lenses? :P