Canon has announced its new cinema camera. Actually, it’s more of a hybrid camera. It’s the EOS R5 C.* It was rumored a handful of times previously and I gotta tell ya, I’m excited and also a bit confused about this. But then again, maybe this is Canon’s way of continuing to add SOMETHING to its RF mount system. Anyway, some quick tech specs.
Cine Features in a Mirrorless Body
The R5 C boasts a 45-megapixel full-frame sensor capable of shooting up to 8K RAW cinematic video at 60 frames per second. Woah. This also includes Canon’s magical dual pixel autofocus system that’s nothing short of amazing when it comes to tracking and eye detection for portraiture and action shots. You’ll also get 20 frames per second image capture if needed.
Those are the basics, but the finer points on the spec sheet include:
4K 120 frames per second for slow motion in 4:2:2 10-bit
Ability to record audio while shooting high frame rate (slow mo) footage
C-Log3 picture profile for more flexibility in color grading and maximizing the dynamic range
Internal cooling fan for non-stop 8K recording (this was a big problem on the R5)
Two card slots for recording (Qty 1 CFExpress Type B, qty 1 UHS-II SD)
Internal RAW 8K recording up to over 800Mbps at 23.98 fps
But why?
These specs sound REALLY good. But one has to ask “why” on this. Canon’s R5* is a highly capable camera for stills and video at a hybrid level. Especially after the firmware updates. No, you’re not getting all of the RAW video capabilities, but you’re able to get RAW video on another cine camera from Canon - the C70.* I absolutely loved the C70, but it’s strictly a cinema camera. No photography involved. Maybe Canon is trying to offer something slightly more portable than the C70 all while including high quality video and photo capabilities? I’m not sure. Wil the C70 have more firmware updates for the super 35 senor’s capability?
You can preorder the R5 C here today over at Adorama. Let me know your thoughts and if you plan on grabbing one. I think the $4500 price point is fair.
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