The Canon EOS R6 Mark II is set to begin shipping next week, and according to Canon Rumors, the excitement won’t stop anytime soon. While CR has not yet confirmed any details, the website is reporting that the Canon EOS R5 Mark II – successor to the hugely popular EOS R5, which was announced back in July 2020 alongside the EOS R6 – will launch “in Q2 of 2023.”
This launch rumor was unveiled alongside an impressive (and lengthy) list of specifications, and Canon Rumors notes that the “information comes from a known source with a very good track record.” So what will the Canon EOS R5 Mark II offer?
First, a new sensor, featuring excellent high-ISO capabilities and 61 MP of resolution for rendering subjects in gorgeous detail, cropping, and printing large. Note that the Sony a7R V also boasts 61 MP (and is currently the highest-resolution full-frame mirrorless camera on the market), so the EOS R5 Mark II’s new sensor would put the two cameras in direct competition.
The upcoming model will also feature upgraded continuous shooting speeds and autofocus technology. According to CR, the Canon EOS R5 Mark II will pack a 30 FPS burst mode and import its AF system directly from the EOS R3 and EOS R6 Mark II, Canon’s two most action-centric mirrorless models. Such a move would virtually guarantee the EOS R5 Mark II’s position as a sports, street, and wildlife photography powerhouse, and the class-leading autofocus technology, combined with the 61 MP sensor, would make the EOS R5 Mark II the do-everything professional camera to beat.
One of the original EOS R5’s most impressive features is its 8K/30p video, but Canon aims to push the envelope yet again with the EOS R5 Mark II. Canon Rumors’ spec list promises not just 8K/30p recording, and not just (oversampled) 4K/120p and 4K/60p, but 8K/60p, which would position the EOS R5 Mark II as a high-resolution model for serious videographers and hybrid shooters.
You can also expect another handful of improvements, including a high-res shooting mode, an “overheat prevention design” (presumably to counteract the video overheating issues that plagued the original EOS R5), and a new electronic viewfinder with 9.44M dots of resolution.
Bottom line: If the rumors are correct, the EOS R5 Mark II will be a high-level camera that’ll put Canon back on top of the generalist professional market. Of course, the cost of the camera remains to be seen, and a $5000+ price tag would turn off plenty of potential buyers, so keep an eye out for future price-related rumors.
Now over to you:
What do you think of these Canon EOS R5 Mark II specs? Would you be interested? What would you like to see in the camera? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
