I can’t resist commenting on the release this week of Canon’s new mirrorless flagship cameras, the EOS R5 and EOS R6. There are lots of technical commentaries out there; instead, I want to document how I felt listening to the details of the release.
Canon picked the perfect time to put these products out. At least I think so. Many of us are feeling down, needing a pickup, believing that we can’t get back to “fighting weight” any time soon. Routines have been demolished, plans thrown away, tickets and bookings cancelled.
So we look elsewhere for fulfillment, and for some, that means reorganizing the photography kit, cleaning out the clutter, but also adding in new toys to just get that one issue addressed. I’ve switched things out, I’ve shelved items that didn’t help me as much as I thought they would. And yes, I’ve bought new toys.
There is a final objective in mind – a versatile, cover every situation, easy to pack and carry collection that can be customized for a specific need at a moment’s notice. I’m there now. At least, so I thought.
And then Canon releases these cameras. Oh, my.
I moved to the EOS R at the beginning of 2020, and have loved this camera. Coming back to Canon was a joy after a stint with Fuji. But the EOS R has its failings/limitations, again, well documented. Wonderful for still stills, needing work for anything that moved. And then there was that funny touch bar. I didn’t mind it, but I also never used it.
The new cameras are the next generation – faster, more accurate, more feature rich. But Canon has also gone back to its roots – putting back the features that its users love. The perfect final addition to my Covid camera kit. That was the emotional response as I watched the release. A little flame of warmth in my belly, with giggles on my lips. I bought the hype, and jumped into the deep end.
The release highlighted the features of the camera, but also called on pro photographers to describe how they had been using the pre-production cameras. Their work was stunning – of course it was. And that’s the real hype – you too can shoot like them. I know better, but jumped in anyway.
Since the release, which was carefully managed, stories have begun to surface about how far Canon has pushed the envelope to get ahead. 8K video, which I have absolutely no use for, causes the EOS R5 camera to overheat in just a few minutes. Battery life may be somewhat mediocre, despite the new extended life battery. The camera isn’t even shipping yet, and these complaints have surfaced. I don’t care.
It’s like buying your first house. No matter how run-down, no matter how small or cramped, it is the culmination of the search to be a full-grown adult. In my case, the camera is the final step in the “pro” kit I’ve spent the last few months putting together. I haven’t bought it yet, but fully expect to once it becomes available.
We all find ways to be happy at these trying times. I am and always will be a gear head. Now I just need to work on being an artist too.
As a postscript to this post, it seems that Canon is signalling the end to its 5 Series DSLR offerings very strongly now. See this recent article from PetaPixel.
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