p.1 #1 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
The buzz is on with the announcement of the new Canon EOS R5 & R6.
Clearly, with the dual card slots, IBIS, improved Digic X processor, and increased video possibilities, there is joy in "Bean Town!"
However, as a mostly portrait photographer (non-wedding), I am wondering about the EOS R (still) over the R6 because of one issue: the MP IQ. Canon released the R6 with 20.1MP, and the EOS R has 30.3.
I know that IBIS creates additional f-stops and that you can do wonders with 20 megapixels. Still, I am somewhat disappointed in this release not at least achieving the MP of the EOS R.
p.1 #2 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
I am not a professional photographer, but I enjoy it as a hobby. I am hugely impressed with the EOS R5 from what I see. I initially thought the R6 would be cool and a good budget option, but I already own the EOS R and going to 20.1MP would be a step in the wrong direction. I am very envious of the new focusing system on the R5 and R6 and the in-body stabilization seems amazing. I will either stick with my R or save up for the R5. I know the R5 is very expensive, but the new features are tempting. Especially the animal eye focus!
p.1 #3 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
Mtmountainman wrote:
I am not a professional photographer, but I enjoy it as a hobby. I am hugely impressed with the EOS R5 from what I see. I initially thought the R6 would be cool and a good budget option, but I already own the EOS R and going to 20.1MP would be a step in the wrong direction. I am very envious of the new focusing system on the R5 and R6 and the in-body stabilization seems amazing. I will either stick with my R or save up for the R5. I know the R5 is very expensive, but the new features are tempting. Especially the animal eye focus!...Show more →
I agree Mtmountainman! The R5 is "the bomb!" If I had the fund$$s, I would be all over that one, hands down. Yeah, though the features and the focus are rich on the R6, I'm really torn. I watched a Canon Promotional Video of the R5 & R6, and one of their gurus had a full sized poster taken with the R6, blown up to life size. And the model looked great on the video. That with the 20MP. But still....and perhaps I'm just being obstinate ~ I don't like the reverse direction from the EOS R on megapixel.
So can I ask? You dig the EOS R overall? Happy with IQ and 5000+ focal points?
I am mostly a Senior HS Portrait Photographer so far, and am thinking the EOS R would be great for me.
p.1 #4 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
I am a hobbyist and an owner of an EOS R. I don't shoot sports, or anything more difficult than an uncooperative child, and in my opinion, the EOS R is all that I need. The focus system is pretty good. Eye tracking works well when you are close enough. It isn't perfect, but if the subject is somewhat motionless, as in a portrait session, and the lighting is okay, you should be fine. If your portraits are of a hyper-active 9 year old in a dimly lit living room, you might have some trouble.
Even if I had the money, I'd rather stick with the EOS R for the extra MP. It is enough for my purposes. The only thing that I'd find very tempting about the R6 is Canon dial on the back and the joystick. I miss those from my old 5D.
p.1 #5 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
I don’t know what you’re currently using, so it depends on that. 20 MP is roughly the same as people have used for years on the 6D, 5D3, 1DS3, or 1Dx series.
The fancy new AA filter should make this the highest-resolution 20 MP sensor we’ve seen (along with 1Dx3).
I‘ve used my 1Dx alongside my 5D4 for portraits. I quickly notice the difference in DR/sensor flexibility, but resolution isn’t dramatically different unless I’m cropping/rotating a lot.
How big do you normally print? That may decide the difference.
Personally, I rented the R a few months ago and decided it wasn’t for me. Grip was comfortable, but too shallow. No joystick is a personal deal-breaker. It was a slightly older firmware, but I didn’t trust the R’s tracking and had to use the touch-corner AF point motion.
How much does speed and responsiveness matter to you? The R is generally pretty slow... I think maybe 3-5 frames per second continuously autofocusing?
TLDR it looks like the R6 beats the R in every way when it comes to usability. Obviously the R5 has the best of all worlds, but I would only get the R over the R6 if you print large, crop deep, or need to save the $$.
p.1 #6 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
I am a huge fan of the EOS R, I upgraded to it from the 6D and the 7dmkii. The first thing I noticed is that all my images are instantly a lot sharper than they ever were with the 6D and 7dmkii. The 7dmkii in retrospect left a lot to be desired. The focus seemed fast on it, but I would have so many misses. The ability to have on sensor focus points and 12fps would be amazing. I mainly photograph my 1 year old, my dog, birds and some landscape. I run into limitations with photographing my son when he is moving fast, but it would probably help if I just took a step back or used single focus point when he is moving quick. For seniors the EOS R would be more than enough. I love the RF 50mm 1.2. I have never experienced a lens that has been this sharp before. I haven't taken it off my camera since I bought it.
p.1 #7 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
I have the R6 preordered and am not getting rid of my R unless I also purchase the R5. I already have a 1D series with 20mp and the R just has more detail. Since portraits are mostly done at lower ISO settings or with flash, the R is more than capable of fitting the bill. The Eye AF on the R works awesome for portraits, AF is still like 90% of the screen and it is spot on. You just can't do portraits of people tackling each other on the 50 yard line with a 400 2.8 with it. lol
p.1 #8 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
bcguy wrote:
I am a hobbyist and an owner of an EOS R. I don't shoot sports, or anything more difficult than an uncooperative child, and in my opinion, the EOS R is all that I need. The focus system is pretty good. Eye tracking works well when you are close enough. It isn't perfect, but if the subject is somewhat motionless, as in a portrait session, and the lighting is okay, you should be fine. If your portraits are of a hyper-active 9 year old in a dimly lit living room, you might have some trouble.
Even if I had the money, I'd rather stick with the EOS R for the extra MP. It is enough for my purposes. The only thing that I'd find very tempting about the R6 is Canon dial on the back and the joystick. I miss those from my old 5D. ...Show more →
Thanks for this feedback, bcguy!
Love your reference to a "hyper-active 9 year old in a dimly lit living room!" That sounded like a real scenario or something
p.1 #9 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
drimer wrote:
I don’t know what you’re currently using, so it depends on that. 20 MP is roughly the same as people have used for years on the 6D, 5D3, 1DS3, or 1Dx series.
The fancy new AA filter should make this the highest-resolution 20 MP sensor we’ve seen (along with 1Dx3).
I‘ve used my 1Dx alongside my 5D4 for portraits. I quickly notice the difference in DR/sensor flexibility, but resolution isn’t dramatically different unless I’m cropping/rotating a lot.
How big do you normally print? That may decide the difference.
Personally, I rented the R a few months ago and decided it wasn’t for me. Grip was comfortable, but too shallow. No joystick is a personal deal-breaker. It was a slightly older firmware, but I didn’t trust the R’s tracking and had to use the touch-corner AF point motion.
How much does speed and responsiveness matter to you? The R is generally pretty slow... I think maybe 3-5 frames per second continuously autofocusing?
TLDR it looks like the R6 beats the R in every way when it comes to usability. Obviously the R5 has the best of all worlds, but I would only get the R over the R6 if you print large, crop deep, or need to save the $$....Show more →
Thanks for your insights, drimer!
Typically I am not printing at all, but handing over a flashdrive of large images to my families following a session. I do shoot RAW format and then edit like crazy.
Speed is low priority for me, unless my seniors start running away from me!
In addition to portraits, I shoot landscape of the Himalayas in India. And so cropping IS something I'd like to know that I have.
Kind of torn, because IBIS, Dual Card Slots, great video (don't use, but might one day), and that animal tracking are pretty cool even on the R6.
For now, I'm leaning EOS R and then savesavesave$$$ for the R5!
p.1 #10 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
Mtmountainman wrote:
I am a huge fan of the EOS R, I upgraded to it from the 6D and the 7dmkii. The first thing I noticed is that all my images are instantly a lot sharper than they ever were with the 6D and 7dmkii. The 7dmkii in retrospect left a lot to be desired. The focus seemed fast on it, but I would have so many misses. The ability to have on sensor focus points and 12fps would be amazing. I mainly photograph my 1 year old, my dog, birds and some landscape. I run into limitations with photographing my son when he is moving fast, but it would probably help if I just took a step back or used single focus point when he is moving quick. For seniors the EOS R would be more than enough. I love the RF 50mm 1.2. I have never experienced a lens that has been this sharp before. I haven't taken it off my camera since I bought it....Show more →
This comment hits well for me. I own the 6D (and the now "fabled 40D....still clicking, though I don't use it much!) My BIGGEST complaint on the 6D is missed focus. Those nine points compared with 5K on the EOS R are the biggest difference-maker to me. I must say that in low light, I have a "candle" in the 6D. And when the light is right, and I compose properly, that is one helluva camera, especially for the money.
But...I need to move into mirrorless. And your "all my images are instantly a lot sharper than they ever were with the 6D..." is an important piece of feedback for me.
Thank-you, Mtmountainman! And YES on RF glass!!!
I've been drooling watching YouTube videos on the RF 85mm 1.2, and RF 50mm 1.2. My only "concern" is which to get first!
ON MY LIST !!!
p.1 #11 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
mikeinctown wrote:
I have the R6 preordered and am not getting rid of my R unless I also purchase the R5. I already have a 1D series with 20mp and the R just has more detail. Since portraits are mostly done at lower ISO settings or with flash, the R is more than capable of fitting the bill. The Eye AF on the R works awesome for portraits, AF is still like 90% of the screen and it is spot on. You just can't do portraits of people tackling each other on the 50 yard line with a 400 2.8 with it. lol ...Show more →
That is another option I have thought about. I just don't know if I spent the $2500 on the R6 if I would of wished that I spent the $1400 more to get the R5. With IBIS, Animal Eye Focus, and high FPS, I can't think of any other improvements I would want. I would instantly order the R6 if it was 30mp. Maybe once I see more images taken with the R6 I will change my mind. I do wish these new bodies had insect eye focus. I enjoy photographing butterflies, but often their eyes are so small and difficult to focus on.
p.1 #12 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
mikeinctown wrote:
I have the R6 preordered and am not getting rid of my R unless I also purchase the R5. I already have a 1D series with 20mp and the R just has more detail. Since portraits are mostly done at lower ISO settings or with flash, the R is more than capable of fitting the bill. The Eye AF on the R works awesome for portraits, AF is still like 90% of the screen and it is spot on. You just can't do portraits of people tackling each other on the 50 yard line with a 400 2.8 with it. lol ...Show more →
mikeinctown,
Your feedback here really "made my day!" at the "portraits of people tackling each other on the 50 yard line with a 400..." Truly hilarious image.
Your insight means a lot to me, because you share that the Eye AF works awesome for portraits. My 6D misses too often, and I need to move up from the nine focal points.
I think my "DreamLand™" Plan is:
*Get the EOS R now
*Get the EOS R5 when I start earning serious money
p.1 #14 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
My advice is don't worry about the 30 vs 20 MP, you won't notice the difference. I'd get the R6 because it has IBIS and what I'd want in my case: a very high almost 1DXIII-like AF and FPS.
p.1 #15 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
Robin Smith wrote:
My advice is don't worry about the 30 vs 20 MP, you won't notice the difference. I'd get the R6 because it has IBIS and what I'd want in my case: a very high almost 1DXIII-like AF and FPS.
Thanks for your share, Robin!
May I ask what you are currently using? I'm just concerned about the crop-factor, but maybe after watching this video above again, won't mind!
p.1 #16 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
Robin Smith wrote:
My advice is don't worry about the 30 vs 20 MP, you won't notice the difference. I'd get the R6 because it has IBIS and what I'd want in my case: a very high almost 1DXIII-like AF and FPS.
I am hesitant to jump on the 1Dx performance bandwagon. Yeah the new camera is supposed to have 12fps, but as we've seen in the Canon specs, that depends on the battery used, whether you are indoors or out, (anti flicker is 6fps) and we still do not know how the system works with EF glass. EVERY video I have seen regarding the new cameras have shown them paired with RF glass. I believe Canon likely told their pre production reviewers that they could not review them with EF glass. I say this because there is no way that none of these people have EF glass and only have RF glass. These concerns are why I bought a 1DxII. I just KNOW what I am going to get and I got it at a price similar to a new R6. (Still have the R6 on order to test)
p.1 #17 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
I pretty much ONLY shoot people.
Because I’ve owned four > 40 MP cameras in my time - I am accustomed to cropping and keeping amazing image quality. That is one of the two main purposes of all those MP.
R5 if:
....you are used to cropping or/and you print HUGE.
Keep in mind that 99.99% of you (including me) do not print HUGE. If you fall into this category for either of those two reasons, save up. The R5 is the mirrorless Canon for you, don’t settle for the R6.
R6 if:
....you don’t crop, you always nail your composition and so, you don’t see value in getting a clean headshot out of a full body shot and you don’t print billboards. The R5 would be overkill for you.
EOS R - not enough resolution for me, to be my main body. But that’s because I’m used to the cropping ability of an almost medium format camera. But the EOS R is a nice camera that can create incredible images and especially with the new and exciting RF glass (which can be crazy expensive!). It can be a nice little second body or a main body for anyone who doesn’t need insane AF. I got my EOS R as a stepping stone for me to shift to Canon a few months ago.
For me, the RF glass is the gold. If you shoot people, pick your favorite type of weapon - either 28-70 RF, 50 RF, 85 RF, 70-200 RF. If you’re going Canon mirrorless - and you love photography, you deserve one of these lenses. The body doesn’t really matter. Any good photographer can create AMAZING portraits with any of the three.
I’m very black and white with decisions like this. R5 shall be mine in 15-16 days. And the 50 RF is my weapon.
p.1 #18 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
I rented the R and didn’t like the controls. I’d wait for an update or get the R6. Pretty sure 20mp is fine for portraits and you may even have nicer tonality since the pixels are larger on the R6 than on the R.
p.1 #19 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
bcguy wrote:
I am a hobbyist and an owner of an EOS R. I don't shoot sports, or anything more difficult than an uncooperative child, and in my opinion, the EOS R is all that I need. The focus system is pretty good. Eye tracking works well when you are close enough. It isn't perfect, but if the subject is somewhat motionless, as in a portrait session, and the lighting is okay, you should be fine. If your portraits are of a hyper-active 9 year old in a dimly lit living room, you might have some trouble.
Even if I had the money, I'd rather stick with the EOS R for the extra MP. It is enough for my purposes. The only thing that I'd find very tempting about the R6 is Canon dial on the back and the joystick. I miss those from my old 5D. ...Show more →
Do you have the latest firmware? For fun, after I installed it, I turned off the lights in my basement studio with the R mounted on a tripod. The only light was a little ambient light coming down the stairs. I was in shadow from my big soft box so it was nearly dark. The eye auto focus locked on my eye every single time, using an 85mm f/1.2. I was impressed, and remain so. The R is a very good camera.
p.1 #20 · Canon EOS R vs. Canon EOS R6 for Portraiture
ScottS1957 wrote:
This comment hits well for me. I own the 6D (and the now "fabled 40D....still clicking, though I don't use it much!) My BIGGEST complaint on the 6D is missed focus. Those nine points compared with 5K on the EOS R are the biggest difference-maker to me. I must say that in low light, I have a "candle" in the 6D. And when the light is right, and I compose properly, that is one helluva camera, especially for the money.
But...I need to move into mirrorless. And your "all my images are instantly a lot sharper than they ever were with the 6D..." is an important piece of feedback for me.
Thank-you, Mtmountainman! And YES on RF glass!!!
I've been drooling watching YouTube videos on the RF 85mm 1.2, and RF 50mm 1.2. My only "concern" is which to get first!
ON MY LIST !!!
I have a 6D as well. The center focus point is excellent - focus-and-recompose nailed focus the majority of the time for me. For low light it still is an amazing camera. The great thing about the R is there’s no need for micro focus adjustment as focusing is done on-chip vs a separate focusing sensor on DSLR’s. The 6D sees much less use now since I got the R. FYI, there is a deal on for the R’s battery grip, at least here in Canada. Normally $600 Cdn, it’s now $198, including the charger. I picked mine up today. The store clerk was shocked at the discount! I am eyeing the R5, likely for 2021.
at the "portraits of people tackling each other on the 50 yard line with a 400..." Truly hilarious image.
and you don’t print billboards. The R5 would be overkill for you.