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R5 still worth it in 2024?

robbyphoto
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

Is the R5 still a good purchase two months into 2024? I've never owned a high mp camera, so I'm not sure if it's something I can take advantage of. I'm mostly a wildlife and nature photographer and everyone seem to benefit from the ability to crop. So far my main issue is getting close enough to the subject with 500mm. It's been difficult in most cases. Currently using the R7, but the R5 prices have been coming down.

Feb 11, 2024 at 09:02 AM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

robbyphoto wrote:
Is the R5 still a good purchase two months into 2024? I've never owned a high mp camera, so I'm not sure if it's something I can take advantage of. I'm mostly a wildlife and nature photographer and everyone seem to benefit from the ability to crop. So far my main issue is getting close enough to the subject with 500mm. It's been difficult in most cases. Currently using the R7, but the R5 prices have been coming down.

I’d say it is still a fine camera, but I’d also point out that it is likely coming to the end of its life soon as a new product, likely to replaced by a v.II of the camera with improved features. (Unfortunately, we can only guess at the precise features or the timeline.)

That doesn’t mean that it isn’t a worthy camera, only that you should consider whether or not you’ll feel great bout the purchase if/when that new version arrives. On the other hand, you may be able to find a better price on it now that it is no longer in quite the same demand that it once was.

Bottom line: It is a fine camera and it is well-suited to the use you describe. The only question relates to timing of your purchase and how you feel about there likely being an update before too much longer.

Feb 11, 2024 at 10:31 AM

robbyphoto
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

I think if the R5 mk II came out in say 2 months I'd be kind of miffed. It depends on the price of course, but I think on paper it looks like it could perform better than my R7 with regards to faster readout speed. At least I think that's a potential benefit. Right now I'm using the electronic shutter and getting some weird results from what I assume is rolling shutter effect. It's not unusable, just sometimes I get some 'weird' frames.

Feb 11, 2024 at 10:39 AM

artsupreme
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

Yes it’s a great camera for $2k. It might drop a little more in price when the R5II is released but maybe not much more, and the R5 will still hold up well through the next generation of bodies.

Feb 11, 2024 at 10:45 AM

artsupreme
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

Feb 11, 2024 at 10:49 AM

robbyphoto
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

Sounds like I should just wait and see what the new R5mII brings.

Feb 11, 2024 at 11:00 AM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

Feb 11, 2024 at 11:26 AM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

R5 does not have the advanced AF features the R7 has. No eye detect in other modes like zone, single point or spot. Only in whole area eye detect.

Feb 11, 2024 at 11:50 AM

robbyphoto
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

gdanmitchell, just looked at your Instagram page and there's some fabulous work there. I'll definitely be spending some time looking at all your photos.

Feb 11, 2024 at 11:51 AM

robbyphoto
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

Zenon Char wrote:
R5 does not have the advanced AF features the R7 has. No eye detect in other modes like zone, single point or spot. Only in whole area eye detect.

That could be enough to steer me away from that body. I wasn't aware of that. THanks!

Feb 11, 2024 at 11:52 AM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

robbyphoto wrote:
That could be enough to steer me away from that body. I wasn't aware of that. THanks!

I really like that feature on my R7 and R6II. The R6II also has an option to map subject to detect to a button. I wish my R7 had that.

Feb 11, 2024 at 11:54 AM

bman212121
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

robbyphoto wrote:
So far my main issue is getting close enough to the subject with 500mm. It's been difficult in most cases. Currently using the R7, but the R5 prices have been coming down.

If you cannot get close enough to the subject then the R5 won't help you. The pixel density on the R7 is far greater than an R5, so it's already superior to the R5 when it comes to cropping. The only option you have left is get a longer focal length, by either using a teleconverter, or getting a bigger lens. You might benefit more from the new 200 - 800 than you would switching bodies, but keep in mind the atmosphere will be the limiting factor. Just because you can go to 800 or 1120mm doesn't mean the image quality will go up. Some times the atmosphere conditions prevent any additional gain no matter what you do, so getting closer is the only way to improve the situation.

That said the early reports from the R7 + 200 - 800 said it's a bit more finicky. But that's likely the nature of the game when you start mixing high resolution and large focal lengths. You're pushing the systems to their limit so it will take more effort to get the most out of it.

Feb 11, 2024 at 12:09 PM

misteracng
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

The R5ii I'm sure will be better then the R5 but at double to price of nice used R5 examples. I think that's the main difference to consider. The R5 works well now and will still be great in the future. It already has excellent AF. Comparing to the R7, the R5 gets 45MP FF and a 1.6 crop mode at about 18MP, its less then the R7 30MP, but now you can have both a high MP FF and the crop option. The R5 having 3 wheels for controls is better then the back D pad for me. I think the R6ii might have the best control layout right now. You also have the option of a grip which is very nice, not just to have a better grip, but running 2 batteries at a time. Also the R7 mechanical shutter is very loud and not well damped compared to the R5. Its noticeable.
The R7 and R6ii have the newer AF modes as previously mentioned, being able to have face/eye tracking in any mode. The other great change is being able to map subject and eye detection options directly to buttons, so you don't have to go into a menu to change. That is really nice compared to the R5.

Feb 11, 2024 at 12:24 PM

Zenon Char
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

The R7 is missing the QC2 dial but mapped aperture to the lens ring. Not ideal for me but I shoot wide open most of the time.

Being able to map eye detect is a great feature.

The R6II is a really nice body. I sold my R5 for the R7 and the R6II. A great combo. It would have been nice is if the ergonomics were the same like the 7D2 and 5D4.

I made some mapping changes to match both configs as close as possible.

Feb 11, 2024 at 01:16 PM

jedibrain
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

robbyphoto wrote:
I think if the R5 mk II came out in say 2 months I'd be kind of miffed. It depends on the price of course, but I think on paper it looks like it could perform better than my R7 with regards to faster readout speed. At least I think that's a potential benefit. Right now I'm using the electronic shutter and getting some weird results from what I assume is rolling shutter effect. It's not unusable, just sometimes I get some 'weird' frames.

I just bought one on black Friday.

Think of it this way. When the R5mk2 comes out this year, it'll cost at least $3800 and be hard to get for several months. You can get a used R5 right now for $2500 or less. And probably sell it for $2000 if you decide to buy a mk2. Cheap rental fee for a year of use.

I find the higher MP nice, but for all the people who told me my R6 was obsolete when it was released due to its 'low' resolution, I don't see a massive difference. The 50% increase in resolution is nice when you wan to crop, and surprisingly for macro stuff as well. For wild life, you may find it a great benefit on some subjects, but remember cropping is not a substitute for longer glass.

So my feel is, for <$2500 its a screaming deal and the best way to try out higher MP. I'm glad I got almost 3 good years out of my R6 before I bought it. As at the time the R6 saved me considerable money over the R5 + (expensive at the time) CFx cards.

Definitely happy I have it now though. May trade up the R6 to an R3, of if I'm really saucy an R1. Some guys get corvettes for their mid-life crisis...some guys get cameras.

Brian

Feb 11, 2024 at 01:42 PM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

jedibrain wrote:
I find the higher MP nice, but for all the people who told me my R6 was obsolete when it was released due to its 'low' resolution, I don't see a massive difference. The 50% increase in resolution is nice when you wan to crop, and surprisingly for macro stuff as well. For wild life, you may find it a great benefit on some subjects, but remember cropping is not a substitute for longer glass.

Good reasons to get the R6 II that has better AF than the R6, and the R6 II has in-camera focus-stacking and RAW Burst, neither of which the R5 has (as far as I know).

Feb 11, 2024 at 02:02 PM

patotts
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

Well, it all depends. As a photo-first camera, it is still an excellent machine with a competitive AF system and performance. I would still consider one used at close to the $2K mark, but personally, I wouldn't be a new one right now with the Mk II one around the corner.

Feb 11, 2024 at 02:17 PM

gdanmitchell
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

robbyphoto wrote:
gdanmitchell, just looked at your Instagram page and there's some fabulous work there. I'll definitely be spending some time looking at all your photos.

Thanks! :-) *

BTW, I use two different systems for wildlife (which is what I think you are referring to when you write "nature") photography. One is the older Canon 5D and the other is a different brand APS-C system that has 40MP sensor resolution.

No camera system is perfect for all things, and every one requires the photographer to make some compromises. So the real question (against a backdrop of cost and more) is "which one is best adapted to how I'll use it." Depending win the answer to that question — which can be complicated! — any of the cameras mentioned here could be the right one.

Dan

* You can also find the photographs at my website where they are accompanied by more background info... and where I've been posting daily photographs for about two decades, along with articles on various subjects.

Feb 11, 2024 at 02:20 PM

StephenS_CP
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

I agree with BMann...'s point above. Your I've never owned a high mp camera is correct in the context of its typical usage, but inapplicable to yours and my use case. The R7 is a much higher resolution per unit area than the R5. The "high megapixel" 45 MP overall sensor rating of the R5 doesn't do you a lot of good if you are only using the central 17MP. I do my birding [in the PNW], still often small birds but not close, with an R7. I almost never get to zoom out to avoid over-filling the frame with my subject.

But to your posted question...My experience with the R5 shooting birds in Ohio a couple of years ago:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/122133383@N05/albums/72157719339519614/
Please take into account limitations of post-processing skills and an intent to show a variety of birds rather than, with a few exceptions, focus on competition-worthy presentations. Virtually all of these were taken using the R5's crop mode and the EF 100-400 II+ 1.4x (560mm). Even then they were often cropped down down by 30-50% for composition. Personally, I was quite pleased with the performance of the R5 shooting relatively close, small birds in dense foliage.

So I'd agree with GDan and others above...I'd suggest staying with the R7 until a new option reaches the market that addresses the ES rolling shutter or the EFCS shutter shock issues.

Feb 11, 2024 at 03:04 PM

misteracng
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · R5 still worth it in 2024?

I tried the R7 as well alongside the R5, and then I went for a refurb r6II which is a great deal. It meshes better with the R5 by sharing the same grip and similar controls while giving the updated AF setup of the R7

Feb 11, 2024 at 05:12 PM

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