Canon R1 vs R5 Mark II

The Canon EOS R1 and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public in July 2024. Both the R1 and the R5 Mark II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The R1 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the R5 Mark II provides 44.8 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon R1		Canon R5 Mark II
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon RF mount lenses		Canon RF mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		44.8 MP – Full Frame sensor
6K/60p Video		8k/60p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 409,600)		ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (5760k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1330 shots per battery charge		340 shots per battery charge
158 x 150 x 87 mm, 1115 g		138 x 98 x 88 mm, 746 g

Check R1 price at
amazon.com
Check R5 Mark II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R1 and the Canon EOS R5 Mark II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon R1 and the Canon R5 Mark II. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon R5 Mark II is considerably smaller (43 percent) than the Canon R1. Moreover, the R5 Mark II is markedly lighter (33 percent) than the R1. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

As can be seen in the images above, the R1 has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the R5 Mark II, Canon provides the BG-R10 vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay). The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R1	158 mm	150 mm	87 mm	1115 g	1330	Y	Jul 2024	EUR 7 499	amazon.com
2.		Canon R5 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	746 g	340	Y	Jul 2024	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
3.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
5.		Canon R5 C	142 mm	101 mm	111 mm	770 g	320	Y	Jan 2022	EUR 4 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	EUR 2 699	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	EUR 2 899	amazon.com
8.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	150 mm	104 mm	87 mm	900 g	440	Y	Sep 2021	EUR 3 999	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	152 mm	117 mm	99 mm	1030 g	540	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 7 999	amazon.com
10.		Leica SL3-S	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	852 g	315	Y	Jan 2025	EUR 5 199	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z8	144 mm	119 mm	83 mm	910 g	340	Y	May 2023	EUR 4 599	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic G9 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	658 g	390	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
14.		Sony A9 III	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	702 g	530	Y	Nov 2023	EUR 6 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The R5 Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 32 percent) than the R1, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the R5 Mark II offers a higher resolution of 44.8 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the R1. This megapixels advantage translates into a 37 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the R5 Mark II has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 4.39μm versus 6.00μm for the R1). It is noteworthy in this context that the two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are from the same technological generation.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R5 Mark II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R5 Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 41 x 27.3 inches or 104 x 69.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 32.8 x 21.9 inches or 83.2 x 55.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 27.3 x 18.2 inches or 69.4 x 46.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon R1 are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS R1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 50-409600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS R5 Mark II are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the R1 is build around a Stacked BSI-CMOS sensor, while the R5 Mark II uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
2.		Canon R5 Mark II	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
3.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
4.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
5.		Canon R5 C	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.5	3082	96
6.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
8.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	Medium Format	51.1	8256	6192	1080/30p	25.9	14.8	3456	100
9.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	Medium Format	101.8	11648	8736	8K/30p	25.9	15.0	3651	101
10.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
11.		Nikon Z8	Full Frame	45.4	8256	5504	8K/30p	26.3	14.2	2548	98
12.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
13.		Panasonic G9 II	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.5	1710	78
14.		Sony A9 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/120p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
15.		Sony A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the R5 Mark II provides a better video resolution than the R1. It can shoot movie footage at 8k/60p, while the R1 is limited to 6K/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the R1 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the R5 Mark II (9440k vs 5760k dots). The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon R1 and Canon R5 Mark II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon R1	9440	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
2.		Canon R5 Mark II	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
5.		Canon R5 C	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
8.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	3690	Y	3.2 / 2360	full-flex	Y	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	Y
9.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	9440	Y	3.2 / 2360	full-flex	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
10.		Leica SL3-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
11.		Nikon Z8	3690	Y	3.2 / 2089	full-flex	Y	1/32000s	30.0/s	n	Y
12.		Nikon Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic G9 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A9 III	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/80000s	120.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R1 and the Canon R5 Mark II both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the R1 and the R5 Mark II write their files to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Moreover, both cameras support UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS R1 and Canon EOS R5 Mark II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon R1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon R5 Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R5 C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	-
9.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Leica SL3-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Nikon Z8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic G9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A9 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	Y	Y

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the R1 and the R5 Mark II are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The R5 Mark II replaced the earlier Canon R5, while the R1 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon website.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon R1 better than the Canon R5 Mark II or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R1:

• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (9440k vs 5760k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.9x vs 0.76x).
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1330 versus 340) on a single battery charge.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (44.8 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 37%.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (8k/60p vs 6K/60p).
• More compact: Is smaller (138x98mm vs 158x150mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 369g or 33 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (32 percent cheaper at launch).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R5 Mark II comes out slightly ahead of the R1 (5 : 4 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon R1 and the Canon R5 Mark II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the R1 or the R5 Mark II perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	EUR 7 499	amazon.com
2.		Canon R5 Mark II	..	..	..	93/100	..	..	Jul 2024	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
3.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
4.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	EUR 4 499	amazon.com
5.		Canon R5 C	..	+ +	..	..	..	..	Jan 2022	EUR 4 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	EUR 2 699	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	EUR 2 899	amazon.com
8.		Fujifilm GFX 50S II	5/5	..	5/5	87/100	..	5/5	Sep 2021	EUR 3 999	amazon.com
9.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	5/5	+	5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 7 999	amazon.com
10.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	EUR 5 199	amazon.com
11.		Nikon Z8	5/5	..	5/5	94/100	5/5	4.5/5	May 2023	EUR 4 599	amazon.com
12.		Nikon Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic G9 II	5/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
14.		Sony A9 III	4.5/5	..	..	91/100	..	..	Nov 2023	EUR 6 999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check R1 price at
amazon.com
Check R5 Mark II price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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Check R1 price at
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Check R5 Mark II price at
amazon.com

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