After 7 years with Canon 5D Mark III, I have made a decision to upgrade my camera. Not that I was not happy with Canon 5D Mark III, but I was intrigued by new technology (much better AF and image quality) and was fortunate enough to come up with some funds to invest in my hobby. While purchasing a new gear, especially a new camera, seemed fun, it was a lengthy process and many factors to consider. I wanted to share my experience making a decision on upgrading to Canon R5.
I know it is 2022, and everyone at this point knows mirrorless systems are the present and future, and major camera manufacturers like Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, and Sony have great systems and lens selections. However, I still spent time considering the pros and cons of remaining with a DSLR or moving to a mirrorless system. There were three reasons for me to consider DSLR.
Familiar menus and layout. I can upgrade to Canon 5D IV and transition pretty smoothly without learning too many new things.
Can use EF lenses natively. While I do not have an extensive collection of lenses, I have several lenses for Canon EF system I want to use.
Cost. Simply upgrading to 5D IV would be the cheapest option. It would be a simple swap of Mark III and Mark IV.
These three reasons are good enough to stick to DSLR. But there are also pros to mirrorless systems.
Focus peaking. This feature was extremely useful when I shot with Samsung mirrorless system with Lensbaby. As Lensbaby lenses can be little more tricky to get the focusing right, focus peaking was definitely one of the features I wanted. Canon 5D III or IV does not support focus peaking natively.
Better autofocus. As I shoot sports (my kids' soccer games), autofocus quality is extremely important. One of the frustration/limitations I felt with 5D III was its autofocus/tracking. Even with AI Servo mode, keeping the subject in focus during games is difficult. I missed a lot of shots. From what I have learned through various Youtube reviews, mirrorless systems available now have much better autofocusing system and subject (eye/face) tracking which I was truly attracted to.
New technology and firmware update. While DSLR systems are still somewhat mechanical, mirrorless systems are mostly electrical which firmware updates can give these systems new life. I believe 1.3.6 is the latest firmware available for 5D III while R5 already have 1.5.2. I believe more frequent firmware update will prolong the lifetime for mirrorless systems.
In the end, future proofing with more frequent firmware updates and focusing capabilities of mirrorless won my decision.
Sony vs Nikon vs Canon or Fujifilm?
With my decision to move to a mirrorless system, now I had the option of selecting a new system. As Canon EF lenses I had do not work on mirrorless systems natively, and these lenses still can be used on a mirrorless system with an adapter, I had a real opportunity to consider an entirely new system without strict limitations forced by the lens system I had. After reviewing many Youtube reviews and my own hands-on experience, I made the decision to stick with a Canon system. There are two reasons.
Autofocus. While all camera systems I have tested from different manufacturers have much much better autofocus capabilities than 5D III, Sony I believe had the best autofocus and tracking capabilities followed closely by Canon.
Menu system. Navigating through different menu system and learning how different camera systems work was much more difficult and uncomfortable than I anticipated. I am sure it will come with time and I will be comfortable with any system I choose in some time. Nevertheless, it was time/opportunity cost I did not want to take.
With above two points, I decided on a Canon system.
Now I have decided on a Canon system, the next decision was which model. As of 2022, Canon has R, RP, R5, R6, and R3. Realistically, I only considered R5 and R6. My points of considerations were:
Cost. While I had some funds, I did not win a lottery and did not have unlimited funds. That simply eliminated R3. While R3 may be the "best" offering Canon has at this time, the cost of R3 (USD 5,999) is not something I can justify for my hobby. If I had a photography business, it would be a different story. But at this point, my photography would not pay for $6,000. Also, a bigger and heavier camera was not too attractive given new RF lenses are heavy.
Autofocus. Given R5 and R6 are newer and higher end models, their autofocus capabilities are much better than R or RP. As autofocusing capabilities is one of the most important factor for me, R5 or R6 are logical choices.
Image size. This was really a difficult decision. No, I do not print anything big. 45MP for R5 is probably not something I would need. However, 20MP for R6 is a bit underwhelming. As I crop some images I capture for soccer, 20MP does not leave as much room as R5 would. I thought 45MP also would further future proof the possible needs I may come across.
Weather sealing. This is another important factor. 5D III has been a tank. I have shot (or attempted to shoot) in a heavy fog/rain in Hawaii. I have shot in the cold Alaska. I have shot many soccer games in rainy Seattle. I have never had any issues. R5's weather sealing is similar to 5 series while R6 is similar to 6 series. I did not want to take any chances on this.
With my mind set on Canon R5, next decision point was where to buy. While there is a supply chain issues and chip shortages during the pandemic, there were several options available. Local camera store, directly from Canon, Amazon, or other online retailers. In the end, I made the decision to go with Adorama. There are four different reasons for choosing Adorama.
Trust. There are several famous online retailers specializing in cameras and photography gears. These retailers also sell on Amazon or eBay as well. Few of these retailers have Canon R5 at cheaper prices. While they do not mention clearly, these cheaper cameras are "international" models meaning it is not eligible for Canon warranty in US. Who wants that? B&H photo and Adorama are only two online retailers clearly distinguishing US models vs international models.
Experience. I have made purchases from Canon, Amazon, B&H, and Adorama previously. Canon was out of question. I purchased Canon 5D Mark III directly through Canon; however, it was a painful experience where I had to have several phone conversations with them for identity verification. I purchase many thing on Amazon, and in general, it works. However, Amazon had few issues with delivered items and how they deliver (delivery person tossing packages). I have had good experiences with B&H and Adorama.
Available bundles. Online retailers offer some bundles. With an upgrade to R5, I needed EF to RF adaptor, CFExpress Type B card, Card reader, and I wanted at least one RF lens. Adorama offered few different options while I did not see similar option at B&H photo at the time.
Reward program and cashback. Who does not want money back and/or free money? Adorama offers a reward program where you get 1% back in points. Also, Adorama works with several cashback sites offering 1% to 3% cashback. I chose Lolli for this purchase which offers 3% cashback in Bitcoin. With my purchase about $5400, I received (pending) over 5400 points which translate into $50 at Adorama. Also, with 3% in Bitcoin, I received close to $180 in Bitcoin which at this point has increased to $210.
Few days after I placed my order, I received all of my items in pristine condition in two separate boxes. I cannot be happier with my decision. While it was a lengthy process, I am happy with my purchase and Canon R5. I am happy with the size and build. I am impressed with the autofocus capabilities. I am sure I will have more shots in focus than I did with 5D III.
Along with the R5 bundle, I purchased ProGrade Digital Xpress B card reader and SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB card from Adorama, and screen protectors and extra batteries from Amazon. With everything I purchased, I was ready to start my photography journey with Canon R5.
This camera purchasing experience was fun, but a lengthy process. It was the first time in years I had a real opportunity to consider different camera brands. In a way, it force me to reflect on what I value in taking photographs. Also, it was a good learning experience that there are ways to maximize my limited budget through bundling, reward programs, and cash back program. You are likely to make different decisions than I did with different experience, values, and budget. But I can guarantee that it would be a fun experience.
As for R5, I was blown away with its performance. Its auto-focus capability and eye-tracking AF made shooting kids playing soccer a lot more fun and A LOT more accurate. Yes, it is not the camera, but the photographer that makes photographs. But the camera as a tool definitely adds capabilities and opens up what is possible to capture.
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