Canon EOS R5 II review

The Canon EOS R5 II is one of Canon's latest high-performance mirrorless cameras, aimed squarely at serious wildlife, sport and hybrid shooters who demand speed, resolution and reliable autofocus all in one package. Building on the original R5, the Mark II has the same 45MP resolution (but with a better sensor), but improves nearly every aspect of its performance — from burst speed and AI-powered autofocus to heat management for long 8K video recording. With blackout-free 30FPS shooting, Pre-Capture and a new action priority mode, it's clear Canon is targeting photographers who need to react quickly and shoot confidently.

It sits above the EOS R6 Mark II in Canon's lineup and serves as a clear upgrade from the original R5, especially for anyone frustrated by its overheating limitations. Against competitors like the Sony A1 or Nikon Z9, the R5 II holds its own, delivering top-tier specs on a more compact body.

Canon EOS R5 II review

Canon EOS R5 II: Design

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• Large and detailed LCD screen
• Intuitive button layout
• Fully weather-sealed for worry-free wildlife photography

The Canon EOS R5 II refines the already excellent design of the original R5 with subtle but meaningful updates that elevate its handling and usability. The magnesium alloy body is robust and weather-sealed — and we can confirm that the weather sealing truly does hold up after an incredibly wet trip to Pembrokeshire, Wales, to shoot with it. It's built to withstand harsh shooting environments without adding unnecessary weight, and it feels rock solid in the hand, with a deep, ergonomic grip that balances nicely even with heavier RF lenses.

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Button placement is similar to its predecessor, with a few small tweaks. The lock function has now been integrated into the on/off switch, which wraps around the mode dial on the right-hand side of the top plate. Having the power switch positioned here makes it easier to flick on and off with the right thumb, which we prefer over the original R5. However, with the lock function being set in-between on and off, we sometimes set it to lock by accident. Canon has also replaced the original on/off switch with a dedicated photo/video switch, making it faster to jump between shooting modes — a great move for hybrid shooters.

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It also features the same LCD panel on the top-plate, with the controller joystick and vari-angle LCD screen on the back, now with improved brightness and responsiveness for outdoor use. The 3.2-inch touchscreen remains a standout feature, and we found it perfect for shooting macro at tricky angles where we couldn't look through the viewfinder. We wished the back dial featured up/down/left/right buttons, but overall, we like the layout.

The side of the body features dual CFexpress Type B/UHS-II card slots on one side, and a USB-C charging port, full-size HDMI, mid and headphone jacks and a flash sync terminal on the other — a clear nod to professional workflows.

Canon EOS R5 II: Performance

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• Back-illuminated 45MP stacked sensor produces stunning images
• Handles noise well
• Accurate autofocus

Out in the field, the Canon EOS R5 II feels like a proper setup where it counts. Autofocus is snappy, confident and does a brilliant job of tracking birds in flight or fast-moving objects through tricky backgrounds. It locks on and holds focus effortlessly, even in low light. Shooting handheld with a long lens felt smooth, thanks to the in-body image stabilization, which works wonders when light is limited.

Image quality is seriously impressive. The new back-illuminated and stacked 45MP sensor pulls out loads of detail that is retained even when you crop in tight on a distant subject. We were reviewing the RF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM lens alongside the R5 II, and we were able to get some stunning close-up shots with incredible detail. We used the large LCD screen alongside the focus peaking feature from the camera to ensure our subject was sharp and in focus, which is notoriously tricky when shooting macro.

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The R5 II also produces lovely astro images with minimal noise at most ISO levels. We were only able to use very short shutter speeds due to only having a 100mm lens at our disposal, but the images were clean, the stars were sharp, and the noise only started to become distracting when we bumped the ISO up above 5,000. And even then, noise reduction tools in editing software have become so good that even images with a lot of noise would still be salvageable.

Canon EOS R5 II: Functionality

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• 30FPS blackout-free shooting
• Eye control AF needs perfecting
• 8K video recording

The Canon EOS R5 II is packed with smart upgrades that make it incredibly versatile, especially for fast action shooting. One of our favorite features is the blackout-free, continuous 30FPS burst rate. Using the electronic shutter, you can fire off full-res RAWs at lightning speed without any viewfinder lag, which is a huge advantage when tracking wildlife. The blackout-free experience keeps you locked in on your subject the whole time — no second-guessing if your timing was off. And when Pre-Capture is enabled, the camera will start capturing images when the shutter is half-pressed. We were shooting alongside the Sony A7R V, and we really appreciated how much of a difference this made. Combine that with Action Priority, and the camera can analyze and understand the movement of athletes for more accurate sports photography.

Canon has also introduced Eye Control AF, originally seen in the Canon EOS R3. It sounds great on paper, but we found it to be a little slow and not totally accurate. We calibrated this feature multiple times, but it seemed to be a little off on most occasions, so we didn't use it for real-world shooting. It's a good feature in theory, but it needs to be perfected before we can call it a game-changer.

A well-known complaint about the original R5 was how much it tended to overheat when shooting video. But on the R5 II, thanks to the built-in cooling fan, you can now shoot up to 8K video with more flexibility and be afforded longer recording times. This camera is ideal for anything from wildlife to sports to wedding photography.

Should you buy the Canon EOS R5 II?

The Canon EOS R5 II is ideal for wildlife, sports and hybrid shooters who want a high-end stills and video camera in one body. With blackout-free 30FPS shooting, Action Priority, excellent autofocus and longer recording times thanks to a cooling fan, it's clear Canon has listened to the needs of action-focused creators.

You should definitely consider the R5 II if you're serious about fast-moving subjects, need high-resolution images, or want a camera that can shoot pro-quality video without compromise. It's also a great fit for anyone upgrading from the original R5.

However, if you're a beginner, casual user or mostly shoot landscapes, the R5 II may be overkill, both in terms of price and power.

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How we test

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We tested the Canon EOS R5 II over 10 days, focusing on real-world performance across a variety of conditions. The camera was taken to Skomer island to photograph puffins, where the camera's autofocus, burst speed and subject tracking were pushed to the limit — alongside its weather-sealing! We got the most out of its resolution and detail by shooting insects and flowers in our garden using the 100mm macro lens, and we used it for astrophotography in a Bortle class 5 area.