Django

Interesting, although having an R5 only for stills work sounds to me like a bit of a waste considering its hefty price tag. Unless you absolutely need 45MP? Video features only the R5 has: 4K120p no crop, ALL-I, 8K, RAW, 4K DCI. Not bad but not necessarily worth the $1200 premium (or whopping extra 1700€ here in EU) over an R6ii that just like A7IV has lower specs than an A7S3 but many lowkey refinements that the bigger model lacks. It's really a move Canon stole from the Sony playbook when you think of it!

RF lenses are pretty light and compact but the L series F2.8 zooms are pricey. Optically excellent. The non L RF primes are super compact, affordable and punch way above their price point with IS and macro. EF lenses opens up affordable Canon legacy L series lenses and all third party lenses but yeah bigger and heavier for the most part.

Yes in this French review at around 14 minutes:

Gotcha I guess my next question would be what would you choose in between an R5 & R6ii? I heard the 8K RAW is just huge file size wise so not sure I'd ever use it in a practical sense.

Fair points. Is the C70 build quality really that bad? I mean besides the shaky display mount ? I still feel it is a beast of an entry-level cine cam with better DR and overall IQ than the R mirrorless line. FX3/FX30 don't even have WFM or shutter angle and they are part of the FX cine line. At least R5C has those..

Mid-November so very soon! I must admit I'm also debating in between R6ii and used R5 with firmware fix. I'm leaning towards the R6ii for the reason you mentioned but also false colour, C70's detect only AF, breathing comp, the new easy video menu, stills/video switch etc.

My room is a 10 meter screen (400 inches?) so not huge at all compared to IMAX. The aim isn't really immersion but rather the resolution and infinite contrast. Most IMAX theatres use linked 2K projectors for slightly above 2K perception. I'm usually on the fourth row 🍿 ICE is another fun concept they've got here :

I hear you. I'm currently in the process of selling my R6 which surprisingly has held its value pretty well and even more surprisingly very few are on the second hand market compared to R5's ! I guess that's about to change with the mark 2 which is why I'm hoping for a speedy transaction before word gets out to the masses.. so in all the upgrade cost should be fairly minor.

Like I explained above, since EOS R you can use parts of the LCD as track pads (similar to a laptop). so you can have the bottom right or bottom left (works for me as a lefty) of the LCD tracking the AF point with your thumb while still having a firm grip with both hands AND your eye on the EVF. As for stabilisation, well that's another main area where AF comes in handy.. I'm talking about gimbal work of course.

Well I do live in the city who invented cinema theatres and my multiplex is the most advanced in the country so I guess I have it pretty good (unlimited membership too but unfortunately very little time to actually go as often as I wished). The Onyx 4K OLED room is pretty nice I must admit. Haven't seen that many films there (again I don't really feel like paying premium unless its a Star Wars, Batman, Nolan or something really epic) but yeah you can definitely tell its next level.

Well yeah I'm happy they fixed the overheating and added some neat things like false colour (wasn't expecting that one at all) and the aforementioned stills/video switch, focus compensation etc. New sensor with a half-stop better DR and much lower RS. Similar if not identical price point depending on your location. What's they're not to be happy about? So yeah I'll give them my "hard earned" although not that hard since I've made good money with Canon through these years and the cameras have paid for themselves tenfold. Always worked around shortcomings of which honestly at this point I see very few within this category. I do feel like Canon can't win on these boards. If they don't fix stuff like overheat they get slammed, they fix it and add things, people complain they weren't added in previous models. I guess Sony users have similar complaints (i.e the Philip Bloom FX30 review/rant video).

I honestly don't think that is the case. We won't know until a full teardown but its quite possible they've sorted heat management internally. R6 isn't at all the same build as R5 that is larger and full magnesium so heat management just isn't handled the same. I think they figured out how to eliminate overheat on a hardware level and hence rushed this mark2 out (Canon cycle is usually 4 years instead of 2). Let's not forget A7IV overheats as well and it doesn't even do 4K60p no crop. I also think Canon were pretty reasonable in not boosting the price for the Asian/American market. For some reason we always get screwed here in the EU so yea there is a 300€ increase, sucks but I will gladly pay that for peace of mind when it comes to overheat plus all the other bells & whistles (still/video switch with individual settings including the 3 custom modes is the second biggest pro after heat management for me).

I dunno every cinema room is different. different screen sizes, resolutions, seating arrangements. Since COVID here all seating is booked online (although I've been doing that for years prior) so I always manage to get seats exactly where I feel most comfortable and ideal so viewing angle or distance is never a problem. YMMV.

I know you're not going to want to hear this but perhaps the problem is that your cameras AF system is sub-par and/or that you haven't mastered it. Like I was saying earlier, even the best AF isn't magic. It should never be in full auto-pilot. AF is a tool that needs to be controlled by the operator. I never let the camera AF choose who it focuses on, I am always in control. Again you should always be in charge of who or what the AF focuses on, not the camera. Canon's DPAF allows you to select what subject Eye-AF focuses on so having multiple people in a frame is not a problem. This is not the case with FUJI's human AF detection hence why I've been saying it is flawed. I haven't yet used R3 so can't comment on the Eye-control AF but from what I've heard it isn't fail proof either. The best method of choosing what subject the AF focuses on is still either the joystick (or touch sensor thing on R3) or my favourite since EOS R is using the back LCD as a giant touch pad while your eye is on the EVF. You can even select the region of the LCD if like me you are left-handed. You get a red marker in the EVF (like a mouse cursor) that you target at your subject and the AF then engages. It is the fastest AF select method I've found, much better and faster then the old sluggish AF point manoeuvres with the joystick. There are also a ton of other specific AF settings and techniques that I won't go into but it gets pretty deep and its all about "getting the shot". I'm not bad with MF but once you've mastered a solid AF system its usually way superior to MF for getting shots except for controlled rack focus and even there things are getting crazy good with breathing comp and such. Try it before you knock it is all I'm saying. CaNikon & Sony AF have gone long ways in video AF and it doesn't sound like you have experience with such systems to make the argument that MF is superior.

Reality TV? hardly the benchmark for quality.. I never watch it. But its my understanding they use many cameras with some form of director/showrunner. There is massive editing too so mis focus should never be a visible problem. I'm also pretty certain they are using C300s & Sony FS/FX series these days which have critical AF but feel free to enlighten me if otherwise. In any case we're far away from the solo run & gun shooting scenario.

You are incorrect. Those are giant 8K displays that first appeared in Seoul and are meant to push and advertise high resolution LG TVs. The high resolution is what helps gives the 3D illusion. I don't know if you've ever seen a large 8K display with actual 8K content but its pretty bluffing and surreal. Watching a film in 2K theatres is a very different experience. My local multiplex has 2K, 4K, OLED rooms. You can definitely tell each a part. 2K is soft but that is not a problem and can even seem more enjoyable, more "cinematic". I rarely if ever pay the premium to watch in 4K OLED. I would pay extra for good old 35mm film projection of a classic, or Nolan/Tarantino film. I kind of hate the digital projection transition we're in, especially those cinemas with horrible low budget projectors where you can see pixels and/or low bitrate streams with visible various artefacts.

You seem to be forgetting a major chunk of hybrid shooters: still photography. That is what those AF lenses are first and foremost intended for. They usually only double as video lenses. Nobody is "naive" when buying AF lenses or wanting solid AF performance. Everything isn't a conspiracy to take advantage of you lol. The constant referencing to cinema production is the only "naive" argument here. Cinema production work in hyper controlled environments with staging and actors that move only if/when director decides. They have huge crews including assistants and focus pullers. Whereas 98% mirrorless hybrid shooters are solo working in uncontrolled environments, shooting real scenes: people, animals, vehicles, kids, live events, low light etc. All scenarios that strongly benefit from AF. If you're truly into cinematic images, workflow and anti-AF, anti-IBIS etc then simply don't buy a hybrid camera. Get a cine camera. If you're on a budget get a Blackmagic, some vintage manual lenses. You'll be set. But no need to discredit the majority of users out there that value things like AF.

I don't see it that way at all. I purchased R6 on release two years ago and it paid for itself almost immediately so a fantastic investment for me personally. It also remains the only camera in its category that can shoot 4K60p without a crop. Z6II, A7IV & S1 all have an APS-C crop when shooting 4K60p. And at the time of its release, Sony only had the A7III that couldn't even do 10bit. So the R6 was for me already way ahead of its competition and hit above its category. It did have one major caveat: overheating. I learned how to work around it but it was still a serious risk factor just like the A7IV currently is. Fixing that was urgent (R6 is their best seller) hence why a MK2 came after only 2 years. I don't think it was fixable in firmware like with R5 due to its hardware build. Again the original R6 is such a good camera that it doesn't really need that many enhancements. Yet Canon added a bunch of low-key refinements. In the CVP review, the guy opens with "Honestly the R6ii may be my favourite mirrorless camera I've ever used". That's a pretty strong statement and endorsement coming from a reviewer that has access to every single camera under the sun. Is the camera perfect? No. But none really are in this category. Histogram disappearing when recording yeah bummer. Then again a histogram always on isn't that great on a 2.9" display. Use an external monitor for permanent exposure/assist tools. It is great they added false colour. Yeah WFM would have been better but neither Nikon or Sony offer it even on their flagships. R5C does but all those advanced cine assist functions seem to drain the battery. In the end, you can always look at the glass either half empty or half full. For me at its price point & category, the R6II is the best all-rounder FF mirrorless on the market. I suspect an R5II will be next with even more refinements.

I strongly suggest testing these systems out before committing either way. There is more than spec sheets and internet reviews when deciding on a system. Ergonomics, shooting experience, color science, post workflow and file handling are all important factors that may vary from person to person. I shoot on both Canon & Sony and specs aside I feel zero emotional connection to Sony, neither when shooting or viewing the files. Its totally utilitarian and hence not very exciting or inspiring. Of course as a pro, all cameras are tools in the end but some brands just give you that little extra touch that makes the day a little more pleasant. I get that from Canon, Nikon & Fuji.. maybe because they are actual historical camera brands first and not consumer products with a recent imagery department.

CVP is UK based, not EU. Its also notoriously overpriced on new cameras. why on earth would you shop there? the official EU price is around 2700-2800 depending on your countries VAT. That is slightly above R6 original retail. Not a huge increase considering all the benefits imo. Still bit more expensive than in the US where the price is $2499, same exact as R6. As for the camera being "more focused in photography" it isn't more so than its direct competitor: A7IV.

Internet is strongly biased towards Sony. And for good reason as Sony has a grapple over the (sub-cinema) video industry. That said they are no longer innovators in the mirrorless category and have become again imo the new Canon with a lot of segmentation and crippling and questionable policies as the FX30 Bloom rant section warrants (and he’s a Sony ambassador!). CaNikon are now the challengers in the mirrorless market and tend to reclaim their leadership positions hence the agressive specs (R6 mk2 is clearly aimed at being an A7IV killer with false colour & focus breathing comp making their first appearance in a non cinema line camera for such purposes). It’s all good for us consumers though, competition is healthy! As for cost, I don’t agree with your assessment. R3 is the equivalent of A1 and Z9 and costs about the same. R5 is the equivalent of A7RIV & Z7ii. R6 the equivalent of A7IV/Z6ii. R7.. vs Z5.. XT5.. FX30. The bodies all around the same price. Again it’s the lens system you gotta compare and where options and pricing become more singular.

...coming to a neighbourhood near you.

Ok so a pair of FX30s... plus an A7IV/A7S3/A7RV for hybrid stills then? all the crippling? please explain because imo R6ii actually crushes A7S3/FX3/A7IV in quite a few areas and costs much less than the two first options. Sony is the new Canon as far as cripple hammer is concerned. The lenses are the only thing you'd have to think about if considering Canon.

PDAF/DPAF isn't magical you know. Its computer based just like any auto-pilot system. Having used Canons DPAF since C100 I have learned to "master" it. And it requires careful control from the operators side. I have a whole technique down that requires custom button configuring and specific AF settings. And even then its not fail proof, I often disengage it. But its a very handy tool that has saved me in tight situations. It has also evolved throughout the years and is now very sophisticated. But it still requires careful monitoring and technique to be used properly. It also has a very different behaviour in between the Cine line and the mirrorless line although those lines are getting blurred. The C70 had indeed trouble focusing on dark subjects (not just humans). Its a known issue but was indeed fixed in firmware. Taking these isolated cases such as the C70 OS V1 or an AF fail from a solo YouTuber isn't really fair and I dare say your whole criticism of the DPAF system is rather armchair opinion. I won't address the GH5 AF as I am not a GH5 user. But I do know that contrast-only AF is shaky at best for video usage. Its what my FS7 has. Like any AF system though you can learn its strength & limitations so no blanket statements here from me. Getting back to Fuji, I have owned and used Fuji XT2 professionally and recently tested XH2S. In short, there is major improvement, in scenes with one subject the detection is very sticky. Problems arise when two or more subjects appear in frame and the camera decides who it focuses on which is a big no no in AF. Human operator should always be in control.

People always want more but sometimes a refinement job is sufficient. We do get a new sensor with better rolling shutter performance and that allows 6K oversampling. New DPAF2 system. Detect only from C70. No overheating or record limits. False color. ProRes RAW via HDMI. Smart hotshoe for XLR. Breathing compensation. 10x zoom FHD. New video menu. Stills/video switch etc. All this for yes the same price as the R6. and people are still complaining. A7IV has overheating issues, severe rolling shutter, a big 4K60p crop.. lower resolution lcd, lower burst rate.. I mean what good is a BSI sensor when it has such limitations? You need to look at the bigger picture pun intended 😉