Canon EOS R5 Remains Top Pick for Underwater Photography After a Year
In today's swift-moving camera market, it's a rarity for a camera to maintain relevance beyond a year. But that's just what the Canon EOS R5 has achieved – it's still our favorite all-around full-frame camera for underwater photo and video in 2023. Despite fierce competition from Sony with the Sony A1 release, the R5 stands as the best value choice for professional underwater photography.
Going underwater with the Canon R5 has been an excellent experience. The camera's screen folds inward during travel, protecting it from damage, while its compact size is a breeze to carry along. The shutter also descends when the camera is off, a feature that protects the sensor from dust during travels to dusty locations like deserts.
The R5's ergonomics and design are similar to other mirrorless cameras, offering slightly more customization than Nikon's Z series but less compared to Sony's Alpha series. Its menu system isn't the worst but isn't the best, trailing behind the Sony A1's. Compared to the Nikon Z series, the R5 offers comparable ergonomics, but its menu system leaves much to be desired compared to the Sony Alpha series.
One of the can't-miss features on the R5 is its autofocus system. The autofocus tracking on the R5 is so effective that it's often possible to point, shoot, and have the camera nail the shot. Animal eye autofocus – which even works on fish – takes the game to a new level, making it possible to lock focus on a subject's eye and forget about it while recomposing the shot.
Another highlight is the R5's incredible in-body image stabilization (IBIS), known to be the best in the world. When combined with optically stabilized lenses, photos can be shot handheld at shutter speeds 8 stops slower than what would be acceptable on a camera without IBIS. This feature is particularly beneficial for underwater photography, ensuring clean blue or green backgrounds in low light as long as the subject is still.
Handheld macro video becomes a reality due to the R5's excellent IBIS. It's a game-changer for run-and-gun video shooting, increasing the likelihood of multiple usable clips during a dive without needing tripods.
One downside to the R5 is overheating, which can occur after lengthy video recording sessions, especially in warmer water. This issue can be compounded when shooting photos and videos over time.
The R5's battery life wasn't impressive when it first came out, but the introduction of the new LP-E6NH battery has extended the battery life by 14%. With this battery, it's now possible to shoot photos and video on a liveaboard, managing 4 dives per day without having to swap batteries during the day.
In underwater photography, the Canon R5 delivers fantastic results. Its ProRes RAW video file option provides great flexibility during post-processing, and its autofocus system is top-notch, even locking on to fast-moving subjects like sealions. With an 80% success rate in locking onto fish eyes during macro photography, the R5's autofocus tracking system sets it apart from other cameras like the Sony A1.
In the case of underwater video, the R5 excels, especially when shooting macro video handheld with a 100mm macro lens – a task that was previously unmanageable. The Canon R5's slow-motion video capabilities and 8K/30fps option for cropping are valuable features for capturing interesting marine life behavior at slow speeds, providing decent details for stabilization purposes.
When it comes to reliability underwater, both the Canon R5 and Sony A1 perform admirably. Underwater housings are widely available for both cameras, ensuring stress-free diving experiences. The choice between these two cameras comes down to individual preferences, the focus of the photographer, and the choice of underwater lenses.
The Canon EOS R5's overall performance in underwater photography, combined with its autofocus capabilities and IBIS, make it an exceptional choice for photographers seeking the best value option in professional underwater photography. The Sony A1, on the other hand, may be more suitable for those who prioritize high resolution, faster burst shooting, and superior autofocus performance in low light. Both cameras are top-tier choices for underwater photography and videography in 2023.
- The Canon R5's screen folds inward during travel, providing protection from damage.
- The compact size of the Canon R5 makes it a breeze to carry along during a trip.
- The shutter on the Canon R5 descends when the camera is off, protecting the sensor from dust during travels.
- The autofocus tracking on the R5 is so effective that it often nails the shot, even with fast-moving subjects like seals.
- Animal eye autofocus on the R5, which can lock onto the eye of a fish, takes the autofocus system to a new level.
- The R5's incredible in-body image stabilization (IBIS) allows for handheld macro video and clean blue or green backgrounds in low light.
- Overheating is a downside to the R5, occurring after lengthy video recording sessions, especially in warmer water.
- The introduction of the new LP-E6NH battery has extended the Canon R5's battery life by 14%, managing up to 4 dives per day on a liveaboard.
- ProRes RAW video file option in the Canon R5 provides great flexibility during post-processing.
- The Canon R5's slow-motion video capabilities and 8K/30fps option are valuable for capturing marine life behavior at slow speeds.
- Underwater housings are widely available for both Canon R5 and Sony A1 cameras, ensuring stress-free diving experiences.
