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EOS R vs EOS R5 Mark II

Quick take: The EOS R5 Mark II has the highest resolution at 45MP; the EOS R is the most affordable.

16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras

How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.

Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more

Verdictwhich should you buy?

EOS R — Entry To Full-Frame Mirrorless & Rf Lens Exploration: The RF mount's founding camera — 30MP, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, and the proof-of-concept that launched Canon's mirrorless era.

EOS R5 Mark II — Hybrid Shooters & Professionals: The most complete hybrid camera Canon has ever made — 45MP stacked BSI, 30fps burst, 8K/60p RAW, and Canon's legendary Dual Pixel AF in one body.

Who should buy what
EOS R (2018)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Canon DSLR users wanting to enter the RF ecosystem at the lowest full-frame price
  • EF lens collectors who want an affordable RF body to use with the EF-RF adapter
  • Photographers stepping up from APS-C who want full-frame quality on a budget
  • RF system fans who want a second body without full EOS R6 pricing
EOS R5 Mark II (2024)
is the right camera for you if…
  • Professional photographers who want 8K RAW and 45MP in one body
  • R5 owners upgrading to faster AF, improved overheating, and neural network processing
  • Wildlife and sports professionals who need high resolution and fast burst
  • Hybrid shooters who demand the very best Canon has to offer
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
Specification EOS RCanon · 2018EOS R5 Mark IICanon · 2024
Price £799Best£4,399
Sensor 30.3MP full-frame CMOS45MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS
Resolution 30.3MP45.0MPBest
Video 4K/30p (1.7× crop), 1080p/60p8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, Cinema RAW Light
Autofocus Dual Pixel CMOS AF — 5655 AF areas, Eye AFDual Pixel CMOS AF II, AI subject tracking
Stabilisation No stabilisation8-stop IBIS (coordinated with IS lenses)
Burst Rate 8fps continuous (5fps with AF/AE)30fps electronic / 12fps mechanicalBest
Battery Life ~350 shots (CIPA)570 shots (CIPA)Best
Weight 660g (body only)Best746g (body only)
Dimensions 135.8 × 98.3 × 84.4mm138.5 × 101.2 × 93.5mm
Weather Sealed YesYes
Viewfinder EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.71× magnification0.64" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps
Screen 3.0" touchscreen, fully articulating3.2" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount Canon RF mount (full-frame)Canon RF
Memory Cards Single SD UHS-II slotCFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II
Connectivity USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jackUSB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth

Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.

How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
EOS R
EOS R5 Mark II
Portrait
7.0/10
8.8/10
Street
5.8/10
6.7/10
Travel
5.5/10
6.6/10
Wedding & Events
5.7/10
8.6/10
Vlogging & Video
4.8/10
6.0/10
Filmmaking
5.7/10
8.3/10
Documentary
6.0/10
8.3/10
Sports & Action
6.3/10
9.0/10
Landscape
6.2/10
7.3/10
Wildlife
6.8/10
8.9/10
Casual
4.3/10
5.4/10
Food
6.5/10
8.3/10
Macro
5.3/10
8.9/10
Architecture
6.2/10
7.5/10
Astrophotography
6.1/10
6.5/10

Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →

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