Upgrade Guide

Canon EOS R8→Canon EOS R5

Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.

You own

Canon

EOS R8

£1099

2023

→

Upgrade to

Canon

EOS R5

£2499 (+£1,400)

2020

✅

Worthwhile

Clear improvements over the EOS R8. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.

What's new in the EOS R5

↑

Resolution

45MP vs 24MP (+21MP)
↑

Weather sealing

Added — fully sealed body
↑

Burst rate

12fps mechanical, 20fps electronic vs 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic
↑

Battery life

~320 shots (CIPA) vs ~220 shots (CIPA)

Suitability by genre

Full spec comparison

Spec	EOS R8	EOS R5
Price	£1,099	£2,499
Released	2023	2020	↓
Sensor	24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS	45MP Full-Frame CMOS
Resolution	24MP	45MP	↑
Video	4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p	8K RAW/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/120p
Autofocus	Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking	Dual Pixel CMOS AF II — 1053 AF zones, subject/animal detection
Stabilisation	None (no IBIS)	IBIS — up to 8 stops combined with IS lenses
Burst Rate	6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic	12fps mechanical, 20fps electronic	↑
Battery Life	~220 shots (CIPA)	~320 shots (CIPA)	↑
Weight	461g body only	650g (with battery)	↓
Weather Sealed	No	Yes	↑
Viewfinder	EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59×	EVF, 5.76M dots, 0.76× magnification
Screen	3.0" fully articulating touchscreen	3.15" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount	Canon RF mount (full-frame)	Canon RF mount
Memory Cards	Single SD UHS-II slot	CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II

Compare side-by-side

See EOS R8 and EOS R5 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.

Get a personalised upgrade score

Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the EOS R5 against your specific genres — not just specs.

Other upgrades from the EOS R8

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Camera family history