- Top 5 Features of the EOS R5 Mark II from Canon Master Steven Chee
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Steven Chee has established himself as one of Australia’s leading photographers. His portfolio showcases an impressive array of breathtaking fashion, beauty, and portrait photography, specialising in capturing emotive moments and striking compositions. Steven’s work is celebrated for its artistic flair and meticulous attention to detail.
“I've had Canon for nearly 20 years, which says a lot! Over that time, I've been around the world, to hot places and to cold places. They're very fast, reliable, and efficient. So, when the new EOS R5 Mark II came out, I was keen to put it through its paces and share my thoughts on the very latest addition to the Canon range.”
“The new autofocus on the EOS R5 Mark II is amazing in comparison to other options. It proved itself when challenged with capturing erratic movements of a breakdance – absolutely incredible.”
To best showcase the capabilities of the EOS R5 Mark II, he selected a dynamic scene featuring a breakdancer in action. This choice, though reminiscent of the 80s, posed a rigorous test for the autofocus system. With the breakdancer’s rapid, unpredictable movements and flailing limbs, Steven felt it was the ideal challenge to highlight the performance of the camera.
When a dancer moves in real time, capturing their face amid the rapid, unpredictable motions can be challenging, especially in low-light conditions. However, with the EOS R5 Mark II’s advanced autofocus and a shooting speed of 30 frames per second, Steven was able to lock focus precisely on the dancer’s face as he spun. The results were stunningly sharp and clear, demonstrating the exceptional capabilities of the equipment.
“The R5 Mark II gives me the confidence to know that the autofocus will keep up with the challenge and deliver the perfect outcome.”
The EOS R5 Mark II features a 45MP Stacked Back-side illuminated sensor allowing for high speed and high-resolution capture. 8K60P video can be captured in camera, giving the film maker the ability to capture incredible detail and the ability to crop, level or reframe their shots in post. This flexibility can be achieved while maintaining high frame rates for slow motion capture with 8K60P and 4K120P. The Canon RAW light format adds even further control with the ability to make technical decisions after capture while maintaining an efficient file size. Settings like ISO, C-LOG Gamma and White Balance can all be modified after the shoot when using Canon RAW Light.
“I love that this camera comes with this feature allowing me to integrate that with my other cameras including the EOS C500 Mark II, making colour grading and matching much easier.”
Steven was impressed with the camera's advanced noise reduction capabilities, especially when shooting a fast-moving breakdancer. The ability to utilise higher shutter speeds was crucial for freezing the dancer's rapid and complex motions. Even under low-light conditions, the camera maintained exceptional clarity, effectively minimising noise and preserving the sharpness of each frame.
“I was really impressed at how it did clean up the noise pattern almost to non-existent.”
In one particular test shot, Steven noticed how the noise pattern was reduced significantly. This functionality not only allowed for capturing intricate details without blur but also highlighted the camera’s superior performance in high-speed action photography.
The EOS R5 Mark II is equipped with Canon's C-Log 2 gamma curve, which enabled Steven to capture an extensive dynamic range. This capability is crucial for preserving intricate details in both the highlights and shadows, especially in high-contrast scenes.
C-Log 2’s enhanced dynamic range provides Steven with significant advantages in post-production and allows for greater flexibility in colour grading and correction, making it easier to achieve the desired look and feel of the final image or video. This allows the EOS R5 Mark II to seamlessly match the EOS R1, EOS C70, EOS C300 Mark III and EOS C500 Mark II in post-production. The broad dynamic range captured by C-Log 2 ensures that Steven can push the creative boundaries in post-production without losing image quality or detail.
“Having C-Log 2 was a major surprise and perhaps the biggest win - This allows me to capture a wide dynamic range, preserving more detail and allows a seamless workflow with my EOS C500 Mark II.”
What are some other key features that also impressed you?
“Shooting stills and motion on a day-to-day basis is becoming more common. As video has become a greater part of my workflow and deliverables due to requests from my clients, buying a camera that excels in both formats has been a challenge. The EOS R5 Mark II makes a seamless transition with a consistent quality of autofocus. This makes day to day shooting in different formats so much easier”
“Overall, I was quite dumbfounded as to how good the camera was. I would be confident when comparing it with other options out there - I think it would be very difficult to beat”.
Learn more about the EOS R5 Mark II here.
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