For some time now I’ve been considering switching from Sony to Canon. The R5 has really impressed me and seeing it used in the field by some of my workshop clients has really started to convince me now is the time to switch. Versus my Sony mirrorless systems it has a better/tougher build, better lens mount, better ergonomics, fully articulating screen!, better color, a live color histogram, and a number of other positives. The biggest downsides to me are worse battery life, slightly bigger, and slightly heavier. I’m not a pixel peeper so the whole package is more important to me than just the sensor.
I’ve been shooting Sony for 11 years, currently an a7R III, Nikon 4 years before that, and a manual Pentax 35mm before that. Any advice from someone that has made a similar switch or is currently using the R5 would be appreciated. Thanks!
I have been a Canon landscape shooter for over 30 years now, and was mightily tempted to switch to Sony for quite awhile when Sony was winning the dynamic range wars. I resisted the urge, and it’s nice to see the wheel turning the other way for a change
Jason, if you have been impressed by the R5, wait until you get more intimately acquainted with the Canon lens ecosystem, it’s more important than the bodies as far as I am concerned. I still am on the 5D MK4, and can’t help you with the R5, but everything I have seen says that the Canon R lenses are even more outstanding than the already excellent EF lenses.
I am currently an avian photographer and I switched from Nikon to Sony. I have a Sony alpha-1 which is as close to the Canon R5 as one can get. I started shooting Nikon in the late 60s and have acquired way too much Nikon gear including some excellent glass. But as I have gotten older, weight has become an issue in the Nikon gear is just considerably heavier than Sony. So I am trying to sell a lot of my Nikon stuff and it is in the classified here on NPN.
I have four Sony lenses including the 400 F2 .8 which is as sharp as they come. Additionally, I have the 16 to 35, the 100 to 400, and the 24 to 70 Sony lenses. I started with an A7r3 and A7r4 before I purchased the alpha-1.
It is expensive switching from one brand to the other and I’m sure you are aware that. I would encourage you to have a really close look at the Sony alpha-1 before switching to Canon R5 and then having to spend on Canon glass.
I guess I would ask you what you hope to achieve by switching camera systems?
To me, switching to Sony was a no-brainer because the weight issue and at the time I started the Nikon mirrorless system left a lot to be desired. I agree that from what I have seen the Canon R5 is an excellent camera but you owe it to yourself to look at the A1 before you make the switch.
I upgraded from the Canon 1DX2 and 5D4 to the R5 last October and haven’t touched the older bodies since. I had been very tempted by the latest Sonys but had a lot of very good Canon glass. All of it works perfectly with the R5 with a ~$100 adapter. I am delighted with it in all respects. Since the Sony a1 came out, there are reputable claims that with the latest firmware upgrade its eye tracking for wildlife and birds in flight is a notch above the R5.
I haven’t kept up with the comparison of Sony vs. Canon lenses, and the two systems will probably continue to play leapfrog with bodies and lenses, but if you have any decent Sony lenses it would be a no-brainer to go with an a1.
Hi Jason
I spent around 6 month trying to evaluate Canon vs Sony. I came down on the Canon side, because of two thing, Sony dropped the a7r4 and made people upgrade to the a7r4a. Also Sony vary large file size. The A1is just out of my price range. The real answer come down to what are you going to use the camera for. I spend 90% of my time photographing birds, so my set-up is the Canon R5, RF 100-500mm, 1.4x an adapter for my 24-105mm f4 L lens. This came in at around $7,000. The Sony A1 is listed at $6,498, a EF 200-600mm =$1,998, EF 24-105mm =$1,098. If you are not photographing birds the R6 makes great photographs.
Ps I also spend time photographing from a Zodiac, weather proofing is a must. I also get over 400 photos on 1 battery.
Peter
