The Canon EOS 5DS R is the top of the range full-frame 50.6 megapixel Digital SLR from Canon, and sits above the Canon EOS 5DS, with a low-pass cancellation filter designed to maximise the sharpness of the sensor. The camera body is based on the 5D Mark III with a slightly golden finish and the red R marks the 5DS R out from the 5DS.
Canon EOS 5DS R Features
The Canon EOS 5DS R features a 50.6 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor like the 5DS (without the R), however the sensor features a low-pass cancellation filter, which means there is not the usual anti-aliasing filter in front of the sensor. This will result in the camera recording improved detail and resolution, although at the risk of increased moire and false colour. The camera takes photos that are 8788 x 5792 pixels in size, and the sensor has been developed in-house by Canon. The camera features 1:1x, 1.3x and 1.6x crop modes, giving the option to shoot 33-megapixel (5792x5792), 30-megapixel (6768x4512) and 19-megapixel (5424x3616) images respectively.
The camera has an ISO range of ISO100 to ISO6400, which extends down to ISO50 and up to ISO12800, and can shoot at 5fps in high-speed continuous shooting mode. Due to the high-resolution sensor, Canon are emphasising the importance of correct technique on the Canon Professional Network website, as well as high-quality lenses, such as the L series of lenses, and you can view the details of recommended lenses on Canon's website.
There is a newly developed Fine Detail Picture Style which has been included to prioritise gradations and detail captured. You can adjust in-camera sharpening parameters such as threshold and fineness for JPEG files - meaning you should be able to get detailed and sharp JPEG images straight from the camera.
The EOS 5DS R uses Canon’s newly developed Mirror Vibration Control System to reduce vibrations caused by internal movements within the camera, which can spoil image sharpness and reduce resolution. Cams are used to drive the mirror up and down in a more controlled fashion, avoiding any sudden stops and also softening the shutter-release sound.
Dual DIGIC 6 processors are needed to process the large files, which are roughly 60-70MB when shooting raw files. USB 3.0 connectivity allows fast tethered shooting and remote camera control, as well as the ability to transfer images from the camera to your computer at high speed.
The camera uses the same 61-point AF system from the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, which features 41 cross-type focus points, including 5 extra-sensitive double cross-type points for extra accuracy, with a range of -2 to 18 EV.
There is a customisable quick control screen, letting you choose the options available when you press the Q button. The camera benefits from a large 100% view optical viewfinder (OVF) with 0.71x magnification, and a large rubber eyecup. You can also customise the controls on the camera.
The camera records full HD video with stereo sound, and can create time-lapse movies in-camera. There is a built-in HDR mode that will automatically combine three shots taken at different exposures for enhanced dynamic range.
Key Features
- 50.6 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with optical low-pass cancellation filter
- 3.2inch screen, 1040k dot resolution
- 61-point AF system, iTR, -2EV
- 150K Pixel RGB+IR metring sensor
- Dual DIGIC 6 processors
- SD / CF card slots
- ISO100- ISO6400, expanded to ISO50 to ISO12800
- Mirror Vibration Control System
- 1:1, 1.3x, 1.6x crop modes
- 5fps continuous shooting
- 150,000 shutter life rating
- Dual-axis electronic level
- 700 shot battery life
- USB3.0 socket
- Magnesium alloy weather sealed body
Canon EOS 5DS R Handling
The Canon EOS 5DS R features the trustworthy design and handling of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, with a slightly updated finish, and a slight golden sheen to the camera body along with a red R makes the camera standout as slightly more exclusive than your more "run of the mill" 5DS. Build quality is excellent, as you would expect on a £3000+ camera, and the camera's body is weather sealed. The camera has a thicker chassis and tripod socket than found on the 5D Mark III. There are people still shooting with the 10-year-old Canon EOS 5D Mark I, so there's no reason why this camera shouldn't last as long or indeed longer.
The full-frame Canon DSLRs is quite heavy, however with a large handgrip covered in textured rubber you can get a good grip on the camera. There is a textured rubber area on the left of the camera as well. The ports on the side of the camera are updated to include: Mic, HDMI, USB3, flash, remote sockets, along with additional screw holes to attach future accessories.
The 5DS R features the same 61 point AF system as the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, and the focus points cover a reasonable area of the frame, covering the full width of the APS-C 1.6x crop mode. Focus is possible in low light conditions down to -2 EV and up to 18 EV. The optical viewfinder is large (with 0.71x magnification), and clear with a large rubber surround, as well as dioptre adjustment. The 3.2inch screen is large, clear, and bright with a good resolution of 1040K dots and viewing angles are good, although the refresh rate in live view could be quicker and is set at 30fps.
The buttons, controls and layout will be familiar to anyone who has used other Canon DSLRs with numerous external buttons and controls. This makes it quick to change settings, thanks to the top illuminated LCD display giving shooting information at a glance, as well as showing options as you change them, so that you don't have to resort to looking at the rear screen, or enter the menus.
The Canon EOS 5DS R, like other Canon EOS cameras, has a logical and neatly arranged menu system with colour coded sections, letting you change additional settings and options. The large number of buttons and controls on the camera mean you can change settings quickly without entering the menus, and the Q button makes it easy to change settings on the rear screen - the options here can be customised so you have quick access to your favourite settings. There is built-in help that can be accessed by pressing the INFO button, although studying the manual is recommended to fully understand all of the options. A new comparative playback function lets you zoom in and view images side-by-side on the rear screen in playback, making it easy to see which image is correctly in focus.
Along with a variety of focus options in the menu system, there are auto focus (AF) scenarios built into the camera so that you can choose the most appropriate for your shooting situation. The choices optimise the following three options: Tracking sensitivity, Acceleration / Deceleration Tracking, and AF point auto switching - each can be increased or decreased +/-2.
Battery life - Battery life is rated at 700 shots according to Canon / CIPA test results, which is good, although doesn't match the 950 shots that the 5D Mark III offered. Battery life can be extended with the optional battery grip, and the camera is compatible with the 5D Mark III battery grip.
Canon EOS 5DS R Performance
The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.
Speed - We took a number of shots to test the camera's responsiveness, from switch on to first photo, shot to shot, focusing speed etc. We take a number of shots and then use the average to ensure accurate and consistent tests, making it easy to compare with other cameras.
| Shutter Response | 0.05secs |
| Wide - Focus / Shutter Response | 0.3secs |
| Full zoom - Focus / Shutter Response | 0.15secs |
| Switch on Time to Taking a Photo | 0.8secs |
| Shot to Shot without Flash | 0.35secs |
| Shot to Shot with Flash | N/A |
| Continuous Shooting - JPEG (shots before slow down) |
5fps (26 shots) |
| Continuous Shooting - Flash | N/A |
| Continuous Shooting - RAW | 5fps (12 shots) |
Tested with the 16-35mm lens, with lens aberation correction enabled and disabled (with the same results), and a Toshiba 1066x UDMA7 EXCERIA PRO CompactFlash card, as well as a high speed SD card (with the same number of shots possible before slowdown on both cards the same).
Canon EOS 5DS R Sample Photos
Sample Photos - The camera produces photos with good colour, pleasing skin tones and lots of detail. Exposure is reliable and dynamic range is reasonably good, although to boost shadow areas you can adjust the "Auto Lighting Optimiser" setting. Using the HDR mode there are a number of options available, from natural to artistic, or alternatively you can process the raw files to recover any lost highlight or shadow detail.
Canon EOS 5DS R Lens test images
Lens Performance - Using the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM, Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, and Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM lenses, we were able to take sharp detailed images. Built in lens aberration correction will correct for peripheral illumination (vignetting) plus chromatic aberration for Canon lenses where the camera has correction data available. As a result vignetting and chromatic aberration / purple fringing is very low and should not cause any problems. JPEG images range in size between 15MB and 28MB, and raw files can be between 60MB and 73MB, and a large and fast memory card is recommended.
Canon EOS 5DS R ISO test images
ISO Noise Performance - For the lowest noise and best detail possible we would recommend using ISO50 to ISO1600, as images have low levels of noise and good levels of detail. For lower light situations ISO3200 still provides good results, although noise increases and detail is reduced. At ISO6400 noise levels become strong and we would recommend avoiding this setting if possible, although results may still be useful if resized and used on the web. ISO12800 is best avoided as noise is high, and detail is reduced. Shooting using the extended ISO mode of ISO50 results in an image with lower dynamic range making it easier to experience blown and overexposed highlights.
Canon EOS 5DS R White-balance test images
White Balance Performance - Auto White Balance (AWB) performs well under tungsten lighting, with the tungsten preset giving a more accurate result. AWB performs very well under fluorescent lights, with the fluorescent preset giving a slight magenta colour cast. Options include Auto White Balance Ambient and White priority.
Canon EOS 5DS R Digital filters
Digital Filters - There are a number of preset picture styles available, along with three custom picture styles that can be setup with your own preferences. The options available include Sharpness (strength, fineness, threshold), contrast, saturation, and colour tone. Auto lighting optimiser boosts shadow detail, and there is a "Highlight Tone Priority" option to avoid blown highlights. A built in HDR shooting mode is available that combines a number of shots for enhance dynamic range, and there are several options available for a more natural effect, or alternatively for a more artistic result.
Video - The Canon EOS 5DS R has a number of video options, including Movie Servo AF, AF tracking, Grid display, Time code, Silent control, Time-lapse movie, Microphone level, plus Wind filter / attenuator options. The highest ISO available in video mode is ISO6400. For professional video recording, you may be better off with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, as this has a headphone socket as well as clean HDMI out. Canon explain that clean HDMI wasn't included with the 5DS and R due to an increased chance of moire and skewing.
Value For Money
The Canon EOS 5DS R is available for £3199, which makes it just £200 more expensive than the Canon EOS 5DS (at £2999). This makes the 5DS and 5DS R the cheapest 50 megapixel cameras available. Alternatives available include:
Nikon D810, 36mp, 5fps continuous shooting, £2349 body only
Sony Alpha A7R-II, 42.4mp, 5fps continuous shooting, £2599 body only
Pentax 645Z, 50mp, 3fps continuous shooting, £6799 body only
Have a look at more DSLRs in our Top 10 Best Digital SLRs. You'll also need to buy a (large) memory card and a case or bag to keep your camera safe and protected - have a look at our complete guide to camera bags.
Canon EOS 5DS R Verdict
If you have the desire to take extremely high resolution images, then the Canon EOS 5DS R is one of the most affordable 50 megapixel cameras available. Whether you should purchase the 5DS R or the 5DS will mostly depend on how worried you are about potential moire problems. However, in our opinion, to get the best results, we would recommend going for the 5DS R, as the camera has the edge when it comes to producing sharp detailed images, something that is particularly useful for Canon EOS DSLRs, which traditionally tend to opt for a softer image (straight from the camera) when compared to other manufacturers. Thankfully the new Fine Detail mode and additional sharpening options have been added to improve results straight from the camera, as well as get the most from the high resolution sensor.
You could also look at the Canon EOS 5DS, which is slightly cheaper, although if you can afford it, then it would make sense to go with the 5DS R, as the ability to capture a little bit more detail, and take slightly sharper images is well worth the effort. Those who wish to record video with the 5DS R will be slightly disappointed at the downgrading of options compared to the 5D Mark III, with no headphone socket available, as well as the lack of clean HDMI out.
To get the best results from the camera, you are advised to ensure that you are using the best lenses available to you, and will also benefit from improving your photographic technique, which could include shooting with a tripod, ensuring shutter speeds are kept higher than usual, shoot in raw, ensure correct focus, use the self-timer and / or mirror lock-up feature. You'll also benefit from investing in large, high speed memory cards, as well as ensuring your computer (and backup solution) has ample storage as needed. Another factor to consider is that due to the high resolution sensor, the camera does not gives as wide a range of ISO settings as other (lower resolution) cameras, and if you're regularly shooting in low light conditions (without a tripod), then you'll need to be aware of this.
With the right lenses, and the right technique, the Canon EOS 5DS R delivers impressive image quality, and is offers excellent value for money.
The Canon EOS 5DS R offers impressive levels of detail for an excellent price.