Canon 5DS R Field Test Part I: Big sensor, big resolution, big responsibility
posted Thursday, August 13, 2015 at 6:07 PM EDT
After posting up a big selection of real-world gallery photos, I've finally been able to write up my daytime experience shooting with the new 50.6-megapixel Canon 5DS R. In Part I of my Canon 5DS R Field Test, I primarily focused on the design and ergonomics -- spoiler alert, it's basically a 5D Mark III in basic design -- as well as the image quality at low to mid-level ISOs.
Given the 50.6MP full-frame sensor, the pixel-pitch of the 5DS R and 5DS cameras is similar to that of the 7D Mark II's 20.2MP APS-C sensor. As such, the high ISO performance is more limited compared to Canon's other full-frame DSLRs and is more on-par with the 7D Mark II. So, for my Part I installment, I decided to focus on capturing images primarily at lower ISOs to give readers a sense of the imaging prowess of this new camera, in terms of sheer resolution and detail.
Bringing along a set of sharp Canon L-series lenses, with the massive 400mm f/2.8L IS II being perhaps the sharpest Canon lens in our current arsenal, I set about capturing a range of landscapes, nature and other wildlife photos. The 5DS R and 400mm f/2.8 is an absolutely stunning -- if a bit heavy and awkward -- combination, and long story short, the images captured by the 5DS R can be stunning! But, the 50MP sensor makes watching your technique all the more critical, long lens or otherwise.
For more gallery photos as well as a discussion on the 5DS R's image quality and noise at mid-level ISOs, AF and burst shooting performance, plus the risk of moiré inherent in the R's low-pass filter cancelling design, check out my Canon 5DS R Field Test Part I for all the details. For all of my full-resolution real-world photos, including straight-from-camera JPEGs and RAW files, be sure to click over to our Canon 5DS R Gallery Page.
And stay tuned for Part II where I'll explore the 5DS R's higher ISO performance as well as the camera's video quality and featureset. If you have any question or comments for things you'd like to see me test for my upcoming Part II, be sure to leave a comment below!
