[Buying Advice] - switching from APS-C Nikon F to FF Canon RF

[PeterFR]

Dear Community,

I live in France, and I recently had the opportunity to buy a brand new RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM lens for a little bit less than 2000 euros.

It seems to me like a crazy amount of money because I come from à 1000 euros D7100 bought in 2013 (I’m 30yo now) which I use with a Tokina 11-16 F2.8 which cost me approx. 300 euros. I also own both low-cost Nikon DX lenses (10-20 and 55-200) which Ken Rockwell praises for their perf/price ratio and lightness. I own other lenses (10.5 fisheye, 100mm 2.8 E, 35 f.18, 50 f1.8, 18-140 and sigma 150-600 Art ) but, in the end, my total system cost is no more than 3500 euros.

So, I took the decision to throw a lot of money into the RF system by buying this dream wide angle lens, and I'm trying to convince myself that it's not a bad idea because then I will keep my lenses for at least 10 years or even more!

So now I must buy the camera and I'm hesitating between a brand new R62 (2300 euros), a new R5 (3200 euros), or a used R5 (around 2400 euros with 12 000 clicks). I also perfectly know that the value of the camera after some years is going to be very low (in fact near 0), which is not going to be the case for the RF experts/pro lenses. So, knowing this, maybe I should also consider the R8 ...

Anyways, I'm currently thinking that this used R5 with just 12 000 clicks (and in very good shape) for 2400 euros is a very good deal. But I'm also hesitating because it’s a 4-year-old camera that is about to get replaced. I do believe that it’s the worst moment for buying an R5 (maybe I’m wrong). I don't like the idea of spending so much on a device that is going to get replaced very soon. Really, I don’t feel comfortable at all making this move.

About what I do:

I love the experience of composing pictures (choosing what to include/exclude etc.).

I also spend a lot of time adjusting my picture RAW on Adobe Camera Raw, editing the light/color but also merging picture for panorama and stacking tones from multiples shot of the same scene. I’ve seen that the R62 can perform in-body stacking of focus bracketing shots, it seems very interesting.

Also, I love to explore HDR photography, with the latest update of adobe suite in this domain I'm now able to convert to HDR spectrum the highlights of my Nikon D7100 pictures. That's great and it looks stunning when I display it on a compatible display (oled or microled). I’ve seen that Canon make this possible in their camera, but I’ve never used it.

But I also intend to print some wide landscape photography of 1.5 meters (probably in 21/9 ratio). So, in this regard the 45mp of the R5 seems appealing, but I know how to make panorama. And panorama of multiple 24mp shot will still exceed single 45mp shot.

And finally, I would like to improve my astro photography (I don't know if it's the right English word, but I think you get it). I leave in the French Alps and it's easy for me to take my car after work and drive for 30 minutes, then walk 30 minutes to reach a good spot and start taking picture of the stars and the milky way. I would really love to improve in this domain, and I feel like the big pixels of the 24mp sensor of the R6 could be a huge advantage over the "small" pixels of the 45mp sensor of the R5.

As of now, I'm convinced that I need to choose the camera with the best sensor for ISO handling and Dynamic Range, but I don't know which is the best between R5 and R62 ?

So maybe you can help a little bit with your experience and your own appreciation of things.

Tanks a lot !

[justadude]

Hello Peter!  Welcome to the Canon community!

I faced the same decision over these two models back in November.  The R5 with 45MP sounded great, but the newer technology of the R6 Mk ll sounded just as nice... so it was a tough decision for me.  Ended up with the R6 Mk ll, and I love it!

I can't tell you about the dynamic range of the R5.  I can tell you I do a lot of astrophotography with the R6 Mk ll, and I am very impressed with it.  I hope that information helps.

[PeterFR]

Well Thank for your feedback !

Do you still use single point focus ? I feel like if I go for R6m2 I will try to stop using single point focus and rely on the software to choose for me. I mean it's one of the selling point of the camera "intelligent auto focus".

[Tronhard]

Regarding focusing methodology.  I think a lot depends on what you shoot under what conditions.  The R6II certainly has an improved focusing system over previous units and for a lot of applications is likely to be the best starting point.

For myself, as a wildlife shooter, who finds a lot of animals hidden in trees or areas of high-contrast light and shade, the focusing system is distracted, even with animal eye focus on, by foliage, shadows, combined with the natural camouflage of the subjects.   That said, it is a very specific application.  I would suggest you start off in default mode and experiment, especially the French Alps are relatively sparsely covered in vegetation.

[justadude]

What type of focus I use depends entirely on what I am shooting.  Most of my work involves night skies, landscapes, cityscapes, and other stationary subjects.  I'll either use manual focus (nighttime) or single point focus for those.

I also do a lot of street photography, event photography, and marathon photography.  For things like this I use auto focus, servo mode, whole screen.  The R6 Mk ll does a fantastic job on things like this.  Occasionally I want all of this but instead of searching the whole screen, I just want the AF Servo looking at only a certain section of the screen.  Perfect example would be when I am standing behind the finish line of a race and I don't want to zoom in on individual runners.  The top third of the frame is open sky and tops of buildings, the bottom third is the street leading to the finish line.  Off to the left are spectators - and I don't want the AF looking at these people instead of the runners.  The custom menu functions allow me to move the search area to the middle third, and ignore the left side.  This forces the AF Servo to look only where I want it.  

While this exact scenario probably doesn't apply to you, there might be other scenarios for your style of shooting where you want to move the custom settings wherever you want the intelligent auto focus to look, and where you don't want it to.  It's a great feature.  

[ebiggs1]

If you are happy with what you are getting from the gear you have then, ... why? Keep doing what you are doing and using what you have save your money. Any newer tech should be better by theory, right? The real decision you need to make is is it enough better to spend the coin. 

" I recently had the opportunity to buy a brand new RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM lens ..."

OK there is no decision here, if you want this lens you will need a Canon mirrorless camera, period.

"... and sigma 150-600 Art ..."

Just for clarity, there is no "Art" Sigma super zoom only the C model and S model neither belong to the Art series of Siggy lenses.

[PeterFR]

"...Just for clarity, there is no "Art" Sigma super zoom only the C model and S model..."

Yes, you are right it's the most basic one, the C. I mention this lens because it makes sens to keep it in combination with my D7100 to benefit from the x1.5 crop factor.

My decision to buy this new stuff is also motivated by the fact that I now desire to own a top-level lens with a full frame camera. I mean I want to give myself this opportunity for reasons that I don't exactly understand.

I just believe it makes sense to come from the 2010s era of expert APS-C DSLR like the D7100 (which was a good price/performance ratio) and at some point, in life to move to the full frame (of course if we have the money ...). And I'm motivated by the fact that Canon is still producing this kind of gear domestically in Japan.

But I get your point and I'm convinced that upgrading from a D7100 to R5 is not worth the price, simply because it's too much expensive, even more in Europe (I guess it's a little bit different in USA where salary if you have degrees are not on the same level).

[ebiggs1]

If you Sigma C super zoom is made for a Nikon D7100, it will not work on a Canon R series camera nor will any other brand-N lenses.

[shadowsports]

Welcome PeterFR,

A decision like this might be a lot easier for you than it would be for me.  Especially true if you've never owned a high MP camera.  

The R62 is a fantastic camera and offers many of Canon's best / latest features.  Although the R5 is a bit older now, it remains one of the most popular camera's Canon has ever made.  Did it have some hiccups on release with heat, yes, but it has been largely mitigated with firmware. Its a solid performer for stills and even today still represents a great value.  

Before mirrorless I shot with a 6D2.  After 5 seriously great years of ownership I purchased the R5 C.  That was 2 years ago today 🎉.  One thing I don't miss about the 6D2 was my 26.2 MPs.  I'm not sure if I could ever own a camera under 36MP.  I love the detail of 45MP and really, this is the only reason I haven't purchased an R3 and am unlikely to purchase the R1.  

Megapixels and resolution aren't everything and honestly, the capability of the 24MP in the R62 is nothing to shake a stick at.  If you have been satisfied with the image quality of a 24MP sensor, the R62 is going to be just as nice, (actually a little better), but the features it brings to the table will far surpass the D7100.  The quality of your images will be better, because the in camera processing & technology is more advanced.  An image that might have been slightly out of focus before, likely won't be with a newer body.  It's gong to see more, focus better and faster.  Of course technique plays a role too.  You cannot buy yourself into photography.  Sure good equipment helps, but one still needs to understand the basics.  I usually tell people higher end gear enhances the enjoyment you as a photographer get when shooting. 

The RF15-35 f2.8 will pair nicely with either body.  For panoramas and landscapes its hard to beat.  For your individual situation, the R62 is probably the better option.  

Canon R5 vs Canon R6 II Detailed Comparison (cameradecision.com)

[Tronhard]

Bonjour PeterFR and welcome to the forum!

You obviously have a fair amount of experience and know what you want to produce - both of which are very helpful to us in trying to assist you.

Both the R5 and R6 series are great cameras: I have both versions of the R6 and an R5, and can heartily join the chorus of people who praise each for its strengths.  Here are the pro's and con's as I understand them.

The R5, new, is quite a bit more expensive.  However, with the pending release of the R5II that should come down in price accordingly, if you are prepared to wait a while.  On the other hand, an R5 with only 12,000 actuations: as long as everything works and is in good condition, is still going to perform like new and it seems to bring down the price significantly for you.  Really, these cameras are solidly constructed.
The R6II is the most recent of the higher-end bodies (leaving the new R5C aside) and while it has fewer MP, it does have a better dynamic range - I my tests on the 20MP sensor of the original R6 aligned with reviewers who gave it about 1EV better dynamic range performance over the 45MP R5, and the newer 24MP sensor on the R6II seems even better.   Given you are comfortable with stitching images together to get very detailed, large images, that dynamic range benefit might be significant for both scenic and astro photography.  Certainly, the R6II has a slightly improved focusing system.

Canon have apparently got several new bodies in the pipeline, but have yet to officially announce them.  General consensus is that there is an R5II in the list, with some even suggesting an upgraded R6III - which, to me, seems less likely, considering how new that body is, but you never know...

Personally, I would go for the R6II and enjoy the benefits of the dynamic range.