I've read multiple posts here about noisy pictures from an R5 and would just like to share my experience with this issue.
Like many others, I moved from a 5D mk4, that I loved, to an R5 because of reviews I read about how amazing it is. I lots of respects that is 100% true for me also. If nothing else the eye-detect autofocus is absolutely unbelievable.
However, my R5 produces the most pretty dreadful noise at anything above about iso 800. I had seen multiple replies to queries about how this can't be true, it's something the user is likely doing wrong, the R5 is the best thing since sliced bread etc. So me being a scientist and a Canon user of over 30 years decided to conduct my own experiments to understand my own issues.
Reset the camera totally to factory settings, set up on a tripod, focused on the same point on a plant on a window sill and snapped away using the holy trinity of lenses, namely 15-35 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8, 70-200 f2.8. All L series lenses, which as you know, are spectacular! Tested 3 f stops for each, 2.8, 5.6, 16 and the limits of the zoom for each e.g. 15mm and 35mm etc.. Maintained the same exposure using a combination of iso and shutter speed. I varied the iso from 100 to 51200 and altered the shutter to maintain exposure. Shot in RAW. So in total I took over 500 pictures in RAW and compared in PS zoomed to 100%.
As I knew, noise was very obvious at iso 800 but not too bad, but at 2500 it was borderline but nasty in the shadows, at 8000 I found the pictures to be totally unacceptable. Aperture and lens seem to have no impact on the noise levels, reproducible between each lens, aperture and focal length.
I can't say how disappointed I am with this aspect of the R5. I so much want to love this camera, it has so many outstanding features, but this noise issue has just left me wishing for my 5D again. Is it possible that, like cars, there are just some 'lemons'? If so, I'm done making lemonade!
