Why You Might Want To Pay Attention to the Canon R5 Mark II Rumors Swirling

They say a broken clock gets the time right twice a day, and if you repeat the line, “Canon is set to announce a new camera here soon” every quarter, you’re probably likely to be right more times than not. Unlike clocks with twelve hours and 720 minutes to go through though, Canon—as well as many other camera manufacturers like Sony, Blackmagic, Panasonic, Fujifilm, and more seem to be dropping new camera announcements and updates multiple times a year.

With the last new Canon camera news being a few weeks old with the Canon R100 (the brand’s smallest, lightest and cheapest camera yet), it should come as no surprise that rumors of another, bigger, better camera are beginning to emerge.

The latest news, from both Canon Watch and Canon Rumors seems to indicate that a Canon EOS R5 Mark II is indeed on the horizon, and it might be here sooner than you’d think. Let’s take a look at these rumors and explore the three reasons you might want to pay close attention to this potential new flagship Canon camera.

The Flagship of Flagships

Now, this is an arguable point indeed, but I would contend that it’s long been the dominant opinion in the video world that Canon’s flagship camera is the de facto flagship of flagships in the industry. Dating back to the huge popularity of the Canon EOS 5D and its decade-long-run as the best DSLR for both photo and video, Canon has established itself as one of—if not the—biggest brands in the video space.

When Canon released the 8K capable EOS R5 back in 2020, it further cemented the brand as the bellwether of video as one of the first major manufacturers to offer 8K at a relatively affordable price point and with an easy-to-use mirrorless design.

Now though, the field is much more crowded again and the market feels pretty much wide open. There are great cameras and tons of 8K and 6K mirrorless options out there from a myriad of brands all with loyal followings. However, Canon knows the market and their ability to capture their share of it, so if they do push for it they’re certainly capable of grabbing the lead again.

Two New Cameras Could Replace One

This makes it interesting that these rumors seem to report that we’re perhaps not actually getting just one new Canon camera, but two. According to Canon Rumors sources, the manufacturer may release two EOS R5 replacement bodies. One could, of course, be this newly-anticipated EOS R5 Mark II and the other could be a new “unicorn” high-megapixel EOS R5 variant.

However, much remains to be seen as to what would actually separate these two cameras. More importantly, what different included features would decide who these cameras are for? It could make sense that a higher-megapixel EOS R5 might be more focused on photography than video, whereas a true Mark II might be just an upgraded R5 with better video features.

Based on the success of the Canon EOS R5 C, which obliterated the line between photography and cinema with Canon’s workhorse video camera, it might be a bit of a reach to expect insanely higher specs or features from the R5 Mark II. Yet, with new technologies like camera-to-cloud and even AI quickly making their way into day-to-day video production, it’s not out of the imagination to see Canon doubling down on either of those new techs in a new camera. 

The Last Great Generation of Cameras?

For the past several years the digital photo and video camera world has been a non-stop blitz of innovations and releases. Hardly a quarter goes by without one brand releasing a camera with a higher pixel count or more powerful sensor.

Yet, on the cusp of so many AI innovations and other remote and virtual workflows being unlocked, it might be time to start asking the question about where this new technology might eventually lead. Will new, more powerful cameras always be the way of the future?

Or is the industry heading into a realm where smaller, cheaper, and easier-to-use cameras are the preference?

Or are we heading into a bold new future where cameras aren’t even needed at all?

If AI does indeed take us into a dark new tunnel of video, these last few flagship cameras from some of our favorite brands might end up being the last great generation of cameras before the industry shifts completely. This means your purchases today and in the near future might end up being your last ones ever.

How do you feel though? Are you excited about a new Canon R5 Mark II? What specs or features would you want to see included?

Let us know all your thoughts in the comments below.