Canon 5DS R Field Test Part II: Cranking up the ISO and checking out timelapse video
posted Friday, October 2, 2015 at 4:56 PM EST
It's been awhile since Part I, but I've now had an opportunity to take the Canon 5DS R out for some more field testing, and this time around I put the camera in a less-than-favorable scenario: high ISOs. Indeed, this high-res 50-megapixel sensor, despite being a full-frame sensor, has extremely tiny individual pixels. Its pixel pitch and resulting high ISO performance is similar to that of the 7D Mark II -- which has an APS-C sensor -- according to Canon.
The Canon 5DS R and 5DS are primarily tools for capturing a maximum amount of detail at lower ISOs -- this is a camera that thrives primarily as a landscape, portrait, architectural or studio camera. With a maximum native ISO of just 6400 and an expanded ISO of 12,800, it's certainly a few steps behind its other full-frame siblings like the 5D Mark III and many of its competitors like the Sony A7R II -- both of which have a maximum expanded ISO of 102,400. However, the 7D Mark II did very well for its class of camera at high ISOs, and I reckon the 5DS R can handle low light situations in a decent manner as well.
Another aspect in which the 5DS R splits off from other EOS camera is with video. Despite the high price tag and professional user base, the 5DS R was not designed with video in mind as a major use-case. It lacks a number of pro-friendly features that earlier EOS cameras, such as the 5D Mark III and 7D Mark II, include. Despite this, the 5DS R does have a trick up its proverbial sleeve, and that's an in-camera timelapse video mode -- a first for an EOS camera.
In my second and final Field Test, I spent some time testing the Canon 5DS R's high ISO capabilities as well as its video modes, performance and cool new timelapse video feature. For all the details, sample images and videos, head over to my Canon 5DS R Field Test Part II. Be sure to jump over to the 5DS R Gallery Page for additional real-world sample images, including RAW files.
