Rumors have been swirling about Canon’s plans for their next generation of full-frame mirrorless cameras, the EOS R5 Mark II and EOS R1. This comes on the heels of Sony’s recent announcement of the a9 III, which features a game-changing global shutter sensor. Many wondered if Canon would follow suit with global shutters in their upcoming cameras. However, based on insider information, it appears Canon will take a different approach.
According to an extremely reliable source, Canon will not be implementing global shutters in either the R5 II or R1 models. Rather, they will focus on readout speeds fast enough to match the advantages of a global shutter. This suggests the new sensors will have massive performance leaps over previous generations. By foregoing a global shutter, Canon aims to maintain expected image quality improvements in their flagship and high-end prosumer camera lines.
Canon previously utilized a global shutter in their discontinued C700 GS cinema camera. More global shutter cinema models are likely coming in 2024. However, Canon seems to feel the trade-offs are not worth it for photography-focused cameras like the R5 II and R1. Challenges with global shutters include potential image artifacts, resolution limitations, and sensor heating issues. It remains to be seen if Sony has resolved these challenges in the new a9 III once it gets into photographers’ hands.
Canon made waves in December 2022 by showcasing two 19MP full-frame global shutter sensors intended for industrial applications. But these LI5030SAI and LI5030SAN sensors were clearly not designed for consumer cameras. This further evidenced Canon’s reluctance to debut global shutters in their prosumer and professional stills camera lines.
With the R5 II and R1 rumored to be announced in Q1 2024, likely at February’s CP+ show, anticipation will remain high. Canon will need to deliver substantial improvements in readout speed and rolling shutter reduction to match Sony’s global shutter advantage. But by sticking with traditional sensor architectures, they aim to push image quality and low light performance to new heights. For now, Canon is betting that their next-gen sensor technologies will keep pace with Sony’s headline-grabbing global shutter, at least for photography applications. Look for more rumors to leak as development progresses on these hotly anticipated mirrorless cameras.
via: CR