Canon India recently announced its latest flagship mirrorless camera series, the EOS R5 and R6 in the market. As per the announcement, it also shared details regarding the price in India and the availability of the series in the country. Recapping the information shared during the announcement, the company noted that both the series will go on sale next month. The R5 will be priced at Rs 3,39,995 while the R6 will amount to Rs 2,15,995. After the launch, we sat with the Director of Image Communication Products, C Sukumaran to talk about the new products. Let’s check out the questions around the Canon EOS R5 and R6 with the official responses here. Also Read – Canon EOS R5 and R6 launched in India with 8K video recording, in-body stabilization, and more
C Sukumaran chimes in on the Canon EOS R5 launch; details
As part of the conversation, we started off with the positioning of Canon EOS R5 in the mirrorless camera market. For some context, the EOS R5 features a number of firstsc for the mirrorless market with top-of-the-line specifications. Considering the features, Sukumaran confirmed that the smartphone will target professional video creators. He also noted that Canon has focused on the video aspects of the R5. This will ensure that the user can shoot both videos and images using the same camera. Professionals won’t have to buy a secondary camera that complements their primary camera while taking better videos or vice-versa. Also Read – Canon EOS 1DX Mark III launched in India at Rs 575,995; specifications
Some of the marquee features that enabled this include 8K video recording, 4K at 120fps, and more. Beyond the 120fps option for slow-motion video recording, Canon also added support for other commonly used FPS options, and more for wedding photographers. Sukumaran also noted that the R5 will also cater to OTT platforms and content producers during the lockdown. We also asked about some clarifications on the differences between the EOS R5 and the R6. Sukumaran outlined the more obvious differences in the specifications including the sensor resolution, 8K video recording capabilities, and more. Also Read – Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II and PowerShot G7 X Mark III launched in India: Price, Features
Differences between the R5 and the R6
Beyond the highlighted differences, Canon India Assistant Director, Jaikumar Pillai also shared some information on some hidden differences. Pillai noted that the R5 comes with a 500,000 shutter cycle and the R6 features 300,000 shutter cycles. This means that R5 will last almost twice as long in comparison to the R6. Other important differences include CF Express support and card slot on R5 along with better weather sealing. Pillai noted that the R5 features weather sealing that is identical to that on the EOS 5D DSLR cameras. Moving to the EOS R6, we get weather-sealing that is comparable to the EOS 6D series.
Journey to the 8K, future products, and COVID
We also wanted to get some idea about how Canon managed to achieve 8K video recording in such a form-factor. However, instead of talking about R&D, Sukumaran shared the idea behind the “why” of adding 8K as a feature. The “why” is primarily focused on addressing the needs of professional consumers regarding a compact, video-capable camera system. Canon has aimed at the customer needs for the coming years instead of focusing on the here and the now. This will ensure that photographers and video producers are satisfied with the product through-out its self-life.
Moving beyond the R5 and R6, we also tried to gather some information about the rumors on unreleased devices. This includes the EOS R7, the RS, and the future of the affordable M-series devices. But, the company did not share any information regarding the future device lineup during the interaction. Sukumaran did highlight that Canon India holds a deep understanding of its consumers. The company holds multiple surveys to make sure that it can craft products around the needs of the consumer. It also ensures that the R&D centers can anticipate and fulfill the current and future needs of the customers.
The conversation naturally drifted to the current scenario in the country around coronavirus. We thought that launching a camera product during such a challenging time was somewhat surprising. Sukumaran shared some interesting insights around the decision to launch the new EOS R series. He did note that the pandemic has had a major, industry-wide impact on the users. But, at the same time, a number of photographers and casual users are buying the products for their vlogging or from-home video YouTube content. This is likely due to the image quality that Canon cameras offer to their customers.
New avenues and evolving needs of the customers
Sukumaran admitted that that casual users can’t compensate for the sales numbers from the professional crowd. However, he did note that the rise of the YouTubers or hobbyist was good for the industry. He also noted that the pandemic has pushed the photographers and the crowd to innovate. This innovation and necessary evolution of the wedding industry is pushing Canon to stay ready for the future and its needs.
One example of evolution is the need to live-stream videos to friends and family members during the wedding. Most customers have realized that smartphones are insufficient to tackle this new need. Towards the end, Sukumaran did note that the company was only guessing the next steps in this situation. Beyond this, all it can do is to stay prepared.