EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II will not Feature Global Shutter

Rumors have been swirling about whether Canon will add global shutters to its upcoming EOS R5 Mark II and flagship EOS R1 mirrorless cameras after Sony unveiled the feature in its new a9 III. However, a highly reliable source has told us that Canon will not be going the global shutter route, at least not yet.

Canon previously showed off a couple of 19MP full-frame global shutter sensors last year, but they were intended for industrial applications, not consumer gear. While Canon did have a global shutter in its now discontinued C700 GS cinema camera, our source says neither the R5 II nor R1 will have the feature.

Instead, Canon will rely on faster sensor readouts to reduce rolling shutter distortion to imperceptible levels, while maintaining maximum image quality. In fact, our source claims Canon’s next-gen sensors will bring bigger performance leaps than we’ve seen in past upgrades.

Sony touted its global shutter as removing any rolling shutter effect and allowing flash sync speeds up to 1/200s on the a9 III. It seems they’ve managed to solve issues like lowered dynamic range and noise that past global shutters have struggled with.

But Canon apparently feels its upcoming sensors will be advanced enough to close the gap without the compromises of current global shutter implementations. The source states that advances in readout speeds will minimize rolling shutter to the point that global shutter advantages become less critical.

So while Sony is taking the full leap into global shutters, Canon will stick with its traditional sensor design for now. The focus will remain on pushing speed and image quality as far as possible through its trusted technology.

This suggests confidence that Canon can match or exceed Sony’s benchmark speeds without a radical sensor overhaul. We’ll have to wait and see if they can deliver on those promises when the EOS R5 II and EOS R1 arrive.

Rumored for launch in Q1 2024, likely at CP+ in late February, both cameras will go head-to-head with the new Sony a9 III. It should make for an exciting showdown between the industry giants and their different approaches to sensor tech.

But if Canon’s new generation of sensors lives up to its expectations, the lack of a global shutter may not be a detriment after all. We look forward to seeing how it compares when the curtain lifts on the upcoming EOS R5 II and R1 models next year.

via: CR