Comparing All Four Canon Mirrorless Cameras for Portraiture: EOS RP, R, R6, and R5

Canon took their merry time about diving into the mirrorless camera space, but now they are fully submerged. Their four mirrorless bodies each come at distinct price points, but how well does the price of these cameras represent their quality?

I was frustrated when Canon hadn’t released any mirrorless bodies. After trying a mirrorless Leica some years back, I was sold enough on their benefits that I wanted one, but struggled to justify the price of a Leica. I had been shooting with Canon as my workhorse body for the best part of a decade, and although I had no reason to have brand loyalty, I did have a collection of Canon glass. Nevertheless, I knew Canon would have to bring out a new mount for mirrorless, so in essence, changing brand was going to require an adaptor all the same.

I eventually moved to Sony, which I don’t regret for a second, but I still shoot with Canon on occasion and have kept several lenses I refuse to sell. However, the release of the Canon R5 and R6 really pricked my ears up. The EOS RP and R were half measures to my eye, not remotely appealing enough to jump ship, and probably not appealing enough for me to even purchase them had I have stayed in Canon’s ecosystem. But the R5 and R6 are different beasts entirely, with impressive spec sheets, boasting cutting edge performance in places.

In this video, Irene Rudnyk, a superb portrait photographer, tests each body for portrait photography. This isn’t a technical comparison, but rather a use-case.

Which body would you go for? Is the R5 the standout winner, or do some of the more cost-effective options make more sense?

Credits: FStoppers