This has been an excellent upgrade to my 5-year-old Canon R5.
Almost everything has been improved. The auto-focus, which was previously very good, is now exceptional, finding a distant face and an eye, then locking on tenaciously.
Electronic shutter is now the default and works seamlessly at up to 30 frames per second with no downside or visible rolling shutter. There is no reason now to use mechanical shutter.
The auto-focus setup has changed significantly from the R5 (and the original R). In some ways it’s simple, but with so many options, can be more confusing. Do experiment and see what works for you.
Video capabilities are also enhanced with new codecs and resolution options. There is some good material available on the web to help your selection. But do some initial testing with your chosen editing software.
The menu system has also changed with familiar settings moved around a little and many extra features and customisation options. But all the tweaks have improved the camera. A simple example when shooting video, I like to use auto audio with just the in-built microphone, but manual with external mics. The R5 Mk. 2 now provides separate audio setup to achieve this. There are many other helpful enhancements like this.
Be warned, this is a camera rich with features and functions. The user-manual has gone from 950 pages for the R5 to 1,400 for the Mk. 2. Do download this as a PDF from the Canon site as it makes it easily searched. Also spend some time with some excellent Setup videos available on YouTube. It’s worth the effort.
Two minor issues: I previously used third-party batteries from Duracell and Small Rig with my R5. These didn’t work with the R5 Mk. 2. However; the latest Small Rig E6P-C26 battery does without issue. The other issue is the really poorly designed hot-shoe cover which is almost impossible to remove. My suggestion is put it back in the box and use a third-party cover.
