The 50.6 megapixel monster —Canon 5DS R.

Offering what amounts to medium-format quality in a DSLR body is a truly remarkable accomplishment. For those seeking extra “pop” or who like to crop, this camera delivers. The full-frame sensor captures massive amounts of detail due to its pixel density and low-pass filter rendered neutral.

With all those pixels crammed together, the trade off is that the camera does suffer a bit with low-light sensitivity and noise at high ISO’s but, there are few situations (if any) requiring me to venture above 1600 ISO (the 5DS R maxes out at 12800 ISO). Because I shoot mainly in the studio at low ISO (100-400) and have complete control over lighting and exposure, working at high ISO with its associated noise is pretty much a non-issue.

On the subject of DSLRs vs. the increasingly-popular mirrorless designs, I am not shy about admitting that I often prefer the former when it comes to shooting stills —especially in high-pressure situations. I like looking through glass. The 5DS R’s optical reflex viewfinder is big and bright, and I appreciate seeing all the glorious detail while enjoying zero lag, superior battery life and a camera body that doesn’t heat up like a kiln-fired brick.

Despite its massive file sizes (max. image resolution is 8688 x 5792), the 5DS R still cranks out shots at 5fps continuous and offers a quiet, responsive, vibration-free shutter and a robust, weather-sealed, magnesium-alloy body. Married to Canon’s top-of-the-line L-Series glass, you have a perfect Hi-Rez combo.

Finally, the 5DS R provides USB 3.0 compatibility for fast performance when tethering, and a reinforced tripod plate to provide for secure attachments to all professional support systems.

Since the introduction of Canon’s latest R-Series mirrorless cameras and, with the R5 currently replacing the 5DS R, one can find some really great deals on this body (new or used).

Your subject awaits!

~ Brent