Canon prepares Sony A9 III killer as EOS R1 leak emerges and rumoured EOS R5 II announcement looms

From an outsider's perspective, it appears that Canon has been resting on its laurels when it comes to the high-end, full-frame mirrorless camera market, but new leaks and rumours indicate that the Japanese camera company will soon return to form with the announcement of both the Canon EOS R5 Mark II and the flagship EOS R1.

It looks as though the launch windows for the EOS R5 Mark II and EOS R1 will be after UEFA Euro 2024 and the Summer Olympic Games, respectively, since the rumours flying around claim that the cameras will be available to event photographers during these massive sporting events.

As far as specifications go, nothing is concrete just yet, but rumour has it that the Canon EOS R5 Mark II will have a similar 45 MP sensor, although there has been talk of quad-pixel autofocus for the full-frame R5 II, which indicates a significant sensor update or a new sensor altogether.

Others have mentioned that, although the EOS R1 will have to compete with the likes of the Sony A9 III and its global shutter, neither the EOS R5 II nor the EOS R1 will have global shutter. Instead, the EOS R1 looks to be coming with an unbelievably fast 30 MP sensor with a rolling electronic shutter. Similarly to the Nikon Z9, the Canon EOS R1 looks to be shipping without a mechanical shutter at all.

Both the EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II will likely be strong performers when it comes to video, as well, with rumours pointing to an EOS R1 capable of capturing 6.7K video at 60 fps and the EOS R5 Mark II capable of 8K RAW video at 60 fps, although that will likely come with some framing and time caveats.

The launch timeline for the EOS R5 Mark II and the EOS R1 is not entirely clear, but if the rumours and leaks are true, we can expect to see a development announcement for the EOS R1 happen at the same time as the actual announcement of the EOS R5 Mark II somewhere between April and June 2024.

If you're on the market for a hybrid camera, the Canon EOS R5 (curr. $2,999 on Amazon) is still an excellent option, while the Sony A7 IV (curr. $2,498 on Amazon) comes in cheaper, and the Fujifilm X-S20 (curr. $1,399 on Amazon) provides excellent quality in a compact body.