Canon EOS R5 moves one step closer to launch, but is Sony preparing to fight back?

The Canon EOS R5 has inched a bit closer to launching after receiving the rubber stamp of Bluetooth certification – but new rumors suggest Sony is also preparing a big full-frame camera launch that could yet spoil its party.

The news about the EOS R5’s Bluetooth certification comes from the reliable Japanese camera rumors site Nokishita. And while it doesn’t give us an exact time-frame for the full-frame camera’s launch, Bluetooth certification is an important milestone and usually points to an imminent announcement.

The latest speculation around the EOS R5’s availability is that it’ll start shipping in July, according to Canon Rumors. A full announcement had been expected in May, but that’s less certain right now due to the knock-on effects of the global pandemic – and it appears that the announcement of the EOS R5’s rumored sibling, the EOS R6, has been pushed back to July.

But it looks like Sony isn’t going to take all of this exciting Canon hype lying down. According to Sony Alpha Rumors, it’s now planning to announce a full-frame camera and a lens at an event in late June.

If that’s true, it could be timed nicely to steal some thunder from the EOS R5’s arrival. But what camera will Sony announce? Sony Alpha Rumors suggests that it’s likely to be the very long-awaited successor to the four-year-old Sony A7S II, a video-focused full-framer that, in its day, was the finest of its kind.

(Image credit: Future)

Canon vs Sony 

What isn’t yet clear is exactly what model Sony is preparing to announce. We’ve been expecting a Sony A7S III for over six months – it’s been such a long wait, that it’s feasible that its successor may not be called the A7S III, or could simply see its video powers subsumed into a Sony A7 IV.

Either way, there’s clearly a big summer camera tussle brewing between Canon and Sony, and the battleground is likely to be full-frame video. Canon’s most recent teaser for the EOS R5 made it clear that video is one of its main focuses, with the camera capable of shooting 8K at 30fps using the full width of its sensor, plus 4K video at 120fps, which is the first time we’ve seen that feature on a consumer camera.

After blazing something of a trail for video-focused full-frame mirrorless cameras with the A7S II, Sony now has a bit of catching up to do. The A7S II is limited to capturing 4:2:0, 8-bit video, compared to the 10-bit 4:2:2 that’ll be available on the EOS R5. The latter simply gives colorists more color data and depth to work with in post-production, and Sony probably has yet more competition coming from the rumored Panasonic GH6.

Whatever Sony’s plans are, this summer is shaping up to be an exciting one for YouTubers and filmmakers who’ve been looking to upgrade to a full-frame camera that’s equally at home shooting video as it is stills. We’ll bring you all of the official news as soon as we get it. 

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