MIRRORLESS GUIDE
KINGS OF RESOLUTION
You don’t actually need more than around 12-megapixels to record a video image that’s 4K. You could say anything more is a waste, as it clogs up processing power and creates lots of heat. But it’s in the high-resolution market where there has been a flurry of activity. Canon went first with the 45-megapixel full-frame EOS R5 with its 8K, 8192x5464 pixel resolution and internal Raw recording. Now, rival Sony has hit back with the 50.1-megapixel monster, the A1 or Alpha 1, if you prefer. This boasts 8K recording with 8.6K oversampling at 8640x5760 pixels, but no internal Raw. It is significantly more expensive, though. Then, as if to prove size matters, Fujifilmweighed in with its new 4K GFX100S medium-format camera which packs 102-megapixels on to its sensor that’s 1.7x bigger than full-frame. Similar to the Sony, the only way to access the superior video Raw is to record to an external device, like an Atomos Ninja V. If you need a camera that can record ultra high-resolution stills good enough for advertising campaigns, and video that can be used alongside in TV adverts, you can’t go wrong with any of these three – as long as you have the lenses. However, once you probe the spec, you do find some distinct differences. When using the Canon to shoot in 8K, the highest quality 4K settings that downsamples the 8K files for super- detailed 4K or the 4K/ 120p setting, there is a serious limit on how long you can record for. As the R5 doesn’t have a fan, it can • SONYA1 £6499/$6498 • CANON EOS R5 £4199/£3899 • FUJIFILM GFX100S £5499/$5999
ABOVE The new Sony A1 has high resolution and staggering video spec, with a tilting rear screen BELOW The Canon EOS R5 is a stunning camera, with a new range of RF lenses to match
overheat and the camera shuts down. In 8K/30p, the recording time is around 20 minutes, then the camera has to be left to cool. In 4K/120p setting, shutdown comes at under 15 minutes. In high-quality 4K/24p, it’s around half an hour. And unlike rivals that have no set recording time limit, the Canon EOS R5 still has the 30-minute maximum on all files. It’s far from an all-day workhorse camera when using very data-hungry settings. But if you think of these settings for special use only, and just use the camera as a 4K cammost of the time, it’s a great tool. Shoot high-quality 4K HQ which is downsampled from the 8K signal, recorded internally in 4:2:2 10-bit H.265 in Canon C-Log1 for maximum dynamic range. The image quality and colour is stunning and it can be pushed around in the grade with no loss of quality. Canon has also added C-Log3 to the EOS R5, too. One of the best features is the Dual Pixel AF systemwhich works at all settings. The R5 also has effective IBIS, the RF lenses are simply wonderful, and if you work within the recording time limitations it is a stunning machine. However, the brand new Sony A1 takes a lot of the Canon spec and betters it in some areas. That is largely down to its advanced sensor, which is backside-illuminated, and a stacked design with integral memory. Using pixel-shift multi-shooting, it can shoot a 199-megapixel still from a composite of 16 shots. Where the Canon can shoot 20fps stills, the Sony manages 30fps and, like the Sony A9 series of cameras, there is no viewfinder blackout or lag at all. We’ve not had a hands-on
“When it comes to choosing a new camera, it’s often affected by huge investments in lenses”
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