Canon EOS R6 Mark III vs EOS R5 Mark II: which to buy?

Canon's all-round and high-resolution full-frame bodies. The EOS R6 Mark III, with a 32.5MP sensor and DIGIC X, launched at $2,799.00 in 2025; the EOS R5 Mark II, with a 45MP back-illuminated stacked sensor, launched at $4,299.00 in 2024.

Why it exists. This page is for a Canon full-frame buyer deciding whether the EOS R5 Mark II is worth its higher price; the two launched $1,500 apart.

A grey treepie in Qianshan, photographed with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III — **Canon EOS R6 Mark III**32.5MP · launched at $2,799.00 in 2025Taken with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. Photo: Charles J. Sharp via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

The Jewish Museum Berlin, photographed with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II — **Canon EOS R5 Mark II**45MP · launched at $4,299.00 in 2024Taken with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. Photo: GodeNehler via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Side-by-side specs

	Canon EOS R6 Mark III	Canon EOS R5 Mark II
Sensor	32.5MP full-frame CMOS; DIGIC X	45MP back-illuminated stacked CMOS
Autofocus	Dual Pixel CMOS AF II; people, animals and vehicles	Dual Pixel Intelligent AF; Eye Control AF
Stabilization	In-body, up to 8.5 stops	In-body, up to 8.5 stops
Burst	12 fps mechanical; 40 fps electronic; pre-capture up to 20 frames	12 fps mechanical; 30 fps electronic
Viewfinder	3.69M-dot	5.76M-dot
Screen	3.0in vari-angle touchscreen	3.2in vari-angle touchscreen
Video	7K RAW Light up to 59.94p; 7K open gate; 4K up to 119.88p	8K RAW up to 59.94p; 4K up to 119.9p
Card slots	CFexpress Type B plus SD	CFexpress Type B plus SD
Battery life	About 620 shots (screen) / 390 (viewfinder)	About 630 shots (screen) / 340 (viewfinder)
Weight	About 699 g with battery and card	About 746 g with battery and card
Launch price (US)	$2,799.00 body (2025)	$4,299.00 body (2024)

Specs from our EOS R6 Mark III and EOS R5 Mark II reviews, which cite Canon specifications; US launch prices from Canon (November 6, 2025 and July 17, 2024). ✓ = advantage; blank = tie or not directly comparable.

Sample photos

Five photos taken with the EOS R6 Mark III and four with the EOS R5 Mark II, shared on Wikimedia Commons under open licenses.

Sample photo 2 of 5 taken with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III — Taken with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. Photo: Charles J. Sharp via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 3 of 5 taken with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III — Taken with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. Photo: Charles J. Sharp via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 4 of 5 taken with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III — Taken with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. Photo: Charles J. Sharp via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 5 of 5 taken with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III — Taken with the Canon EOS R6 Mark III. Photo: Charles J. Sharp via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 2 of 4 taken with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II — Taken with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. Photo: GodeNehler via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 3 of 4 taken with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II — Taken with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. Photo: Thomas Heins via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (resized)

Sample photo 4 of 4 taken with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II — Taken with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II. Photo: Thomas Heins via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (resized)

Who should buy which

Get the EOS R6 Mark III if

You want to save: it launched at $2,799.00, $1,500 below the R5 Mark II.
You shoot fast action and want 40 fps electronic bursts with pre-capture of up to 20 frames.
You want 7K raw and open-gate video at a lower price.

Get the EOS R5 Mark II if

You want 45MP for cropping, landscapes or large prints.
You want a stacked sensor and Eye Control AF.
You want 8K raw video and the sharper 5.76M-dot viewfinder.

See our full EOS R6 Mark III and EOS R5 Mark II reviews.

Where to buy

Canon EOS R6 Mark III

EOS R6 Mark III · body (new)

Canon: Launched at $2,799.00 in 2025 (US)

Check price
Read the full Canon EOS R6 Mark III review

Canon EOS R5 Mark II

EOS R5 Mark II · body (new)

Canon: Launched at $4,299.00 in 2024 (US)

Check price
Read the full Canon EOS R5 Mark II review

Further discussion

Systemkamera-Forum (German): R5 Mark II owners' experiences, from a user who moved from the R6 Mark II