dkguill Loc: Elkhart, IN

As we are told that the new 5DS & 5DS R are expected to be available in June, I am interested in a detailed discussion that would help make the choice between the two models. I understand from brief early reviews and releases that the only real difference between the two is the presence of a Lo-Pass filter in the 5DS that can be, or is???, cancelled in the 5DS R. The explanation I found for the presence of the Lo-Pass filter is to remove a tendency for creating moire's in images that include patterns or textures, usually in man made materials. The cancellation is accomplished by applying a slight blur with the lo-pass filter. Suggestions have been made that the 5DS R is therefore primarily intended for shooting landscape photos where such patterns and materials are unlikely to exist.

It initially seems to me that, if this is the only real difference in the two cameras, it might have been better to just make one model with the ability to cancel the lo-pass filter effect when desired? I suspect there must be considerably more to it than that. I know it's early to be drawing conclusions, but I am confused as to whether the R model has the lo-pass filter which can be deactivated/cancelled, or if it is not built into the R model at all. If it's not there, what makes the camera cost more than the DS model which has the filter? If I buy the R model, do I get the best of both worlds or am I just choosing a camera that requires more PP work in exchange for a sharper image?

I personally will do primarily studio work with the camera I choose, but I do want the ability to shoot on location and vary subject matter. I have been disappointed in Canon's seemingly slow response to provide a higher MP camera to compete with other manufacturers. Now that it appears to be upon us in two forms, I feel the need to fully understand the differences and the subsequent applications in order to make a wise choice. Any discussion among the learned members along these lines would be appreciated. I haven't yet seen posts that provide such detail. If I've missed them, please suggest where I can find them and then ignore this request. Thanks.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

The 5Dr has a low pass filter as well, but it has a work-around-it. The cameras processor will change the "info" it receives, back into the " info" it got, before it hit the low pass filter, therefore creating more/finer detail in the images.

dkguill Loc: Elkhart, IN

Ah, so the extra cost is due to the ability to circumvent the filter. So, you do indeed get the best of both worlds with the 5Ds R?

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

If you cannot find a discussion on these two Canon cameras discussing the issue, maybe you could read the 438,294 discussions on the same issue regarding the Niklon D800 and D800E cameras.

chaprick

So does the 5Ds R give you both choices???? I have not gotten that from what I have read so far... hence the ? at the end of the quote above also...

mikegreenwald Loc: Illinois

84.271 % of statistics are made up on the spot!! :-)

imagesintime Loc: small town, mid-America

I thought it was 85.177%.

In my understanding of reading many posts on this, the 5ds comes with a normal, fully functioning, low-pass filter. The 5dsr comes with the same filter in place but the results some how (R) reduced or (R) removed. You have to choose which you want; neither one does both. It seems the 5ds is designed to be the studio camera, where clothing and props may create moire and aliasing, and the 5dsr is the landscape camera where the low-pass filter may not be as important.

The question is ask 'why don't they just take the filter out?' The camera companies are selling systems, were all the components are designed to work together. Taking the filter out changes the thickness of the sensor stack, so it is easier to leave it in and change the effect. See this link to start your research on the sensor stack.

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2015/01/a-thinner-sensor-stack

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I don't believe it does.

The low pass filter is an actual filter sitting in front of the sensor. Can't imagine how you would "cancel" that, unless it's physically removable (in which case it would be replaced with a "clear protection filter" to protect the sensor surface).

5DS and 5DS-R are targeted at users of medium format digital, some of which deliberately avoid low-pass filters to get that last, little bit of fine detail.

Almost all DSLRs use a low-pass filter... some stronger, some weaker. That filter is one of the reasons we sharpen our images in post-processing.

Unless you really, really need that last 0.2% of image quality, I'd say go for the one with the filter and don't worry about it.

Hope you have a bunch of big memory cards and a whole lot of hard drive space for file storage!