Best Canon Camera for Video? Canon EOS R vs 5D Mark IV vs EOS RP vs 1D X Mark II vs Rebel SL3

If you’re interested in a Canon camera but need to figure out the best Canon camera for video, then this comparison will help you.

The four cameras we are comparing are:

• Canon EOS R (Amazon | B&H)
• Canon EOS RP (Amazon, B&H)
• Canon 5D Mark IV (Amazon, B&H)
• Canon 1DX Mark II (Amazon, B&H)
• Canon Rebel SL3 (Amazon, B&H)

The basics

Let’s start with the simple stuff:

Camera	Price of Camera body	Included Accessories /Software	Lens Mount
EOS R	$1,999	Battery (LP-E6N) Battery Charger LC-E6 Wide Strap Cable Protector Interface Cable (IFC-100U) Camera Cover (R-F-5)	RF (EF & EF-S with adapter)
EOS RP	$1,299	Battery Pack (LP-E17) Battery Charger (LC-E17) Wide Neck Strap	RF (EF & EF-S with adapter)
5D Mark IV	$2,799	Battery (LP-E6N) Battery Charger (LC-E6) Eyecup Eg Wide Strap Cable Protector Interface Cable (IFC-150U II) EOS DIGITAL Solution Disk	EF
1DX Mark II	$5,499	Battery Pack (LP-E19) Battery Charger (LC-E19) Wide Strap Eyecup Eg Cable Protector Interface Cable (IFC-150U II) EOS Digital Solution Disk	EF
Rebel SL3	$549	Battery Pack (LP-E17) Battery Charger (LC-E17) Wide Strap (EW-400D) Eyecup Ef	EF-S

One of the things you’ll notice right off the bat (other than the price) is that the batteries are not all similar across models, and neither is the interface cable.

It’s not a big deal, but in the future if you are considering moving to different systems within the Canon family, you might have buy all new accessories.

The two big DSLRs – the 5D Mark IV and the 1D X Mark II – are both 3 years old, and is probably due for an update sometime in the next year or so. The other three are mirrorless cameras, and are the new kids on the block.

Except for the SL3, all the others are made of weather-sealed magnesium alloy, and with weather-sealed lenses and adapters is a system you can shoot in the dust or rain (mostly).

All of them have mini-HDMI ports so you can record video separately to an external recorder like an Atomos Ninja V (Amazon, B&H), or similar. The Canon EOS R (Amazon | B&H) has a cable protector as part of its package, and is in a price sweet spot (median) in this list.

Let’s move on!

Comparison of sensors

Here are some important video specs:

Camera	Sensor Size (mm)	Horizontal Crop Factor	Maximum Resolution in Video	ISO Range	Native ISO for Video (C-Log)
EOS R	36 x 24	1.75	3840 x 2160	100-40000	400
EOS RP	36 x 24	1.6	3840 x 2160	100-40000	N/A
5D Mark IV	36 x 24	1.64	4096×2160	100-25600 (12800 in 4K)	400*
1D X Mark II	36 x 24	1.33	4096×2160	100-25600 (12800 in 4K)	N/A
Rebel SL3	22.3 x 14.9	1.6	3840 x 2160	100-12800 (6400 in 4K)	N/A

The good news is, except for the Canon 1D X Mark II, you can use EF-S lenses on all cameras for video.

The Canon EOS R (Amazon | B&H) stands out here, for these reasons:

1. Better ISO performance
2. C-Log is part of your camera, where as with the 5D Mark IV it’s a separate purchase.

The Canon 1D X Mark II (Amazon, B&H) has a smaller crop factor, but the difference is not that great for most practical video shooting.

*C-Log is a paid update to the 5D Mark IV, and not available at all on the 1D X! Here’s more info:

Comparison of video features

This is where we separate the men from the boys:

Camera	Maximum frame rate in 4K	Maximum frame rate in 1080p
EOS R	29.97p	59.94 fps
EOS RP	29.97p	59.94 fps
EOS 5D Mark IV	29.97p	59.94 fps
EOS 1DX Mark II	59.94p	119.9 fps
EOS Rebel SL3	23.98p	59.94 fps

The Canon 1D X Mark II (Amazon, B&H) wins the high frame rate race. It’s the only camera in the Canon family that can do 4K 60p and 120 fps in 1080p. It can easily handle more kinds of video projects than any of the other cameras.

What about color? Here are the important specs:

Camera	Color Information (Internal)	Best Data Rates, Codec	Color Information (External)
EOS R	8-bit 4:2:0	480 Mbps ALL-I	10-bit 4:2:2
EOS RP	8-bit 4:2:0	120 Mbps IPB	8-bit 4:2:2
EOS 5D Mark IV	8-bit 4:2:2	500 Mbps Motion JPEG	8-bit 4:2:2 (HD only)
EOS 1DX Mark II	8-bit 4:2:2	500 Mbps ALL-I	8-bit 4:2:2 (HD only)
EOS Rebel SL3	8-bit 4:2:0	120 Mbps IPG	8-bit 4:2:2

If you’re planning on using an external recorder, the Canon 1D X Mark II (Amazon, B&H) and 5D Mark IV (Amazon, B&H) only outputs 1080p via HDMI, which is a big letdown. Truth be told though, most people who would buy it would probably be photographers first, and an HDMI recorder is not typically an accessory they tend to carry or use.

If you don’t need slow motion video, it’s hard to fault the Canon EOS R (Amazon | B&H) here. It obviously has the best colors via HDMI, and has a robust internal codec as well.

Further more, it has better low light performance than a 5D Mark IV, and has C-log free with the camera.

Media Cards

If you’re going to record in 4K, you need to know how many media cards you’ll need, and how much they’re going to cost.

This simple table should give you a good idea:

Camera	Dual Card Slots?	Media for 4K	Market price per GB (64 GB)	Price per hour of 4K @24p
EOS R	No	SD UHS-II	$0.3/GB	$64
EOS RP	No	SD UHS-II	$0.3/GB	$16
5D Mark IV	Yes	Compact Flash + SD UHS-I	$1.6/GB	$350
1D X Mark II	Yes	Compact Flash + CFast 2.0	$1.6/GB	$350
Rebel SL3	No	SD UHS-I	$0.3/GB	$16

Compact Flash is a dying standard, and clearly Canon has moved on to UHS-II cards for the new mirrorless cameras. Here I would have to give it to the Canon EOS R (Amazon | B&H). It has dual slots and the most affordable media cards.

One thing to note is all Canon cameras have a 30 minute record limit for video.

Battery life and Power

Canon cameras have one of the better performances when it comes to battery life.

Camera	Battery life	Cost of one battery	Cost per hour battery life	External DC input?
EOS R	1.5 hours	$61	$41/hr	USB-C*
EOS RP	1.5 hours	$49	$33/hr	USB-C*
5D Mark IV	1.5 hours	$61	$41/hr	DC
1DX Mark II	3 hours	$163	$55/hr	DC
Rebel SL3	3 hours	$49	$17/hr	DC

The 1DX Mark II (Amazon, B&H) has amazing battery life but is it worth the expense? Yes, if you are a photojournalist, sports shooter or wildlife filmmaker, but otherwise you do get the time to change batteries.

The SL3 similarly has great battery life as well.

Where the Canon EOS R (Amazon | B&H) shines is in its combination of battery life as well as the fact you can charge your batteries via USB-C (only when the camera is switched off, though) using the Canon PD-E1 USB charger (Amazon, B&H). The other thing to note is that the EOS R is a mirrorless camera, with an electronic viewfinder. You see what you are shooting, and you can actually see in low light situations. You can’t do that with DSLRs.

Which Canon camera has the best image quality?

Image quality in video is obviously an important consideration. Here are a few videos from Canon from each camera:

For the SL3:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGAzK8euzcE

To my eyes, the Canon EOS R (Amazon | B&H) really pulls ahead. But then again, it has the advantage of modern engineering and a better color science. And on top it has C-Log and 10-bit 4:2:2 via HDMI.

You want the best image quality? Pick the the Canon EOS R (Amazon | B&H).

Which is the best Canon camera for video?

Before we conclude, check out this quick table of pros and cons for each camera:

Camera	USP	Pros	Cons
EOS R	10-bit 4:2:2, C-log included, RF lenses, Control Ring on RF lenses	All the USPs plus the ability to adapt EF lenses with multiple adapters. Great price!	No 120p in 1080p, limited selection of RF lenses.
EOS RP	Budget entry into full-frame	Low light performance.	Price is too high, no dual pixel AF in 4K!
5D Mark IV	Highest video resolution, optional C-log upgrade	Dual Pixel AF is snappy and accurate, supports Canon log	No MP4 support for 4K, you need an expensive CF card to record 4k, bulky and heavier than is comfortable for video.
1DX Mark II	Highest 4K frame rate, built-in battery grip.	AF is accurate and fast, the color is great, and it has great battery life. The toughest body and fully weather-sealed.	Heaviest, most expensive, and only 1080p via HDMI.
Rebel SL3	Inexpensive entry to video.	4K HDMI, decent quality for the price, great battery life.	No slow motion video.

Based on this comparison, here’s what I recommend:

• If you’re a student and want to learn filmmaking, or if you just want a camera for family videos, the best Canon camera for you is the Rebel SL3 (Amazon, B&H).
• If you’re serious about video and either have Canon lenses or are going to be investing in them, pick the Canon EOS R (Amazon | B&H).
• If you need slow motion video you have no choice but to get the Canon 1D X Mark II (Amazon, B&H), though at that price you might be better off if other brands in the market. But if need the combination of internal video recording (8-bit 4:2:2), dual pixel AF and high frame rates, this is actually a great camera for wildlife, sports and documentary filmmakers.

For me, the RP is too expensive compared to the EOS R, so I don’t really see the value proposition. And the 5D Mark IV is end-of-life. The optical viewfinder, bulkier design, Motion JPEG codec and paid C-log just don’t make it an appealing camera for video shooters today.

Bottom line

Who wins this contest? The best Canon camera for video is the Canon EOS R (Amazon | B&H).

To learn more about its video features, choose of these articles to read next:

1. Important Quirks and Features of the Canon EOS R for Cinematography
2. The Best Lenses for the Canon EOS R for Video
3. 5 Must-have Video Accessories for the Canon EOS R

What do you think is the best Canon camera for video?