Walmart has dropped the Canon EOS R5 Mark II camera to its lowest-ever price in this incredible Canon camera deal for astrophotographers. It's available for $3,398, reduced by $501 from its usual $3,899 MSRP.
In our Canon EOS R5 Mark II review, our expert tester James Abbott awarded it 4.5 stars out of 5-star score. James rated the R5 Mark II as a high-tech camera capable of capturing any subject (though the night sky is our favorite), thanks to its incredible 45MP sensor and excellent high ISO handling.
Paul Brett is a deals writer at Space, Live Science, and across the Sports and Knowledge titles at Future. Paul is an award-winning photographer, having won the Mountain Photographer of the Year title at Trail Magazine. A huge fan of photography and cameras, he can be found on top of Scotland's mountains, wild camping, waiting to capture the Northern Lights or a cloud inversion.
- We've got you covered with reviews and rankings of the best telescopes, binoculars, star projectors, cameras, drones, Lego, streaming and more.
We highly rate the Canon EOS R5 Mark II and it's also my own camera of choice. It comes highly recommended for incredible all-around performance. Although I don't shoot astrophotography, I do shoot a lot of concerts and its low-light performance delivers crisp and sharp details with very little quality loss at higher ISO levels. During our testing, we found that the noise handling worked well for shooting astrophotography.
So if you're looking for one of the best cameras for astrophotography, that will also have you covered for any style of photography from fast action sport and wildlife shooting to stunning portraits, you won't go wrong with the R5 Mark II.
Highlights for me include the incredibly fast autofocus, which is accurate and intelligent. I've been shooting fast-paced soccer with the Mark II and I'm impressed with the subject detection, which can identify subjects even when they're partially obscured by obstacles.
The 30FPS shooting on the Mark II is also fantastic, increased over the 20FPS on the original R5. I actually filled a 128 GB CFexpress card in 45 minutes of a soccer match, and had to slow the camera down, which highlights the incredible speed of this camera. This is no bad thing, but something to be aware of if you're shooting wildlife or sport.
Another useful feature is the pre-continuous shooting mode that, when enabled, allows the camera to start shooting 15 frames while the shutter button is only halfway depressed, meaning the camera is already shooting the action before you've even started thinking about it.
Our tester James Abbott summed up the camera by saying: "The Canon EOS R5 Mark II is a fantastic camera with some of the latest camera technology available. The build quality and design can’t be faulted, while the features available, including fast and precise autofocus, make it a pleasure to use."
For me, this price really represents terrific value for money on a camera that I absolutely love.
Key features: Full frame, 45MP, up to 30FPS burst shooting, 8K up to 60 FPS, 4K up to 120 FPS, 2K up to 240 FPS, FHD up to 240 FPS video, 100-51,200 (expanded 50-204,800) ISO range, RF/RF-S lenses, 1x SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-II), 1x CFexpress Type B memory card slots, 1.45 lb (656g) weight, 5.45 x 3.87 x 3.48 inches (138 x 98 x 89 mm) dimensions, 3.2-inch fully-articulating, 5.76M screen.
Launched: July 2024
Price history: Before today's Walmart camera deal, the best price this year on Amazon has been $3,899. The launch price of the R5 Mark II was back $4,299, which makes this price a significant saving on a very rarely discounted mirrorless camera
Price comparison: Walmart: $3,398 | Adorama: $3,899 | Amazon: $3,898
Reviews consensus: There is no doubt that the Canon EOS R5 Mark II is a powerhouse of a camera that is not only incredible for astrophotography, but for all styles of shooting. We scored it a 4.5-star rating, and it only missed out on the rarely seen perfect score for its price.
Space: ★★★★½ | Techradar: ★★★★★| Tom's Guide: ★★★★½
Featured in guides: Best Canon cameras
✅ Buy it if: You want what is arguably the most versatile and easy-to-use pro-level mirrorless camera, with a brilliant spec including new near-perfect AF and subject tracking features, at its best price.
❌ Don't buy it if: You're a beginner or looking at a first mirrorless camera purchase. There is a lot going on with the R5 Mark II, including video functionality that could be overwhelming for new shooters. The Sony A7C II is our best beginner-friendly mirrorless camera and has a far more palatable price.
Check out our other guides to the best telescopes, binoculars, cameras, star projectors, drones, Lego and much more.