Introduction

A couple of days ago, I announced something really exciting on my Instagram channel. Some of you might have already seen the Reel, in which I introduced and tested a brand new feature, which found its way into the Canon EOS R5 with the latest firmware upgrade v1.8.1. Of course, we’re talking about the highly anticipated Pixel Shift feature and as promised in the video, here is the blog post getting more into the details of it. On top of this, I’ll share some handy tips and tricks to get the most out of the Pixel Shift, when capturing photos yourself.

Again, if you haven’t already, make sure to upgrade your Canon EOS R5 to the newest firmware v1.8.1 by clicking here. This makes sure you can follow along this post and get all the knowledge and settings ready to go.

The firmware just got released a couple of days ago, but my long-term friends over at Canon Deutschland reached out to me prior to the release date and asked if I would be interested in testing Pixel Shift in a real world scenario. Being an architecture photographer at heart, I was very interested in this opportunity and wanted to make sure to give the feature a proper test run by visiting some of my favourite spots here in Berlin city. So let’s have a closer look at what Pixel Shift actually is, before diving into some of the results and finally talking about some recommendations to further enhance your photos.

What is Pixel Shift and how does it work?

Pixel Shift is a feature, which some of you might already know from other camera manufacturers. For Canon users though, this is kind of a premiere, as the feature finds its way into the Canon EOS R camera lineup for the first time. To be more precise, they made it available for the EOS R5 exclusively. So in case you thought that your already very capable Canon EOS R5 can’t get any better: Surprise, it just received another very impressive feature!

The Canon EOS R5, together with top of the line RF lenses

The EOS R5 uses its IBIS to implement Pixel Shift

Without getting too much into the technical stuff here, the feature is actually explained quite easily. Once you have upgraded your R5 body and enabled Pixel Shift in the menu, the camera uses its internal image stabilisation (IBIS) to slightly shift the sensor in different directions, while capturing 9 photos in total. Once done, these photos get merged into a single high-resolution JPG file, offering breathtaking 400 Megapixels of resolution.

Yes, you read it correctly, 400 Megapixels! This is roughly 9 times the R5’s native resolution, compared to shooting in normal modes with Pixel Shift being disabled. Let’s see how to enable the feature within your R5’s menu before talking about how and why to use Pixel Shift as a photographer.

How to enable Pixel Shift on the Canon EOS R5

Enabling Pixel Shift on your Canon EOS R5 is actually as easy as it can be. Once you have installed the new firmware, open your R5’s menu. Navigate to Page 6 of the yellow Setup Tab and check for updated version v1.8.1 to make sure the upgrade worked as expected.

Check for the newest firmware version v1.8.1

After that, jump to Page 5 of the red Shooting Tab, click on IBIS High resolution shot (this is how Canon named Pixel Shift) and enable it. This is all you need to do and now you can head back into the live view of your camera and start shooting. The EOS R5 will take care of the rest.

Areas of application and limitations of the new feature

As with other camera manufacturers as well, the Pixel Shift feature in the EOS R5 comes with certain limitations. So let’s talk about them first.

Pixel Shift can only be used while you have the camera sitting on a tripod or steady ground. This is because the camera moves the IBIS in order to take a series of images, like explained above. Handholding your R5 would result in ghosting effects, once the images get merged into the final hi-res file. Same is true for moving objects within the motif itself. You have to make sure that whatever is in your frame is absolutely steady, as it will create unwanted artefacts otherwise. In some images these artefacts would not really be visible to the viewer, especially without pixel peeing for it. Though it can also ruin your initial idea of an image when not taking care and preparing for it in advance.

That being said, when used correctly and with its limitations in mind, it is a very nice additional feature for all of you shooting architecture, products, still life in the studio or things like non-moving landscapes.

Something else to remember is, that Pixel Shift photos will only be available as JPGs, created internally by the Canon R5 itself. The choice of using JPG as a format might sound very limiting at first, especially when you’re a photographer working in a RAW based workflow like I am. But one has to consider, that JPG has come a long way since the early days of digital photography. Today’s cameras, and the Canon EOS R5 is a prime example here, are very capable in processing and creating high-quality JPG photos, which not only look pleasing to the eye but are also very flexible, in case you want to apply some post processing to them afterwards. So in fact, I think it was a smart decision from Canon to keep the overall Pixel Shift feature as accessible and easy to use as possible. It is kind of like a nice-to-have additional feature next to the workhorse RAW capabilities, the EOS R5 offers already.

Being a Canon shooter since day one, I have to admit that I always loved how Canon was able to implement their new features. The UI and overall experience with their cameras has been industry leading ever since. While other manufacturers struggle with these things, especially with too complex menus and settings, Canon once again shows how things should be done in order to not get in the way of the creative process and the photographer.

One other thing you have to be aware of, is that the photo displayed on the back screen of the camera, won’t show the actual high-resolution Pixel Shift photo itself. It rather shows you a regular single JPG preview. That makes a lot of sense, considering the overall size and computing power required to render a full resolution version on a screen. That being said, the same is actually true for RAW photos as well, as you never see the RAW photo itself on the screen of any camera but rather a JPG representation of it. All manufactures do this, so it is not really a big deal but I thought it makes sense to mention it here anyways.

Real-world test using Pixel Shift

As shown in my Reel video and also mentioned at the beginning, I was able to receive an already upgraded Canon EOS R5 to test out the feature before the official release. So I took the camera around my home city Berlin and captured some test shots, to see what Pixel Shift is really capable of.

I made sure to photograph each scene in the regular RAW mode, as well as with the Pixel Shift feature turned on, which results in the already mentioned 400MP JPG files. Also, I used the 2 seconds timer to avoid any shake on the camera itself. You can also use Canon’s Camera Connect app or a regular camera remote, to make sure everything is as stable as possible.

First of all, I stopped right at the exit of U Klosterstr. subway station, from where you find a nice symmetrical perspective with Berlin’s famous TV tower in the back. The stair railings perfectly act as leading lines and the overall scene offers plenty of detail to play with the Pixel Shift feature.

Set up the R5 on a tripod for crisp results

Everything looked promising, from what I could see on the screen of the R5’s back, so it was time to move on to the next location.

The second spot on my list was a fairly new building front close to Alexanderplatz. It has a very unique and futuristic structure and I thought it would be nice to catch some of its patterns and reflections on the windows. Again, I set up my tripod, mounted the R5 and was basically ready to go in a heart beat.

Here you’ll see some moments while I was taking photos of the scene.

The EOS R5’s flip-out screen definitely helps here

Enable the IBIS High resolution photo setting aka Pixel Shift

Using the histogram and level features to get a perfectly aligned shot

As a side note: I used the Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM for these first two locations. It is one of my favourite lenses, especially when travelling. The lens is tack sharp and lightweight, while offering plenty of reach from a wide-angle all the way to a serious tele range. Autofocus is as fast as it gets and paired with the EOS R5, it is a true workhorse combination. And you really want to make sure to get the most out of your gear, when it comes to high-resolution photography. But let’s move on with the Pixel Shift test.

My third location for this day was basically located right around the corner, at the Fischerinsel area. You’ll find plenty of high-rise buildings at this location and some of them offer a stunning view over Berlin. I come here from time to time, to enjoy the view but also to capture some nice photos. The view definitely doesn’t get old and I thought this would be the perfect location, to take some shots during golden and blue hour.

I was really excited to see how Pixel Shift performs with higher ISO images, especially as JPG files usually tend to only offer quite limited capabilities when it comes to pushing shadow detail in post.

A stunning view on Berlin’s Alexanderplatz

Next to the Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM, I made sure to bring along the RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM. The RF 70-200mm is an absolute beast of a lens and most likely is the best tele lens in this range, that you can buy for your money. On top of this, Canon managed to come up with a brand new lens design, which makes is very compact and lightweight, without compromising on quality at all. Razor sharpness would be an understatement, so paired with the EOS R5, it will deliver unbelievable image quality. All of this sounds like a perfect combination, when capturing details of 400MP photos via Pixel Shift, doesn’t it?

For my last location, I went to another famous building here in Berlin. Chances are pretty good, that you saw it somewhere on Instagram already. It is a pretty typical Berlin residential building but features a huge rainbow all over its facade. It definitely offers plenty of different perspectives and angles to work with and to capture some nice photos. Again, I quickly set up my tripod, to make sure I get some clean and minimalistic photos.

I was especially interested in how the Pixel Shift setting will handle sharp lines and edges with high contrast, like they can be found in architectural structures quite often.

Here are some behind the scenes photos.

Using the Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM for this frame

Switching to the RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM for a nice detailed photo

Results and photo examples

Having a closer look at the Pixel Shift results, I was really impressed by the unbelievable amount of detail and available information within the files itself.

Yes, these files are JPG-only and most of us, myself included, usually work in a RAW based workflow. But I have to admit, that these photos are pretty flexible when it comes to do some further post processing in order to bake in your unique style. I applied some further contrast, did some color correction to make some of them stand out more and also raised the shadows in some of these photos. At no time I had the feeling of being limited by the JPG file type.

In the following overview, you can see some of the photos and their respective 100% crops, created by using the EOS R5 Pixel Shift exclusively. Please keep in mind though, that these are not the full-resolution 400MP files you are seeing here. As this is a regular website, content of course gets compressed when uploading. But I’ll provide you with a WeTransfer download link later on, so you’ll be able to play around with some of the original files on your own.

Make sure to click on any of the images below to enlarge them.

As just mentioned above, this is a regular website where the blog is running and all photos I upload will get compressed by the backend. So it is impossible for me to show you the true 400MP photos here. But as promised, you can download a selection of the Pixel Shift photos I took during my test via the following link:

DOWNLOAD - EOS R5 Pixel Shift Photos - Full Resolution JPG

The link contains each of the photos unedited and edited as well, so make sure to have a look at both.

I really hope the sample photos are valuable to some of you and finally I’d like to share some personal tips & tricks, to further enhance your results when using Pixel Shift on your own.

Tips & Tricks to when using Pixel Shift

Avoid camera shake

I’m sure this one is pretty clear to most of you, especially if you have read the whole post until here. But nevertheless, avoiding camera shake at all cost is key to being able to receive exceptional results with Pixel Shift. So make sure, that you use a really good and sturdy tripod. Also, either make sure to set the EOS R5 to its 2 sec timer or take advantage of a remote or the Canon Camera Connect app, in order to avoid any shakiness from pressing the shutter button.

How to avoid diffraction

This is a really important one as well, when it comes to squeeze that last bit of possible image quality out of the Pixel Shift setting on your R5. That being said, it is pretty easy by limiting the aperture of the lens you’re using to a max of f8. Don’t go any further than this and you’ll get crisp and high quality results out of Pixel Shift.

Tweak the Picture Style settings

As the Pixel Shift photos taken by the EOS R5 get merged into a JPG file, you will be able to tweak the EOS R5 Picture Style settings in the camera’s menu, in order further enhance the quality of your photos. These settings only affect JPG files and have no further impact when shooting in RAW. So don’t worry to leave these settings as they are afterwards. Either make sure to use the style Fine Detail or lave it to Standard and use lower settings for Threshold and Fineness.

HDR for higher dynamic range

Even though I found the JPG files to have very solid dynamic range already, you can also further enhance it by using bracketing in combination with the Pixel Shift feature. This way, you basically create several images having slightly different exposures to the left and right of your histogram and then combine the series of images to a single HDR image during post processing. You can do so by using software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop.

Add it to your menu favourites

One other thing I did right away, was making sure I include the IBIS High resolution shot setting in one of my personal menu pages on the R5. Therefore, just navigate to the last tab within the menu, the green one having a star symbol, and press Select items to register in order to add the Pixel Shift setting to your customised menu. It is a nice way to quickly toggle the Pixel Shift feature on and off on the go, without having to remember its actual location within the menus.

Final conclusion

There you have it guys, I hope this post about the newest Pixel Shift feature on the Canon EOS R5 was helpful to you and that you were able to get a better understanding of how to use it, when being out there capturing moments.

Sure, the feature itself comes with certain limitations but these are not unique to Canon and the EOS R5, as other manufacturers face the same boundaries. Being a full-time photographer my self, working in the industry for many years, Pixel Shift obviously wouldn’t be able to fully replace my RAW based workflow. That being said, I’m also pretty sure this wasn’t the intention of Canon at all, when deciding to roll out Pixel Shift for the EOS R5. Furthermore, it is a very nice and capable additional feature, that you’ll get on top of an already industry leading performance of the EOS R5.

Canon decided to roll it out for no additional cost to its users and made the overall implementation as straight-forward as possible. The complete processing of the final image is done in-camera, which completely avoids the need for any additional software or third-party tools. In fact, a user can simply switch from regular RAW to IBIS High resolution shot mode with a simple click in the menu. This makes the Pixel Shift implementation in the EOS R5 extremely easy and fast to use and there is literally no excuse to not take some additional high-resolution 400MP photos, next to your regular ones.

I found the results to be very impressive and I think Canon definitely hit the ball out of the park with this one! It invites you to experiment and personally, I’ll make sure to use Pixel Shift next to my regular RAW workflow from now on, when capturing architecture or urban landscapes somewhere around the world.

Thanks so much for following along and please let me know how you like Pixel Shift yourself. Also, don’t hesitate to reach out in case you have any further questions!

Talk soon,

Chris

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Additional Information

Canon EOS R5

The Canon R System

Canon EOS R Lenses

Instagram: @canondeutschland @canoneurope

Canon EOS R5: Introducing Pixel Shift (v1.8.1)