Canon R5 camera review

This is my 4th Canon camera. It follows 35 years of Nikons, then Canon 5D, 5DII, and 6D. I've had the 6D for 8 years and have liked it very much. Comments here are mostly in relation to 6D.

Likes

• bump in resolution - even though it doesn't show up in internet or book-sized photos
• better dynamic range
• touch screen - fantastic
• better screen resolution
• eye/face detect autofocus
• articulating screen - it works in necessary situations though somewhat clumsy and fragile
• existing EF lenses work flawlessly
• mechanical shutter very quiet and silent shutter available when necessary
• jpegs a bit sharper, less plasticky and more granular - I don't shoot raw
• the compact RF 24-240 lens. Absolutely incredible, sharper through the range than the two EF 24-105 L lenses that preceded it, although with more (correctable) CA at the wide end. The relief of not having to decide when to switch lenses is fantastic.

Dislikes

• bump and ridge on body digs into left palm - the anthesis of ergonomic design and an annoyance from the first moment I picked up the camera until now
• live EV appears too contrasty and desaturated
• EV either off or showing playback image when putting camera to eye and slow wakeup from sleep - annoying when trying to get that fleeting serendipitous shot. I have not yet formed the muscle memory to press the shutter button before lifting camera to my eye.
• also annoying brief messages (e.g. "controls are locked", "cannot playback image" ironically over the playback image, and some that I have never been able to decipher involving delete button) which can't be omitted
• RF lenses too fat at mount to securely grip. Old lens with RF adaptor provides much better grip
• lens release button recessed making one-handed removal more difficult
• Sensor curtain doesn't close when changing lenses - closes when battery or card door is opened, why not when lens is removed. (powering off camera to change lenses is unfeasibly dumb.)
• carpal-tunnel playback button position
• buttons too flat - can't find the right one by touch - I have glued on button caps as I did on the 6D
• many buttons unneeded - rate, menu, Q, magnify, playback and mode buttons unused
• buttons under thumb (Q, info, magnify) not programable
• button operation inconsistent - some always work, some only when camera is awake, some only when in particular mode.
• seemingly random button programming options on different buttons
• Info button does too many things - settings/histogram screens, Q screen, live view, black screen, still/video toggle (really, really dumb since I continue to turn on video while trying to change shooting modes)
• way too many menu options - after a year of use I'm still trying to figure out settings and best use of the few programable buttons
• eyecup too hard and does battle with my glasses - never a problem before
• most used "magnify during playback" function starts out magnified (like 6D) - if it started out unmagnified, it would replace playback and magnify buttons. I programmed this function to the AF-on button and use it more than any other button on camera - too bad it can't be programmed to the even more convenient but useless magnify button.
• unnecessary, crippled "review" mode (like 6D) - should just jump to playback mode
• Black Q-screen (most useful feature on 6D) now too clumsy to use - must first be found among the info screens and then made active with a different button - dumb
• Black Q screen unavailable in live-view and playback (like 6D), instead showing incomprehensible icon overlays.
• no dedicated live-view/screen-off button
• no dedicated photo/video selection button
• location of virtual buttons on screen not consistently positioned
• virtual buttons on left of screen unreachable by right thumb.
• IBIS implementation mystifying - doesn't work with EF IS lenses turned off?
• lousy exposure and color correction - just like every other Canon I've had. Every exposure mode on the camera behaves like a spot meter and I often have to lock in an exposure point before selecting focus point. In serendipitous situations (like travel photography) I now always bracket exposures. This was the greatest loss going from Nikon to Canon.
• camera is larded with unnecessary video tech - still and video are different art forms needing different tools, as Canon acknowledged with the R5C. The fact there is no way to keep the overused Info button from accidentally turning on unwanted video adds insult to injury.
  
  Prior to buying the R5, I bought a Sony A7R4. Despite the stunning IQ, I had quibbles about the EV, petite ergonomics, menus, readout time and the need for new lenses. I returned it. That was probably a mistake - I really pine for those spectacularly detailed jpegs.