What are the must-have accessories for a Canon EOS R5?

Question

So I finally pulled the trigger on the R5 after shooting on my trusty 5D Mark IV for what feels like a century. I thought the transition would be seamless but man, mirrorless is a whole different beast. I was out at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge last weekend trying to track some ospreys and realized my old SD cards just arent cutting it when that 20fps electronic shutter kicks in. The buffer gets choked up so fast it makes me want to scream. I knew I needed CFexpress but I didnt realize how expensive those little cards are. I'm looking at like 300 bucks just for a decent capacity one? Plus the battery life is... well, it's not great compared to the old DSLR days. I burned through two LP-E6NH batteries in like three hours because I had the EVF on high refresh mode.

Im trying to build out a kit that makes sense without spending another five grand right away. I already have the RF 100-500mm which is a dream, but I feel like Im missing some quality of life things. Do people still use battery grips? I heard they help with the balance on the bigger lenses but they add so much bulk. Also, what about screen protectors? The back LCD feels a bit exposed compared to my old gear. I also need suggestions for a good card reader that wont melt my desk because I heard these CFexpress cards get crazy hot during transfers.

Im mostly shooting wildlife and some occasional landscape stuff here in the rainy PNW so weather sealing is huge. My budget is probably around $600-800 for accessories for now since the body and lens already murdered my savings account. I need to know what the absolute essentials are to actually make this camera work for a full day of shooting without constantly worrying about power or storage.

CFexpress cards (which brand doesnt fail?)

Extra batteries or a power bank setup?

Better strap options for heavy RF glass

Maybe an L-bracket for landscapes?

What are you guys actually keeping in your bags for the R5? Like, what are the things you realized you needed after a month of actually using it in the field?

Remont_jbot · Accepted Answer

Agreeing with the previous guys on the card speed... it's basically the hidden tax you pay for owning an R5. If you're doing heavy wildlife bursts at 20fps, you might want to consider ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type B Cobalt 165GB. It's expensive but it's the gold standard for avoiding that annoying buffer lag. Be careful with some of the cheaper cards tho, they tend to throttle way too early during long sequences. Since you're in the PNW, I'd suggest a few specific things to make life easier:

SmallRig L-Bracket for Canon EOS R5 2976 is way cheaper than the boutique brands and fits like a glove for those landscape shots.

SmallRig Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Canon R5 is cheap insurance for that flip-out screen.

BlackRapid Sport Breathe Camera Strap is a lifesaver for carrying that 100-500mm all day without killing your neck. Also, the Sony MRW-G1 CFexpress Type B/XQD Card Reader handles the heat way better than those cheap plastic readers during big transfers. Mirrorless just drinks power compared to your old 5D, so honestly, just keep a handful of spares and maybe don't worry about the grip unless the balance feels totally off.

Mira Gross · Answer

> The buffer gets choked up so fast it makes me want to scream. I knew I needed CFexpress but I didnt realize how expensive those little cards are. Congrats on the R5! Its a beast but man it eats through power and storage like crazy. In my experience shooting wildlife, you absolutely cannot skimp on that CFexpress card or youll miss the best action shots. Ive tried many brands over the years and the ProGrade Digital 512GB CFexpress Type B Gold is basically the gold standard for reliability. It handles those high speed bursts without breaking a sweat. To move those massive files, I use the ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type B and SDXC UHS-II Dual-Slot Card Reader. It stays much cooler than the cheap ones. For the battery drain, honestly, just grab one more Canon LP-E6NH Lithium-Ion Battery and keep airplane mode on. To help with that heavy 100-500mm, the Peak Design Slide Camera Strap is way better than the stock one... definitely saves your shoulders on long hikes in the PNW.

Sophia Beaumont · Answer

Regarding what #1 said about "> The buffer gets choked up so fast...", sustained write speed is the only metric that actually matters. Most cards boast "up to" speeds that fall off a cliff after three seconds of 20fps shooting.

Delkin Devices BLACK CFexpress Type B 512GB handles 1400MB/s sustained. If you're shooting ospreys, this is basically the only way to avoid the buffer choke consistently.

To stop the overheating during transfers, get the ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type B/SD USB 4.0 Card Reader. Its thermal management is way better than the older dual-slot models because of the newer bus standard and better heat dissipation.

For landscapes, the Kirk Enterprise Solutions BL-R5 L-Bracket is the gold standard. It fits the R5 body perfectly and wont wiggle in the rain like the cheap universal ones.

Instead of a heavy grip, buy an Anker 737 Power Bank PowerCore 24K. It supports PD charging, so you can juice the R5 via USB-C in your bag while you're moving between spots.