Canon is upping the ante in the APS-C arms race, with reports that it is introducing a 40MP, 8K image sensor in the highly anticipated EOS R7 Mark II. In so doing, it will be returning fire at Fujifilm's most advanced X-Series cameras.
For years, dating back to the DSLR days, APS-C bodies had a ceiling of about 24MP. That was until 2019, when Canon debuted a 32.5MP sensor in the Canon EOS 90D DSLR and M6 Mark II mirrorless camera – both of which were APS-C flagship models.
Then, in 2022, Fujifilm fired back with even more pixels in the form of the 40MP sensor debuting in the Fujifilm X-H2 – which was enough resolution to imbue any camera carrying it with the ability to shoot 8K video.
It may have taken a few years, but Canon is rumored to finally match Fujifilm's firepower in its successor to its current APS-C flagship, the Canon EOS R7 – which launched just a few months before the X-H2, featuring the 32.5MP sensor.
Camera rumors have persisted for some time that Canon intends to do something special with the R7 Mark II, with the phrase "shake things up" being used.
I've heard the term "baby R5" multiple times; with the Canon EOS R5 being a 45MP / 8K camera, this rumor of a 40MP sensor in the R7 Mark II certainly makes a lot of sense.
Something I've suspected since 2023 is that the new R7 will feature a stacked sensor. Back then it was reported that Canon had three stacked sensor cameras on the way, which I predicted to be the EOS R1, R5 Mark II and R7 Mark II. I was right on the first two counts, and I still think I'm right on the third.
The folks at Canon Rumors seem to agree. "I think if Canon was going to do this, we're going to see Canon's first BSI and / or stacked APS-C image sensor," wrote the site.
"Whatever comes next will be Canon's flagship APS-C sensor, and if it's going to be used for the next 4-5 years, it would be a hard pill to swallow to not move in that direction as others surely will."
Of course, if you know Canon, you know that the manufacturer is very considered when it comes to minimizing overlap between its products and product lines. I dare say that this is why we didn't get a 40MP APS-C sensor in the original R7, back in 2022, as this may have cannibalized sales of the still-fresh R5.
By waiting until the R7's second generation, Canon maintained the integrity of its full-frame 8K product line. And, with the R5 Mark II now being categorized as a professional camera (with even higher 8K performance), the R7 Mark II can effectively fill the OG R5's role as a "baby 8K" camera.
This certainly jibes with another report, this time from E8M_888 on Weibo: "To avoid impacting the professional-grade performance of the EOS R5 II, the EOS R7 II opted for UHD 8K [7680 x 4320] instead of DCI 8K [8192 x 4320], resulting in a resolution of 40Mbps."
Whatever the case, the Canon EOS R7 Mark II is widely expected to be announced in 2026 – perhaps at or around Japan's CP+ show in February. Another 8K offering would certainly make headlines – and maybe even set the stage for an EOS R7 V, in the same vein as the EOS R50 V…
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Check out my original Canon EOS R7 review to see how the original model holds up, and take a look at the best lenses for the Canon EOS R7 to get the most out of this brilliant little body.
