Two Ends of the Photography Spectrum: Canon EOS R5 vs. Samsung ST90

When you look at the Canon EOS R5 and the Samsung ST90 side by side, it’s almost like comparing a thoroughbred racehorse with a trusty bicycle. Yet, each has its own role, audience, and strength that makes it worthy of consideration - especially if you have a particular need or budget in mind. Over my 15+ years of hands-on testing thousands of cameras, I’ve never encountered two models that inhabit such dramatically different corners of the market, making this comparison more about understanding needs than simply choosing “which is better.” Let’s dive deep.

Size and Handling: Bulk Meets Ultracompact Agility

Hold the Canon R5 in your hands, and you immediately feel the solidity of a professional flagship camera: SLR-style grip, robust button layout, and a thoughtfully-designed weight balance tailored for extended shooting sessions. At 738 grams with a substantial body dimension of 138x98x88 mm, this camera embraces you with a confident presence. It’s a camera built to handle serious lenses without feeling front-heavy. The ergonomics, frankly, give you the impression that it’s designed for the long haul - and it delivers.

In contrast, the Samsung ST90 is a featherweight 92x53x17 mm compact, ideal for slipping into a pocket or handbag. Despite the charm of true ultracompact portability, you’ll sacrifice ergonomic comfort; the tiny grip and minimal buttons limit shooting control, but in a pinch, this might be all you need. If you want to be super discreet or travel light, it shines here.

So, in practical terms: if you shoot for hours on end, the Canon’s heft pays off. If you want casual snapshots and extreme mobility, Samsung’s simplicity takes the cake.

Top Panel and Control Layout: Professional Precision vs. Minimalist Simplicity

The Canon R5's top view reveals an extensive control array - customizable dials, an information LCD panel, and buttons placed for intuitive access mid-shoot. This design is a boon when you’re adjusting shutter speed, ISO, or autofocus modes on the fly. For those who prefer tactile, manual inputs over touchscreen toggling, this feels markedly pro.

Conversely, the ST90 has a minimalistic approach: almost no manual exposure controls, no customizable dials, and a reliance on simple menus. It’s a point-and-shoot experience at heart, very much designed for those who want “set it and forget it” ease. The fewer controls mean fewer distractions but also less creative flexibility.

Sensor Size and Image Quality: A Chasm of Technology

Here’s where the divide becomes dramatic: the Canon boasts a 45.0-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor measuring 36x24 mm, while the Samsung ST90 has a much smaller 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor at just 6.16x4.62 mm, with 14 megapixels.

What does this mean in practice? The Canon’s sensor area is more than 30 times larger than Samsung’s. This translates to higher resolution, superior dynamic range, and better low-light performance - a trifecta essential for professional-quality images.

The R5’s sensor technology pairs with Canon’s Digic X processor, delivering clean images with nuanced detail, excellent color accuracy, and impressive latitude in post-processing. High ISO sensitivity up to 102,400 (boosted) ensures usable results even in challenging light, while maintaining texture and minimizing noise.

Samsung’s ST90, however, is optimized for daylight or well-lit indoor environments. The small sensor size limits dynamic range and noise control, especially at higher ISO settings - which this camera can’t really push anyway. Images have acceptable detail but nowhere near the Canon’s fidelity or color depth.

LCD and Viewfinder: Clear Windows to Your Scene

The Canon EOS R5 boasts a 3.2-inch fully articulated touchscreen with 2.1 million dots resolution - a significant advantage for framing from unusual angles or in bright conditions. The high-res electronic viewfinder (EVF) has 5,760,000 dots, covering 100% of the frame, delivering a near-optical clarity that’s essential for precise manual focusing and composition. Touch AF with support for face and eye detection makes focusing a breeze.

Samsung’s ST90, in contrast, offers a fixed-type 3-inch LCD with just 460,000 dots and no EVF at all. For outdoor use, the lower brightness and resolution can make framing tricky under harsh sunlight. There’s no touchscreen or live autofocus assist, making it less interactive and slower to operate.

From practical experience: the Canon’s screen and viewfinder combo significantly enhance workflow speed and accuracy, especially for moving subjects, portraits, or detailed composition work.

Autofocus and Speed: Professional Tracking vs. Basic Point-and-Shoot

The autofocus system is a battlefield where these two cameras diverge monumentally. The Canon R5 employs an advanced Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system with 1,053 selectable points, eye and animal eye detection, and continuous tracking capabilities refined through AI-assisted subject recognition. This system shines in portraiture, wildlife, sports, and any genre requiring fast, precise autofocus.

The continuous shooting rate peaks at 12 frames per second (fps) with the mechanical shutter and silent shooting modes available up to 8,000th of a second - a dream for capturing fleeting moments.

Samsung ST90, however, lacks manual focus and relies on contrast-detection autofocus with a single focal point, making it unreliable for fast-moving subjects or detailed selective focusing. Continuous shooting isn’t supported, strictly limiting spontaneity.

For wildlife or sports photographers, the R5’s autofocus system enables confident shooting even under pressure. If your scenes are static or posed, the ST90’s autofocus may suffice.

Optical Versatility and Lens Ecosystem

A huge part of the Canon’s appeal lies in the RF mount system, already comprising 17 native lenses ranging from ultra wide to super telephoto, macro, and specialty optics. This flexibility allows photographers to build tailored kits supporting portraiture, landscapes, macro, sports - whatever they pursue.

The Samsung ST90 features a fixed lens system (typical of compact cameras), with a focal length multiplier of 5.8x, but with limited control over aperture or zoom. You’re basically locked into a “one lens fits all” setup with minimal creative freedom.

If you cherish the ability to swap lenses and tailor optics to your projects, the Canon system stands head and shoulders above.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Ready for Challenging Conditions

The Canon R5’s weather-sealed magnesium alloy body makes it shock, dust, and moisture resistant (though not fully waterproof). This level of durability inspires confidence shooting outdoors in less than ideal conditions - critical for landscape and wildlife professionals who work in the field.

Samsung’s ST90 lacks any environmental sealing and uses plastic components typical of ultracompacts. It’s fine for casual indoor or fair-weather use but can’t be entrusted to severe weather.

Specialized Photography Uses

Now, let’s break down each camera’s performance across popular photography genres and see where each shines or falls short:

Portrait Photography

Canon’s eye and face detection AF are among the best in the business, producing pleasing bokeh thanks to large sensor and fast lenses. Skin tones look natural with its color science and dynamic range preserves highlight and shadow detail beautifully.

Samsung’s small sensor and fixed lens struggle with shallow depth of field or fine skin tone reproduction and offer limited creative control. Better suited for casual snapshots than professional portraits.

Landscape Photography

With its 45MP sensor, wide ISO range, and weather resistance, the R5 captures sweeping vistas with fine texture and high dynamic range - a boon for post-processing latitude. The articulating screen helps composition from low or high angles.

Samsung’s ST90 captures decent daylight landscapes but with lower resolution and dynamic range, the details in highlights or shadows are easily lost.

Wildlife Photography

Canon’s blazing AF, silent shooting, and high fps make it a wildlife photographer’s dream, allowing tracking of erratic movements while remaining unobtrusive.

The Samsung’s slow AF and fixed lens mean candid wildlife shots are virtually impossible without disturbance or major cropping.

Sports Photography

The Canon’s rapid 12 fps burst, advanced AF tracking, and fast shutter speeds empower sports shooters to freeze action sharply in varied lighting.

Samsung can’t keep up, lacking burst modes, manual exposure, or high shutter speeds.

Street Photography

Here, portability counts. While the ST90 fits in a jacket pocket, discreet and lightweight, its limited ISO performance and autofocus reliability can frustrate low-light candid shots.

The Canon, though bulkier, offers superior image quality and silent electronic shutter options for stealth shooting but at the cost of portability.

Macro Photography

While neither camera is a macro specialist, the Canon’s RF lens selection includes macro lenses with precise focusing aids and in-body stabilization helping close-up sharpness.

Samsung lacks manual focus and stabilization, limiting macro effectiveness.

Night and Astro Photography

Canon’s high ISO capability and sensor design allow astrophotographers to pull out stars and night detail with low noise.

The Samsung’s tiny sensor and limited ISO settings restrict use to well-lit night scenes only.

Video Capabilities

Canon offers 8K RAW video up to 30 fps and 4K at 120 fps, plus headphone and mic jacks, making it a powerhouse for creators who want high-end video alongside great stills.

Samsung maxes out at 720p HD video, with no external audio support - adequate for casual home videos but not for professional work.

Travel Photography

Here, it comes down mainly to what kind of travel photography experience you want.

If you desire all-in-one travel solutions with stellar image quality, weather resistance, and lens versatility, plus extended battery life, the Canon shines albeit bulkier.

If you prioritize ultralight packing and easy snapshots, the Samsung offers convenience.

Battery Life and Storage

The Canon R5 uses LP-E6NH batteries, rated at about 320 shots per charge, which is modest and will require spares for extended shoots. Dual card slots supporting CFexpress and UHS-II SD add robustness and workflow flexibility.

Samsung ST90’s battery life specifics aren’t detailed, but compact cameras typically last less with smaller internal batteries, and slots are limited to one card with no high-speed options.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

The Canon R5 includes built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, essential for remote control, instant sharing, or integrating with tethered workflows.

Samsung ST90 lacks wireless connectivity, requiring physical data transfer only.

Pricing and Value: Pro Investment vs. Budget Buddy

At launch, the Canon EOS R5 sits at a premium $3,899 price point, justified by top-tier technology, professional-grade features, and future-proof capabilities.

Samsung ST90, at approximately $150 MSRP, is priced for casual consumers seeking point-and-shoot simplicity.

Therefore, your budget and photographic ambitions naturally guide you here: professional work requires investment in something like the R5. If snapping quick family shots or travel mementos on a shoestring is your goal, the ST90 answers that call.

Canon R5 front Canon R5 screen back Samsung ST90 front Samsung ST90 screen back

Technical Scores and Performance Ratings

While neither camera has full DXOMark testing, performance analysis based on specifications and hands-on use clearly favor Canon’s greater sensor size, autofocus system, and feature set.

Breaking scores down by genre:

The R5 leads decisively in professional applications, while the ST90 ranks low in all except ultra-basic snapshot use.

Final Thoughts: Who Should Buy Which?

If you are a photography enthusiast or pro who values image quality, versatility, and professional reliability - and can make a significant investment - the Canon EOS R5 will exceed expectations across nearly every discipline you throw at it. Its massive sensor, advanced autofocus, 8K video, and robust build satisfy even very demanding needs whether landscapes, wildlife, sports, portraits, or video.

On the other hand, if you need a compact, simple, and budget-friendly option for casual shooting or travel where carrying a larger camera is impractical, the Samsung ST90 offers basic imaging with minimal fuss. Keep in mind its limitations in image quality, low light, and creative control.

Dear Canon, please keep pushing boundaries while maintaining affordability for newer photographers! Meanwhile, Samsung’s ST90 stands as a relic reminder of where ultracompacts once fit in the market before smartphones took over.

In summary:

• For true photographic artistry and professional use: Canon EOS R5
• For everyday snapshots, light travel, and casual users on a budget: Samsung ST90

My personal advice: consider your photography goals first; the camera that matches your aspirations and workflow will serve you best in the long run.

If you’d like hands-on demonstrations and more detailed tests on autofocus or video performance, check out my comprehensive video reviews linked alongside or browse sample galleries to see image quality in action.

Happy shooting!