Canon EOS R5 Diffraction Limit
With a 720 nm infrared filter, the Canon EOS R5 stays free of visible diffraction up to ƒ/5, and diffraction starts to soften images at ƒ/9. Unconverted (hot mirror), it is diffraction-free up to ƒ/7.1 and soft from ƒ/12.7. These limits come from its 4.4 μm pixel pitch: longer infrared wavelengths make a larger Airy disk, so diffraction appears at wider apertures than in visible light.
Open the Canon EOS R5 in the calculator
Canon EOS R5 specifications
- Pixel pitch: 4.4 μm
- Megapixels: 45.0
- Pixels: 8192 × 5464
- Sensor: Full Frame, 36.0 × 24.0 mm
Buy the Canon EOS R5: KEH Adorama B&H
Sharpest ƒ-stop by filter
Safe is the narrowest aperture with a diffraction ratio of 3 or lower at every wavelength the filter passes. Caution allows up to 3.75. Avoid is the first aperture where any wavelength reaches 4.5. All three are calculated to the one-third stop. See which wavelengths each filter passes.
| Filter | Safe | Caution | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full spectrum | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/9 |
| Hot mirror or UV/IR cut | ƒ/7.1 | ƒ/9 | ƒ/12.7 |
| 470 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/9 |
| 550 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/9 |
| 590 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/9 |
| 665 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/9 |
| 720 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/9 |
| 780 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/9 |
| 830 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/9 |
| 930 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/9 |
| 1000 nm high-pass | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/9 |
| IR Chrome | ƒ/5 | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/9 |
| UV Bandpass | ƒ/12.7 | ƒ/16 | ƒ/22 |
Diffraction ratio at each ƒ-stop
The Airy disk diameter divided by the 4.4 μm pixel pitch, for every wavelength from ultraviolet to infrared. A filter only passes some of these wavelengths; the table above applies each filter’s set. How the ratio is calculated.
| ƒ-stop | 350 nm | 400 nm | 470 nm | 550 nm | 590 nm | 665 nm | 720 nm | 780 nm | 830 nm | 930 nm | 1000 nm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ƒ/1.4 | 0.27 | 0.31 | 0.36 | 0.43 | 0.46 | 0.52 | 0.56 | 0.61 | 0.64 | 0.72 | 0.78 |
| ƒ/2 | 0.39 | 0.44 | 0.52 | 0.61 | 0.65 | 0.74 | 0.8 | 0.87 | 0.92 | 1.03 | 1.11 |
| ƒ/2.8 | 0.54 | 0.62 | 0.73 | 0.85 | 0.92 | 1.03 | 1.12 | 1.21 | 1.29 | 1.44 | 1.55 |
| ƒ/4 | 0.78 | 0.89 | 1.04 | 1.22 | 1.31 | 1.48 | 1.6 | 1.73 | 1.84 | 2.06 | 2.22 |
| ƒ/5.6 | 1.09 | 1.24 | 1.46 | 1.71 | 1.83 | 2.07 | 2.24 | 2.42 | 2.58 | 2.89 | 3.11 |
| ƒ/8 | 1.55 | 1.77 | 2.09 | 2.44 | 2.62 | 2.95 | 3.19 | 3.46 | 3.68 | 4.13 | 4.44 |
| ƒ/11 | 2.13 | 2.44 | 2.87 | 3.36 | 3.6 | 4.06 | 4.39 | 4.76 | 5.06 | 5.67 | 6.1 |
| ƒ/16 | 3.11 | 3.55 | 4.17 | 4.88 | 5.23 | 5.9 | 6.39 | 6.92 | 7.36 | 8.25 | 8.87 |
| ƒ/22 | 4.27 | 4.88 | 5.73 | 6.71 | 7.2 | 8.11 | 8.78 | 9.52 | 10.13 | 11.35 | 12.2 |
| ƒ/32 | 6.21 | 7.1 | 8.34 | 9.76 | 10.47 | 11.8 | 12.78 | 13.84 | 14.73 | 16.5 | 17.75 |
| No visible diffraction (less than 3) | |
| Visible diffraction may slightly impact image sharpness (3 to 4.5) | |
| Visible diffraction will impact image sharpness (4.5 or greater) |
Cameras with similar pixel pitch
Other Full Frame cameras within 0.2 μm of the Canon EOS R5. The same pixel pitch gives the same diffraction limits.
- Panasonic Lumix DC-S1R II (4.40 μm)
- Canon EOS R5 C (4.39 μm)
- Canon EOS R5 Mark II (4.39 μm)
- Nikon D850 (4.35 μm)
- Nikon Z 7 (4.35 μm)
- Nikon Z 7 II (4.35 μm)
Pixel pitch comes from the camera database. Send a correction if anything here is wrong.