Congrats on the R5! Honestly, you're gonna need at least one fast card. I compared the ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type B Gold 512GB with standard SDs, and for 8K or wildlife bursts, the CFexpress is basically mandatory to avoid buffer lag. For power, stick with the Canon LP-E6NH Lithium-Ion Battery for main shoots, but the SmallRig LP-E6NH USB-C Rechargeable Camera Battery is a great, cheaper backup tho.

Late to the party! Are you shooting fast action or stationary animals? Depending on that, Angelbird AV PRO CFexpress B SE 512GB might be the best budget card for your needs.

Helpful thread 👍

Honestly, moving from the 5D IV is such a huge jump. Since you are doing wildlife, you definitely want a card that wont choke during high-speed bursts. I have been using the Lexar Professional CFexpress Type B Card Diamond Series 256GB and it is basically the fastest thing out there right now, which is huge for clearing that massive buffer when you are spraying frames at a bird in flight. For the heat issues and extra mounting points, the SmallRig Black Mamba Camera Cage for Canon EOS R5 is a must-have imo. It fits the body like a glove and makes it way easier to handle for video work without adding a ton of weight. One thing people often forget is the EF glass. Since you likely have old lenses, grab the Canon Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. It makes your old EF lenses feel native and that extra dial is super handy for changing ISO on the fly while you are tracking subjects. Its definitely worth the extra cash over the basic adapter.

Stumbled upon this discussion today. Regarding what #3 said about "Late to the party! Are you shooting fast..."

• I'm totally on board with the budget-friendly route for my wildlife kit. Honestly, spending a fortune on top-tier cards is overkill unless you're shooting 8K raw 24/7. After years with this body, I've found a few things that work well and keep the costs down...
• Sabrent Rocket CFX 512GB CFexpress Type B - this thing is a beast for the price and handles my high-speed bursts with no complaints.
• Neewer LP-E6NH 2-Pack with USB-C Charging Port - these are solid if you're tired of the official Canon markup. Zero errors for me so far.
• ULANZI R5 Camera Cage - basically does the same job as the pricier brands for way less cash tho. Dont feel like you gotta buy the most expensive stuff right away just because the camera was pricey. These have been super reliable for me in the field for a long time now.

Like someone mentioned, the R5 is a massive jump from the 5D series and it definitely demands a lot more from your gear. I've been shooting with mine since launch and I've learned the hard way that reliability should be your top priority. Before you spend more money tho, are you planning on using the 20fps electronic shutter for your wildlife shots, or mostly sticking to mechanical? That really changes how much speed you actually need from your cards to keep the buffer clear. In my experience over the years, I've found that you basically can't go wrong if you just stick with SanDisk for your storage. They've been the most consistent brand in my kit and I haven't had one fail on me yet, which is peace of mind you need when shooting high-res files. For power, honestly, just get the official batteries from Canon. I've tried a few different third-party brands and they just don't hold their charge as well or communicate correctly with the camera's power management system. It's better to pay the premium for the originals than have a battery die on you right when the action starts.

Exactly what I was thinking