The Canon EOS 5DS ($3,699, body only) is one of a pair of cameras that utilize the EF lens system, each with 50-megapixel image sensors. Unlike the EOS 5DS R ($3,699.00 at Amazon) , the 5DS utilizes an optical low-pass filter (OLPF) to combat color moiré artifacts, but it does so at the cost of detail. If moiré is a concern, the 5DS is the model you'll want if a high-resolution Canon camera suits your fancy. It's a solid choice, but our favorite high-resolution SLR is the Nikon D810 ($1,996.95 at Amazon) , which is a bit less expensive and more versatile in its ISO range.

Image Quality
Aside from the filter stack that covers its image sensor and the name badge on the body, the 5DS ($1,216.28 at Walmart)  and the 5DS R are identical. Please refer to our 5DS R review for full details on its interface, controls, autofocus system, video capabilities, and performance. I'm going to concentrate solely on image quality here.

The 5DS and the 5DS R use the same full-frame 50-megapixel image sensor, and both cameras incorporate an OLPF into their design. The 5DS R uses an additional filter to offset the effects of the OLPF—and that offset filter does its job, as our lab tests showed that the 5DS R captures just a little bit more detail than the 5DS. The difference is subtle, and requires you to really zoom in to a pixel level to see the difference.

I put the 5DS through the same litany of lab tests as the 5DS R, using the same lens—the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM. The cameras put up nearly identical numbers in our ISO test sequence—Imatest showed that the 5DS keeps noise under 1.5 percent through ISO 6400, and shows about 2.1 percent at its top ISO 12800 sensitivity when shooting JPGs at default settings.

See How We Test Digital Cameras

I took a close look at images from the ISO test sequence on a calibrated NEC MultiSync PA271W( at Amazon) display. At lower ISOs, images are clean and full of detail. It's not until you get to ISO 3200 that there's noticeable smudging of detail, and it's not that offensive. At ISO 12800 image quality does suffer. The camera fares worse when looking at high ISO images side-by-side with those from the 5DS R, as the offset OLPF better preserves fine detail. The same is true when shooting in Raw format. At all ISOs the 5DS lags just slightly behind the 5DS R in terms of crispness. You can push things a bit further in Raw than you can in JPG; there's a lot of noise at ISO 12800, but the Raw files are still quite usable.

The 5DS also lagged a little behind the 5DS R in our standard lens resolution test. The 100-400mm showed 3,407 lines per picture height when paired with the 5DS and 3,573 lines when tested on the 5DS R. That's a slight increase, but one that you'll appreciate if you're seeking out the highest resolution body you can find. The same copy of the lens scores 2,770 lines at the same focal length and aperture on the 20-megapixel EOS 6D ($1,999.99 at Amazon) .

Conclusions
If you're a Canon shooter after a high-resolution, full-frame body, you've got two choices. The 5DS is the better choice if you often shoot subjects where color moiré can be an issue. These include fashion photographers who photograph textiles, and birders concerned about plumage. But if you don't fall into those groups, it's worth it to spend the extra $200 on the 5DS R. You're buying this camera over a 5D Mark III ($797.00 at Amazon) because of its resolution, so you might as well get the version that captures the most detail. We're not making either the 5DS or the 5DS R an Editors' Choice winner, though. The Nikon D810 doesn't offer as many pixels, but it delivers plenty of resolution and is a bit more versatile in terms of its ISO range, so it remains our top pick.

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