Connectivity comparison

Nikon Z8 vs Canon EOS R5 Mark II: connectivity and tethering compared

Do-everything high-resolution bodies for weddings, events and sport. This comparison is about one thing: how fast each body gets a finished frame to where it's needed — its USB-C port, Wi-Fi, built-in FTP, Ethernet and card slots, and how it tethers to a phone with CloudTether.

By the CloudTether team · Updated

Nikon Z8 cameraNikon Z8Canon EOS R5 Mark II cameraCanon EOS R5 Mark II

Side by side

Nikon Z8Canon EOS R5 Mark II
Hardware (maker's specs)
Sensor formatFull-frameFull-frame
RAW filesNEFCR3
USB portUSB-C data port, SuperSpeed USBUSB-C, SuperSpeed Plus USB (USB 3.2 Gen 2)
Wi-FiIEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 + 5 GHz (bands vary by region)Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax); 6 GHz only in some regions
Built-in FTPBuilt-in (Connect to FTP Server)Built-in FTP transfer
Wired EthernetVia a third-party USB-C to Ethernet adapter2.5GBASE-T via the optional BG-R20EP grip
Card slotsCFexpress Type B / XQD + SD (UHS-II)CFexpress Type B + SD (UHS-II)
Tethering to a phone with CloudTether
CloudTether over USBSupported by the protocol, not yet tested by us (same code as our verified Nikon body)Verified by us
CloudTether over Wi-FiSupported by the camera, not yet tested by usVerified (Canon)
Rated sendYes — only shots you rate in cameraYes — only shots you rate in camera
Camera setting for a USB tetherNone — default USB modeNone — turn the camera's Wi-Fi off before USB
Cable to a USB-C phoneUSB-C to USB-C data cableUSB-C to USB-C data cable

“Not stated” means the maker's spec page doesn't list it — we don't fill gaps with guesses. Wi-Fi bands can vary by region.

Verdict: which delivers faster?

Both have built-in FTP, 5 GHz Wi-Fi and dual slots. Canon lists the R5 Mark II's USB-C as SuperSpeed Plus (USB 3.2 Gen 2, 10 Gbps); Nikon lists the Z8's data port as SuperSpeed USB (the 5 Gbps tier). For a phone tether that gap rarely shows — most phones' ports set the limit — and Z8 users' transfers in our logs took a median 0.34 s per file over USB.

Both support rated send. The R5 Mark II is verified by us (USB in field use, Canon Wi-Fi verified); the Z8 shares its code with our verified Z6 but this exact body hasn't been tested, and Nikon Wi-Fi is untested. One Nikon quirk: an iPhone may not connect to a body with a CFexpress card until the card is formatted in the camera.

Pick the Z8 if…

…you're a Nikon shooter — the Z8 tethers in its default USB mode with nothing to set.

Pick the EOS R5 Mark II if…

…you want a verified body and a verified Wi-Fi tether for roaming without a cable.

Setting each one up for tethering

Nikon Z8

Canon EOS R5 Mark II

Download on theApp StoreGet it onGoogle Play
Coming soon tomacOS

Nikon Z8 vs Canon EOS R5 Mark II: FAQ

Which is faster to tether to a phone, the Z8 or the EOS R5 Mark II?

On paper the EOS R5 Mark II has the faster USB-C port (10 Gbps vs 5 Gbps per the makers' specs). To a phone the gap mostly disappears — standard USB-C iPhones and many Android phones run at USB 2 — and it shows mainly with big RAW files to a USB 3 device. A JPEG arrives in a fraction of a second either way.

Can both tether to a phone over Wi-Fi with CloudTether?

Z8: supported by the camera, not yet tested by us; EOS R5 Mark II: verified (canon). Canon Wi-Fi is the wireless tether we've verified; USB is the dependable path on every body.

Which one can send only the shots I rate?

Both. Rated send works over Nikon and Canon tethering: switch on “Only shots I rate in camera” and only rated frames are sent.

Do the Z8 and EOS R5 Mark II have built-in FTP?

Z8: built-in (Connect to FTP Server); EOS R5 Mark II: built-in FTP transfer. In-camera FTP is a separate path from a phone tether — CloudTether can also deliver to an FTP/SFTP server from the phone, on any body.

Sources

Hardware specs from each maker's own specification page or online manual (checked 2026-11-15). CloudTether status from our own testing — see supported cameras.

More comparisons