Does the Canon R8 Mark II use more storage than the R8?

At 4K 60p, yes — modestly. The R8 Mark II's top 4K 60p mode is 250 Mbps (XF-AVC S 4:2:2 10-bit) against 230 Mbps for the R8's HEVC IPB Standard, about 9% more. At 4K 24p the gap widens: 150 Mbps versus 120 Mbps, or 25% more. In Full HD high-frame-rate the R8 is actually the hungrier camera, at 180 Mbps against 150 Mbps.

Do the Canon R8 and R8 Mark II use the same memory cards?

Yes. Both have a single SD UHS-II slot, no CFexpress, and no dual-card recording. A V90 UHS-II SDXC card serves either body. Neither records internal RAW, so neither ever demands CFexpress-class throughput.

Is the Canon R8 Mark II worth upgrading from the R8 for video?

For storage planning specifically, the difference is small — both are single-slot SD bodies with a ceiling around 250 Mbps. The upgrade case rests on IBIS, which the R8 lacks entirely, plus the move to Canon's XF-AVC S / XF-HEVC S codec naming with 4:2:2 10-bit available across more modes. If in-body stabilisation is not a factor for you, the R8 remains capable and is considerably cheaper.

What is the biggest storage difference between the two?

The 4:2:0 tier. The R8's HEVC IPB Light mode drops 4K 60p to 120 Mbps and 4K 24p to 60 Mbps — genuinely frugal. The R8 Mark II's equivalent 4:2:0 tier sits at 150 and 100 Mbps. If minimum file size is your priority, the older body's Light mode is the leaner option.

Canon R8 Mark II vs R8 — Storage & Bitrate Comparison

Both cameras are compact 24 MP full-frame bodies with one SD UHS-II slot and no internal RAW. For anyone deciding between them on storage grounds, the honest answer is that they are closer than the three-year gap suggests — and in one mode, the older camera is the leaner of the two.

4K Bitrates Side by Side

Canon renamed its codecs between these generations. The R8's "HEVC IPB Standard" and the R8 Mark II's "XF-HEVC S 4:2:2 10-bit" are the comparable top-quality H.265 modes; "IPB Light" and the Mark II's 4:2:0 tier are the comparable economy modes.

Mode	EOS R8	EOS R8 Mark II	Change
4K 60p — top H.265	230 Mbps	225 Mbps	−2%
4K 60p — top H.264	—	250 Mbps	new
4K 60p — economy tier	120 Mbps	150 Mbps	+25%
4K 24p — top H.265	120 Mbps	135 Mbps	+13%
4K 24p — top H.264	—	150 Mbps	new
4K 24p — economy tier	60 Mbps	100 Mbps	+67%
Full HD 180p	180 Mbps	150 Mbps	−17%
Full HD 120p	120 Mbps	100 Mbps	−17%
Full HD 24p — top tier	30 Mbps	50 Mbps	+67%

The pattern is not "newer camera, bigger files". At the top H.265 tier the two are within a couple of percent at 4K 60p, and the R8 Mark II is meaningfully leaner in Full HD high-frame-rate. Where the Mark II does cost more is the economy tier — the R8's IPB Light mode goes lower than anything the new body offers.

Per-Hour Storage

Mode	EOS R8	EOS R8 Mark II
4K 60p, top H.265	104 GB/hr	101 GB/hr
4K 60p, best quality available	104 GB/hr	113 GB/hr
4K 24p, top H.265	54 GB/hr	61 GB/hr
4K 24p, economy tier	27 GB/hr	45 GB/hr
Full HD 180p	81 GB/hr	68 GB/hr

On a 256 GB V90 card: the R8 gives about 2 hours 28 minutes of 4K 60p; the R8 Mark II gives about 2 hours 16 minutes at its best 4K 60p mode, or 2 hours 32 minutes if you choose HEVC over XF-AVC S. In practice you would not notice the difference across a shooting day.

Cards: Identical Requirements

This is the part that makes the comparison easy. Both bodies have one SD UHS-II slot. Neither has CFexpress. Neither supports dual-card recording. Neither records internal RAW, so neither ever asks for more than about 31 MB/s sustained.

A V90 UHS-II SDXC card works in both. If you are upgrading, your existing cards carry over with no re-buy.
256 GB is the sensible default for either. Roughly two and a quarter hours of 4K 60p on both bodies.
Neither body has a backup slot. Single-slot recording is the shared limitation, and the one worth planning around on both.

Open the calculator with the R8 Mark II →

What Actually Changed

IBIS is the real upgrade. The original R8 has no in-body stabilisation at all — it is the single largest functional gap between the two, and it has nothing to do with storage. The R8 Mark II adds 7.5-stop IBIS.

4:2:2 10-bit is available more broadly. The Mark II's top tier is 4:2:2 10-bit across 4K and Full HD, in either codec. That is a grading advantage, and it is why its top-tier rates sit a little higher at 24p.

Oversampling from 6K at 60p. Canon states the Mark II's 4K 60p is 6K-oversampled. That is an image-quality change rather than a storage one — the bitrate is nearly unchanged.

The R8 keeps one advantage: a leaner economy mode. HEVC IPB Light at 60 Mbps for 4K 24p is lower than anything on the Mark II. For long-form, low-stakes recording where file size dominates, the older camera is genuinely more efficient.

Which One for Storage Planning?

If you already own an R8 and your concern is card capacity, there is no case for upgrading. The ceiling moves from 230 to 250 Mbps — a rounding error across a shooting day, on identical media.

If you are buying new, choose on IBIS and 4:2:2 10-bit coverage, then plan storage afterwards. Both bodies fit comfortably on a pair of 256 GB V90 cards for a full day, and neither will ever need CFexpress.

Open the calculator with the original R8 →

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the R8 Mark II use more storage than the R8?

Slightly, at 4K. 250 Mbps versus 230 at 4K 60p, and 150 versus 120 at 4K 24p in the top tier. In Full HD high-frame-rate the R8 is the hungrier camera, at 180 Mbps against 150.

Do they use the same cards?

Yes. Single SD UHS-II slot on both, no CFexpress, no dual-card recording. V90 UHS-II SDXC serves either.

Is the Mark II worth upgrading to for video?

On storage grounds, no — the two are near-identical. On IBIS and broader 4:2:2 10-bit coverage, that is a real decision, but it is not a storage decision.

Which has the smallest files?

The original R8, via HEVC IPB Light — 60 Mbps at 4K 24p, against 100 Mbps for the Mark II's leanest equivalent.