Get The Most Recording Time out of the Canon R5 - The No Life Canon R5 Overheating Test
https://youtu.be/PnG00Fhu5pI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_xqX4_Qe9E&feature=youtu.be
So the rumors that dominated the headlines on the release of the Canon R5, is of course the talk of overheating. After Canon has released their numbers for internal overheating, we all wondered if they were mitigated by recording externally. Unfortunately, tests by Gerald Undone seemed to add another nail in the coffin
Here are my findings regarding the Canon R5/R6 overheating. Full video review to follow soon. Hopefully Monday/Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/YaZ2ObSZtP
— Gerald Undone (@GeraldUndone) August 1, 2020
So first the bad news. Internally, it seems I'm getting around the same times as Gerald. In fact, my times are a bit more conservative. I've averaged and rounded down my numbers a bit. But none the less, the internal recording times are quite restricting.
In terms of Usability, this means how often can you expect to hit the internal numbers. "Completely unreliable" means you're really at the mercy of the camera. On a cold start, sure, you'll probably get those advertised numbers. But if you're actually using the camera, expect to see numbers similar to mine. "Reliable" meaning you should be OK, for the most part. "Completely reliable" meaning you'll never worry about it. 8K is completely unreliable. Don't ever go out with the intention of shooting 8K, you'll just be frustrated. 4K120 is also unreliable. One day I shot 30min of 4KHQ, and still was able to get around 15min of 4K120, another day I shot photos for an hour or so and got around 5 mins. This isn't too much of a big deal in my opinion, as long as you know you'll just be limited to short, short bursts of it. Which is what its use case is for the most part. Fortunately, 4K 60 is a bit more reliable in FF mode, especially compared to 4K60 Crop. But I find you don't gain that much image quality entering crop mode, so keep that in mind. And lastly, 4KHQ has the most amount of time, but you may find at 30fps, times fluctuate a bit more than you're comfortable with. Meaning, if you're going out and you need exactly 25min of 4KHQ footage, you may find yourself disappointed. But that's the bad news that everyone knows about.
I have great news, though. My current testing, with proof added to the video above, shows a much different story externally. The Canon R5 can record that beautiful 4KHQ up to 30fps, in 10-bit CLog, with DPAF, as well as the best in class IBIS, externally to a Ninja V recorder or any recorder like a PC to OBS, for upwards of 4 HOURS. Yes, that's correct. You can externally record 4KHQ up to 30fps and 4K60fps with almost no limits, no weird shut down issues, no screen blackouts, and no overheat control.
All you need to do is not put any CFExpress / SD cards in the camera, and ensure your camera screen is set to auto-off.
So I found this out by not inputting any cards in the camera. With no cards added to the camera, the overheating timer does not show up, and you still get the clean 10-bit 4KHQ image sent. I've tested this multiple times, and each time, I was not met with even an overheating warning after multiple hours of recording. This is a FAR different case than the original numbers Gerald Undone released, and completely opens up the camera to so many more situations and content creators. I'm also not saying Gerald's number are incorrect - they just don't tell the full story. Also, I've done this with a dummy battery as well as with the new Canon LP6H batteries inserted, and currently, the battery dies before any overheat warnings. So you DON'T have to use a dummy battery to get long-form external recording.
UPDATE (8/7/20): Setting the HDMI display only to the external monitor (not the dual screen option), and turning on "Overheat Control" seems to be bugged. This mode was giving me those "screen blackout / disconnection" issues. Setting your camera in this mode may also reduce your times from the times I've stated. I will update this if it is fixed in the future.
UPDATE (8/11/20): A test by the user John Gress posted his test results. It showed that the screen being on the entire time overheated the camera in just 40min. I can confirm that the screen being on (the entire time), overheats the camera much much quicker. I did a test where I kept the display on auto-off, but every other minute, turned the camera screen on. This test got me a mere 30min before overheating. Another test I did allowed the camera to record externally, without the screen being on at all, and was able to reach over 2 hours before concluding the test. This leads me to believe the issue is software related.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dXHpj1F-j
How to use the Canon R5 (Firmware 1.0) to get the best Recording Times in 4KHQ Externally
- Use a dummy battery. This will not only improve heat, but also give you much more recording time, as you are now no longer limited by battery
- Remove the CFExpress & SD Cards. Since you are recording externally, there is no need to use these cards.
- Ensure your camera is set to "HDMI Display - Camera & External". This mode is bugged, and if you set it to external only, you will end up with screen blackout / disconnection issues.
- Ensure your camera screen is set to auto-off. Like in the update, YouTuber John Gress showed that the screen also plays a role in overheating - through software limitation. This may be fixed in future firmware.
What I think is happening is that the cards themselves play a much bigger role in triggering the overheating, than the processor or sensor. Maybe there is some type of card buffer that activates when the cards are inputted, and this triggers the overheating countdown timer. I'm not exactly sure what the case may be, all I know is that a simple firmware fix can clear all this up.
Now, in order for Canon to fix this issue, they need to be made aware of the problem. So I implore you (if you care about these cameras), send this video to Canon, send it to the other reviews, send it to others with the camera. I'm just a single point of contention in this entire discussion, so it'll be great for more data points.
Overall, from my current testing, I'm 100% confident in saying you will get no overheating issues in 4KHQ up to 30fps, and 4K60, when recording externally until around 4 hours. And then, only shutting down the camera for a few minutes should give you another few added hours. This is huge for indie filmmakers, documentaries, weddings, and many other content creators looking for a reliable 4K camera that can record for long periods of time. Just know you'll need to pick up an external recorder to do so.
If you happen to have the R5, I'd love to know what types of recording times you're getting, both internal and external. Leave your times below in the comments, and make sure to leave what modes you've shot in (4K, 4KHQ, 4K120, All-I or IPB, Crop mode, everything).
Sakeesian Hotline // I Got the Canon R5 [ no life podcast ]
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Will You Call the Sarkeesian Hotline?
In this episode of No Life Podcast, we take a look at Jason Schreiers new piece where he details how Blizzard employees leaked a document showcasing everyone's salary and the disparity between Blizzard Activision CEO Bobby Kotick. Then we dive into the Sony exclusive issue, and the new Gaming Industry Hotline for those who were harassed or troubled by crunch, set up by Anita Sarkeesian. Last, we look at Apple's new iMac's and Wayne talks all about his experience with the Canon R5.
Is the Canon R5 4K "Unusable?" | Testing 4K Modes & Atomos Ninja
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEmcswz0EIM&feature=youtu.be
Let's Put it to the Test!
Well the Canon R5 is here, and I'm ready to put it through its paces. One of the things I wanted to know about this camera was its "4K NON-HQ" video recording mode. You see, the biggest criticism pointed at the R5 is its proclivity to overheat. Canon states the camera overheats at 8K, 4K HQ which is 4K downsampled from the 8K sensor, 4K 60fps, and 4K 120fps. But the camera doesn't overheat in the full-frame 4K lineskipped/binned mode at 24, 25, & 30fps. This means this is the preferred recording setting for most videographers with this camera - because you no longer need to worry about the oppressive, and variable, overheating times in the other modes. With that being said, I wanted to know how good, or how bad, the "Low Quality" 4K really is. So I put it to the test!
Conclusion
After watching the video, I think it's clear there is a noticeable difference in image quality between the downsampled 4K, and the "Low Quality" 4K. The image coming out of the 4KHQ is so god damn crisp and detailed. It's easily some of the best 4K seen out of a small mirrorless hybrid. Easily. But the 4KLQ isn't too far behind. Comparing the two images, the LQ is only a bit softer and a bit less detailed. You don't lose any dynamic range, you don't lose any motion data, you don't lose color data. You just get a softer image, when compared against the BEST 4K on the market. There is, however, some noticeable aliasing or line-skipping, that you can see on my glasses at 100% scale - which may be the biggest criticism. But we are really pixel peeping here, and for the most part, the differences between the two are negligible.
I also decided to contrast the two modes externally with the Atomos Ninja V. Here, we can see pretty much the same story. Unfortunately, the addition of the Ninja doesn't help increase the available recording time in 4KHQ too much, only giving about another 30 minutes before the camera overheats and needs almost 2 hours before completely cooling down. That said, utilizing a Ninja will allow you to record in 10-bit without needing to utilize the hard-to-render H265 video codec.
Finally, I think the Canon R5's "Low Quality" 4K is not "Low Quality" at all, or what Tony Northrup called "unusable". In fact, I think it looks great! If you found the 4K quality coming out of the older EOS R to be adequate, you will be very happy with the 4K quality coming out of the R5. It's nearly identical, except now you have true full-frame with no crop, as well as the added 10-bit with internal recording. I think most people will be very happy with this upgrade.
The ONLY Way to Cool the Canon R5 & R6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-Wxj5vn9S4&feature=youtu.be
No, Not a Leafblower...
The Canon R5 & R6 are hot, hot, hot! Literally. If you've been following the world of videography and photography, you'll know the latest releases from Canon have brought up a ton of controversy, mainly due to the camera's thermal limitations. It's very reminiscent of earlier Apple laptops, which were criticized for not allowing manageable thermals. Now, regardless of the thermal limitations, it's still the camera I'm going to be picking up (in fact, I'm going with an R5 over the R6 and I'll explain why once the camera gets in). But with this added controversy has come a wave of opportunists. Camera accessory company Tilta is already jumping on the train and offering an active cooling fan that slaps right on the back of the Canon R5, to try and mitigate the heat.
Now from the images provided by Tilta, we can see they're claiming a "Maximum Temp Reduction of 82F". I'm not sure if this means that the camera can disperse 82F temps, or it can only manage 82F temps - I think it's left unclear and vauge for a reason. But I'm more interested in seeing if the product works at all. Mainly because we know the overheating deals with the phsyical sensor itself. The sensor builds up too much heat, and to evade damage, it limits itself. In other words, it's not like the camera's processor overheats like what we see in computers. This would mean, unless the sensor is connected to the body of the camera, which it's not since there is an IBIS motor built in, this fan would do very little work. Don't believe me? Well watch Armando's recent video where you see him using leafblowers on the camera, and later in which he states they did almost nothing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JJDA134VN4
A Real Solution
So unless Tilta is working some real magic (which who knows, maybe it does work and make a difference), I don't see this type of cooling method working. However, recent reports from CanonRumors.com show a new patent that displays an active RF mount cooler. This, by far, make much more sense. In the patent, you can see how the fan or active cooler sits behind the lens and in front of the sensor. This direct connection to the sensor would surely reduce temperatures, much more so than literally any method short of watercooling. Not only this, but it also enables the camera to keep its watersealing. This is PERFECT in my case, where I want a watersealed body some days, and other days, a fully fledged cinema rig. If something like this were to release, I think it would make the R5/R6 so much more appealing to many. There are almost no downsides to this type of cooling method.
Why I Preordered the Canon R6 over the R5 (& Why You Might Wanna Too)
https://youtu.be/0xleS1IgHBw
Canon R5 & R6 Are the Grails We've Waited For!
In the video above I discuss the new R5 & R6 releases from Canon. To me, both of these cameras offer all my needs wrapped up in one body, and at reasonable price points! First off, I've shot with Canon as my first foray into shooting. But around the time I was jumping into video shooting, 4K was becoming more apparent. It was still "bleeding edge" but something of a reality. The only cameras offering this was Sony at the time, and so I moved to the Sony ecosystem. Since then I've been a fully embedded Sony shooter, owning an a6000, a6300, a7s2, RX100mk3, RX100mk4, and I still use my Sony a7r3 as my main high MP photo camera and video B-cam. I own countless lenses from Sony and Sigma, and a swath of accessories. I've loved my time with Sony, but I've always wanted more. Having a weak IBIS system, an OK color science, only 4:2:0 8-bit, and no flip-screen, has left me with a hole in my camera needs. I ended up picking up a Canon EOS R because I was happy Canon was moving to mirrorless, and I wanted a camera with great usability and flip out screen. I quickly found myself using the EOS R as my main A camera. Of course, this camera has also come with its own limitations. Massive 4K crop and lack of IBIS being the main issues.
But then the R5 was leaked. It seemed to pack everything I wanted in a camera. Canon's excellent usability and body design, with top tier Sony-like specs and no crops. It sounded too good to be true. But when I heard about the Canon R6, I knew that would've been the camera for me. Fast forward till now, and both are announced. The R5's headline features are 4k120p and 8k 30fps RAW. This is on top of the INSANE specs like oversampled 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 internal, a brand new insanely good IBIS, best in class AF, C-log, and the return to the joystick. The perfect camera with added specs to help push along the industry. All this under $4000. It does seem however, the R5 isn't the "perfect camera". Documents from Canon showing the camera's top modes like the oversampled 4K, 4K120, and 8K all suffer from overheating. This has left a big stain on the legacy of this camera. As a Sony shooter, I've had enough of overheating. So this was some upsetting news.
However, Canon did the best thing they done in years, and released the R6 with almost all the same specs - minus 4K120 and 8K. You still get 4K60fps, you still get the IBIS, you still get 10-bit 4:2:2 internal in all modes, there is no crop of course, you still get best in class AF, you still get the flipscreen, and you still get C-Log, you still get USB-C 3.1 gen 2 features like charging/powering/data transfer. All at almost half the price. Not too mention, it doesn't utilize the insanely expensive Cfast Express storage format, and takes regular-old SD cards. Now, one of the biggest "cripples" of this camera was that all modes only had IPB recording modes. This limits the bitrate to a much more compressed state. While the difference between IPB and ALL-I is negligible, it does make a difference. But this newly revitalized Canon has recently come out to say they will be adding ALL-I to all modes in a firmware update! Incredible news! This means the only true sacrifice (for myself) is losing 4K120p. Which is a huge feature, but not one that I'm willing to trade reliability and double the price for. Not yet at least. Finally, this tweet by Gerald Undone sums up my feelings on the R6 perfectly.
https://twitter.com/GeraldUndone/status/1281422674770759682?s=20
The Canon R6 is a much better value for the money. Utilizing 4K60 Prores with an Atomos, eliminating any overheating issues, while also utilizing an oversampled sensor and using SSD's / SD's over CFExpress, make this camera truly one of the most versatile and impressive mirrorless hybrids we've seen to date. It's been the camera I've been waiting for since the Sony A7S2. And speaking of Sony, the news coming from A7S3 sound really promising. These two companies back to competing neck and neck with eachother for the top spot has brought some excitement back into the ILC market, which we haven't had in a long, long time. So I'm pumped to get my hands on the new R6, and I'll be sure to post up my review once I've fully messed with the camera. Shipping says it won't be here until September, so we have quite the wait.
Druckmann is a Genius | Apple goes ARM! [ no life podcast ]
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What a week...
This week, we are jam packed with news and drama. First off, Wayne gives his SPOILER FILLED review of Last of Us 2. As you can tell by the title, he really likes it. Then, the crew dive into the litany of sexual assault / misconduct allegations against many in the gaming community, including Angry Joe and ProSyndicate. Next, the crew discuss the economics and ramifications around how Mixer was just recently sold off into Facebook Gaming. And lastly in gaming, Cards Against Humanity gets cancelled. Finally, in tech, we discuss Apple's transition to their own chips and what else is new in iOS 14 & iPadOS. Great episode. Tune in.
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Time to SONY
In this episode, we discuss the PS5 Reveal.
4K Upscale the Switch | Sony ZV-1 is FLAWED [ no life podcast ]
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CONTENT NUKE
In this episode of the No Life Digital Podcast, Wayne discusses the various RPG's he's been playing. Trials of Mana on Switch, Grim Dawn on PC, and even Elder Scrolls Blades on mobile. Then in gaming we dive into the tech demo Epic released showcasing their Unreal Engine 5. Finally in tech, the crew discuss the ethics of Ethan Klein of H3H3 Productions "Content Nuke" on famed YouTube villain Keemstar. Did he go too far? Not far enough? Find out our thoughts and much more on the episode...
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Nostalgia At Its Worst
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