EOS R5 and R6 Viewfinder blackout

[analoggrotto]

Has anyone definitively noted the blackout period on these new RF bodies? I intend on using mine for, among many things, birding and race cars. We need to see the subject while shooting to be effective (at all).

Insight would be most welcome.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Numerous early users say no observable blackout, but a slight lag. The lag is probably more important than a slight blackout, if you are looking at where a fast moving object has been, you could miss it entirely. Blackout is definitely annoying, but if there is no lag, you can capture what you see.

My R has both blackout and lag. You learn to compensate, but its a pain.

 

[pj1974]

As I regularly take photos of birds in flight (BIF) and occasionally other fast moving objects, I would be keen to know 'how much' both:
1) the viewfinder blackout is and
2) the actual lag is
Definitely going to be scrutinizing the proper reviews about this. The AF for eye focus, etc looks amazing, so hoping for a usable experience in terms of tracking moving subjects particularly... though the R5 is also my plan as a landscape camera
PJ

 

[SteveC]

Took my R5 to Garden of the Gods and--admittedly I wasn't paying attention--noticed no blackout. I can't honestly report on lag as I was doing landscapes and there was no earthquake in progress.

 

[Joe Subolefsky]

No noticeable lag or blackout. It far more responsive then any mirrorless I’ve ever used and I’ve tried them all. The AF eye tracking is amazing . Setup to shoot hummingbirds in simulated rain this morning.

 

[Joules]

No noticeable lag or blackout. It far more responsive then any mirrorless I’ve ever used and I’ve tried them all. The AF eye tracking is amazing . Setup to shoot hummingbirds in simulated rain this morning. View attachment 191698

Fantastic shot. Also lol at simulated rain But it looks really nice.

I am guessing that lens is a EF 600mm 4.0 based on those numbers. Is it the III version? Otherwise I take this to mean that on the R5 at least EVF performance is not compromised with EF lenses, unlike on the R? The III I believe has special electronics, so that if your report is based on that one, it's not quite so conclusive.

Thanks for sharing anyway!

 

[lac__]

I'll be taking the R5 out tomorrow morning to try and get some birds in flight. In the meantime, I've been playing with High Speed Continuous+. The human eye AF works stunningly well while keeping the shutter hammering away. I have high hopes for birds. Coming from the RP, anything will be an improvement.

 

[pj1974]

No noticeable lag or blackout. It far more responsive then any mirrorless I’ve ever used and I’ve tried them all. The AF eye tracking is amazing . Setup to shoot hummingbirds in simulated rain this morning. View attachment 191698

Thanks Joe, this is SO encouraging to read! I have used the EOS R extensively (from a pro-photographer friend who went mirrorless a few years back), and in store. I've also used the EOS RP. I own a EOS M5 myself. All of these have significant lag compared to my DSLRs.

I have also used a Sony A7III for a little while, and it was reasonably responsive, and the AF was great.. but again it has some lag and was not as instant a feel as I want/need from a FF mirrorless.

So I am thrilled to hear that you have tried all the mirrorless bodies around (I haven't tried Nikon or Panasonic for example) - and found the R5 to be far more responsive than any of them. Cheers for sharing your initial user experiences AND also the photo (which is a lovely image, by the way!).

Could you potentially indicate if it can track rapidly moving subjects (e.g. birds in flight that are not hovering) - and or children dashing about fast?
I have seen a few videos online (e.g. Jared Polin's video with a toddler boy moving - and also a test he did on himself).. and I was really quite impressed with this!

Thanks again!

PJ

 

[Viggo]

No noticeable lag or blackout. It far more responsive then any mirrorless I’ve ever used and I’ve tried them all. The AF eye tracking is amazing . Setup to shoot hummingbirds in simulated rain this morning. View attachment 191698

Sick shot man

 

[lac__]

The R5 is an absolute monster. The bird AF / bird eye AF never looses the subject even in continuous+. Had herons and egrets flying by at 600mm and it didn't miss eye focus on any shot. Blackout was non-existent enough to easily keep the subject in the frame.

I'm just a hobbyist, but this camera feels like cheating.

 

[Chris.Chapterten]

The R5 is an absolute monster. The bird AF / bird eye AF never looses the subject even in continuous+. Had herons and egrets flying by at 600mm and it didn't miss eye focus on any shot. Blackout was non-existent enough to easily keep the subject in the frame.

I'm just a hobbyist, but this camera feels like cheating.

Wow! Amzing results... jealous

 

[PUG]

No noticeable lag or blackout. It far more responsive then any mirrorless I’ve ever used and I’ve tried them all. The AF eye tracking is amazing . Setup to shoot hummingbirds in simulated rain this morning. View attachment 191698

Lovely Capture!

 

[PUG]

Does anyone know how to custom set the live view mode at the push of a button like a DSLR?
The only solution I found were:
1) use viewfinder only mode, but the problem with this is when I have to preview images, view the menu, or just interact with the R5, I must do it via the VF
2) disable the touchscreen and set the cam to ECO mode where it will turn off automatically after 10 seconds after pressing the shutter

I would like to conserve battery as I rarely use live mode unless shooting video, previewing images, or setting up the menu. I will look into the manual again, but any tip is highly appreciated.

 

[koenkooi]

Does anyone know how to custom set the live view mode at the push of a button like a DSLR?
The only solution I found were:
1) use viewfinder only mode, but the problem with this is when I have to preview images, view the menu, or just interact with the R5, I must do it via the VF
2) disable the touchscreen and set the cam to ECO mode where it will turn off automatically after 10 seconds after pressing the shutter

I would like to conserve battery as I rarely use live mode unless shooting video, previewing images, or setting up the menu. I will look into the manual again, but any tip is highly appreciated.

There should a 'power saving' menu entry where you can set 'display auto off' and 'camera auto off' separately, On my M6II and RP I have set them both to 1 minute. When I want to take a picture I half-press the shutter button while raising the camera to ensure it has woken up completely when it's at eye level.
If that doesn't work for you, the only remaining option is the physical on/off switch :/

 

[Frodo]

I read somewhere that viewfinder blackout on the R (not R5) is reduced when using RF lenses. Can someone confirm that in practice? I had a shoot this afternoon where a toddler ran towards me. The eye AF was great, but the kid was difficult to follow in the viewfinder with the shutter operating. This is my #1 gripe with the R.

 

[Viggo]

I read somewhere that viewfinder blackout on the R (not R5) is reduced when using RF lenses. Can someone confirm that in practice? I had a shoot this afternoon where a toddler ran towards me. The eye AF was great, but the kid was difficult to follow in the viewfinder with the shutter operating. This is my #1 gripe with the R.

It’s a real thing for sure, I had a EF 24-70 for two weeks and it’s pretty difficult tracking through a burst, where the RF lenses are much better.

 

[Deleted member 7828]

Yes, the lag is the #1 thing holding me back from taking the plunge (apart from cost). There’s just no comparison between my RP and the 5D series in terms of responsiveness and tracking ability...I like the RP’s compact size, but this does prevent me from using it as a primary camera for anything more than casual outings...

I’m REALLY curious to try out an R5 once things ease up...I like what I’m hearing from you first adopters. Does the EVF still “flash” during AF in dim light?

 

[analoggrotto]

It’s a real thing for sure, I had a EF 24-70 for two weeks and it’s pretty difficult tracking through a burst, where the RF lenses are much better.

Awh hell I was hoping to keep my EF 200mm and 300mm (old non IS) and use them to good effect in racing.

 

[pj1974]

The R5 is an absolute monster. The bird AF / bird eye AF never looses the subject even in continuous+. Had herons and egrets flying by at 600mm and it didn't miss eye focus on any shot. Blackout was non-existent enough to easily keep the subject in the frame.

I'm just a hobbyist, but this camera feels like cheating.

That's another report which I'm so glad to hear... thanks lac___ ... I love capturing birds (both stationary as well as in flight)...
So AF tracking, low blackout as well as minimal lag with the R5 are very encouraging things to read / hear from user reports!

Cheers.. and great shot... lovely capture of it mid flight ... .wings up .. and legs extended!

PJ

 

[Joules]

Awh hell I was hoping to keep my EF 200mm and 300mm (old non IS) and use them to good effect in racing.

I think Viggos comment was about the R. Not the R5? I haven't seen anybody dissatisfied with the performance of their EF lenses on the R5 yet.