Canon EOS R5 Mark II user feedback and discussion

[candyman]

I used the R5II in a hide yesterday, from 9 in the morning till 3 in the afternoon, with the screen continuously on. I kept a USB-C PD powerbank connected the whole time and the battery in the camera didn't discharge! So I didn't need the spare battery at all.

Using precapture and shooting a few video clips in between, the R5II is a very good nose-cheek-hand heater, no fears for shooting it during winter


One bug I ran into a few times is that during playback it only shows the image for the most recent shot. Scrolling through the shots will update the metadata and show movie controls for movies, but the image itself won't change. It needs a battery pull to fix.

And as you can see in the picture above, shaded woodland at the end of summer requires high ISO values, I really want DxO to add support for the R5II

The use of the power bank is interesting. So you have the LP-E6P battery in the camera, but it is simultaneously charged by the power bank when in use. In the meantime, you have all the R5 Mark II functionalities (such as pre-capture) because you have the LP-E6P battery in the camera. Good solution for the shortage of LP-E6P batteries

 

[koenkooi]

[...] So you have the LP-E6P battery in the camera, but it is simultaneously charged by the power bank [...]

I would say 'powered' instead of 'charged', I don't think it will charge the camera battery if it's below 100%. Anyway, this is an improvement over the original R5, that would still discharge the internal battery in this situation, but a lot slower.

If you are completely static, the Canon DR-E6P DC coupler would be a better idea, it eliminates any heat from and into the battery. But it's another €150 and you still need a proper USB-C PD thing for power.

 

[SvO2]

The use of the power bank is interesting. So you have the LP-E6P battery in the camera, but it is simultaneously charged by the power bank when in use. In the meantime, you have all the R5 Mark II functionalities (such as pre-capture) because you have the LP-E6P battery in the camera. Good solution for the shortage of LP-E6P batteries

It'll charge while the power is off, but I don't think it charges when the camera is actually on.

For the R5II, it seems like a 15v / 3A USB-PD power supply does the trick to power the camera (charging you can get away with voltage / current). I'm not sure if the 9v ones would also power it (like the old cameras).

 

[candyman]

I would say 'powered' instead of 'charged', I don't think it will charge the camera battery if it's below 100%. ............

It was my assumption that when connected to a power source, the camera battery charges like a laptop (or cell phone) battery when connected to a power source. You would expect the same effect. But apparently not. That would be a nice improvement for future cameras/batteries

 

[Moritz_RD02]

By the way: Can you register your LP-E6P battery in-camera? I can't seem to do it; the option is not available.

 

[koenkooi]

By the way: Can you register your LP-E6P battery in-camera? I can't seem to do it; the option is not available.

In my R5II yes, but I can't register Canon made LP-E6NH batteries.

 

[Moritz_RD02]

I can't register either my original LP-E6NH or my LP-E6P in-camera. Is this feature exclusive to use with one of the battery grips? I don't have mine yet...

 

[Del Paso]

I wrote it in a new post, but try it here as well.
Mine doesn't put the focus where the Eye Control pointer is located, but uses the conventional focusing aid to focus. The AF EC pointer is absolutely useless, certainly my fault.
Perfectly calibrated, follows eye direction, AF + EC are on, has any one an idea what went wrong?

 

[Del Paso]

I can't register either my original LP-E6NH or my LP-E6P in-camera. Is this feature exclusive to use with one of the battery grips? I don't have mine yet...

No issue with registering my LP-E6P...
But the camera doesn't accept the older types (all Canon).

 

[koenkooi]

Looks like DxO is actually working on R5II support!

 

[EOS 4 Life]

I can't register either my original LP-E6NH or my LP-E6P in-camera. Is this feature exclusive to use with one of the battery grips? I don't have mine yet...

Did your LP-E6P come with the camera?
I can't see why batteries would ever be region specific but if so, the regions would need to match.

 

[P-visie]

Looks like DxO is actually working on R5II support!
View attachment 219752

Topaz is waiting for a version of the LibRAW utility that supports the R5 MkII.
When you try to use their applications with a R5 Mk II CR3 raw file the image gets a huge pink cast. This applies to PhotoAI, Denoise AI and Sharpen AI (and probably all their apps).
The “workaround” is to convert the CR3 file into a DNG file before processing.

 

[koenkooi]

Topaz is waiting for a version of the LibRAW utility that supports the R5 MkII.
When you try to use their applications with a R5 Mk II CR3 raw file the image gets a huge pink cast. This applies to PhotoAI, Denoise AI and Sharpen AI (and probably all their apps).
The “workaround” is to convert the CR3 file into a DNG file before processing.

I find it strange how reticent the Topaz people are applying https://github.com/LibRaw/LibRaw/pull/667 themselves and releases a PhotoAI build for people to test. Topaz has continuously pushed builds that we'll just call 'hot garbage' to test new features, so why not a self-contained change that makes R5II images objectively better. Even LR doesn't get the R5II support completely right, but is still very usable.

And yes, I realize I'm advocating for Topaz to continue to be bad at following QA and testing procedures while simultaneously complaining about them not following them.

 

[MSH411]

I beta for Topaz and would have to agree koenkooi, they have released some sketchy versions for the masses to test. They could go so far as to as to create the build using the LibRAw file you noted and make it a quick beta for testing. I haven't seen anything along those lines yet.

 

[Moritz_RD02]

Did your LP-E6P come with the camera?
I can't see why batteries would ever be region specific but if so, the regions would need to match.

Yup - and after pulling out the LP-E6P out of my camera and re-inserting it it finally worked. I now have four LP-E6P finally, and it allowed me to register all of them. It is kind of weird though that the R5II won't show battery percentages for my original LP-E6NH, though.

 

[P-visie]

I find it strange how reticent the Topaz people are applying https://github.com/LibRaw/LibRaw/pull/667 themselves and releases a PhotoAI build for people to test. Topaz has continuously pushed builds that we'll just call 'hot garbage' to test new features, so why not a self-contained change that makes R5II images objectively better. Even LR doesn't get the R5II support completely right, but is still very usable.

And yes, I realize I'm advocating for Topaz to continue to be bad at following QA and testing procedures while simultaneously complaining about them not following them.

Thanks for the information. The latest version of Photo AI (3.2.1, released 13 sept.) has improved support for Nikon and S*ny (who cares ), but not for the 5D Mk II . Still that ugly pink cast.

 

[Del Paso]

Thanks for the information. The latest version of Photo AI (3.2.1, released 13 sept.) has improved support for Nikon and S*ny (who cares ), but not for the 5D Mk II . Still that ugly pink cast.

Thanks for the warning, I was just about to order Photo AI. So, I'll have to wait for an improved version. But "Sharpen" and "Denoise" work perfectly for R5II pictures. Lightroom Classic as well.

 

[mmmm]

But for travel photography, especially in remote places where a smartphone is useless anyways

Well, GPS on a phone or on a camera is the same thing. If its so remote that somehow GPS won't work (is there such a place?) Then it won't work on either device. On the other hand, GPS on your phone should work regardless as to whether you have an internet signal or cell reception. Its more useful in camera, thats for sure. But still, its perfectly feasible to rely on your phone if necessary.

 

[koenkooi]

[…] GPS on your phone should work regardless as to whether you have an internet signal or cell reception. […]

Phones tend to use A-GPS, where the A stands for Assisted. So in most cases, they do need cell reception, since the cell tower does the assisting.
Your phone manufacturer might have spent a few more pennies and implemented proper GPS, though.

 

[HenryL]

Looks like DxO is actually working on R5II support!
View attachment 219752

Based on past experience this time of year with DxO, R5II support will be not come to PL7, but rather will require and upgrade to PL8. Keeping my fingers crossed that they will still add support to PL7 but not counting on it.