EOS R5 Freeze /lock up issues

Many R5 and now R6 owners are experiencing freeze/lockup where the only option is to remove battery. Sometimes it will reboot also after about 20 seconds. It's not lens specific, it is occurring when using RF 70 200mm f2.8 lenses and 300 mm f2.8 mkii, 500f4 mkii , 100-400mm mkii plus a few more. This happens on my R5 once almost every day on a full 6 hour 500 image session with wildlife. Main circuit board replacement is what is being offered by Canon repair centres . You are unlikely to experience it taking a few images for a few minutes , give the R5 a good work out for a couple of hours and it will freeze/lock up. My friend in South Africa explains it here
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,355
22,529
I've watched the whole of his presentation, and don't have his set of problems:
1. My camera comes on immediately - I instinctively touch the shutter button as I raise the camera to my eye and it's fully primed by the time it's there. It also seems instantaneous when I don't do that.
2. Mine doesn't freeze - though I haven't used it for several hours solid.
3. Don't get the message to put the lenscap on.
4. I have had no problems with a Lexar 2000x that gives an error message from him.

He says that BBF is is important and assigns eyeAF and point AF to two. buttons. I am doing what Arbitrage does and using the shutter button to activate eyeAF, without a BBF, and assigning Set AF point to center to the AF-ON button. This saves time when wanting to take a surprise shot - maybe he should be doing this to avoid his problem 1.

To be frank, I don't think he is expert enough to warrant his long YouTube presentation. But, I'd love to have his photo ops.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0

AlanF

Desperately seeking birds
CR Pro
Aug 16, 2012
12,355
22,529
The issue is the freeze/lockup of the R5 not his camera skills, it will catch up with you sooner or later until Canon fix it......
There has been an ongoing Fred Miranda thread for the past 6 weeks about the R5 locking up https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1660951 and his YouTube is nothing new. Some have experienced various degrees of freezing, others have never had problems after extensive use, and I am fortunately in the latter category. Did you get your R5 in the first batch? Mine was in a later one.

Edit: just seen that a Charly_Canon has reported the freezing problem using the Canon community site.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0
I disagree with some of the things he says also.

I haven't seen any evidence of lockup with my R5 and 15-35mm f2.8L, 24-70mm f2.8L, and 100-500 f4.5-7.1L. The only issue I had was getting a 70 error on the first use of my 100-500mm. After removing the lens and wiping the electrical contacts, removing-replacing battery, and restarting, the error has never reappeared. He talks of using the camera below 60% charge and I don't think I've ever done that. I use the BG-R10 battery grip and carry two extra sets of batteries with me. I use both the current high capacity as well as the older version without any noticeable problems. Both Canon and generic batteries work well and why worry about batteries when you can spend $30 for another set to keep in your pocket. Just one more reason to justify wearing cargo pants instead of skinny jeans. :)

I created a color profile using the DataColor Color Checker for Lightroom and use that to create a color correction profile for Lightroom. That seems to work well for me. The Color Checker is a grid of colors that you photograph and their software reads each of the colors and creates a profile that "corrects" the colors to what they are supposed to look like. I also use their monitor calibrator to create profiles for my dual monitor setup. Sometimes people think the color they see on the monitor is what will be output and that's not always the case if they haven't been calibrated.

I do agree that there are limits to auto eye focus for both people and animals. It seems to look for a round eye shape and often struggles with people in bright sunlight when they squint. I did a photoshoot at a local car museum parking lot early in the morning. With the sun just above the horizon, the models naturally squinted and at times my R5 struggled to capture the eye. That aside, the R5 is great at grabbing focus in virtually all cases.VegasCameraGuy-2102-50pct.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0

Bert63

What’s in da box?
CR Pro
Dec 3, 2017
1,072
2,335
60
I've watched the whole of his presentation, and don't have his set of problems:
1. My camera comes on immediately - I instinctively touch the shutter button as I raise the camera to my eye and it's fully primed by the time it's there. It also seems instantaneous when I don't do that.
2. Mine doesn't freeze - though I haven't used it for several hours solid.
3. Don't get the message to put the lenscap on.
4. I have had no problems with a Lexar 2000x that gives an error message from him.

He says that BBF is is important and assigns eyeAF and point AF to two. buttons. I am doing what Arbitrage does and using the shutter button to activate eyeAF, without a BBF, and assigning Set AF point to center to the AF-ON button. This saves time when wanting to take a surprise shot - maybe he should be doing this to avoid his problem 1.

To be frank, I don't think he is expert enough to warrant his long YouTube presentation. But, I'd love to have his photo ops.


I have to agree Alan- I watched a few of his videos prior to the R5 arriving here on my doorstep and during his presentation I found myself wondering why he was asking his audience questions when the answers were right in front of him in the manual - that's a pet peeve of my with YouTubers.

I also am a button-tapper to wake the camera kind of guy - it's a carry over from my EOS-R. The R5 is almost instant on for me though - it seems a bit of overkill.

The other day I was out (the only day we've had any sun at all since my camera arrived - welcome to the Pacific Northwest of the US in October) and I shot 997 images over the course of a few hours. It was an error free session as far as the camera was concerned but I managed to make enough errors on my end to keep things exciting..

EDIT - I just screened the video above and realized that I already watched it previously - the fact that at one point he is actually squinting while making his video because of the camera orientation he selected made me wonder what 'credibility' he brought to his channel. That, and as a banner for his channel he has a giant dead giraffe as his header kinda turned me off.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0
I received my R5 30JUL and as of today have had over 50K shutter cycles(both mech and electronic). The only hiccup I've seen was right after I got it and started using it, which I thought was odd but have been waiting for anything like that to happen again. So far I've only used it with an adapter on the 600 II, 24-70 f/2.8 II, 11-24 f/4, 100mm 2.8L macro and with the native RF 24-105 f/4L and new 100-500. Using Delkin 512GB cards and the grip, with the lowest I've ever gotten the two batteries was down to ~5% before swapping them(who likes seeing a flashing battery icon...). A friend of mine got his the same day and doesn't have half the shutter count but has had a number of lockups.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0
I'm on my second Canon R5s. The first one had all sorts of issues. Constant error 70s. And even bricked multiple cards loosing everything on the card to the point of ruining the files beyond repair by a dozen or so recover programs. Even paid expensive ones. This was during photos and videos. Camera would freeze screens go black and battery pull required. Got another R5. The first shoot and the camera froze exactly like seen in the video. No loss of files yet.
Most frustrating thing is Canon is known for there rock solid cameras. My 1dxmkii in 4+ years has only had one time I needed to pull a battery. The R5 has had 30 in the first month!
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
I had a freeze up yesterday during a family studio session (around 300 pictures in raw) using the EF 24-70 II with the EF-RF adapter, the grip, original full new canon batteries, two 64 GB Sandisk cards (fast cards)
The only way to restart my R5 was removing the batteries from the Grip.
Shocked to see many of us experience this Freeze up!
Hope it's solved in the near future with a software update.
Or must we all invest in RF Glass ;-))
 
Upvote 0
I had a freeze up yesterday during a family studio session (around 300 pictures in raw) using the EF 24-70 II with the EF-RF adapter, the grip, original full new canon batteries, two 64 GB Sandisk cards (fast cards)
The only way to restart my R5 was removing the batteries from the Grip.
Shocked to see many of us experience this Freeze up!
Hope it's solved in the near future with a software update.
Or must we all invest in RF Glass ;-))
I have had it on EF AND RF.
Photo mode,video mode, not shooting, different cards, slow cards, fast cards, old batteries, new battery, https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1660951 mode, non crop. It doesn't seem to have a pattern. Others seem to have all different scenarios.
 
Upvote 0

digigal

Traveling the world one step at a time.
CR Pro
Aug 26, 2014
283
586
I feel sorry for those who bought their R5s from dodgy dealers on eBay without a proper Canon warranty.
Digigal reported freezing but attributed it to her using a slow SD card.
Now I have to retract that assumption since it has occurred while I've been using the CF Express card :oops: -- it occurred once while I was in NM "shooting" elk (CF Express card and R5 battery on Hi-mech shutter) and again yesterday with the same setting when out on a trail shooting with the same settings but using the battery from my R. The camera makes a clunk noise when it freezes and almost makes me wonder if the IBIS locks up some way but this may be a secondary effect to the "computer blue screen of death" that requires the battery removal to restart. It does seem to be some computer migraine and seems to be random. Does not correlate with being in the midst of ripping off a long series of shots even.
Don't know what else to say. My camera was one of the ones from the first order.
Catherine
 
Upvote 0
I'm on my second Canon R5s. The first one had all sorts of issues. Constant error 70s. And even bricked multiple cards loosing everything on the card to the point of ruining the files beyond repair by a dozen or so recover programs. Even paid expensive ones. This was during photos and videos. Camera would freeze screens go black and battery pull required. Got another R5. The first shoot and the camera froze exactly like seen in the video. No loss of files yet.
Most frustrating thing is Canon is known for there rock solid cameras. My 1dxmkii in 4+ years has only had one time I needed to pull a battery. The R5 has had 30 in the first month!
Did you format the cards with the camera to make sure they were formatted properly?
 
Upvote 0
Oct 29, 2013
3
7
I have to agree Alan- I watched a few of his videos prior to the R5 arriving here on my doorstep and during his presentation I found myself wondering why he was asking his audience questions when the answers were right in front of him in the manual - that's a pet peeve of my with YouTubers.

I also am a button-tapper to wake the camera kind of guy - it's a carry over from my EOS-R. The R5 is almost instant on for me though - it seems a bit of overkill.

The other day I was out (the only day we've had any sun at all since my camera arrived - welcome to the Pacific Northwest of the US in October) and I shot 997 images over the course of a few hours. It was an error free session as far as the camera was concerned but I managed to make enough errors on my end to keep things exciting..

EDIT - I just screened the video above and realized that I already watched it previously - the fact that at one point he is actually squinting while making his video because of the camera orientation he selected made me wonder what 'credibility' he brought to his channel. That, and as a banner for his channel he has a giant dead giraffe as his header kinda turned me off.

Well thanks for watching - just in response to your note on my squint. I'm blind in my left eye and I ask questions to get a discussion going, sorry that dissappoints.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Upvote 0

Bert63

What’s in da box?
CR Pro
Dec 3, 2017
1,072
2,335
60
Well thanks for watching - just in response to your note on my squint. I'm blind in my left eye and I ask questions to get a discussion going, sorry that dissappoints.


In the video it appears that you're squinting because you're staring into the sun and I can almost swear that you made a comment in that vein in the video but I'm not going to rewatch to get the wording.. Other than that particular scene I didn't notice any 'noteworthy' squinting whatsoever.

I think it would be more advantageous to spark conversation by saying "this is what I do, what do you guys think" or "this is a problem, how do you guys solve it" instead of "the R5 simply can't cut it" because it absolutely can. I'm referring specifically to your EVF spool up comment. A slight tap on the shutter release button will have the camera ready to go before it reaches your eye. Saying "the R5 simply can't cut it" is just not true and I knew this before I ever saw an R5 from dealing with the EOS-R.

It is what it is. I unsubscribed but not because I don't like your videos. I unsubscribed because your header on your channel should have a NSFW label or a "don't view where impressionable children can see it" disclaimer. My wife walked in the room (we view on a 65" OLED) and actually said "what are you looking at - that's disgusting" when she saw your channel. I get that it's all part of nature and that cat is just doing what cats do, but I also think the viewer should have a choice whether or not that's what they want to look at. I guess we do have a choice - subscribe or not - so there's that. Why you would choose such a grisly picture as the 'face' of your page is beyond me - especially given how many absolutely stunning pictures you've taken. I hope one day to be as skilled.

Anyway. You know what they say about opinions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0
Oct 29, 2013
3
7
In the video it appears that you're squinting because you're staring into the sun and I can almost swear that you made a comment in that vein in the video but I'm not going to rewatch to get the wording.. Other than that particular scene I didn't notice any 'noteworthy' squinting whatsoever.

I think it would be more advantageous to spark conversation by saying "this is what I do, what do you guys think" or "this is a problem, how do you guys solve it" instead of "the R5 simply can't cut it" because it absolutely can. I'm referring specifically to your EVF spool up comment. A slight tap on the shutter release button will have the camera ready to go before it reaches your eye. Saying "the R5 simply can't cut it" is just not true and I knew this before I ever saw an R5 from dealing with the EOS-R.

It is what it is. I unsubscribed but not because I don't like your videos. I unsubscribed because your header on your channel should have a NSFW label or a "don't view where impressionable children can see it" disclaimer. My wife walked in the room (we view on a 65" OLED) and actually said "what are you looking at - that's disgusting" when she saw your channel. I get that it's all part of nature and that cat is just doing what cats do, but I also think the viewer should have a choice whether or not that's what they want to look at. I guess we do have a choice - subscribe or not - so there's that. Why you would choose such a grisly picture as the 'face' of your page is beyond me - especially given how many absolutely stunning pictures you've taken. I hope one day to be as skilled.

Anyway. You know what they say about opinions.

Alright thanks for the feedback, I appreciate your candour and apologise for the giraffe. It happens to have been one of the best wildlife encounters of my life and is a picture I like very much and worked hard to achieve. For a lone lion to take that giraffe was an incredible feat. It never even occurred to me that a it would be particularly offensive but willingly admit we probably have very different views.

I do mark the channel as 'not for children' - but I'll have to rethink the banner in the light of your response.

I do go on to speak about what I found (in my limited time in mirrorless) to address the spool up problem and how I deal with it. I aslo felt after publishing that 'just can't cut it' smacked too much of hyperbole and wish I could take the statement back - sadly Youtube allows no edits and I have to live and die by what I said at the time - many times over and view by view..

Many responded in the comments about tapping a button on the way up to the eye - and I readily agree that is a good solution and have adopted it.
I do preface the video with a note that it is from the perspective of someone new to mirrorless and have received many helpful replies. The biggest issue with my R5 remains the freezing. It was returned by Canon today and they do not yet know what causes it. They tell me Japan is aware and working on it.

It takes a great deal of time and effort to put content up (and I did not post it here - I was searching for info about freezing), I started the channel as a way to motivate myself after electrocution, home invasion and almost two years trying to recover. This video is about having a chat about experiences and a new camera with people I regard as friends and I hope that still comes across.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0

Bert63

What’s in da box?
CR Pro
Dec 3, 2017
1,072
2,335
60
Alright thanks for the feedback, I appreciate your candour and apologise for the giraffe. It happens to have been one of the best wildlife encounters of my life and is a picture I like very much and worked hard to achieve. For a lone lion to take that giraffe was an incredible feat. It never even occurred to me that a it would be particularly offensive but willingly admit we probably have very different views.

I do mark the channel as 'not for children' - but I'll have to rethink the banner in the light of your response.

I do go on to speak about what I found (in my limited time in mirrorless) to address the spool up problem and how I deal with it. I aslo felt after publishing that 'just can't cut it' smacked too much of hyperbole and wish I could take the statement back - sadly Youtube allows no edits and I have to live and die by what I said at the time - many times over and view by view..

Many responded in the comments about tapping a button on the way up to the eye - and I readily agree that is a good solution and have adopted it.
I do preface the video with a note that it is from the perspective of someone new to mirrorless and have received many helpful replies. The biggest issue with my R5 remains the freezing. It was returned by Canon today and they do not yet know what causes it. They tell me Japan is aware and working on it.

It takes a great deal of time and effort to put content up (and I did not post it here - I was searching for info about freezing), I started the channel as a way to motivate myself after electrocution, home invasion and almost two years trying to recover. This video is about having a chat about experiences and a new camera with people I regard as friends and I hope that still comes across.

It comes across wonderfully.

I’ve watched many of your videos and your content is amazing. If you read here you’ll see I’m not generally a fan of YouTubers but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand all the work it takes to run a channel. Some content creators post new content twice a week or more - with shooting and editing and posting and responding that has to be more than a full time job.

I guess I hold content creators to a higher standard because their “opinion” can steer decisions. You telling your audience that “the R5 can’t cut it” might make someone out there about to make a purchase decision avoid the R5 and that would be a shame. YMMV but I believe it to the best wildlife camera I’ve ever owned.

Best to you.
 
Upvote 0