Gordon Laing explains the updates in firmware v1.1.0 for the Canon EOS R5

[Famateur]

...hardware capable But software limited...

This assumption is what has so many video/hybrid shooters up in arms. I'm not so sure it's an accurate assumption.

It's one thing to be able to shoot for hours once you override the safety restrictions. It's another to operate it like that day after day, year after year...and have it work as well four years down the road as it did on Day 1.

Canon may very well have put more conservative limitations in place than needed, erring on the side of longevity. Remember, Canon also plans to support the products, not just sell them. It's in everyone's best interest to find the right balance of capability and long-term reliability. After all, if running it hot cuts the life of the camera in half, it's no better than having to buy two cameras with current limits.

As Gordon Laing passed along from Canon reps, the R5 has THREE temperature sensors (two internal near the AF and sensor area, and one for ambient temperature). It uses all three, in combination with timers, to govern time recording limits. I think it's quite a leap to assume that any limitation on recording time is strictly an unnecessary software limitation. Why even engineer the multiple temp sensors if you're just doing some cinema-line-protecting-cripple-hammer-funny-business via the firmware?

PS: Anyone else notice that the firmware update allows you to enable the heat warning when recording externally? Why would someone want that? Oh...perhaps there's the real possibility of causing heat damage to the camera when recording externally because heat is still an issue...just one that was not managed when recording externally (until now).

Okay...going to bed because it seems it's not out of my system yet. Eh, Baron_Karza?

 

[Viggo]

Does anyone know where the ambient temp measure is on the camera?

 

[Jonathan Thill]

That's what cornieleous has been saying every 10 minutes since the officially R5 camera release announcement.

To be fair we have all had to deal with a lot of new faces around here and I know reading the same "Cripple Hammer" comments all the time makes me want to pull my hair out and I am old and I want to keep my hair...

 

[-pekr-]

Does anyone know where the ambient temp measure is on the camera?

Yeah, yeah - we will tell you, and you're gonna hack it, right kid?

 

[landon]

Does anyone know where the ambient temp measure is on the camera?

Near the ports.

 

[Stu_bert]

Does anyone know where the ambient temp measure is on the camera?

On Gordon's video around 55s, the external one is near to the ports. The two internal ones are near the AF & Imaging sensor. That's what Canon UK told him.

 

[landon]

Does anyone know if I install the update and somehow get less 4KHQ time on an external recorder with the memory card removed, can I revert back to the original firmware?

I think you should be safe with external recording time.

 

[Joules]

Not only did Canon give what everyone demanded, they threw in 8K RAW clips up to 20 minutes! Talk about a cherry on top!

Honestly, the thing I am watching forward to the most now is when Nikon or Sony come out with their next 45+ MP offerings and either overheat as well or simply not offer the combination of downsampled 4K / 8K with full AF Witnessing the reaction to the realization that heat is a concern for small portable devices when they perform extremely intense computations will be quite something.

Of course those guys may overcome the issue by simply adding a fan in the camera for active cooling. That will have it's downsides as well. Or just allowing the camera to cook itself. Better to face complaints about reliability a few years down the road than right at purchase I guess

 

[nolifedigital]

First test - 4KHQ 30fps - external with OG E6 battery inside, no cards in slots - camera ran until battery died which was around 2 hours. No OH warning. If you're worried about firmware messing up external recording, don't fret. Seems to be good so far. Doing further tests to see if anything is improved - but good to know nothing has diminished.

 

[bytebuster]

I wonder if the R6 base firmware already includes some of these fixes (especially the one related to better thermal handling). Because I don't see any firmware update listed for it on the Canon website

 

[Baron_Karza]

First test - 4KHQ 30fps - external with OG E6 battery inside, no cards in slots - camera ran until battery died which was around 2 hours. No OH warning. If you're worried about firmware messing up external recording, don't fret. Seems to be good so far. Doing further tests to see if anything is improved - but good to know nothing has diminished.

That's great!

Did you have this setting enabled or disabled:

1. Useful messaging is now displayed when [HDMI display: Camera+External monitor] and [Overheat control: on] settings are enabled.

 

[Quackator]

Maybe you should order a Red .

Blackmagic Design Ursa 4.6 G2 for me.
FullHD in up to 300fps, BRAW, global shutter. And EF mount.

While I'd love the R5 as a stills camera, everything I would use
it for isn't happening at the moment. No concerts, no high end
corporate events, no congresses, no restaurants advertising
new stuff, no general nightlife. That was 70% of my business
before.

On the other hand everbody is scrambling to be seen on the
internet. Board meetings and general assemblies are going
virtual, Workshops go webinar instead of personal presence,
and all this asks more video time than the R5 can deliver.

My business has evolved into being more or less a video
company. Streaming high quality from up to ten video sources
to several platforms parallel is now generating 80% of my
turnover. 5D Mk2 / 5D Mk3 / 5D Mk4 / 1D-X are still being
used for that, along with dedicated video cameras. They don't
overheat, they can do what the R5 can't. And 1080p is enough.

With a sober view, unfortunately Canon isn't offering what
I need in the R5. Maybe the next camera is an unpdated R
without IBIS (no IBIS -> no overheating), offering 1080p120
with a global shutter and modest 30 MP sensor with the
ergonomics of the R5?

 

[pmjm]

I think you should be safe with external recording time.

I hope so, but my livelihood is going to depend on this so I won't update until I know for sure, or if I can confirm that the firmware update is reversable.

 

[arthurbikemad]

I skip read the whole 4 pages, what's going on again?


My bloody R5 still ain't here looks like I'll be into the next firmware before it arrives :S

 

[Stu_bert]

I wonder if the R6 base firmware already includes some of these fixes (especially the one related to better thermal handling). Because I don't see any firmware update listed for it on the Canon website

I would guess Canon is indeed applying those fixes and testing them, while waiting for real-world feedback on the R5 fixes. It won't be long.

 

[Stu_bert]

I skip read the whole 4 pages, what's going on again?

New firmware, slightly better recording times, better recovery times indoors and outdoors (though the latter requires perhaps a bit more effort given what you are trying to do)...

 

[pmjm]

With a sober view, unfortunately Canon isn't offering what
I need in the R5. Maybe the next camera is an unpdated R
without IBIS (no IBIS -> no overheating), offering 1080p120
with a global shutter and modest 30 MP sensor with the
ergonomics of the R5?

That's a very fair assessment. I do a lot of self-filming without any help so if the BlackMagic offered continuous eye-AF that'd be an instant-buy for me. I'm sticking with the R5 due to being heavily invested in EF glass, but with an external recorder. The whole rig is a little unwieldy, but with AC power it films for 4 hours at 4KHQ, with just 5-10 minutes downtime for cooldown to get another hour of use. This yields easily editable ProRes footage too so it's beneficial from several angles. Might want to consider it, even though it's a kludgy workaround.

 

[SteveC]

Omg! So you can remove modes like on 1-series?! I’ve been searching for that info since release. Excellent

Page 811 in the manual, it's in the orange menus. "Restrict Shooting Modes"

 

[janmaly]

Let's say, this is a good start! Extremely quick FW update for Canon. BUT this must not be the final "fix".

FW 1.0.0 showed me overheating warning on a hot day (28C) just about after 10min of camera turned on in standby (after +12hours turned off overnight). No videos/photos taken. Basically unusable for videomakers.

 

[privatebydesign]

Let's say, this is a good start! Extremely quick FW update for Canon. BUT this must not be the final "fix".

FW 1.0.0 showed me overheating warning on a hot day (28C) just about after 10min of camera turned on in standby (after +12hours turned off overnight). No videos/photos taken. Basically unusable for videomakers.

I don’t believe you. If that is true, you turned your camera on did nothing with it no photos or video and it gave you an overheat warning after ten minutes it is broken as that is not what other users are reporting.