R5 Timelapse Interval Timer Not Working

The built in interval timer on my R5 does not work. It lets me set everything up and then I take the first shot to start the timelapse and it shows the timer is active, and the lcd screen flashes like it's taking pictures on the intervals set, but it's not. I have emailed canon support to see what they say. I've tried multiple lenses, settings, etc, but nothing's working. The timelapse movie mode works fine. I was thinking about making a YouTube video about it to see if anyone else has this problem too, but it's so new, and so few people are interested in shooting timelapses, that I figured I'd wait to at least hear what canon support has to say. Also figured I'd check here to see if anyone else who has theirs had noticed this problem too, or at least just give everyone here a heads up on my findings.
 

cornieleous

5D4 + R5
Jul 13, 2020
208
737
Working perfectly here. I am guessing focus hunting or another blocking issue. Movie timelapse will just shoot like any movie and speed it up, so will not have the same focus issue (records focused or not).

Stills, if you have the setting on, will not fire until focus is achieved. All timelapse should be done manually focused with AF off.

Also, in full electronic shutter more the camera makes zero sound, so be sure it did not actually work (not trying to be funny, I didn't hear mine the first ten frames until I saw the shots countdown).
 
Upvote 0
Working perfectly here. I am guessing focus hunting or another blocking issue. Movie timelapse will just shoot like any movie and speed it up, so will not have the same focus issue (records focused or not).

Stills, if you have the setting on, will not fire until focus is achieved. All timelapse should be done manually focused with AF off.

Also, in full electronic shutter more the camera makes zero sound, so be sure it did not actually work (not trying to be funny, I didn't hear mine the first ten frames until I saw the shots countdown).
Sorry, I thought I mentioned that I was on mechanical shutter (though I tried all three shutter settings), and I always shoot timelapses with manual focus. I have read the advanced user manual for interval shooting. I wrote canon support about it ad they responded pretty much the same as you guys so far, though he said to see if disabling the auto power off feature would help: it didn't. I have tried shooting in M, Tv, Av, and P. I have tried multiple lenses (all on MF), I have tried changing every setting I can think of but nothing is making a difference. The canon guy just wrote me back again and said I should send it in to CPS for repairs. I've been shooting timelapses on Canon cameras for over 10 years, and I have every body they make with a built-in intervalometer, and have never come across this kind of issue. Maybe there's just something amok with my camera. Hopefully my R6 won't have this problem when my pre-order gets here, since I'm a timelapse photographer and that's one of the main reasons I bought both of these cameras. Thanks for your help so far guys!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0

cornieleous

5D4 + R5
Jul 13, 2020
208
737
Sorry, I thought I mentioned that I was on mechanical shutter (though I tried all three shutter settings), and I always shoot timelapses with manual focus. I have read the advanced user manual for interval shooting. I wrote canon support about it ad they responded pretty much the same as you guys so far, though he said to see if disabling the auto power off feature would help: it didn't. I have tried shooting in M, Tv, Av, and P. I have tried multiple lenses (all on MF), I have tried changing every setting I can think of but nothing is making a difference. The canon guy just wrote me back again and said I should send it in to CPS for repairs. I've been shooting timelapses on Canon cameras for over 10 years, and I have every body they make with a built-in intervalometer, and have never come across this kind of issue. Maybe there's just something amok with my camera. Hopefully my R6 won't have this problem when my pre-order gets here, since I'm a timelapse photographer and that's one of the main reasons I bought both of these cameras. Thanks for your help so far guys!


Yikes that is not good. Sounds like you definitely know your way around a timelapse then. I tested again this morning in all three shutter modes without issue. I'm using adapted EF glass with control ring adapter and both my auto and manual night lenses all work for the intervalometer function.

Are you using an adapter, and if one with control ring, what is your control ring set to?

It seems really odd that one feature would not work in the menus but the rest would, making me wonder if there is another setting that could be the culprit. Or maybe a communication problem with the lens... Good luck with the resolution and let us know if you find anything out! It seems rare for Canon to have units with defects (not talking about overheat gate :/)
 
Upvote 0
Mar 25, 2011
16,848
1,835
Sorry, I thought I mentioned that I was on mechanical shutter (though I tried all three shutter settings), and I always shoot timelapses with manual focus. I have read the advanced user manual for interval shooting. I wrote canon support about it ad they responded pretty much the same as you guys so far, though he said to see if disabling the auto power off feature would help: it didn't. I have tried shooting in M, Tv, Av, and P. I have tried multiple lenses (all on MF), I have tried changing every setting I can think of but nothing is making a difference. The canon guy just wrote me back again and said I should send it in to CPS for repairs. I've been shooting timelapses on Canon cameras for over 10 years, and I have every body they make with a built-in intervalometer, and have never come across this kind of issue. Maybe there's just something amok with my camera. Hopefully my R6 won't have this problem when my pre-order gets here, since I'm a timelapse photographer and that's one of the main reasons I bought both of these cameras. Thanks for your help so far guys!
It sounds like a camera issue, you have plenty of knowledge about how it should work. It is strange, almost like something in firmware is corrupted.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0
Yeah, without touting my own horn (lol) it definitely feels like something in the firmware is wrong, and not something I messed up or forgot to set. I have tried it with 2 different adapters, the basic canon version (no control ring), and a 3rd party adapter I had on my RP as a super backup (cause the whole world seems to be low on canon adapters right now, lol). No difference. I've also tried at least 7 different EF canon and Tamron lenses. I don't have any RF lenses at the moment, but that should change soon. I think I'm going to go ahead and make a video about it for my YouTube, just to show my problem and see if anyone else might have experienced it too. I make a lot gear review videos and such, but I'm not a negative person by nature, and I never make videos bashing things or using click bait and whatnot. But in this case I just want to put it out there, especially since a good bit of my audience has asked for timelapse info on these cameras. I have also hooked up the R5 to one of my motion control timelapse devices with it's own intervalometer app, and that works just fine, so I'll be using that for now. I think I will also wait to send it in to Canon until after my R6 gets here in a few weeks, so I have enough gear to keep my business and YouTube going. I still have my 1DX2 and 5D4 for another month, so at least I have some backups for now. It sucks because every other part of this camera is absolutely incredible so far. Either way, thanks for all the input, and I'll definitely post any updates!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0

cornieleous

5D4 + R5
Jul 13, 2020
208
737
Yeah, without touting my own horn (lol) it definitely feels like something in the firmware is wrong, and not something I messed up or forgot to set. I have tried it with 2 different adapters, the basic canon version (no control ring), and a 3rd party adapter I had on my RP as a super backup (cause the whole world seems to be low on canon adapters right now, lol). No difference. I've also tried at least 7 different EF canon and Tamron lenses. I don't have any RF lenses at the moment, but that should change soon. I think I'm going to go ahead and make a video about it for my YouTube, just to show my problem and see if anyone else might have experienced it too. I make a lot gear review videos and such, but I'm not a negative person by nature, and I never make videos bashing things or using click bait and whatnot. But in this case I just want to put it out there, especially since a good bit of my audience has asked for timelapse info on these cameras. I have also hooked up the R5 to one of my motion control timelapse devices with it's own intervalometer app, and that works just fine, so I'll be using that for now. I think I will also wait to send it in to Canon until after my R6 gets here in a few weeks, so I have enough gear to keep my business and YouTube going. I still have my 1DX2 and 5D4 for another month, so at least I have some backups for now. It sucks because every other part of this camera is absolutely incredible so far. Either way, thanks for all the input, and I'll definitely post any updates!

I'd love to see the video, legit criticisms or issues are always great to have known. So odd that it works for me and not you. Usually when something is wrong in firmware there are more glitches on more units, or bigger problems with the individual processor in the malfunctioning unit.

What motion control do you use? I'm excited to try this with my Dynamic Perception Sapphire and Timelapse+ VIEW but not expecting VIEW support yet.
 
Upvote 0

SteveC

R5
CR Pro
Sep 3, 2019
2,678
2,592
I'd love to see the video, legit criticisms or issues are always great to have known. So odd that it works for me and not you. Usually when something is wrong in firmware there are more glitches on more units, or bigger problems with the individual processor in the malfunctioning unit.

What motion control do you use? I'm excited to try this with my Dynamic Perception Sapphire and Timelapse+ VIEW but not expecting VIEW support yet.

Until other people try a time lapse, who knows how prevalent this might be?

I should try one, myself.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0

cornieleous

5D4 + R5
Jul 13, 2020
208
737
To those of you shooting time-lapse, I would be interested to know if you have encountered heat or battery issues?
I would not expect it since I have done harder tests like video overheat and stills are possible even after overheat. Battery reports are coming in above the rating.

I will run a test this morning on 5 seconds interval to see how long I get (time/num shots) out of an old LPE6 battery and how hot the camera gets. My expectations are it will warm slightly and shoot until the battery is drained at at least a few hundred shots. I'll report back the actual results.
 
Upvote 0

cornieleous

5D4 + R5
Jul 13, 2020
208
737
No heat issues to report, I am still experimenting with my Anker PD charger to see if I can do an extended run using it.
Does that bank have auto shutoff? I'm curious to see if longer intervals will make the battery shutoff as I have an Anker and another that have the very commonly found auto shutoff feature. I know that for something like the case relay, many banks shut off and stopped charging and I had to find 12V output banks with a simple on or off switch (they are all temperature and solidly built with huge capacity though), especially because I do 25 second and longer exposures for night timelapse.
 
Upvote 0
Aug 27, 2019
667
1,414
Does that bank have auto shutoff? I'm curious to see if longer intervals will make the battery shutoff as I have an Anker and another that have the very commonly found auto shutoff feature. I know that for something like the case relay, many banks shut off and stopped charging and I had to find 12V output banks with a simple on or off switch (they are all temperature and solidly built with huge capacity though), especially because I do 25 second and longer exposures for night timelapse.
@cornieleous I need to test it out, I know my R got no extended time from having the Powerbank attached, hoping the R5 will add something for when I am out in the back country.
 
Upvote 0

cornieleous

5D4 + R5
Jul 13, 2020
208
737
Just completed a roughly 1 hour intervalometer test in 80 degrees ambient, not in sunlight. Using 24-105mm mk1 autofocus off, IBIS on (IBIS on doesn't make sense for most time lapse, but I want WC activity). May repeat with IBIS off.

I got about 800 shots at 5 second intervals, on an old off brand LP-E6 battery before it died. This is quite reasonable battery time I feel, with the viewfinder kept on deliberately for about 50% of the test by leaning cardboard against the proximity sensor, and the screen on constantly for the second half of the test.

I was a bit surprised that the body got pretty warm with 5 seconds between shots- starting to suspect IBIS, screen, EVF or processor itself are main heat generator and am going to try to profile which. No warnings or overheats occurred, but as expected and stated in manual, high frame rate video times were reduced from max capability ( I don't really care, just a data point) due to the body being warmer.

As much as I love the photo capabilities of the R5, it does seem to heat gradually in all modes, and cool slowly. I don't care much about the loss of HQ video modes in most applications, although it is a goofy design. I do care that it can operate in all reasonable environments (to me, that is below 100 degrees ambient with some sunlight). I'm not sure I would feel confident taking this to hot the desert to do a timelapse, where I have run the 5D4 often in 100 degree conditions and up on a timelapse slider. If the R5 gets medium warm after 1 hour of timelapse in 80 degrees no sun, I imagine it might overheat to the point of shutdown even for stills in the desert- I could be wrong but cannot test that now- I may try to get into at least 90s and sun this weekend for at least a 1 hour timelapse.

I usually carry two bodies on long excursions, but would prefer they are both capable of operating so I can shoot several angles. Starting to wish Canon had not been obsessed with the dumb tiny mirrorless form factor (why do people love it so much for pro gear?!) for a camera this capable. Put all this into a 5D4 body and I bet thermals could be much better just for spreading things out and better heat transfer to the body.

I am now repeating the test with my 5D4 for battery and thermal comparison over the next hour. Of course the 5D4 has no IBIS, smaller sensor MP to readout, so it generates less heat anyway, but it is the nearest capable camera I can make a comparison to.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0
Aug 27, 2019
667
1,414
Just completed a roughly 1 hour intervalometer test in 80 degrees ambient, not in sunlight. Using 24-105mm mk1 autofocus off, IBIS on (IBIS on doesn't make sense for most time lapse, but I want WC activity). May repeat with IBIS off.

I got about 800 shots at 5 second intervals, on an old off brand LP-E6 battery before it died. This is quite reasonable battery time I feel, with the viewfinder kept on deliberately for about 50% of the test by leaning cardboard against the proximity sensor, and the screen on constantly for the second half of the test.

I was a bit surprised that the body got pretty warm with 5 seconds between shots- starting to suspect IBIS, screen, EVF or processor itself are main heat generator and am going to try to profile which. No warnings or overheats occurred, but as expected and stated in manual, high frame rate video times were reduced from max capability ( I don't really care, just a data point) due to the body being warmer.

As much as I love the photo capabilities of the R5, it does seem to heat gradually in all modes, and cool slowly. I don't care much about the loss of HQ video modes in most applications, although it is a goofy design. I do care that it can operate in all reasonable environments (to me, that is below 100 degrees ambient with some sunlight). I'm not sure I would feel confident taking this to hot the desert to do a timelapse, where I have run the 5D4 often in 100 degree conditions and up on a timelapse slider. If the R5 gets medium warm after 1 hour of timelapse in 80 degrees no sun, I imagine it might overheat to the point of shutdown even for stills in the desert- I could be wrong but cannot test that now- I may try to get into at least 90s and sun this weekend for at least a 1 hour timelapse.

I usually carry two bodies on long excursions, but would prefer they are both capable of operating so I can shoot several angles. Starting to wish Canon had not been obsessed with the dumb tiny mirrorless form factor (why do people love it so much for pro gear?!) for a camera this capable. Put all this into a 5D4 body and I bet thermals could be much better just for spreading things out and better heat transfer to the body.

I am now repeating the test with my 5D4 for battery and thermal comparison over the next hour. Of course the 5D4 has no IBIS, smaller sensor MP to readout, so it generates less heat anyway, but it is the nearest capable camera I can make a comparison to.
@cornieleous just curious did you have any time left in the High resolution video modes?
 
Upvote 0

cornieleous

5D4 + R5
Jul 13, 2020
208
737
@cornieleous just curious did you have any time left in the High resolution video modes?

Yes 20 minutes 4K60 remained. It is the only one I looked at since this memory card does not support anything higher. After maybe 20-30 minutes cooling it was back to the 29:59 full limit.

I just ran the 5D4 for the same test and it used half the battery for the same shots, and got slightly warm, not nearly as much heat as the R5, was just barely elevated. Of course 5D4 was not set for dual pixel RAW writing, and is not running screen and/or EVF all the time nor IBIS.

Now repeating R5 test with various settings like viewfinder on low power mode, IBIS off, Dual Pixel RAW off, etc. to see if it heats much less. Anyone know how to turn off the blasted screen completely, as well as the viewfinder? There should be auto detect when I am using either, like if I touch the screen, but if I walk away during timelapse I expect them both to be off not wasting power and being bright ( I do lots of night lapse work). Seems like as is either one or other must be on and never shuts off even with image review off or set to 2 seconds, very frustrating. I've tried screen only and VF only and there is no mode where after I walk away, both EVF and screen shut off until I re-approach the camera. I need to get this issue in front of Canon if I am not missing a setting.

I'm really inclined to buy a cheap thermal camera for investigating this camera, plus I am sure I would have fun with it anyway. I still think it is amazing for stills, and it is the only option for stabilized high MP modern sensor from Canon, but yeah I could do without the thermal stuff. Particularly for timelapse, which I do a lot of.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0