R5 Timelapse Interval Timer Not Working

Aug 27, 2019
667
1,414
Just did a timelaspe for roughly 40mins and got 750 shots

Preconditions:
  • Indoors
  • RF 15-35
  • New LP-E6NH (thought was fully charged but my wife was playing with the Camera)
  • 3 sec interval set
  • Number of Shots set to 00 *unlimited*
  • Manual focus
  • IBIS off/Lens IS off
  • Camera body was reading 27.3 degrees Celsius.
  • Flip screen out (disables the EVF)
  • Focus Peaking enabled for setting manual focus
Test Steps:

1.) Hit the shutter button to start the capture.

Ended the test after I realized the battery was not 100% charged. Camera was showing it lost a single bar charge. Not a super scientific test this round but I figured it was a date point so I would share.

End Test
Camera was reading 34 degrees Celsius
3 mins of 4K 120 showing as available
5mins for 8K

Charging the battery and will try again later. Will also note the exposure setting as I completely missed that in the setup.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0

cornieleous

5D4 + R5
Jul 13, 2020
208
737
MUCH better R5 results on time-lapse test #2!!!

I am convinced it is either the IBIS, EVF or writing dual pixel RAW at 45MP, or a combo of all three that kills battery and heats the R5 up fast.

I turned off IBIS and EVF and dual pixel RAW and kept all else the same as first test, manual focus, 5 second intervals, etc.

Very similar result now as with the 5D4 after about 1 hour. Roughly got 800 shots, this time on less than half an LP-E6 battery. There was hardly any warming of the body, very comparable to 5D4, just a mild warmth not an obvious one. I could see that almost usable in the desert even. Maybe not all day, but for an hour or two which is more than I would ever need in those temps.

Of course, a real field test of an all night time-lapse is needed. Maybe I can set one up here on my deck this weekend. However, this result already has me feeling way better. So if IBIS S is coupled to lens IS switch, DO remember the outdated rule of turning it off on tripod, or for manual lenses, find IBIS and shut it off in menus.

Hoping Canon can get to the bottom of which functions build up the heat so fast (my money is on IBIS is the worst offender with EVF close second). Also if it is EVF and IBIS, I am encouraged they can refine firmware or new modes where if the user doesn't need those that we can save all that heat and pwoer waste and have a camera with less heat issues.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0

cornieleous

5D4 + R5
Jul 13, 2020
208
737
Just did a timelaspe for roughly 40mins and got 750 shots

Preconditions:
  • Indoors
  • RF 15-35
  • New LP-E6NH (thought was fully charged but my wife was playing with the Camera)
  • 3 sec interval set
  • Number of Shots set to 00 *unlimited*
  • Manual focus
  • IBIS off/Lens IS off
  • Camera body was reading 27.3 degrees Celsius.
  • Flip screen out (disables the EVF)
  • Focus Peaking enabled for setting manual focus
Test Steps:

1.) Hit the shutter button to start the capture.

Ended the test after I realized the battery was not 100% charged. Camera was showing it lost a single bar charge. Not a super scientific test this round but I figured it was a date point so I would share.

End Test
Camera was reading 34 degrees Celsius
3 mins of 4K 120 showing as available
5mins for 8K

Charging the battery and will try again later. Will also note the exposure setting as I completely missed that in the setup.
Awesome, thanks! Was this in shade and how hot is ambient air? Would you say you are in low, medium, or high humidity? Low or high altitude?

I should have laid out my procedure and conditions more orderly like you did.

Can you possibly test again with IBIS and screen viewing /EVF conditions noted? In my test, the EVF and IBIS seem to be the heater, not sure which or if a combo- or it could be dual pixel RAW contributed to my worst result. My second test with that all disabled produced a way better result than my first, comparable to 5D4. If I wasn't so lazy I would start a long sequence of iterative tests changing one setting at a time. If we could prove IBIS or EVF is the heater, and get enough to verify, perhaps that will help get the word to Canon to change firmware to allow those to disable or use less power when not needed.

I will also report lens, basic exposure settings, focus mode MF and anything else I think is relevant in future tests so we can compare profiles.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Aug 27, 2019
667
1,414
I think you are onto something with IBIS and the EVF.

Will test to confirm. Just waiting on battery top up.

I am one of those old school guys that turns IS/IBIS off as soon as I set the Camera on a tripod. I have to say I really like that Canon set the EVF to disabled if you have the screen flipped out, now to find the setting to disable that or just leave the screen in.

Things I want to test are:

Powerbank attached and longer exposures
 
Upvote 0

cornieleous

5D4 + R5
Jul 13, 2020
208
737
I think you are onto something with IBIS and the EVF.

Will test to confirm. Just waiting on battery top up.

I am one of those old school guys that turns IS/IBIS off as soon as I set the Camera on a tripod. I have to say I really like that Canon set the EVF to disabled if you have the screen flipped out, now to find the setting to disable that or just leave the screen in.

Things I want to test are:

Powerbank attached and longer exposures
Yep I usually disable everything too, in fact I shoot most timelapses with manual lenses. I wanted a worst case result the first time with the EVF and dual pixel, I forgot about the IS switch though.

For a manual lens you seem to have to specifically tell the camera IBIS should be off so I will hopefully be able to put that in a menu favorites tab for timelapse.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0
Mar 25, 2011
16,848
1,835
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.
I believe you can set the screen to sleep after 10 seconds by using the eco mode. That should save power. I don't know if it works in interval mode.

eco mode.JPG
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0

cornieleous

5D4 + R5
Jul 13, 2020
208
737
I believe you can set the screen to sleep after 10 seconds by using the eco mode. That should save power. I don't know if it works in interval mode.

View attachment 191883


Thanks. Indeed that does not seem to work in interval mode. I'm also finding the viewfinder is one of the larger contributors to heat in the camera.

Canon really screwed up here with the screen settings in my opinion. No camera being triggered by internal or external intervalometer should have to have either a screen or EVF be on all the time, but that seems to be the case. It is a huge pain for astrophotography and a waste of power for all kinds of shooting where once you are set, an intervalometer press or internal timer may not need to display anything. I'm thoroughly annoyed unless I can find a setting to turn both off. On a 5D4, you can simply press info to cycle to an all off mode and walk away from the camera while it takes time-lapse or intervalometer with no screen on.

Also their settings on the viewfinder page 768 make no sense and are confusing. They have screen only, viewfinder only, and 2 auto switch modes both of which do basically the same thing in practice, with the difference supposedly being if the screen is swung out and facing you in mode 2, the VF won't turn on (vlogging probably). Yet if I try to close the screen in any mode, VF is on. There is simply no documented mode for all screens off. If this proves true, really dumb.

This also means for least power during a timelapse, I must use the screen which will be very bright at night. If I put something over the camera, the stupid viewfinder will be on using power and more heat. Guess I will have to get something to put over the swing out screen only. :/
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
To those of you shooting time-lapse, I would be interested to know if you have encountered heat or battery issues?
I'm definitely testing that right now, and will put it in the video I'm making about timelapsing with the R5 here pretty soon. So far no issues. Just did a 1.5 hr long exposure day-to-night holy grail timelapse last night, zero heat issues, didn't even feel warm to the touch at all.
 
Upvote 0
I put this in another thread but I think its appropriate here also.

Battery Test of 7Dmk2 vs R5

Conditions: 80 Degrees, Intense sun at 6500 feet. Windy

Began test 11:35 am, Using interval timer on both cameras set to unlimited with 7 seconds between exposure.

7Dmk2, 40mm lens with AF on. Battery began test at 94%, it was an old battery with poor recharge performance, one square showing.
It ran for 2h09min before the battery died. 1015 shots.

R5 15-35mm lens with AF on, Battery was at 100 with 3 squares showing on the recharge performance. Brand new LP-E6NH, Electronic first curtain shutter, Rear LCD closed. Using only SD card, CF Express cards have not arrived.



It took 1145 shots before I it cut it off. It was showing 12 % battery at that point.

I then took 215 more shots in a several burst and 3 minutes of HD videos and checked several video formats for the time remaining. Total stills were 1360 plus 3 minutes of video
This is what was showing at that time.

FHD 29.97 IPB Rec time 7:42:56
FHS 58.94 All I Rec time 1:17:04
4k-u 29.97 All I Rec time 29:27
4k-u 29.97 IPB Rec time 01:55.39
4k u 59.94 IPB Rec Time 59:32
4k d 59.94 All-1 Rec time 29:05
8k-d 29.97 IPB Rec time 28:50

Other Formats were showing zero, I assume due to no CFexpress card.
At this point the Battery was showing 2%. I never saw a heat warning.

Knowing that I had a weak battery in the 7Dmk2 I was not surprised that it quit early. With a good battery it would easily get to 2k shots plus. My conclusion is that for me I should get 700-1000 shots with R5 on a good battery. I will be carrying 2 extras batteries not 1 when using the R5.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Upvote 0
I have the same interval timer problem. Three others on the Ugly Hedgehog list also have the same problem. I set my interval timer, in manual mode. I press the shutter. The first picture is taken, the shot timer counts down but no further shots are taken. I've tried an RF lens, an adapted EF lens--doesn't work. I try the same thing on my 5D Mark IV and it works just fine with or without a lens attached. Is there something I'm missing, or is this a bug. If a bug, I hope it can be fixed with a firmware update, as I don't want to send in a brand new camera for repair.
 
Upvote 0
Aug 27, 2019
667
1,414
I have the same interval timer problem. Three others on the Ugly Hedgehog list also have the same problem. I set my interval timer, in manual mode. I press the shutter. The first picture is taken, the shot timer counts down but no further shots are taken. I've tried an RF lens, an adapted EF lens--doesn't work. I try the same thing on my 5D Mark IV and it works just fine with or without a lens attached. Is there something I'm missing, or is this a bug. If a bug, I hope it can be fixed with a firmware update, as I don't want to send in a brand new camera for repair.
Could you please post a picture of the settings you are using on Adjust interval/shots screen? Would like to try out the settings you are using as I am not having any issues.

20200808_094931.jpg
 
Upvote 0
Aug 27, 2019
667
1,414
Here you are. Thanks for trying to help!
Thanks, I just tried the 4 second interval and 10 shots and it worked for me even with the lens cap on. Maybe change the interval to 3 seconds and set the shots to 00 (unlimited) and see if it works for you. If it does try changing back to the 4 and 10 you have set now and see if it works.
 
Upvote 0