My real customer overheating test. Bought my R5 through BH Photo on 7/9 @ 6:05am and it arrived here yesterday.
SUMMARY: R5 video test w/ 24-105mm F4L mk 1 on the control ring RF adapter. In direct sunlight @ 85 degrees ambient with low air flow, 5000kft altitude, moderate humidity. Camera mostly stationary. I was able to get the R5 to do the following, back to back:
- 30 mins 4K60P
- 30 mins 1080P
- Took a couple stills, no issues
- 30 mins 4K30P
- 8.5 mins 4K60P. The thermal warning started flashing right away when this recording started.
- Automatic Thermal Shutdown @ 8.5 mins into second 4K60P
- 20 minute cool down in 75 degrees with airflow (normal AC house)
- Restarted with no thermal warning for 4K60P
- Ended test
Compared temp at various times against powered off 5D4 and 6D both also in the direct sunlight. At end of all tests, R5 was 10-15 degrees hotter than powered off cameras.
DETAILS:
Worked from home today and ran this test to see if the R5 meets MY needs. Here was the procedure and results in more detail:
Let a room in my house warm up with hot outside air for an hour (84 degrees outside right now, elevation 5000 feet, mid humidity). Thermostat outside room stated 82, but warmer in the room by the window. We'll say 85 degrees is the approximate ambient air temp.
Set the R5 in direct sunlight next to my 6D and 5D4 bodies (both powered-off) on my large windowsill in the warm room. The window was raised and wide open to let the sun hit the bodies directly; no breeze or air flow today.
Loaded off brand LP-E6 (not the new type) into R5 at 95% charge.
Filmed 30 minutes of 4K60P (IPB).
About 12 minutes in, picked up and moved the camera swiftly, zoomed, and did some focusing and hand holds to make the IBIS work hard for about 1.5-2 minutes, then put R5 back in the direct sun, still filming. At recording time limit of 29:59 the recording was stopped normally. No overheating warning. The body was slightly warmer than the powered off 6D and 5D4 right next to it by the end of the first 4K60P shoot at 29:59.
Quickly switched to FHD 1080P and ran 30 more minutes still in direct sun. Nothing but slight increase in warmth as the camera ran in the sun. Temp. at end of this run was warmer than the 5D4 and 6D (both still powered off) but still not hot. No overheating.
Too a couple stills just for the heck of it. No issues.
Immediately switched to 4K30P and started another 30 minutes, still in direct sun. 9 minutes in, the battery was down to about 15% so I decided to stop recording and quickly swap it with a fresh one. Ran 4K30P for another 20 minutes in direct sun and stopped the recording. I'd estimate the body was now about 10 degrees hotter than the powered off bodies. I used a super cheapo thermometer and measured 101 degrees on the inside of the grip.
Switched back to 4K60 and temp warning started flashing. Recorded for 8.5 minutes and the camera hit auto thermal shutdown. At the end of the test it was certainly warm, like any object left in the sun, but not alarmingly hot. Estimate now about 12-15 degrees hotter than the 5D4 and 6D that were powered off throughout test.
Carried shutdown camera to room with the AC going and let it sit for about 20 minutes. At the end of the cooling period, I powered on and checked 4K60, and was able to start recording with no thermal warning. Did not record for long as I was satisfied with the test.
For MY needs, this is going to be just fine. I am sure I could have recorded 1080P or 4K30P for much longer. I will rarely shoot for long with video above 90 or 95 degrees ambient in the sun, so I have no worries. This is a stills beast with competent video. If you are a wedding or event photographer, this camera behaves about exactly as Canon says or slightly better: I got the 35 minutes of 4K60P promised in direct sun plus all that other lower rate shooting. You can be mad it is not enough, or you can buy a video camera. Most similar small form cameras are not going to run that much longer in these tiny bodies, it is just physics. To me, I heard what was said about the camera and didn't let hype let me think it could do it all, and I think I am going to be very happy with it.
I appreciate different needs exist than mine, but hope people can learn to be constructive and objective and DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH instead of watching endless talking heads or listening to marketers. Learning a little about electronics, thermal transfer, and how cameras are constructed can go a long way to help you know for yourself what a camera is designed for.
