Canon recently announced an EOS R6 firmware update to address overheating issues. Does firmware 1.1.1 improve the camera’s video performance? Quite a bit, it turns out.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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| Testing conducted in Seattle by our Technical Editor Richard Butler. Real-world production experiences by Jordan Drake: the director and editor of many of our ‘DPRTV’ videos. |
If you have any interest in cameras, you may have witnessed the heated discussions lately around the new Canon EOS R5 and R6’s tendency to overheat when capturing video internally. The Internet tends to amplify the most extreme version of any story or phenomenon, which might have lead to you getting the impression that the cameras are unusable.
Jordan’s EOS R5 experienceWe shot for 10 hours at a variety of locations, which I thought would give the camera ample opportunity to cool down. I planned to shoot the episode in the 4K HQ mode, with occasional 4K/120P and 8K shots peppered throughout. Quickly I realized that setting up a shot and menu-diving would reduce the amount of record time I had for HQ, so I found myself spending far less time previewing the shot before rolling, adding a layer of stress. Eventually, I realized couldn’t record all the talking points in 4K HQ, and settled on using 4K HQ for wide shots and standard, line-skipped 4K for closeups. This made shooting sustainable, though I found myself avoiding trying to capture any spontaneous establishing shots or cutaways, lest I drop the dreaded overheating clock a bit lower. While our host Chris took it in his stride, I can only imagine how frustrating it would be for the talent to not know if the camera will last until the end of a take. I also found myself heavily rationing the 4K/120P as it really chews up your remaining shooting minutes. I spent two minutes capturing the seagull footage in the episode: beforehand I the camera said it would shoot 15 minutes of 4K HQ, when I returned I had only five minutes remaining! If the quality difference between 4K HQ and standard 4K capture were not so dramatic, this would bother me less. However, once you start viewing and editing the gorgeous 4K HQ footage, it makes it that much harder to go back to inferior line skipped 4K, and that’s a type of disappointment I don’t want to be dealing with on a shoot. |
After extensive testing of both cameras, our conclusions with regards internal recording are:
We tested a pair of R5s and an R6 in a variety of warm conditions and found they consistently performed in line with the limitations that Canon acknowledged at the point of launch. However, the practical implications are that the cameras are prone to overheating if you shoot for extended periods and if you have crew or talent waiting to re-start shooting, they may take too long to recover.
It should be noted that Canon did not design either the EOS R5 or R6 to be professional video tools, nor does it primarily market them as such. But based on our testing and real-world usage we would caution against using them as a substitute.
Our testing suggests that the cameras perform in exactly the way that Canon said they would. However, there is an important caveat that Canon’s figures don’t address: although the cameras can repeatedly deliver the amount of video promised, they may not always do so in real-world usage.
Even set to the mode designed to limit pre-recording temperature build-up, the clock is essentially running from the moment you turn the camera on. Video recording is the most processor-intensive (and hence most heat generating) thing you can do, but any use of the camera will start to warm it up, and start chipping away at your recording times. Consequently, any time spent setting up a shot, setting white balance, setting focus or waiting for your talent to get ready (or shooting still images) will all cut into your available recording time, and you won’t reliably get the full amount Canon advises.
Not only does this make R5 a poor fit for many professional video shoots, it also means that you can’t depend on the cameras when shooting video alongside stills at, say, a wedding, which is a situation that the EOS R5 clearly is intended for.
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| Even when left in direct sunshine, the cameras continued to record for the duration Canon promised. However, this is only true when you’re not using the camera for anything else. |
The one piece of good news is that the camera’s estimates appear to be on the conservative side: every time the camera said it would deliver X minutes of footage, it delivered what it’d promised. You can also record for much longer if you can use an external recorder but again, this probably isn’t going to suit photographers or video crews looking for a self-contained, do-everything device.
Click here if you want to see our test methods and results.
EOS R5 suggestions:
EOS R6 suggestions:
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking this means Canon didn’t put enough thought into thermal management for these cameras. Our testing suggests this isn’t the case, but that the cameras’ specs are rather over-ambitious.
Jordan’s EOS R6 experienceI had done some testing prior to my shoot, and was comfortable that overheating wouldn’t be a problem if I stuck to 4K/24p. Unfortunately, my experience on a warm day was quite different to that room-temperature test. There’s no line-skipped 4K mode on the R6, so if the camera overheats, you’re back to 1080P, which will be a jarring transition for viewers watching on larger screens. While I was able to record much longer with the R6 before encountering the overheat warning, once it appears the camera takes far longer to cool down again than the R5. Our regular drives in an air conditioned car allowed Chris and Levi’s R5 to function throughout the day, but at one point I was left sitting in the car, babysitting a hot R6 while they went out to shoot. During a one hour lunch, the R5 had returned back to normal, but the R6 had a twenty minute warning still on. This was hugely disappointing as, rolling shutter aside, the R6 video quality is excellent, and I’d be perfectly happy using it over the R5. However, the longer cool down times would probably lead me to use the R5, dropping to line-skipped 4K from time to time. While I enjoyed most aspects of using these two cameras, I have no intention of using either of them as a primary video camera. They would be great for grabbing occasional, very high quality video clips, but I’d never want to rely on them for paid work. |
With the exception of specialist video models, most cameras that shoot 4K are prone to overheating, regardless of the brand. Some companies let you extend the recording time by ignoring overheat warnings (and risk ‘low-temperature burns’ if you handhold the camera), while others simply stop when they get too hot. This should make it clear that shooting 4K for an extended period is difficult. For instance, Sony says the a7 III will shoot around 29 minutes of 4K video with the temperature warnings set to ‘Std,’ while the Fujifilm X-T4 promises 30 minutes of 4K/30 and 20 minutes of 4K/60.
The cumulative heat is constantly counting against you
8K is four times as much data as natively-sampled 4K and seventeen times more than the 1080 footage that older cameras used to capture so effortlessly. Perfect 2:1 oversampled 4K (downsampled 8K) requires this same amount of data, which is still 1.7x more data than is used to create 4K oversampled video from a 24MP sensor. Data means processing, which means heat.
The fact that the EOS R5 can shoot two hours of 4K/30p footage (in line-skipping mode) when sitting in direct sunshine suggests it’s pretty good at dissipating heat. But it seems trying to do so with 1.7x more data than the a7 III and X-T4 is a step too far: it’ll match them for promised recording duration but only just. This leaves it much more sensitive to any other use when not recording.
The EOS R6 is a slightly different matter. It can shoot 40 minutes of 4K taken from 5.1K capture, which is a pretty good performance and may be enough that you won’t often hit its temperature limits. However even after a 30 minute cooling period, it has only recovered enough to deliver around half of its maximum record time, whereas the EOS R5 recovered nearly its full capability. The metal rear plate of the R5 clearly allows it to manage heat better than the R6 can.
And, as Jordan’s experiences show: if you don’t have time to let the cameras cool, that cumulative heat is constantly counting against you.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Canon has made it known that heating issues place limitations on video recording with its new EOS R5 and R6. However, as Johnnie Behiri of Cinema5D has pointed out in his new ‘First Look’ video, the practical impact is ‘completely different’ than you might expect, from seeing an estimated capture time on paper.
To test out his pre-production EOS R6 camera, Behiri shot a mini-documentary in Japan titled ‘Never Say No.’ While the mini-doc, which is sandwiched inside the ‘First Look’ video, looks fantastic, capturing it wasn’t nearly as great an experience as Behiri was hoping.
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| A screenshot from the video showing what the camera’s display looks like after the unit overheats. |
Behiri starts the video by saying that he had hoped to report back on the in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and autofocus capabilities of the EOS R6, but that those features ended up taking a backseat to the limitations created by overheating while shooting.
‘When you see [the time limitations] on paper and experience it in the field, it’s completely different,’ says Behiri. While he shot most of the mini-doc at 4K/24p, he at times had to resort to shooting footage at 1080/24p so he could get the footage he needed after his EOS R6 unit overheated. He even went so far as having to use fans and bags of ice to cool his camera down.
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| A still image Behiri shares in the video showing his attempt to cool off the camera using a household fan. |
Wrapping up his experience with the pre-production EOS R6, Behiri says ’It’s a tool [and] on one hand it has a lot of useful features and really nice features [but] on the other hand, [those features are] a bit meaningless because you can’t work with the camera and execute what you want.’ He effectively summarizes his experience with the camera saying that ‘instead of controlling the camera […] the camera controls you.’ He says ‘it will overheat badly and you don’t know how long it will be until you can shoot again.’
‘Instead of controlling the camera […] the camera controls you.’
Behiri shared an accompanying blog post on Cinema5D that further dives into his experience with the camera. While he was happy to report that its autofocus ‘worked like a treat’ most of the time and he appreciated the camera’s articulating screen, that’s where the positives end. He notes rolling shutter was ‘horrendous’ during his time filming and ultimately concludes that the camera is ‘not working for [him].’
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| Even a bag of ice (which we don’t suggest you use on your unit) failed to keep the camera shooting, even at 4K/24p. |
While this was a pre-production unit, Behiri notes Canon representatives told him it was ‘almost final.’ He was also shooting pretty much the exact type of assignment you’d expect the EOS R6 to be perfect for and the weather in Japan, although warm at around 82 degrees F, was far from extreme.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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This morning, Canon sent out a ‘media alert’ to press to clarify overheating concerns regarding its new EOS R5 and R6 cameras. In it, Canon reiterates estimated shooting time limits, explains why it opted to add an internal fan and shares a few tips on how to keep the heat down when shooting 4K and 8K video.
Canon starts off the notice laying out the steps it’s taken to ‘manage the potential for overheating’ in its EOS R5 and EOS R6 camera. Two bullet points in the notice read:
Canon addresses the lack of a fan — such as the one found on Panasonic’s S1H camera — saying it decided to not include a fan within the body of the camera to maintain the ‘compact size, lightweight construction and weather resistance’ of the EOS R5 and EOS R6.
Both the EOS R5 and EOS R6 will display an estimated time it expects to be able to record based on the recording mode and current camera temperature, but in addition to the on-camera information, Canon has also shared a more detailed breakdown of roughly how much time you can expect both cameras to be able to record based on resolution, frame rate and shooting mode (click for full resolution):
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Canon has also shared a small chart showing the estimated time you can expect to wait before recording after the camera overheats:
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As for what you can do to help minimize the time it takes for the EOS R5 and EOS R6 to overheat, Canon shared the following bullet list:
Set Overheat Control function to “ON” (default). When the overheat control function is enabled, the movie size and frame rate are automatically changed while the camera is in standby mode to suppress the rise of the internal temperature Between recordings, it is recommended to turn off the camera Position the camera out of direct sunlight Use an external fan to dissipate heat
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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If you purchased a Nikon D800, D800E, D7000 or Nikon 1 V1 and are still shooting with the original EN-EL15 battery, or if you’ve ever purchased a spare EN-EL15 off the shelf, listen up. There’s a small chance you’re using a defective battery that could pose a danger to yourself and your camera body.
In an update to a recall first announced all the way back in 2012, Nikon is asking owners of certain EN-EL15 batteries to get in touch with the company about getting a complimentary replacement.
“The [affected] battery pack can experience a short circuit causing it to overheat and possibly causing the outside casing to become deformed, posing a potential hazard to consumers,” writes Nikon. “There have only been seven (7) confirmed reports of incidents of the problem worldwide, and while no injuries have taken place, Nikon Inc. has initiated this recall of the affected lot numbers as a reflection of its commitment to safety and product quality.”
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Affected batteries can be identified by the serial number. If the 9th number of the serial on the back is either an “E” or an “F” your battery is affected, and you should reach out to Nikon Inc. through this form to get a replacement. Do not dispose of the battery in the trash. You’ll need to give the defective battery to the UPS guy who brings you the new battery in exchange.
You can read the full recall text below:
UPDATED EN-EL15 SERVICE ADVISORY AS OF JUNE 20, 2017. Technical Service Advisory for users of the EN-EL15 rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack.
Nikon Inc. is asking your cooperation in connection with a voluntary recall of certain lot numbers of its Nikon Model EN-EL15 rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack. The battery pack can experience a short circuit causing it to overheat and possibly causing the outside casing to become deformed, posing a potential hazard to consumers. There have only been seven (7) confirmed reports of incidents of the problem worldwide, and while no injuries have taken place, Nikon Inc. has initiated this recall of the affected lot numbers as a reflection of its commitment to safety and product quality. We are asking that owners of the affected battery pack contact Nikon Inc. to initiate a free product exchange.
The Nikon EN-EL15 battery pack is provided as a supplied accessory with the purchase of Nikon’s digital SLR D800, D800E, D810A, D810, D610, D600, D7200, D7100, D7000, D500 cameras and the Nikon 1 V1 advanced camera with interchangeable lens. However, EN-EL15 batteries supplied with D810A, D810, D610, D600, D500, D7200, D7100 are not included in this voluntary recall. It is also sold separately at retail under Nikon’s model number 27011. The EN-EL15 battery pack involved in this recall was first distributed by Nikon in March 2012 and is still being sold at retail.
No other Nikon battery packs are involved in this recall.
Nikon’s digital SLR D800, D800E, D810A, D810, D610, D600, D7200, D7100, D7000, D500 cameras and the Nikon 1 V1 advanced camera with interchangeable lens as well as any other Nikon cameras are also not subject to this recall.
What you should do:
1.) Determine if your EN-EL15 battery pack is affected
This voluntary recall is limited to EN-EL15 battery packs in lots E and F. First, please confirm that “EN-EL15” is printed on the label of your battery pack. Then, please locate the 14-digit lot number beside the recycle symbol, as shown on the photo below.
Click here to use our lot number lookup tool.
2.) If your EN-EL15 battery pack is affected
3.) If your EN-EL15 battery pack is not affected
No further action is needed. Please continue using your EN-EL15 battery pack as usual.
Nikon is committed to safety and to providing to its customers only the highest quality products. We regret any inconvenience this matter may cause you and appreciate your continued support of Nikon and its products.
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Nikon at 1-800-645-6687.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
One industrious Lumix GF7 owner named Eric Strebel has solved his camera’s overheating issue with a pretty intense DIY hack. Namely, he added a massive heat sink to the back of the camera…. problem solved.
The entire hacking process is detailed in a video that Strebel uploaded to YouTube, where he explains that his camera would, at times, warn him to let it cool down due to overheating while shooting video. The heat sink, which is attached to the camera using piano wire, is very effective at keeping the camera cool for long recording sessions.
The GF7 features a hinged display that can be flipped up, leaving the back of the camera flat and exposed. It is on that portion of the camera that Strebel mounted the heat sink, which he harvested from an old PC. A drill press was used to machine the heat sink to size, while piano wire was bent and utilized as a removable attachment point for mounting the heat sink onto the camera.
The entire project, explains Strebel, took about 4 hours to complete.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Over the last few days we have seen reports from photographers who had an overheating warning icon appear on the camera display when shooting with the Sony a9 in warmer weather or indoors. It appears that in none of the reported cases the camera actually overheated and shut down and it’s Sony’s overheating warning function that is a little bit overzealous.
Sony has now fixed the problem with firmware version 1.01 for the Sony Alpha A9. In the change log it simply says ‘This utility updates the camera firmware to version 1.01 and improves the overheating warning functionality.’ You can select your operating system and download the firmware from the Sony support website now.
Have you had issues with the a9’s overheating warning? Has the problem been solved by the new firmware? Let us know in the comments.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Some iPhone 7 Plus owners are reporting camera issues including streaks of color on images, a completely black screen instead of an image preview, and a warning that the iPhone needs to cool down before the camera can be used (despite no signs of overheating). Some affected owners state Apple replaced their iPhone or, in some cases, just the camera module.
Reports of these issues can be found on social media sites and Reddit, where they date back several weeks. The issues appear to be hardware related, as they’ve persisted despite recent iOS updates. Affected users should take their iPhone to an Apple Store for servicing or replacement. It doesn’t appear any official workarounds have been provided.
Via: TechTimes
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
October 31 2012. Last day of October on Beaver Pond in Arapaho Bend Natural Area. Camera: GoPro Hero.
The new GoPro Hero 3 is supposed to have less wide angle lens distortion.
I keep paddling my Bark Expedition paddleboard on Beaver Pond covering about 5 miles in each workout. Recently, I am wearing hydroskin top and bottom. On a warm day (~70F) I am really overheating, but water is getting chilly.
Related posts:
SUP Gallery in Fitness Paddling blog
Daily Paddling Picture Gallery
SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) in Riverbend Ponds Natural Area
Bark Expedition Stand Up Paddleboard in Fall Scenery