CANON EOS 5R C OVERVIEW
Pretty much every contemporary content creator needs a professional solution capable of delivering both cinema-quality video and state of the art photo still capacities. From drone pilots to multimedia journalists, from cinematographers to wedding videographers, every professional might enhance their shooting experiences with the new Canon EOS R5 C Mirrorless Cinema Camera.
As a 2-in-1 camera, one can quickly switch from a full-featured still photo camera, with all the well-known settings of the R5 EOS mirrorless system, to a full-frame 8K60 Cinema EOS camera that internally records 12-bit Cinema RAW Light footage. Easy peasy. Long gone are the days in which one had to carry two camera systems for a single job. And as a surprise from Canon, the EOS R5 C camera is not only powerful but also light and compact. So let's see what this 4K120 recording, HDMI RAW output, Canon Log 3 HLG/PQ bad boy is all about!
How Does it Compare with Regular ESO R5?
Canon's 45MP full-frame CMOS imaging sensor is still the quintessential kernel behind the EOS R5 C's superb image quality, which also leads the way for impressive 8K60 RAW cinematic video shooting.
Focus and speed are both vital in the EOS R5 C camera system, delivering impressive still-image continuous capture at speeds of up to 20 fps. With 1053 Automatic AF zones, it is effortless to photograph individuals with the use of Eye, Face, and Head Detection AF, or intuitively track the whole body, face, or eyes of cats, dogs, or birds with Animal Detection AF.
5 and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity is included for the proper transfer of data professionals require, and the Dual Pixel CMOS AF II capability helps into tracking split-second movements out of even the most evasive subjects. And for those in need of high-speed shooting, the Canon folks have also included still-image vehicle subject detection to assist with accurate tracking of cars and motorcycles. How awesome is that!? Pretty much they have divided into the following schemes:
- Head and Eye Detection: Perfect for selecting people, so the EOS R5 C's "figures it out" so only human subjects get detected by it. And like the EOS R5, it can focus on a person's eyes, face, head and even the entire body.
- Animal Detection: Excellent for still images thanks to the same revolutionary AF as found in the EOS R5 which is capable of identifying and focusing upon eyes, faces, or bodies of birds, cats, and dogs, and can do so over virtually the entire image area with many Canon lenses. This opens up a broad array of possibilities for anyone into wildlife imagery, even with subjects as challenging as birds in flight!
- Vehicle Detection: Brought over from the high-performance Canon EOS R3 camera, the EOS R5 C adds Vehicle Detection Autofocus as a subject detection option. Cars and motorcycles, especially in racing applications, can be spotted and tracked, even at high speeds.
What We Like the Most from the EOS R5 C
As mentioned above, this camera makes the dual-system experience an absolute delight. With the built-in video control, the EOS 5R C switches from a pure photographic camera to a professional cinema system. Simply select the video position on the camera, and the menu system and interface will take over into a professional video workflow experience. High-level video qualities such as waveform monitors, video codec options, and extensive audio control are at our fingertips.
The 8K CMOS sensor and DIGIC X processor deliver high-quality video at up to 8K60 resolution. And using the high-efficiency Cinema RAW Light format mode enables card recording without the aid of external recorders. The EOS R5 C camera supports HDR recording in Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) and Perceptual Quantization (PQ) format, which helps to ensure full-color rendition and wide latitude with a great range from black to pure white, outstanding for the delivery of content such as live streams, broadcasts, and post-production projects.
And as you might already know, Cinema RAW Light in 8K is amazing for post-production grading and archiving, or MP4, which is optimized for faster online use. 5.9K in Super 35mm mode and 2.9K in Super 16mm mode are also available for internal recording to CFexpress cards. Cinema RAW Light video files have been tweaked for better efficiency to achieve 12-bit recording in all frame rates via three newly developed Cinema RAW Light modes:
- High-quality RAW HQ
- Standard-quality RAW ST
- Light recording RAW LT
With them, we can select the RAW video mode according to our professional video-shooting needs. Lighter, smaller proxy video files can also be recorded while shooting 8K, and the camera also supports RAW output via HDMI and ProRes RAW recording with compatible external recorders such as Atomos devices. So when connecting the EOS R5 C camera to a supported external recorder, it can shoot in Apple ProRes RAW at up to 8K30.
The EOS R5 C camera's body design is remarkably tight and light. When coped with a Canon RF lens, or even an EF lens using the Mount Adapter EF-EOS R, it offers a superb performance that fits easily and comfortably in our hands. Whether shooting video or still images, handheld operation is now more permissive than ever before. Optically extended for eye level, the electronic viewfinder (EVF) offers a similar viewing experience to the conventional EOS R5 cameras, and thanks to using the same ergonomic grip design, the camera feels like a long-known acquaintance.
What Else Can We Find in the EOS R5 C Camera?
In short, we have different file formats coped with simultaneous recording. Cinema RAW Light is responsible for bringing light data sizes for raw recording, and along with it, the EOS R5 C camera supports MXF-based XF-AVC and the highly versatile MP4. The EOS R5 C camera is also capable of recording two independent video files simultaneously, such as Cinema RAW Light and MP4 at various resolutions including 4K and HD, as well as lightweight proxy files for various professional workflows. XF-AVC offers robust 10-bit 4:2:2 files in a .MXF wrapper for simple compatibility with non-linear editing systems (NLEs) and existing workflows.
And with such built-in power, you as well might be thinking about how much heat those capabilities might produce. But worry not! The new Canon EOS R5 C camera comes with a new internal cooling fan which enables it to nonstop record at 8K60. So yeah, like professional cinema systems, a cooling fan built into the body forces out the heat from inside, enabling continuous and virtually limitless shooting of high-definition 8K60 video without any bump or interruption.
Canon's multi-function shoe with digital audio interface backs the optional TASCAM CA-XLR2d-C professional audio XLR microphone adapter for up to 4-channel audio. This accessory adds two full-sized XLR terminals with phantom power and shotgun mic mount, enabling digital 4-channel and 24-bit audio recording to meet professional video needs.
Also interesting about the new EOS R5 C camera is the expanded interface for Professional Needs which delivers a timecode input/output terminal for easy synchronization when shooting with multiple systems and other interfaces. Cable protection is also included as a standard to prevent cable disconnection or damage to the terminal if a strong force is applied when connecting interface or HDMI cables.
What about Performance on the Field?
Something to consider while recording video in full-frame 8K60, Super 35 5.9K60, and Super 16 2.9K120 with Cinema RAW Light recording is that the standard LP-E6NH, LP-E6, or LP-E6N battery packs will not be able to power the electronics of RF lenses or EF lenses attached via an adapter. Although, one can use purely mechanical lenses without issue at these settings, and to gain full electronic lens functionality with all Cinema RAW Light resolutions and frame rates, you can use utilize the CA-946 power adapter with the new DR-E6C DC coupler for mains or pro D-Tap battery power sources, or you can use a power bank such as the Anker PowerCode 26800mAh PD or omnicharge Omni Mobile 25600mAh.
The EOS R5 C camera reads out signals for all effective pixels from its full-frame 8K sensor, enabling 4:2:2 10-bit high-definition recording via oversampling during 4K and 2K video recording. A high-definition algorithm has been included and the 4K generated from the plentiful RGB data of the 8K sensor enables more refined imaging capabilities with less incidence of moiré, funny colors, and other optical artifacts. It also records High Frame Rate (HFR) movies at up to 120p at DCI/UHD 4K resolutions (4096 x 2160/3840 x 2160) in 4:2:2 10-bit without cropping the sensor.
The EOS R5 C camera has been designed with operational flexibility in mind, serving each professional workflow and including 13 marked, assignable buttons that allow for user-friendly customized operation. The camera system is great for shooting scenes full of fast-paced action, and the fast & intuitive autofocus remains enabled even during HFR recording, making it ideal when shooting from drones or gimbals while delivering outstanding focus accuracy at HFR or standard frame rates.
Let's Crunch it all to Some Specs!
At $4,499.00, some specs should be properly highlighted of course. For example, sensor resolution and other figures to consider as well. The actual Megapixel count of 47.1 contrasts with the effective 45 Megapixel (8192 x 5464) array. Exposure Control is pretty standard to what we find nowadays but is still worth noticing it. The shutter's type is an Electronic Shutter and Focal Plane Shutter capable of achieving the following speeds:
- 1/8000 to 30 Seconds when mechanical shutter is selected.
- 1/8000 to 30 Seconds when shooting with electronic front curtain shutter.
- 1/8000 to 1/2 Seconds when shooting with electronic shutter alone.
The ISO sensitivity goes from 100 to 51,200 in Manual Mode (Extended: 50 to 102,400), and from 100 to 12,800 in Auto Mode (Extended: 100 to 51,200). And if that doesn’t make you consider it, then this might do the job, the metering range goes from -3 to 20 EV, so everything will get perfectly exposed across the whole frame.
But not everything is perfect here, and one thing that we don't like about this camera is the lack of IBIS. Canon promises us that they are resolving this issue through a workaround so the compact and light format of this camera could still be possible for them to maintain. The enhanced image stabilization is achieved through synced control when Canon's RF lenses with optical IS are combined with the EOS R5 C camera's electronic IS when shooting XF-AVC or MP4 formats. With an RF lens that has optical IS and the electronic IS in the EOS R5 C camera, coordinated control helps achieve the optimum hand-shake correction effects. This helps achieve better anti-vibration performance than with conventional IS-equipped EF lenses (using optional Mount Adapter EF-EOS R) and electronic IS together.
Present in plenty of the Canon cameras and working with multiple Canon EOS and Cinema EOS cameras comes the Canon Log 3. The wide dynamic range can be used for a wider range of grading after shooting. Canon Log 3 is a gamma that is designed for simple gradings, such as pulling dark areas and adjusting tones from heavily bright zones. It carries on Canon Log's ease of use with less noticeable noise. It can also be used when shooting with other Cinema EOS system cameras such as the EOS C300 Mark III and EOS C70 cameras.
Unlike some other cameras where audio is not recorded during HFR shooting, the EOS R5 C camera can be set to record *.wav audio as a separate file from video, effectively stopping the need for separate audio recording and delivering HFR video and audio files in one convenient device when shooting slow motion or fast motion video.
And Last but not Least, a Couple of Goodies! Get a unique experience by coping the camera to Canon's inane RF 5.2mm ƒ/2.8 L Dual Fisheye Lens to achieve out of this world stereoscopic 3D 180° VR video. Just remember that these 3D outcomes require using a compatible Head Mount Display. And with the Dual Pixel CMOS AF with iTR AF X technology, the camera squeezes out every pixel on the imaging sensor to detect focus. Capture actual image information achieving both high precision focusing and high image quality with plenty of Canon RF and EF lenses.
