Canon has announced major firmware updates to its top EOS R system cameras, with notable upgrades including an improvement on the R5‘s overheating issue, faster shooting for the R3, and slight workflow improvements for the R6.
Canon’s R5 pre-launch marketing campaign centred around the ‘game changing’ 8K video capabilities. The camera was described as reaching a ‘cinema industry-standard’, allowing it to ‘shoot comfortably on high-end production sets’.
Then it emerged the camera overheats after 20 minutes of continuous shooting, and after 10 minutes of cooling – being turned off – it can only shoot three more minutes of 8K. The inflated claim became a marketing nightmare for Canon, and the company has since been working on improving the EOS R5’s 8K video capabilities via firmware updates.
The latest firmware update, v1.60, introduces Auto Power Off Temperature: High mode, allowing the camera to shoot for 45 minutes while operating in 23°C conditions.
The newest EOS R3 firmware upgrade, v1.20, adds a ‘new custom high-speed continuous shooting setting’, allowing users to capture at frame rates from 30 fps to 195 fps at full resolution in JPEG, HEIF or RAW. Quite incredible, yes, with the only caveats being the high speed shooting is limited to 50 shots at all speeds and AF / AE is fixed on the first frame.
Here is Canon Australia’s press release.
Canon introduces more speed and endurance to the R System with its latest firmware
Based on user feedback, Canon’s latest firmware update allows new levels of speed and efficiency
Sydney, AUSTRALIA – 22 July 2022: Canon Australia today announces firmware updates in response to feedback and requests from users. For the EOS R3, firmware v1.20 sets new standards for high speed, while the EOS R5 firmware v1.60 extends recording times and the EOS R6 firmware v1.60 streamlines workflows.
Capture every second of the action
The EOS R3 is already a powerhouse for news and sports and the v1.20 firmware update further improves on its incredible speed. With the new custom high-speed continuous shooting setting, users can capture at frame rates from 30fps up to an astonishing 195fps[1], at full resolution in JPEG, HEIF or RAW. This gives photographers the ability to capture the definitive moment of action, such as when the bat connects with the ball in baseball or when a bird of prey attacks.
It’s not just lightning-fast stills this upgrade offers. EOS R3 users will also be able to capture Full HD movies at 240p, to achieve frame rate speeds previously only possible on dedicated video cameras. 240p recording slows down the action by a factor of six, for smooth slow motion that’s perfect for seeing pivotal moments in a fast-moving situation.
Streamlined workflows
To ensure photojournalists and reporters can beat the competition, the v1.20 update simplifies operation and enables them to cut down the time between capture and publication. Featured in the newly launched EOS R7, Cloud RAW Image Processing[2] will now be available in the EOS R3, applying sophisticated deep learning processing within image.canon to improve the resolution and sharpness, whilst also reducing the potential for moire in images. This also supports neural network imaging processing that provides stunning, AI based noise reduction without the loss of detail. The EOS R3 also gains in-camera compositing (focus stacking) of images taken with focus bracketing, to create images with a great depth of field and sharpness – perfect for macro photography. This function is also possible when used with the Speedlite EL-1.
In response to feedback, users can now assign a 1.6x crop or other crop ratios to a custom button on the EOS R3, which acts as a built-in extender so that photographers can quickly and easily zoom in on newsworthy moments.
Enhancing video capabilities
Addressing feedback from vloggers, that the edges of captured video would shake in selfie-mode when shooting with an ultra wide-angle lens, the EOS R3, EOS R5 and EOS R6 now include wobble correction within the Digital Movie IS function. This correction is in addition to the conventional shift correction of Digital Movie IS, for much more stable shooting. A time-lapse movie function has also been added to the EOS R3, with the ability to retain time lapse movie settings if the camera is powered down accidently.
The v1.60 firmware for the EOS R5 will also bring a popular feature of the EOS R3 to the EOS R5 – Auto Power Off Temperature – which (depending on conditions) enables longer recording times to be achieved.
8K 30P
Auto power off temperature – Standard (same as previous 1.5.2 firmware)
· Full Sensor Width: 20 minutes[3]
· Full Sensor Width RAW: 20 minutes
· Auto power off temperature – High (New in Firmware v1.6.0)
· Full Sensor Width: 45 minutes3
· Full Sensor Width RAW: 45 minutes3
4K 60P
Auto power off temperature – Standard (same as previous 1.5.2 firmware)
· Full Sensor Width: 35 minutes3
· APS-C crop (5.1K oversampled): 25 minutes
· Auto power off temperature – High (New in Firmware v1.6.0)
· Full Sensor Width: 60 minutes or longer3
· APS-C crop (5.1K oversampled): 50 minutes3
The EOS R3 v1.20 firmware update will be available to download here from next week: EOS R3 Support – Firmware, Software & Manuals | Canon Australia
To download the v1.60 firmware update, please visit the following pages:
EOS R5 Support – Firmware, Software & Manuals | Canon Australia
EOS R6 Support – Firmware, Software & Manuals | Canon Australia
[1] Custom high speed continuous shooting is limited to a maximum of 50 shots at all speeds and AF / AE is fixed on the first frame.
[2] This is a chargeable service and will be available from 25 July, 2022.
[3] This functionality means the exterior of the camera will become hotter depending on the operational environment. Times given are based on Canon testing conditions at 23°C/73°F. If ambient temperature is higher or lower than 23°C/73°F, the available recording time may differ. Recording is limited to 29 minutes 59 seconds. Indicates the time when recording can be resumed immediately.
Need to see if the update for cooling the EOS R5 while video recording compromises the performance of the R5. The faster shooting of R3 and R5 will really help the sports and wildlife photographers.