As Canon continues to aim for shooting higher resolution videos using lighter cameras, it is now offering its new EOS R5 mirrorless camera that can shoot in 8K RAW. It is a high-end digital full-frame mirrorless camera that is at par with the capabilities of larger cinema cameras.
FEATURES
The new EOS R5 mirrorless camera offers a 45 MP full frame dual pixel CMOS sensor and is Canon’s first mirrorless camera that can shoot in 8K RAW and can shoot bursts at 20 fps and 12 fps with its electronic shutter and mechanical shutter, respectively, with continuous AF. The R5 can also capture oversampled 4K footage at up to 120p.
The camera can track the subject’s head, face, and eyes with its advanced autofocus system that uses Deep Learning. And since it’s mirrorless, it is much lighter. The 2.1-million dot touch-sensitive rear LCD is slightly over 3 inches and can be positioned at different angles. Its electronic viewfinder has a 5.76-million dot resolution and 120 fps refresh rate. The camera uses a CFexpress Type B card to store images and videos.
The R5 has all the features expected from a Canons till camera, with the advantage of shooting up to 20fps with its electronic shutter.
But the EOS R5 stands out when it comes to shooting videos. Shooting internally in 8-Bit 4:2:0 H.264 mode, you have:
- 8K DCI: Frame rate 23.976p, 24p and 29.97p; 8192×4320
- 8K UHD: Frame rate 23.976p, 24p and 29.97p; 7680×4320
- 4K UHD/4k DCI: Frame rate 23.976p, 24p, 29.97p, 59.94p, 100p and 119.88p; 3840×2160
- Full HD: Frame rate: 23.976p, 29.97p, 59.94p and 119.88p, 3840×2160
- Similar frame rates are offered in 10-bit 4:2:2 H.265 mode. The latest firmware version, v1.3.1, offers 8K DCI RAW (light), All-I, and IPB (Light) compression type, and ALL-I and IPB for 8K UHD and 4K, as well as Canon LOG3.
The camera uses an LP-E6NH lithium-ion battery, that can last up to 30 minutes of constant sensor use.
The 512 GB Delkin Devices CFexpress POWER Memory card is capable of 1730 Mbps read speeds and 1540 Mbps write and is required if recording in 8K.
IN USE
The EOS R5 was able to shoot a seven-minute film 8K RAW, without the CMOS sensor overheating. The temperature was 66 degrees during the shoot, which plunged to 40 degrees four hours later. During the whole shoot, the touch-sensitive LCD screen was facing the camera operator, who kept the facial tracking activated until the shoot ended. It was easy to do playbacks with the play icon on the screen.
When shooting an entire film outdoors, the 8K RAW experience provided by the EOS R5 is the most favorable option. It delivers all the functions it’s intended to do. There are no overheating problems. You can transfer RAW files from the camera to your MacBook Pro using the free Digital Photo Professional 4 software from Canon’s website.
You can open the files in Adobe Premiere Pro without issues. Because of the huge file size, playback is understandably quite slow. However, you can change the quality of playback to 1/4 to speed it up. You can also easily adjust the files’ color grading using Blackmagic Design’s Resolve 16 Studio.
But is 8K RAW necessary? The short answer is no. However, if you want more flexibility in punching into something within the shot, or controlling the exposure dynamic range and color parameters more easily, or just having a higher quality source, 8K is the most favorable choice. Shooting in 8K RAW will give you web videos that never looked so good.
SUMMARY
All in all, the EOS R5 performed as expected from a Canon DSLR, plus the added feature of shooting in 8K RAW. The size of the camera makes it easier to use on a Ronin and a tripod, without difficulty shifting from setup to setup. The size also makes it convenient to shoot in a public place without attracting too much attention.