Underwater Heat Endurance Test for Canon EOS R5 Camera

Underwater Heat Endurance Test for Canon EOS R5 Camera

The Canon EOS R5, a popular camera among underwater videographers, has been making waves in the industry with its impressive video capabilities. However, one significant limitation that users need to be aware of is its recording times underwater, particularly when shooting at high resolutions and framerates.

Canon later issued a statement outlining recording limits for different resolutions and framerates. According to the statement, at 8K 30fps, the original EOS R5 can shoot up to roughly 10-15 minutes before overheating and requiring a cooldown. At 4K 60fps, recording times can extend to approximately 15-20 minutes but still face overheating constraints. Recovery period (cooldown) to prevent damage or errors often requires around 15 to 30 minutes of camera rest or cooler ambient conditions.

These limits are influenced significantly by water temperature. Cold water extends recording time due to better heat dissipation, while warm water reduces effective shooting time due to faster overheating. For instance, in cold water environments such as temperate or tropical oceans at depth, the water acts as an effective heat sink, allowing slightly longer continuous recording and possibly shorter recovery periods. In contrast, warm water (e.g., shallow tropical waters or heated pools) results in quicker overheating and longer cooldown times because the camera cannot dissipate heat efficiently.

These limitations stem from the high processing demands of 8K and high-framerate video on the EOS R5's sensor and DIGIC X processor, without a built-in cooling fan (unlike the newer EOS R5 Mark II). Underwater housings also limit passive heat dissipation, intensifying overheating issues.

No detailed official Canon specs specify exact underwater recording times per temperature or modes, but user and reviewer tests indicate typical underwater 8K 30fps recording is limited to 10-15 minutes max, with 4K 60fps recording capped at 15-20 minutes max. Cooldown periods are 15-30 minutes or more, depending on environmental conditions.

Environmental factors such as depth (colder temperatures), ambient flow, and housing ventilation can influence these. Cold water helps prevent overheating more effectively than warm water, where recording time is shorter and recovery longer.

Additional notes: Using "flat" picture profiles and manual white balance underwater can improve image quality but do not affect overheating time. Newer camera models with active cooling fans (EOS R5 Mark II) can shoot longer underwater with less overheating but still need to be monitored.

In summary, overheating is a significant limitation for EOS R5 underwater video, with typical recording times being under 20 minutes at high resolutions/framerates and recovery times ranging from 15 to 30 minutes, influenced by water temperature—longer times achievable in cold water, shorter in warm water.

For instance, the R5 was tested in warm water with an Ikelite EOS R5 polycarbonate underwater housing. The recovery time for the camera was slightly quicker in cold water. Underwater videographers who plan to shoot 8K or 4K at 120p should expect to capture about 20-25 minutes of footage in a dive.

Canon updated their firmware from 1.0.0 to 1.1.0, increasing recording times by about five minutes. The first warm water test with firmware 1.0.0 resulted in a recording time of 15 minutes 40 seconds before overheating, and a recovery time of 9 minutes 10 seconds. The warm water overheating test with firmware 1.1.1 resulted in a recording time of 20 minutes 42 seconds before overheating, and a recovery time of 14 minutes 49 seconds.

General use of the Canon EOS R5 during a dive (shooting a mix of photos and videos) will usually not cause it to overheat. However, taking photos is fine after overheating, but shooting video during the safety stop or at the end of the dive requires turning off the camera.

Condensation can occur in your housing when you are approaching the overheating shutoff. Putting the camera in a freezer when shooting topside helps speed up recovery time. Cold water divers can expect about 5 minutes more of recording time than warm water divers.

The Canon EOS R5 is marketed for 8K video with internal RAW recording and 4K video at 120fps. Despite its limitations, the EOS R5 remains a powerful tool for underwater videographers, offering exceptional image quality and versatility in various shooting conditions.

1. Underwater videographers using the Canon EOS R5 should be aware of its recording limits, particularly when shooting at high resolutions and framerates, as it can overheat and require a cooldown after 10-15 minutes at 8K 30fps, and 15-20 minutes at 4K 60fps.
2. The camera's recording times are significantly influenced by water temperature, with cold water allowing longer continuous recording due to better heat dissipation, and warm water reducing effective shooting time due to faster overheating.
3. In contrast, warm water environments such as shallow tropical waters or heated pools result in quicker overheating and longer cooldown times because the camera cannot dissipate heat efficiently.
4. Overheating is a significant limitation for the EOS R5 underwater video, and environmental factors such as depth, ambient flow, and housing ventilation can influence these. Cold water helps prevent overheating more effectively than warm water.
5. Despite its limitations, the Canon EOS R5 remains a powerful tool for underwater videographers, offering exceptional image quality and versatility in various shooting conditions, making it a popular destination for divers seeking to capture stunning underwater photography and videos with their gadgets and technology.

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