So is the Canon R5 a bird photography body? (1 Viewer)

[Dave Williams]

I don't think the cards are the problem as the last time mine locked up I was only focussing on the bird and hadn't taken any shots for a while. I'm using a single SD card and shooting short bursts with CRAW.

Canon Connect is a great app, I've used it to transfer images to my iPad. I can operate the camera with my iPhone but I prefer to have my eye up to the EVF for all shots other than low-level when I have the screen flipped out. Have to say though, problems aside, it's a phenomenal camera. I can't see myself going back to a DSLR after using mirrorless for the last 2 years. The animal eye tracking is out of this world.

There are occasions where a remote release can be very useful, especially if you need to get close to your subject and haven't got the lens to do it. What I like about the Canon Connect is that unlike normal remotes that just take a photo you can actually change settings as you view. It's worked well when I tested it on the 5DMk4 .

 

[Barred Wobbler]

I've only had one lock-up, about 900 images into my replacement body, which now has 9100 images on it.

Co-incidentally, I've had a message from Canon yesterday telling me about a new firmware update, version 1.3.0 that is designed to cover this problem amongst others.

​	​	Fixes a phenomenon, in which, in rare instances, the camera does not function normally when using certain CFexpress cards.​
•​	​	Fixes a phenomenon, in which in rare instances, the camera cannot function normally when the drive mode is set to "High-speed continuous shooting" to shoot still images continuously.​

 

[redeyedvideo]

I've only had one lock-up, about 900 images into my replacement body, which now has 9100 images on it.

Co-incidentally, I've had a message from Canon yesterday telling me about a new firmware update, version 1.3.0 that is designed to cover this problem amongst others.

​	​	Fixes a phenomenon, in which, in rare instances, the camera does not function normally when using certain CFexpress cards.​
•​	​	Fixes a phenomenon, in which in rare instances, the camera cannot function normally when the drive mode is set to "High-speed continuous shooting" to shoot still images continuously.​

It's very unusual for any manufacturer to admit a problem, my EOS R was hopeless for anything that moved until a firmware update for the new RF lenses. It then became usable for birds in flight with my 100-400. I've held off with v1.3.0 as it was catastrophic for R6 users. The R5 doesn't seem to have been affected so I'll try it this weekend. 🤞

 

[colincurry]

Good luck, I can't add much from Dave's (always) comprehensive replies but there's a cold Easter weekend coming so you'd do well to spend some time watching YouTube videos to whet your appetite. I'd recommend searching for Canon R5 Whistling Wings Photography & Jan Wegener, I have mine set up similar but not identical to their excellent recommendations. They saved me days in trial and error if I'd used my own methods.

As an aside, now that I've been able to get out and about with lockdown easing, I've experienced camera lock-up issues daily; a common fault when putting the camera through its paces it would seem. 🤨

OK OK. Have ordered R5 plus control ring adaptor from Panamoz - likely to be around a fortnight. Amazon have delivered Lexar 128 gb SD card and CF Express card reader. Have had five emails from Tecobuy, the latest saying that the 128 gb Express card has been collected collected by the courier for delivery. Have received an estimate from MPB for my 7D 2. Will see if anyone in our Photoclub might be interested, especially as I have accumulated 160 gb of Sandisk Extreme CF cards to include.

Have followed Whistling Wings and Jan Wegener and will re-visit.

Already subscribe to Adobe CC but have to be careful to revert to an old version of Camera RAW which suits me better than the newer Lightroom clone versions.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[redeyedvideo]

Camera updated with the latest firmware, more than 1400 shots later and no lock-ups, woohoo!

Until this morning when shooting garden birds in short bursts and we're back to square one, very annoying. It might be me but the focusing doesn't seem as precise either. About to do a factory re-set and hope for the best.

 

[colincurry]

Sorry to hear that.

Revisio today for me as my R5 is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

 

[Roy C]

Sorry to hear that.

Revisio today for me as my R5 is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

As a fellow heavy cropper with the 7D2 I will be interested in how the R5 does when cropping very heavy for distant birds Colin.

 

[colincurry]

Roy

So will I! It arrived yesterday. Now updating firmware. Followed guidance from Whistling Wings who does everything manually. I have set up my 7D 2 using C1 for BIF and C2 for birds in the bush. Not sure I am quick enough to change settings on the fly and will probably do something similar on the R5, with the ability to override particular settings using the various dials and control ring. Firmware updated. Jan Wegener's guidance next. Coffee first........

 

[Russ P]

As a fellow heavy cropper with the 7D2 I will be interested in how the R5 does when cropping very heavy for distant birds Colin.

Roy,
My first post on the forum after many years of lurking! I now have an R5, having just moved from a 7D2, and find the cropability of the R5 amazing. As an example, the original shot here is uncropped at 44.7 Mpixels, and the cropped at 2.7Mpixels:




I calculate that the crop is 6% of the original!

I used my Canon 400mm DO F4ii lens for this shot handheld (R5; 400mm; ISO 250; F/5.6; 1/800s), and shoot in CRaw rather than Raw to reduce the File size to something manageable.

Russ

 

[Roy C]

Roy,
My first post on the forum after many years of lurking! I now have an R5, having just moved from a 7D2, and find the cropability of the R5 amazing. As an example, the original shot here is uncropped at 44.7 Mpixels, and the cropped at 2.7Mpixels:
View attachment 1379020

View attachment 1379022

I calculate that the crop is 6% of the original!

I used my Canon 400mm DO F4ii lens for this shot handheld (R5; 400mm; ISO 250; F/5.6; 1/800s), and shoot in CRaw rather than Raw to reduce the File size to something manageable.

Russ

Thanks Russ, that's good to know as I often crop that much and sometimes even more with the 7D2 (I never print my images these day so plenty good enough for on-line stuff). Also great to verify about what I have been reading about the CRaw, thank you.

 

[colincurry]

Have been playing with my R5, which, from the screen seems very sharp.

I use Camera RAW, Bridge and Photoshop via Creative Cloud The current Canon Memory Card Utility download does not recognise CR3 files -maybe I need to download the latest version. I was able to download files using 'Get files from Camera' in Photoshop but they will not open. I read about using DPP, converting to TIFF and importing into Photoshop; and also using DNG converter.

Would appreciate some help with this; and then I might be able to answer Roy's query about cropping.

 

[Dave Williams]

If you have Adobe CC you can open CR3 files in Photoshop or Lightroom. I find Lightroom is a bit slow and takes up too much memory so I tend to open a folder, usually downloaded to an external hard drive and renamed, in Canon's DPP. I view them all in full screen mode, rating them as I go. I then mass cull those that I don't want to keep. I then click and drag each image I want to edit in to Photoshop which is in my dock as and when I want to. I find it's the most easy and efficient method.You'll need to download the latest version of DPP, and update Photoshop too.
I use and iMac by the way!

 

[Roy C]

Have been playing with my R5, which, from the screen seems very sharp.

I use Camera RAW, Bridge and Photoshop via Creative Cloud The current Canon Memory Card Utility download does not recognise CR3 files -maybe I need to download the latest version. I was able to download files using 'Get files from Camera' in Photoshop but they will not open. I read about using DPP, converting to TIFF and importing into Photoshop; and also using DNG converter.

Would appreciate some help with this; and then I might be able to answer Roy's query about cropping.

I always convert my RAWs in DPP and send to Photoshop as a 16 bit tiff for editing Colin. I prefer the DPP Raw conversion to Lightroom or Photoshop. The only thing I do in DPP before converting is to run the DLO.
I also rate and cull in DPP like Dave

 

[colincurry]

Thanks gentlemen. I think I have the latest version of Photoshop. I have just downloaded DPP.

Dave Do you convert to TIFF like Roy, please?

Roy What is DLO please?

 

[Roy C]

Thanks gentlemen. I think I have the latest version of Photoshop. I have just downloaded DPP.

Dave Do you convert to TIFF like Roy, please?

Roy What is DLO please?

Digital Lens Optimizer (DLO) Colin. the image is optimised for supported Canon lens - you have to download from within DPP for a particular lens for the first time. I believe it maybe included with certain recent Cameras (not sure if its on the R5 - could be, if not then just run it in DPP before converting the RAW).).

 

[colincurry]

Roy I have downloaded DPP and culled. Have found a drop down item 'Send to Photoshop'. Despite selecting all, at the moment I can only send one snap at a time. Clearly I am doing something wrong!

A colleague uses EOS Utility 3 with the camera connected to the PC and I might give this a try. What was once a simple process is complicated beyond measure (at the moment) but perhaps all will be revealed.

Yesterday evening, which was grey, I took a snap of a collared dove atop a fir tree two gardens away. The snap is straight from the camera and unprocessed in any way. I attach both the original snap and a 100% crop. I have to say that these are much clearer and cleaner than I could have hoped for in those conditions from my 7D 2

 

[Dave Williams]

Thanks gentlemen. I think I have the latest version of Photoshop. I have just downloaded DPP.

Dave Do you convert to TIFF like Roy, please?

Roy What is DLO please?

No I just drag the single shot from DPP viewer in to Photoshop which opens fairly instantly. I'm not sure what the benefit of converting to TIFF might be, Roy will I'm sure explain the benefits. It adds more time to the process though. I was doing that when I was still using Photoshop's CS6 (?) which would open a TIFF or a DNG file. In the end I just ditched the idea and signed up for a monthly fee and that opens CR3s.

 

[Roy C]

Roy I have downloaded DPP and culled. Have found a drop down item 'Send to Photoshop'. Despite selecting all, at the moment I can only send one snap at a time. Clearly I am doing something wrong!

A colleague uses EOS Utility 3 with the camera connected to the PC and I might give this a try. What was once a simple process is complicated beyond measure (at the moment) but perhaps all will be revealed.

Yesterday evening, which was grey,View attachment 1379097View attachment 1379098 I took a snap of a collared dove atop a fir tree two gardens away. The snap is straight from the camera and unprocessed in any way. I attach both the original snap and a 100% crop. I have to say that these are much clearer and cleaner than I could have hoped for in those conditions from my 7D 2

Like any piece of software you are not going to learn it in five minutes Colin but here are a few basic things you should know.

Once you have found the folder with the files on go to :-
1.View> Quick check window
Select the zoom level you want
Go through the images - X to mark for deletion (or rating 1 to 5 stars if you want)


2. For mass culling

Edit> Rating
select rejected images only

Press delete button on the PC


From there you can just select an image you want to edit in PS
View>edit image window
Edit as much or little as you want and then select Tools> Transfer to Photoshop.


You can do a Batch process if you want
File > Batch process
Selecting destination folders, file naming, save as type, resolution etc.

 

[Dave Williams]

Roy I have downloaded DPP and culled. Have found a drop down item 'Send to Photoshop'. Despite selecting all, at the moment I can only send one snap at a time. Clearly I am doing something wrong!

A colleague uses EOS Utility 3 with the camera connected to the PC and I might give this a try. What was once a simple process is complicated beyond measure (at the moment) but perhaps all will be revealed.

Yesterday evening, which was grey,I took a snap of a collared dove atop a fir tree two gardens away. The snap is straight from the camera and unprocessed in any way. I attach both the original snap and a 100% crop. I have to say that these are much clearer and cleaner than I could have hoped for in those conditions from my 7D 2

I haven't spotted that 'send to photoshop' option but you can just drag the image too.

Pleased you are seeing some immediate benefit to your new acquisition too Colin! I knew you would enjoy it, a whole new challenge with new tools to learn and play with!

 

[Dave Williams]

Edit as much or little as you want and then select Tools> Transfer to Photoshop.


You can do a Batch process if you want
File > Batch process
Selecting destination folders, file naming, save as type, resolution etc.

I rarely use DPP to edit as I find that it applies noise reduction automatically which even when reduced to it's lowest sometimes over does it. If I drag a file from DPP in to Photoshop I get the full original file untouched. Is this why you convert to a TIFF file Roy, to preserve any changes you have made in DPP?