With the announcement of the EOS R5C, Canon has combined the features of the EOS R5 with the Cinema EOS motion picture camera into a single, full-frame mirrorless camera. With the noteworthy exception of a bulge on the back of the camera to accommodate an exhaust fan, and a red shutter button on the front, the camera is physically identical to the EOS R5.
The power switch located on the top of the EOS R5C allows you to choose whether to start the camera in photo or video mode when it is powered on. That each setting gives a completely different, and use-case specific, user experience is what distinguishes the EOS R5C from other cameras in this class.
As soon as the camera is switched on and in photo mode, it behaves identically to the normal EOS R5 and offers all the features and functions available on the standard model.
It has the same 45MP CMOS sensor with dual pixel autofocus as the previous model, as well as the same battery life and burst shooting speeds of 12 fps mechanical and 20 fps electronic. With the exception of in-body image stabilization, there are no notable omissions from the R5C.
The camera performs essentially like a Cinema EOS camera when it is switched to video mode, including the Cinema EOS menu system and all of the typical features available on professional Cinema EOS motion picture cameras.
In addition, the R5C’s video mode offers a variety of functions that are not available on the basic EOS R5.
Because of its integrated active cooling mechanism, the EOS R5C can record for an indefinite period of time in any mode up to 8K/60p in any resolution.
The camera is also capable of capturing high frame rates up to 4K/120p in 4:2:2 10-bit color without the need for a sensor reduction, while yet retaining full autofocus functionality.
It’s also the first Canon camera to offer internal 8K/60p recording utilizing Cinema Raw Light, a Raw recording format that’s been used on other Canon Cinema EOS cameras in recent years, including the C300 Mark III, and which produces smaller file sizes than Canon’s Cinema Raw.
Cinema Raw Light, which is new to the R5C, now offers a choice of three quality settings: HQ (high quality), ST (standard quality), and LT (low quality) (light recording). Regardless of which frame rate rate is employed, all three modes collect 12-bit data in the same format.
In addition to 8K HDR recording in either HLG or PQ formats (the R5 only supports PQ), the R5 includes Canon’s XF-AVC codec, Canon Log 3 gamma, a timecode terminal, ProRes Raw video output via HDMI up to 8K/30p, and Canon’s multi-function shoe, which is compatible with the optional Tascam CA-XLR2d-C microphone adapter for up to 4-channel audio.
For ease of use in either mode, each function button on the camera has two labels – one in grey to represent stills functions and the other in white to denote video functions – on the back of the camera to aid in operation.
Because of the absence of mechanical in-body image stabilization (IBIS), the R5C can instead combine electronic stabilization with lens-based stabilization to deliver a more steady shooting experience, albeit at the expense of a modest 1.1x reduction in image quality.
According to rumors, the EOS R5C will be ready for purchase in March 2022 at a suggested retail price of $4499.
