A mirrorless-cine hybrid, the Canon EOS R5 C combines the ergonomics and features from two of Canon’s most powerful ranges — Cinema EOS and EOS R — to craft a video-first solution for professionals. Offering 8K cinematic full-frame video, 45-megapixel stills at rates of up to 20 fps, Canon’s exceptional autofocus, and extensive professional recording formats and tools, the R5 C is truly ready for anything.
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Upon first glance, the R5 C’s body is the most notable deviation from what we would typically see in either the established Cinema EOS or EOS R lines. It has a beefier form than Canon’s other mirrorless machines, measuring approximately 142 x 101 x 111 mm and weighing in at roughly 770g when an LP-E6NH battery is inserted and both its cards slots are in use. This is largely due to its hefty exhaust vents which assist with active cooling, and the chunky grip for comfortable handling. However, despite being physically bigger, the R5 C is only about 30g heavier than the R5, meaning it still delivers a comfortable and relatively lightweight shooting experience.
The EOS R5 C has a 0.5-inch 5.76 million dot OLED colour EVF, and a fully articulating 3.2-inch 2.1 million dot LCD Touch Panel, exactly as seen in the R5. Integrating an exciting feature from another EOS R model, the R3, the R5 C has Canon’s new Multi-Shoe, which will allow for the mounting of various accessories to increase its functionality. Additionally, it uses the familiar RF mount, but is compatible with all EF lenses, including EF-S and EF cinema glass.
As with the R5 and R3, the R5 C has two memory slots: one for CFexpress 2.0 Type B, and one for standard SD cards. Where it differs from both of these models dramatically is the menu system. When in stills mode, the R5 C utilises Canon’s familiar menu as seen in all their current stills-orientated machines, but when the switch is flicked to video mode, the menu from their Cinema EOS range becomes active. This allows for far more efficient and functional adjustments when recording video, as this menu structure is crafted with video creators in mind.
The image-making potential of the Canon EOS R5 C is driven by the same full-frame 45-megapixel CMOS sensor as the R5, coupled with the robust DIGIC X processor. This enables it to utilise Canon’s powerful Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Eye AF and EOS iTR AF X for superior autofocus when recording video. In both video and stills mode, it has an ISO range from 100 to 102,400 when expanded, with a maximum dynamic range of 14 stops at ISO 800 when shooting in C-Log 3.
Considering it is crafted specifically for professional video shooters, it is no surprise that the R5 C comes armed with a wide variety of recording formats. The most noteworthy options for PAL formats are outlined below.
- 12-bit Cinema RAW Light LT at a maximum of 8K 50 fps at 2140 Mbps
- 12-bit Cinema RAW Light ST at a maximum of 8K 25 fps at 1650 Mbps
- 12-bit Cinema RAW Light HQ at a maximum of 6K 25 fps at 1770 Mbps
- XF-AVC 4:2:2 10-bit Intra-frame at a maximum of DCI 4K 50 fps at 810 Mbps
- XF-AVC 4:2:2 10-bit Long GOP at a maximum of DCI 4K 50 fps at 260 Mbps
- MP4 HEVC 4:2:2 10-bit Long GOP at a maximum of 8K 25 fps at 540 Mbps
- MP4 HEVC 4:2:0 10-bit Long GOP at a maximum of 8K 25 fps at 400 Mbps
- MP4 H.264 4:2:0 8-bit Long GOP at a maximum of DCI 4K at 150 Mbps
A variety of custom picture configurations can be paired with these recording formats, including C-Log 3 in the Cinema Gamut, Rec.709 and HLG in a Rec.2020 Gamut. Finally, it features many other professional video tools, such as peaking, false colour, zebra, onscreen markers, and a waveform monitor.
In terms of connectivity, the R5 C has a 3.5mm mic input, a micro-HDMI port, a USB-C port, time code input/output, and a remote control terminal. It also has a headphone jack for monitoring audio levels. XLR inputs will be available via third-party accessories such as the TASCAM CA-XLR2d-C XLR adapter, which should be able to mount to the R5 C’s Multi-Shoe.
Trying to decide between the various top models in Canon’s EOS R and Cinema EOS lines? You can recap the specs of the Canon EOS R5, EOS R3 and C70 on Orms Connect.
The Canon EOS R5 C will be available for purchase online on Orms Direct.
