Canon confirms that overheating imposes recording limits not just on 8K, but 4K video as well – including 4K 30p
(Image credit: CVP)
We already knew that the new Canon EOS R5 is limited by overheating in its 8K video mode. However, Canon has confirmed that overheating also affects the recording durations when filming 4K video – all the way down to 4K 30p.
The manufacturer was very up-front about the overheating limits in 8K video, and we know that the Canon EOS R5 will record about 20 minutes of 8K before it needs to shut down.
The limits imposed by overheating were made less clear when it came to other recording modes, however, and they are coming as a bit of a shock to many consumers who were expecting – albeit unrealistically – that things like 4K 120fps would not cause the camera to heat up.
Professional camera specialist CVP was briefed by Canon on the recording limits of each video mode caused by overheating. This was explained in CVP's detailed breakdown of the R5 specs, and Canon followed up by providing further information to the company's tech advisor, Jake Ratcliffe.
The recording limitations are as follows:
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Movie recording size / format
Max recording at 23°C (73.4F)
8K RAW 30p
20 minutes
8K 30p
20 minutes
4K 120p
15 minutes
4K 60p (uncropped)
35 minutes (29m59s + second 5m video)
4K 60p (cropped) 5.1K oversampling
25 minutes
4K 30p high quality 8.2K oversampling
30 minutes
4K 30p
Not limited by heat
So, what actually happens when the R5 overheats? The camera shuts off and requires a cooldown period before it can resume shooting video. CVP's breakdown detailed the amount of 'recovery time' required once the camera has overheated, and the amount of recording that is possible afterwards:
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Movie recording size
Recording format standby time (power off)
Recordable time (max / approx)
8K 30p
10 minutes
3 minutes
Row 1 - Cell 0
20 minutes
8 minutes
4K 60p (uncropped)
10 minutes
10 minutes
So, to take the top example, if you shoot an 8K 30p video for 20 minutes the camera will overheat and shut down. If you leave the camera turned off for 10 minutes, you will be able to turn it back on and shoot a further 3 minutes of video; obviously, if you leave it turned off for longer (and thus allow the camera to cool more), you will be able to shoot more video.
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Some may view these limitations as a bit of a sting in the tail, and some critics are suggesting that Canon mis-sold the R5's capabilities – even going as far as to say that these limitations mean it is not a professional-grade camera.
Of course, Canon was clear from the beginning that the EOS R5 is intended to be a secondary camera that would pair in a professional environment with the Canon EOS C300 Mark IIIcinema camera. And indeed, as a B camera, these limitations really aren't a deal-breaker; 20-minute takes are rare for primary (A) cameras, and changing set-ups often takes more than 10 or 20 minutes.
Still, the important thing is that this information is out there and available prior to the camera's actual release – which is more than could be said for other manufacturers, who said nothing of the 4K overheating issues in their own cameras until they were literally shutting down in the hands of reviewers…
James has 22 years experience as a journalist, serving as editor of Digital Camera World for 6 of them. He started working in the photography industry in 2014, product testing and shooting ad campaigns for Olympus, as well as clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal. An Olympus / OM System, Canon and Hasselblad shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and he loves instant cameras, too.
