Canon R3 Canon R3 Firmware Update Version 1.5.1

[Tim Mayo]

The latest firmware for the Canon R3 is now 1.5.1

Firmware Version 1.5.1 incorporates the following enhancements and fixes:

1. Adds the ability to register the focus position in the preset functions of the CR-A100 Camera Remote Application. When used with the Robotic Camera System CR-S700R, it helps the user to focus on the intended subject distance when shooting.
2. Adds the ability to erase voice memos added to images and to add voice memos to protected images.
3. Adds the ability to check the time in the viewfinder by pressing the Exposure　Compensation/Aperture button while looking through the viewfinder.
4. Adds enhanced security when transferring images via FTPS transfer.
5. Fixes an issue, in which, after touchscreen operation, in rare circumstances, the camera operations cannot be performed, and even if the camera is operated, [BUSY] appears on the screen.
6. Fixes an issue that, in rare instances, may result in the camera may not operating normally and having no viewfinder or screen display depending on the timing of operating the button and viewfinder activation sensor.
7. Fixes minor issues.

If the camera’s firmware is already Version 1.5.1, it is not necessary to update the firmware.

The firmware can be downloaded from Canon's Support Sites. US / Europe

 

[Dean Wilson]

Remember to update your Advanced User Guide as well.

 

[BobU]

Anyone found compelling reason for this firmware update? I believe I even read there might be some downsides. (I'll try to find where i read that and specifics) For now I am passing.

 

[David Stallard]

Bob - Hey, shooting motorsport for 8>10 hours a day I often got the 'lock up', lift camera up nothing / nothing when I press any buttons or turn camera off and back on - quick battery out / in and all okay again!
Have shot 2 full days of racing since the firmware update and (touch wood) not one lock up - so for that alone it's worth it in my book

.DAVID.

 

[BobU]

Thanks.

I did the update. I DO notice faster battery drain. Unsure why. Got only about 130 shots yesterday to a battery.

 

[David Stallard]

130 shots - wow - I don't 'machine gun' shoot preferring to take one or two at most and I managed 1800 on Saturday, with the rf 100-300 on a monopod I turn stabilisation off which helps and have the evf turn off quickly when not in use, found accidently covering it even for a brief second re-activated it and drained battery - even worse when using a rain cover
Do you review on the rear screen a lot?

.DAVID.

 

[BobU]

I did, David. But not much more than usual though new lens and trying to see just how well IS was working on the lens. Still, first time below at least 300 shots on a charge. Fortunately took me through the day as I di not have a spare battery with me.

 

[Mriker]

Guys, I took my R3 out for the first time with a Rf70-200 mounted on it, hand held with an IS on, I took maybe 500 JPG/Raw captures I don't believe the battery meter level indictor dropped below 50 %.
Ma I reading this right, Bob, you say that you are only getting 300 shots per charge? How is that even possible? A bad battery possibly? I have owned 1dmk1, 1dmk2, 1dm3, 5dmk3(?) and currently own an R3 and R5, I have never experienced battery life that low. Is it related to the ambient temperature?
Mark

 

[BobU]

Yep. And I agree. On the 14 other Canon DSLR's never this issue. And I have 3 batteries, so likley not that. MUST have something to do with VF, Screen, Power settings. I have all set to turn off after 1 minute.

My other untested thought is that I use a strap that keeps the camera by my side near front right pants pocket. Perhaps that my leg or jacket is now triggering the VF more than it used to?

But I was down to 12% after 114 images yesterday. Chilly day, but not below 50 degrees. AndI considered that excessive chimping trying to see where the IS limits of this lens were.

 

[Mriker]

For what's it is worth, I never run my screen preview for that length if time.
Most of my burst shots are 3/4 pics, approx. Some times I lay on the shutter release a little longer. I do a normal amount of previewing, when I miss the shot I thought I was going/hoping to get, I like to, in camera delete it right then and there.
One think I can share that I have not noticed, yet, on the R3, but on my R5, which It sounds like I carry it like you do, when I was walking from one area to another the autofocus was activating, something on my person must have been pressing the back focus button. Could this be an issue?

Something must be causing a patristic drain on your camera.
Mark

 

[BobU]

Perhaps I mispoke. I know I have set 4 seconds for review, but I thought there was also a setting to turn the screen off and I have that set to 1 minute. So two setting to control scren on time.

I do VERY few bursts and then 3-6 shots tops. At low speed continuos.

I don't think anything could be pressing any button, but worth watching for when I am next out (shooting Saturday 10/21 from 1-5PM EST.

 

[Mriker]

Please keep us posted. Mark

 

[BobU]

Will do. I'll review my settings tonight as well, just in case.,

And post a few pics from yesterday Overcast, gray and missed a few due to low shutter speeds (which is why I was checking IS), but a few fun, though not "portfolio worthy".

 

[BobU]

I'm thinking that something is turning on the VF. BUT, it would seem for those wearing around their neck it would be worse, no? And I think this is new in 1.51. VF seems overly sensitive to proximity to anything.

 

[BobU]

OK. did a 3 hour shoot today. 4 sec review on screen. That's it! Freshly charged LP-E19. 188 pix and 47% battery used. So that's 400 to a charge if I bleed to the bottom of the battery.

Now if you are getting substantially ddifferent on an R3, I'd like to know and like to know where the difference may be.

 

[David Stallard]

Hey Bob - really not sure what your settings are to give you such poor battery life - 4sec review is quite a lot, on a race day I tend to get between 1500 > 1800 shots before I reach 10%. Settings will be a lot different for what you shoot but I am more than happy to email you my setting file for you to load on and try. Might be a good starting point for you to check / change to your taste..

 

[Kerro]

I'm thinking that something is turning on the VF. BUT, it would seem for those wearing around their neck it would be worse, no? And I think this is new in 1.51. VF seems overly sensitive to proximity to anything.

Bob, I am a camera neck wearer across from my left shoulder to camera on my right. Camera is an R5. I always, as an extra safety thing, hand hold my cameras by the grip area as well. I never trust just the neck strap. Never had an issue with anything on myself pressing buttons as basically the camera is away from my body. Never had any excess battery drain on any of my cameras, (350D, 7D, 5DII, 5DsR, now R5). My VF is sensitive but not excessively so. Not sure what goes on with your R3.

 

[BobU]

Hey Bob - really not sure what your settings are to give you such poor battery life - 4sec review is quite a lot, on a race day I tend to get between 1500 > 1800 shots before I reach 10%. Settings will be a lot different for what you shoot but I am more than happy to email you my setting file for you to load on and try. Might be a good starting point for you to check / change to your taste..

Thanks David. I cannot imagine why such a huge difference!! I can tell you that in 14 Canon DSLR's ALWAYS 4 second review. I Got fabulous battery life in 5D IV and 1D X. So no idea why here? What could possible be set so differently?

 

[BobU]

Hah! Opinions all over the place!!

How many shots before the R3 battery is drained

Well aware that this is a very vague question. I am thinking about getting a new body. I currently shoot with a 7D Mark II, a 1DX, a 1DX Mark II and Mark III. I shoot motorsports. Lot of very low light stuff. Love my 1DX Mark III. Love the fact that I can get over 3k images a battery. Not really...

community.usa.canon.com

"I have read all sorts of reviews on line, many of which say that 600 or so shots is about it on an R3 battery. "

"As the Canon CIPA numbers provided by John state, the R3 should be able to produce about 620 shots with a new, fully charged LP-E19 battery. I don't have a R3, but my personal experience with the R5 and the R is that the Canon CIPA numbers are accurate. Canon rates the R5 at 220 to 490 shots on a 15.3 W/hr LP-E6NH and I typically get up to 500 shots using the BG-R10 Battery Grip (2X LP-E6NH or 30.6 W/hr) with all viewing through the OLED Viewfinder, IBIS usually on, and very little image review using the LCD screen . "

"Since the R3 uses a LP-E19 (29.7 W/hr) 500-600 shots should be achievable assuming you don't use shutter button pre-focus or back focus or long viewing on the LCD screen excessively."

I DO use back buttonfocus. So if others claim 600 shots, perhaps that explains my 400. But not your 1600-1800!!!!

More links, all inconsistent.

"Power is provided by the same chunky LP-E19 battery as used by the EOS-1D X Mark III DSLR. It slots into the vertical grip and is rated for 860 shots using the LCD, or 620 with the EVF. This may sound low compared to a pro DSLR, but in reality, you can get many times more when shooting high-speed bursts using the electronic shutter."

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

"Ken Rockwell said "Big battery with great life; I can get 20,000 shots per charge if I shoot lots of long, fast bursts with the electronic shutter as this camera is intended, as opposed to wasting power piddling in menus or playing back." Suuuure, Ken.

"Nope, the Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) rating estimates the battery life for two batteries at 610 shots (it's just EP-19's, and I suppose OP looked up the battery life of a single one)" TWO batteries??????? Is there a battery grip I have not seen?

"I also own an R3, and I agree. The CIPA rating says 610 shots, they turn the screen to full brightness, turn on Wifi&Bluetooth and that's how they achieve that."

"..Nope.. I own an R3 and have shot over 2 thousand raw photos over the course of 2 days without recharging."

Having trouble finding truth.

Canon EOS R3 review: Is it the golden child of non-flagships?

Canon has said that the EOS R3 isn’t a flagship, but it's big, fast, weather sealed and has a ton of features.

photofocus.com

The Canon EOS R3 utilizes the same LP-E19 battery found in the older model EOS-1DX Mark II and III. Knowing that, you would think that battery life would be amazing. CIPA rates the EOS R3 at 620 photos in its default power savings mode which isn’t great. There are a lot of features packed into the EOS R3 and it takes a big battery to power it.

Seems like the best truthful approximation to me....


More opinions

"The LP_E19 is a substantial 30Wh unit, which is rated as delivering 760 shots per charge via the rear screen and 440 shots per charge if you use the viewfinder, in the faster refresh 'smooth' mode. Power saving mode sees these numbers jump to 860 and 620 shots per charge, respectively."

So......

 

[BobU]

From the horses mouth:

 

[David Stallard]

Sorry Bob you lost me completely there! I know there are a hundred different answers to the same question in this case! I have offered you a way to try a different set up to see if it's your battery or your settings - something is clearly amiss. if I were to shoot in hi speed I would be getting around 30,000 shots but as I shot low and one / two shots at a time I get just 1600 > 1800.
I do NOT use the rear screen at all, I have power saving mode on, screen dimmer 10sec / screen off 5 sec / auto power off 15 secs / viewfinder off 1 min. a few other tweaks throughout the menu system. I turn camera on around 6am trackside and off again around 6:30pm (occasionally I turn off for half hour at lunchtime if I'm not shooting in the paddock) ONLY time I get issues is when I'm shooting in torrential rain for 8>10 hours solid and the rain cover is covering the EVF causing it to stay on - I have learnt to hold camera at a slightly different angle until I 'feel' the shutter curtain close and I know it's gone into sleep mode.

 

[BobU]

Thanks. Appreciate the offer. For now I am trying a second battery, though I do not think that is it.

The fact that Canon claims using VF rather than screen gets 440 shots tells me that that is what should be expected. The claims though are all across the board.

So, unsure what power saving mode is and will look. Power off at 15 sec could be a big part of our difference. Will try that.

 

[BobU]

Ahhh. Power saving is the menu of items. Got it.

I do not think 4 sec review is excesive. Nor 1 minuter VF.I also have 1 minute camera shut down. Will see what this battery does.

 

[Mriker]

Bob,

I took the R3 out yesterday to motorcycle race, which was a combination of still photos and rapid fire 30fps. these were short bursts - 3/4 frames at a time. Weather was 75/80 deg, preview was set for 4 sec, lenses used was 70-200 f2.8, manual mode, lens Is was on, software ver 1.5.1, capturing raw footage only and I captured 983 raw pictures and the cameras indicates that I still have 70 percent Battery capacity. Battery used is a Factory Canon LP-E19, this may be important fact to note, I believe the smaller LP-19 (not an E) will function in the R3 with reduced battery life.

Somthing just seems wrong here with your setup.

Mark

 

[BobU]

Thanks Mark.

I am dumbfounded and both glad and not to be in this discussion

My batteries are less than 6 month old LP-E19's. One came in the camera box. I have the factory LC-E19 charger. I use exclusively electronic shutter. IF I ever shoot a burst it is usually 3-5 frames at low speed. Based on anything I have read, the biggest draw is the VF, possibly review second to that.

Anything special in VF settings?

Hmmmm, rereading your post Mark, I DO shoot RAW plus JPG with RAW to CFExpress and JPG to SDXC. Could that be the difference? And before anyomne asks, that makes it easy to choose one or the other and having jpgs allows for quickly sending images should I need to.

Anyone else shoooting RAW+L?

 

[AntonLargiader]

FWIW the Canon Europe site has an updated Advanced User Manual (1.5.0 -on) but the Canon USA site shows the file date being 2021 so it might not have been updated.

 

[David Stallard]

Bob - so. . . . what was the outcome? Did you get to the bottom of the battery drain?

 

[BobU]

Have not had a chance for a long enough shoot to know. All have been dozens of images, not hundreds or thousands. So still unknown.

My hunch is review time the biggest culprit. Though always the same on previous Canon cameras.