Canon R5 Canon R5 Firmware Update v1.8.1

[RDM5546]

Did the download and install. I am now playing with it to see the changes. The is a new manual upgrade too. I download that as well. There is also a new version of DPP to go along with it.

 

[BradS]

After all the pre-release, rumor-based hype about improved AF in the new R5 firmware, I am very disappointed. Personally I have no use fo 400 Mp and would have preferred AF improvements to better match the reported performance of the R3 and even the much less expensive R7.

 

[TonyB]

After all the pre-release, rumor-based hype about improved AF in the new R5 firmware, I am very disappointed. Personally I have no use fo 400 Mp and would have preferred AF improvements to better match the reported performance of the R3 and even the much less expensive R7.

I agree. This is hardly a “major firmware update.” It’s a niche feature that less than 1% of R5 owners will utilize. I would’ve liked to see pre-shooting recording, some choices other than 20fps with electronic shutter, improved AF, improved menu system, and others that users have been asking for. Let’s hope there’s a 1.9 and 2.0 coming soon with more useful features.

 

[RDM5546]

This is an interesting upgrade on paper. It allows the shooter to use the full resources of the sensor to the maximum. The 45MP of the R5 only has green 22.5MP, red 11.25MP and blue 11.25. Only through the limited magic of the debayering algorithmic process do we get and approximate RGB 45MP image. I think the early pictures I have seen so far are just that and in time some people will learn to use this tool better to make images using the IBIS sensing that are slightly better than other shooting methods on the R5. Maybe Canon will be good enough show us some competitive 400MP examples of this. The improve may comes with strings attached and only be useful in niche use cases. Time will tell.

 

[Deepgreen]

I was doing some astrophotography last night and was scrolling through the ISO function on my R5. I noticed that the granularity had seemingly reduced, which I assumed was as a result of the firmware 1.8.1 installation, as it wasn't the case before I installed it a few days ago. For exmple, ISO 1250 was missing. The levels now ran (according to my screen information): 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, etc., i.e. doubling with each step. However, I have discovered that my settings had reverted to a coarse granularity, and I have had to re-set them (in the orange tab in ther menu). I post this in case anyone else has noticed the issue and is concerned (as I initially was) that functionality has reduced. This hasn't been the case with previous updates.

 

[Deepgreen]

This is an interesting upgrade on paper. It allows the shooter to use the full resources of the sensor to the maximum. The 45MP of the R5 only has green 22.5MP, red 11.25MP and blue 11.25. Only through the limited magic of the debayering algorithmic process do we get and approximate RGB 45MP image. I think the early pictures I have seen so far are just that and in time some people will learn to use this tool better to make images using the IBIS sensing that are slightly better than other shooting methods on the R5. Maybe Canon will be good enough show us some competitive 400MP examples of this. The improve may comes with strings attached and only be useful in niche use cases. Time will tell.

I have tried a number of firm tripod-mounted landscape shots with the 400mp function and saw terrible artefacts in huge areas of the images. I will keep experimenting, but it seems to me at the moment to be such a tricky feature to make work properly that it's nigh-on pointless.

 

[Deepgreen]

I have just tried a few 400mp shots of the moon on a firm tripod with a 2 sec. timer delay to avoid shutter vibration. The movement, even at 1/400s, was too much for the 400mp function and it came out looking like a 0.004mp shot! I'm finding it hard to imagine what scenario this function is supposed to assist with as everything needs to be so still (including the camera seemingly set in concrete!) that only 'still life' shots might be possible, and they are easy to shoot close up (i.e. without the need for vast detail to be extracted) anyway! I'm baffled at the reasons for enabling this feature.

 

[Dean Wilson]

Hello Ian,
I think IBIS High resolution shot, in its current software development, would be great in a controlled environment, such as you would find for product photography. Now whether firmware development leading up to 2.0 sill improve on IBIS....only time will tell.

 

[Deepgreen]

Hello Ian,
I think IBIS High resolution shot, in its current software development, would be great in a controlled environment, such as you would find for product photography. Now whether firmware development leading up to 2.0 sill improve on IBIS....only time will tell.

Yes, I wondered about that but product photography is surely catered for pretty well by 45mp shots. I get superb detail resolution from mine anyway. I have tried tripod-mounted landscape shots on calm days (i.e. nothing moving) and they are just not as good as the 45mp equivalents - certainly no better detail and loads of zebra artefacts everywhere. Oh well, at least it was a free 'upgrade'!

 

[Deepgreen]

I managed to take an artefact-free shot today at the 400mp setting, but, although it was quite a 'busy' outdoor shot, it only came in at 156mp. I wonder what has to be done to achieve the full 400ish size (not that I necessarily want to) as I am unclear what settings I could change, given that most are fixed anyway when using the function.

 

[Dean Wilson]

I took one as well and the output jpeg as 242 MB, however after editing it became 501 MB.