R6 (and maybe R5) overheating issue

Jared5 wrote in post #19125665
The most helpful thing I've found for battery life is to power off the EOS R5 when not actively shooting.

DISCLAIMER: I have my EOS R5 bodies set up for maximum performance (high frame rate in the EVF) and none of the ECO settings, so I'm likely going through batteries at the maximum rate.

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For extended battery life I highly recommend using the newer LP-E6NH batteries if possible, there is definitely a difference in capacity.
With two of the LP-E6N batteries in the grip I could barely make it through a short 4-hour wedding. I replaced the two LP-E6N batteries for the last 30 minutes just to avoid running out unexpectedly, but the other EOS R5 body using two LP-E6NH batteries was at roughly 50% capacity remaining. I say 'roughly' because I was only going off of the battery icon, I should have pulled up the menu to see exactly what the percentage was.

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So the 14% extra capacity of the LP-E6NH batteries is noticeable in real world conditions.

Another reason to use the newer LP-E6NH batteries is because the burst rate performance depends on battery capacity. If you're below 60% battery capacity you won't get maximum burst rate. If I understand correctly (still need to dig though the manual) this also applies when shooting 12 frames per second, and I think it also requires the new LP-E6NH batteries to get the full 12 frames per second, but I need to fact-check that with the manual.

Back to what I was saying earlier, if you power off the camera body it will greatly increase battery life. I think I could make it through an 8-hour wedding with just two batteries if I power the cameras off.
This is a bit of an adjustment for me because the only time I would ever power off my 5D Mk4 bodies is when I put them back in the camera bag (oh, and when changing lenses). I didn't really have this much trouble with the EOS R bodies, but then again the sheer processing power in the new EOS R5 and R6 bodies is consuming lots of power (and creating heat) so it's no wonder these bodies eat batteries like they do.

My thoughts on Canon mirrorless batteries:
One of the things I wrote in my notes when transitioning from the 5D Mk4 to the EOS R was that when the EOS R was announced I wondered if it would have a new type of battery. This was based on things I'd read online about DSLR battery life vs mirrorless battery life.
I assumed Canon would come up with entirely new batteries when the EOS R was released. When they announced that the EOS R would take the same batteries as the 5D Mk4 I was skeptical yet I also understood why Canon did this.

Jumping from DSLR to mirrorless (or even dipping your toe in the mirrorless pond), is so much easier when you're not worried about all the new stuff you'll need to get. Other than an EF to RF lens adapter nothing else was needed when I got my EOS R.

In terms of future-proofing rather than being backward-compatible, it may have been better for Canon to rip off the bandaid and develop a new battery for mirrorless right away. Yes this would affect camera sales, but I'm talking strictly about function, not marketing and business. As much as I love the EOS R and EOS R5 bodies I will be first in line when Canon releases a mirrorless 1D-series body because I know it will have even better battery life (and probably better thermal control as well).

-

All that being said, I'm pretty sure I can get through an 8-hour wedding with two batteries per camera.
But in addition to the two batteries in each grip I also have another four of the new LP-E6NH batteries in my camera bag plus four of the 'older' LP-E6N batteries just in case.

Jared5 wrote in post #19125665
The most helpful thing I've found for battery life is to power off the EOS R5 when not actively shooting.

DISCLAIMER: I have my EOS R5 bodies set up for maximum performance (high frame rate in the EVF) and none of the ECO settings, so I'm likely going through batteries at the maximum rate.


-

For extended battery life I highly recommend using the newer LP-E6NH batteries if possible, there is definitely a difference in capacity.
With two of the LP-E6N batteries in the grip I could barely make it through a short 4-hour wedding. I replaced the two LP-E6N batteries for the last 30 minutes just to avoid running out unexpectedly, but the other EOS R5 body using two LP-E6NH batteries was at roughly 50% capacity remaining. I say 'roughly' because I was only going off of the battery icon, I should have pulled up the menu to see exactly what the percentage was.

-

So the 14% extra capacity of the LP-E6NH batteries is noticeable in real world conditions.

Another reason to use the newer LP-E6NH batteries is because the burst rate performance depends on battery capacity. If you're below 60% battery capacity you won't get maximum burst rate. If I understand correctly (still need to dig though the manual) this also applies when shooting 12 frames per second, and I think it also requires the new LP-E6NH batteries to get the full 12 frames per second, but I need to fact-check that with the manual.

Back to what I was saying earlier, if you power off the camera body it will greatly increase battery life. I think I could make it through an 8-hour wedding with just two batteries if I power the cameras off.
This is a bit of an adjustment for me because the only time I would ever power off my 5D Mk4 bodies is when I put them back in the camera bag (oh, and when changing lenses). I didn't really have this much trouble with the EOS R bodies, but then again the sheer processing power in the new EOS R5 and R6 bodies is consuming lots of power (and creating heat) so it's no wonder these bodies eat batteries like they do.

My thoughts on Canon mirrorless batteries:
One of the things I wrote in my notes when transitioning from the 5D Mk4 to the EOS R was that when the EOS R was announced I wondered if it would have a new type of battery. This was based on things I'd read online about DSLR battery life vs mirrorless battery life.
I assumed Canon would come up with entirely new batteries when the EOS R was released. When they announced that the EOS R would take the same batteries as the 5D Mk4 I was skeptical yet I also understood why Canon did this.

Jumping from DSLR to mirrorless (or even dipping your toe in the mirrorless pond), is so much easier when you're not worried about all the new stuff you'll need to get. Other than an EF to RF lens adapter nothing else was needed when I got my EOS R.

In terms of future-proofing rather than being backward-compatible, it may have been better for Canon to rip off the bandaid and develop a new battery for mirrorless right away. Yes this would affect camera sales, but I'm talking strictly about function, not marketing and business. As much as I love the EOS R and EOS R5 bodies I will be first in line when Canon releases a mirrorless 1D-series body because I know it will have even better battery life (and probably better thermal control as well).

-

All that being said, I'm pretty sure I can get through an 8-hour wedding with two batteries per camera.
But in addition to the two batteries in each grip I also have another four of the new LP-E6NH batteries in my camera bag plus four of the 'older' LP-E6N batteries just in case.

AcademicNomad wrote in post #19125824
Thank you for sharing these details. Does the FPS drop even when the newer batteries are used and they drop below 60% charge?

MAC_daddy wrote in post #19125843
Absolutely. It’s pretty obvious when it happens too. Just like switching from a newer lens to an older lens.