Latest firmware updates continue to boost Canon's pro EOS lineup

You update your smartphone to benefit from new features and enhancements, and you can do the same with your Canon EOS camera.

Canon has announced a major new firmware update for the EOS R3, along with new firmware for the EOS R5 and EOS R6.

EOS R3 users can now enjoy a range of new professional features, new controls and performance enhancements, in answer to requests from working photographers. These include a groundbreaking continuous shooting speed of 195 frames per second (that's full-resolution stills, not video) and super-smooth slow-motion 240fps movies.

The image.canon cloud-based RAW image processing service unlocks the potential for even better image quality from the EOS R3, EOS R7 and EOS R10, while the latest firmware for the EOS R5 introduces the potential for extended video recording times.

It's a simple process to download the latest Canon firmware update – simply visit the support section of the Canon website, and select your product from the pop-up to get started.

"It's great to know that when you buy one of these cameras, you can trust Canon to keep pushing the products further and then give you these updates for free," says action sports photographer, filmmaker and Canon Ambassador Richard Walch.

Adventure sports photographer Martin Bissig is equally enthusiastic about the continued development: "It's really cool that Canon listens not only to us pros but to enthusiasts as well. It gives you a good feeling to know that the company is listening and continuing to add future-proof qualities to these cameras."

Here, we look at the latest firmware updates with Canon Europe Senior Product Specialist Mike Burnhill, while Richard, Martin and fellow Canon Ambassador Eddie Keogh describe how they have benefited from features enabled by recent EOS R5, EOS R6 and EOS-1D X Mark III firmware updates.

New and enhanced photography features

• EOS R3: Custom high-speed continuous shooting
• EOS R3: Merging focus-bracketed shots in-camera
• EOS R3: Assign a crop/aspect ratio button
• EOS R5: Canon cinema and Dual Fisheye lens support
• EOS R5 and EOS R6: RF lens full-time manual support
• EOS R5 and EOS R6: Enhanced autofocus with vehicle tracking

• EOS R3: Full HD at 240fps and time-lapse video
• EOS R3, EOS R5 and EOS R6: IS wobble correction
• EOS R5: Longer video recording without overheating shutdown
• EOS R5: Full HD at 120p
• EOS R5, EOS R6: Canon Log 3
• EOS R5: Atomos ProRes RAW support
• EOS R5: CFexpress VPG400 card support
• EOS R5: Low-bitrate IPB and RAW movies

• EOS R3, EOS R5 and EOS R6: Batch convert HEIF files
• EOS R3, EOS R7 and EOS R10: Cloud processing for RAW files
• EOS R5: Save settings to card
• EOS R5 and EOS R6: Streamlined Custom White Balance
• EOS R5 and EOS R6: Dual recording
• EOS R5: FTP Transfer Status Display

EOS R3: Custom high-speed continuous shooting

The fastest EOS camera just got even faster thanks to the latest firmware update. With its new custom high-speed continuous shooting option, the EOS R3 is capable of shooting bursts of full-resolution images at rates of up to 195fps. It can maintain this top speed for up to 50 shots, giving sports and wildlife photographers more freedom to capture the decisive moment.

"In baseball, for example, the ball can move at a speed of 45 metres per second," Mike says, "so getting a shot where the bat and ball connect with each other can be extremely tricky. It's a similar challenge in tennis, where capturing the moment the ball hits the racquet is every photographer's dream. It all happens so fast that getting the shot involves a bit of luck, as well as timing."

The ability to shoot at 195fps makes it much easier to achieve shots like these. "Of course, there's still an element of timing," adds Mike. "After all, shooting 50 frames at 195 frames per second means you're recording a sequence that lasts just a quarter of a second.

"You don't have to sacrifice image resolution when shooting at this speed either. You're able to shoot full-resolution RAW, HEIF or JPEG, just with the focus locked."

EOS R3: In-camera depth compositing

In response to popular demand, the EOS R3's focus bracketing function has been enhanced in the latest firmware update to add the same in-camera stacking functionality offered by the EOS R7 and EOS R10. "It means that after you complete your focus bracketing sequence, the camera will automatically compile the shots into a single image with expanded depth of field," Mike explains.

"The in-camera image is a fully finished, high-resolution JPEG, but you're still able to take the original RAW files into Digital Photo Professional or other software and merge the images there."

The EOS R3 firmware update also enables focus bracketing to be used in conjunction with the Canon Speedlite EL-1. "Our flagship flashgun is powered by a lithium battery, so it has a very fast recharging time," says Mike. "It means that you can rapidly shoot a focus-bracketed macro image with flash, which can be particularly useful for photographing insects."

EOS R3: Assign a crop/aspect ratio button

Following feedback from EOS R3 beta testing, it's now possible to customise a button on the camera with a 1.6x crop functionality, as Mike explains. "At sporting events, a lot of photographers wanted to punch in a little bit closer for the finish line, for example. Now, by quickly pressing, say, the MF-n button, it's possible to activate that instant digital extender."

EOS R5: Canon cinema lens and Dual Fisheye lens support

From firmware version 1.4.0 the EOS R5 supports Canon's CN-E18-80mm T4.4 L IS KAS S and CN-E70-200mm T4.4 L IS compact cine-servo lenses via the EF to EOS R Mount Adapter, making it even easier to achieve a cinematic look and integrate the camera in a professional production workflow. These combinations allow iris, zoom and focus to be controlled via the body as well as the optical IS system of the lens to work. Recording can be started and stopped via the rec button on the lens grip.

When attached to the EOS R5, the lenses can be operated from the camera body or remotely, using EOS Utility and the Canon Camera Connect app.

"For filmmakers, having access to these kinds of lenses really puts the EOS R5 even more into a space where you really can use it as your main camera or second unit camera rather than just a backup body," says Martin.

EOS R5 firmware update 1.5.0 and later also includes support for the Canon RF 5.2mm F2.8L DUAL FISHEYE lens. Canon's EOS VR SYSTEM – a compatible full-frame RF-mount camera, the RF 5.2mm F2.8L DUAL FISHEYE lens, EOS VR Utility and the EOS VR Plugin for Adobe Premiere Pro – make it easier than ever for content creators to produce immersive 180° VR experiences.

EOS R5 and EOS R6: RF lens full-time manual support

If you're a Canon EF lens user, you might have enjoyed the ability to use full-time manual focusing when the camera is set to One Shot AF mode. Since firmware update 1.3.1 for the EOS R5 and EOS R6 support for this feature is added for Servo AF with certain RF lenses, and the more recent EOS R7 and EOS R10 offer this as standard.

"You can use it when you're shooting photos or videos," explains Richard. "It allows you to just grab the focusing ring of your lens and make an adjustment without having to turn the autofocus off." Richard made use of the feature during a night-time video shoot using the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM, when he wanted to pan from a skateboard up to the rider.

"There are several ways to pull focus onto his face, including tapping the EOS R6's touchscreen, first on the wheels and then on the face, with the camera automatically adjusting the focus. But to really be in control of the speed of a focus pull, you can let the camera focus on the wheels using Servo AF, then grab the focus ring and turn it to focus on the face."

EOS R5 and EOS R6: Enhanced autofocus with vehicle tracking

The EOS R3, EOS R7 and EOS R10 are programmed to detect and track racing cars and motorcycles – an advanced function that's also made available for EOS R5 and EOS R6 users with firmware update 1.5.0 or later. The enhanced recognition ensures rapid and reliable focusing on fast-moving vehicles, and it can even lock onto a driver's helmet when visible.

In addition to vehicle tracking AF, the EOS R5 and EOS R6 firmware update adds the EOS R3's improved Face/Eye Detection. The cameras now demonstrate even more assured autofocus when focusing on people whose faces are partially obscured by masks.

EOS R3: Full HD at 240fps and time-lapse video

EOS R3 firmware version 1.20 introduces a series of video upgrades, including HFR (High Frame Rate) 1080p. The professional mirrorless camera is now able to record Full HD video at 240fps, for incredibly smooth slow-motion playback. "It's one of the fastest full-frame options on the market before you get into a dedicated video camera," Mike points out.

At the other end of the time scale from slow-mo, there's time-lapse. With its integrated interval timer, the EOS R3 has enabled photographers to produce time-lapse sequences from day one. But the new EOS R3 firmware adds the option to create a finished time-lapse movie directly in-camera. It's a feature that's been requested from specialists in the field, says Mike.

"If you have to reconnect the power supply at any point, the camera will retain the shooting information," Mike adds. "It makes it much quicker to start up from where you left off, as all you need to do is press Record again."

EOS R3, EOS R5 and EOS R6: IS wobble correction

Because of a quirk of how camera stabilisation and the electronic rolling shutter work together in the EOS R3, EOS R5 and EOS R6, in some instances it has been possible to notice a slight wobble in the corners of video shot using ultra-wide lenses. The new firmware update addresses this anomaly.

"It was sometimes noticeable when you moved the camera," explains Mike. "The centre of the image would be perfectly still but the corners would wobble. It's something that has been a particular issue for vloggers, because they tend to use wide-angle lenses and move the camera a lot while shooting. So we've added an electronic correction to minimise the movement in the corners of the frame."

EOS R5: Longer video recording without overheating shutdown

The Auto Power Off Temperature option from the EOS R3 is added to the EOS R5 in firmware version 1.60. This extends video recording times when they would ordinarily be cut short. It won't lead to longer shooting times in all circumstances, though, as various ambient considerations will be taken into account as well.

"The camera has different sensors for temperatures, and one of those is for the ambient temperature of the camera," explains Mike. "It will use this information to allow the body to warm up on the outside without shutting down the camera prematurely."

This is a useful option to enable if you're shooting video with the camera mounted to a tripod or on a rig. "As long as you're not handholding the camera," says Mike, "any issues with the camera getting hot externally before it needs to close down aren't really an issue."

EOS R5: Full HD at 120fps

EOS R5 firmware version 1.3.1 added the option of 120fps Full HD video recording, and Martin took advantage of this to capture skiers jumping over cliffs. Shooting at a high frame rate means that when you play the footage back at normal frame rate, the action sequences play back in slow motion.

"A lot of my work does not require 4K footage," Martin says. "Often, I need to send a file over the internet to a client, and we need to edit it pretty quickly – sometimes even in the field on a laptop. Now, with the option to shoot 120fps in Full HD, it's so much easier for me to do the data handling."

EOS R5 and EOS R6: Canon Log 3

With its 45MP stills and 8K video capabilities, the EOS R5 is a formidable hybrid camera for professional photographers and filmmakers alike. Martin Bissig uses his EOS R5 to capture video footage alongside his stills work and welcomes two of the significant video enhancements introduced in EOS R5 firmware update 1.3.1: Canon Log 3 and 120fps Full HD recording. "For the type of thing I shoot," he says, "the EOS R5's RAW video is a bit overkill, but working with Canon Log 3 gives me all the freedom I need."

Canon Log 3 enables a wider dynamic range to be captured in-camera and provides more flexibility in post-production and final delivery. "I was shooting skiers in the snow, so there was a combination of very bright snow and clothes, and very dark elements to deal with," says Martin. "It was a really difficult environment to shoot, but Canon Log 3 meant I could get the most out of the footage."

EOS R5: Atomos ProRes RAW support

On an EOS R5 with firmware version 1.4.0, ProRes RAW footage can be recorded externally to an Atomos Ninja recorder via an HDMI connection. The original Ninja V supports 5K crop ProRes RAW at 30P/24P, but the newer Ninja V+ is able to support uncropped 8K ProRes RAW at up to 30p, as well as 5K crop at up to 60p.

"This puts the EOS R5 into a very professional environment when it comes to filming," says Martin. "I, and most of the professional filmmakers I know, shoot with an external recorder, and being able to capture RAW in this way is a huge step forward for the camera."

EOS R5 and EOS-1D X Mark III: CFexpress VPG400 card support

Designed for professionals and power users, CFexpress cards that comply with the VPG400 (Video Performance Guarantee) standard are able to deliver stable video recording at 400MB/sec. A fast, sustained write speed is essential to prevent the camera's buffer from being filled and recording being stopped mid-shoot. While some cards offer even faster maximum write speeds, there may be no guarantee of consistency during the recording. The EOS R5 with firmware version 1.4.0 and the EOS-1D X Mark III with firmware version 1.5.0 added support for CFexpress 2.0 Type B VPG400, with the EOS R3 supporting this out of the box.

"If the camera is capable of writing more data but the bottleneck was the card, then it makes sense that VPG400 is being supported," says Martin.

EOS R5: Low-bitrate IPB and RAW movies

Smaller video file sizes can be an asset when you're working in remote areas, as Richard often does. "Shooting an 8K movie with my EOS R5, for example, or a 4K movie with my EOS-1D X Mark III and trying to edit them on the fly is impossible for me, as it's too data heavy," he says.

"Many people don't really need this level of resolution. What they really need is to be able to move files around quickly. So that's why it makes a lot of sense that you can save a low-bitrate IPB movie, which gives you very small file sizes." This option is available on the EOS R5 with firmware version 1.3.1 and later and the EOS-1D X Mark III with firmware version 1.4.0 and later.

The EOS R7 and EOS R10 offer IPB recording, and a low-bitrate RAW movie option is also available on the EOS-1D X Mark III with firmware version 1.4.0 and the EOS R5 with firmware version 1.3.1. "Both of the low-bitrate options give you a quicker turnaround time and longer recording," Richard says, "so you can simply choose either RAW or IPB according to whatever fits your workflow better."

EOS R3, EOS R5 and EOS R6: Batch convert HEIF files

With EOS R3 firmware 1.20 and EOS R5 and EOS R6 version 1.60 it's now possible to shoot HEIF files and then batch process them into JPEGs in-camera. The benefit of doing this is that you get a better dynamic range in the JPEG images than if you were to shoot JPEGs natively or convert a RAW file to a JPEG in-camera.

"Going from a 14-bit or 12-bit RAW file down to an 8-bit JPEG means you lose a lot of data," says Mike. "But by going from 14-bit to a 10-bit HEIF you lose less data, so you actually get a better representation and it's easier to squish that down to 8 bits. And the images do appear to have a better dynamic range when they've gone through that additional step."

EOS R3, EOS R7 and EOS R10: Cloud processing for RAW files

Installing the latest firmware for the EOS R3, EOS R7 and EOS R10 enables you to unlock the power of cloud processing straight from your camera. "By uploading a RAW file to image.canon, you can benefit from a deep learning debayering system and noise reduction for even better image quality," explains Mike. "Fine details are resolved better, edges are sharper and moire is reduced, so you end up with a more detailed image than you would normally get from the camera or desktop software."

The new cloud processing option is a "pay-as-you-go" service, with the processed JPEG or HEIF images being output to Adobe Creative Cloud* or Google Photos, or held in storage at image.canon, from where you can download it to your computer.

EOS R5: Save settings to card

Martin works with two Canon EOS R5 camera bodies, so the ability to save a snapshot of one camera's settings to the memory card and transfer this to the other camera saves valuable time. This function was added with firmware version 1.3.1. "One of the big advantages of the EOS R5 is that you can customise it to your needs," he says. "There are tons of options, which allows you to make the camera behave exactly the way you want it to. But the problem is that when you're working with two cameras, it's so slow to transfer all the settings manually from one camera to the next. Now it's not a big deal because it can all be done in one step."

The EOS R3 offers the same option to save the camera's settings to memory card as standard, without requiring a firmware update.

EOS R5 and EOS R6: Streamlined Custom White Balance

The EOS R3 introduced an additional method of setting a Custom White Balance, and this functionality has been added to the EOS R5 and EOS R6 with firmware version 1.5.0. Both the EOS R7 and EOS R10 are equipped with this function straight out of the box.

The Custom White Balance option can now be accessed from the Quick menu, reducing the number of steps required and making it easier to follow in tricky situations such as when shooting underwater or in tight spaces.

The update also improves the smoothness of the EVF display on the EOS R5 and EOS R6. A new Suppress Lower Frame Rate option, introduced in the EOS R3, ensures that the frame rate of the EVF doesn't drop significantly in low light and prevents moving objects from appearing blurred.

EOS R5, EOS R6 and EOS-1D X Mark III: Dual recording

Providing peace of mind on important filming assignments, the EOS R5 and EOS R6 with firmware version 1.4.0 and the EOS-1D X Mark III with firmware version 1.5.0 have gained the ability to create an instant in-camera backup by simultaneously recording video clips to both memory cards – a function they share with the EOS R3 and EOS R7. Some video formats are not available for dual recording on the EOS R5 and EOS-1D X Mark III because of the amount of data to write to two cards.

"Usually, when I shoot stills, I always use the second card as a backup," Martin says. "To have this possibility now, even with 8K footage on the EOS R5 using the new low-bitrate IPB setting, it just gives you that additional layer of security that you know you have the footage on two cards."

EOS R5 and EOS-1D X Mark III: FTP Transfer Status Display

As professional sports and news photographers know, time is money – in more ways than one. It's not just the split-second timing required to capture the decisive moment in a game or event that affects the bottom line, but also the race to get images to clients or picture desks as soon as possible.

The FTP Transfer Status Display update 1.4.0 for the EOS-1D X Mark III is designed to make this process easier to manage. It shows a timer on the rear display, so that you'll know exactly how long an image transfer is going to take.

"We need to get our pictures to the clients as fast as we can," explains sports pro Eddie Keogh. "A lot of the grounds have better comms these days, with 5G and Wi-Fi. We even have Ethernet cables by the side of the pitch now that we can plug into our cameras. But for all the photographers shooting at lower league and non-league grounds, being able to get an idea of how long a transfer is going to take is so important."

Firmware update 1.6.0 for the EOS-1D X Mark III also brought a number of additional FTP control enhancements, including improvements to the default power saving function and passive mode settings. The Multi-controller has also been disabled for FTP transfer in order to prevent accidental operation – a function that has also been extended to the EOS R5 and EOS R6 with firmware version 1.5.0.