Why I traded-in the R5C for the C80
By Eric
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2026-06-28
I recently traded-in my R5C for the C80. The R5C is a great camera. I definitely liked the idea of the dual-mode photo/video hybrid. BUT, for various reasons, I really never used the R5C as a photo camera. I already had the R5, then the R5mk II for photos, and carrying one extra camera body compared to all the lenses, tripods, lighting, and audio equipment for a shoot is nothing. I found I would actually use the R5 only for photos, and the R5C only for video. The one time I tried to use the R5 mkII for video, it overheated in less than a half-hour.
8K RAW? I did try a few shoots using the R5C 8k RAW to a Ninja V+. But the workflow of managing noise reduction, the massive file sizes, and the extra work just to even GET to editing was a big issue. In the end, the XF-AVC 4:2:2 10-bit looks so good, and is so easy to use... Why go through all the hassle of shooting RAW video when no-one else could really see any difference at all? Adding the Ninja and its battery and cables and so on made the nice, simple, small R5C much bigger and more cumbersome. I don’t want to have to use an external recorder. So I stopped using the external recorder, and just recorded in-camera XF-AVC.
Most of my shoots are indoors where lighting is fairly well-controlled, and there are rarely large dynamic-range problems. If anything, the most challenging conditions have been really low-light, and difficult monochromatic light in music performance venues.
Battery-life was always an issue for the R5C from day 1, and I knew that up-front. So I always used a dummy-battery with a D-tap to a 100 Wh V-mount battery. I could run it all day-long and never worry about the battery or overheating. BUT, the battery is not small... I would either use a belt-clip V-mount for handheld/gimbal, or mount the battery to the tripod.
C80 built-in ND filters – SO much simpler, faster, and more convenient than even a nice magnetic-mount ND set (for which you need adapters for every lens size you own). Moreover, I find the color accuracy of the C80 built-in NDs better than anything I have ever used externally. This is the #1 reason I moved to the C80.
Batteries – the C80 is simple, convenient, two options: 30 or 60 Wh and no adapters, extra cables or mounts etc – just plug-and-play. Long and really long-lasting batteries.
SDI and full-size HDMI ports that can independently deliver different output formats simultaneously. Enough said
The R5C has limited WiFi bandwidth – just enough to transfer photos and remote control for photo shooting. But NOT for video. The only option is to add the thousand-dollar WFT-R10 (which looks like a dual battery grip) to provide proper WiFi connection for video. BUT – sadly, the R5C is not considered a “real” cinema camera even by Canon – so its own Canon Multi-Camera Control App is not compatible with the R5C at all. The only option for video is to use the R5C with the WFT-R10 and use the browser remote function to an iPad for example. That actually does work pretty well – I used it a lot. BUT, now back to the battery problems: to make this work, I have to install TWO dummy batteries into the WFT-R10: the right-hand one must be R5C specific, and the left one must be R5 specific for it to work. Then route BOTH D-tap cables out of the WFT, and connect both to a double D-tap battery...
So the complete setup to work-around the WiFi limitation is: an R5C + $1000 WiFi grip + dummy batteries + D-tap battery, and the whole rig is significantly larger and heavier than the C80, and is less capable in terms of remote connectivity (C80 has full-bandwidth WiFi built-in). The connectivity is a big deal for me – I might have the camera up on a 7’ tripod, and I don’t want to climb up and down just to see/change settings or what it is focused-on. I love having a big iPad remote to fully control the camera from a convenient location, including touch focus (which is still only possible using browser remote by the way – does not work for ANY camera using multi-camera control app). Everything is just so easy with the C80.
Memory card slots: yes the R5C and the R5 mk II have CFast card slots, and the C80 has only SD cards limited to around 300 MB/sec. But I mostly shoot 4k30 in XF-AVC 4:2:2 10-bit, and this is no problem with the SD card. In this mode I can shoot up to 120 FPS. I don’t need more than that.
IBIS or lens OIS: no difference between R5C versus C80 for image stabilization.
Dynamic Range: The C80 is supposed to have 1-2 stops greater dynamic range capability than the R5C. But for my projects, 14+ stops is more than sufficient, and no one I know can see any difference for my type of content. They are both very capable cameras.
Triple-base ISO: first of all you have to learn how to properly use this C80 feature, or you will see terrible noise and not understand why... When used properly, I would say the C80 has a slight advantage over the R5C in difficult low-light conditions. But sadly neither of them are as good as Sony’s best...
Summary:
Both cameras deliver gorgeous 4k30 4:2:2 10-bit right out of the camera (you don’t even need to use log gamma – just shoot in normal wide DR)
C80: Simple battery management, great battery life
C80 Built-in ND is SO easy and convenient
C80 WiFi connectivity just works flawlessly
Cost: once you add the WFT, D-tap battery, dummy batteries, and ND filter set for all your lenses to the R5C, is the C80 really that much more expensive?
Love This Camera
By James
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2025-12-09
I Absolutely Love This Camera. It Isn't Without It's Drawbacks Like The Dual SD Cards, But Once You Buy Them, Your Set. Didn't Know How This Would Perform At 4k 120, But It Is Amazing!!! The 24-105 2.8 Lens Is Second To None. It's Fast, Sharp And Lighter Than I Expected. Great Combo.