EOS R5 Mark II issues with colors and corrupted images

[jasonleecs]

Hi,

Any R5M2 owner encountered a "layer" of additional/missing colour platter in your photo taken?

Initially, I encounter image preview issue where the camara states that the "current image cannot be previewed" on the camera but didn't thought much about as it was already night and I'm shooting the cuscus near the homestay. But things took a turn the next day when I'm shooting the bird of paradise. A quick preview on some of the images show symptom the night before and worst, photos with additional/missing colour platter.

As I continue to review the images, I noticed some of the images either have a tinge of colour, e.g. green, yellow, pink etc., either in in full or partial on the images.

Initially, I thought it could be due to the slower SanDisk UHS 2 SD card wasn't able to catch-up with the write speed that causes the problem. So, I removed the SD card and let the camera write to the faster Prograde CFExpress card with the sustainable write speed of 1300MB/s.

However, the issue persisted and even more ridiculous! I took the camera for a sunrise shoot one morning, instantly, the 1st shot encountered the problem describe above on the CFExpress card. Therefore, the theory of incapable card or heating is ruled out. 

Would like to hear from follow R5M2 owner if you've encountered such issues.

The camera config is as followed

Firmware v1.01 // Highlight tone priority D+2 on shooting the bird, and was disabled when shooting sunrise // Elec shutter for BOP @ H+ and Mech shutter for sunrise at single // SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II Memory Card with R=280MB, W=150MB // ProGrade Digital 1TB CFexpress Type B Memory Card (GOLD) with R=1700MB, R=1300MB

Thanks.

[Peter · Accepted solution]

The masked pixels are good to use to set the right black level or to reduce row noise. Black level 0 will give you the pale colour cast. Canon normally uses something around 512 at ISO 100 and something around 2048 at higher ISO. If you don't want to use the masked pixels to set the black level you can use the information from the Makernotes. It is often correct even if there are exceptions. DPP, Lightroom and DxO read the black level from the Makernotes. Here I have changed the Makernotes from 512, I think, to 0.

 

Using HTP 200 means that you are using ISO 100 under exposed 1 stop. The raw file will therefore be 1 stop darker. DPP then adds a tonecurve to make it brighter.

[Peter · Accepted solution]

Yes, corrupted. One of three embedded JPEG files corrupted too. This one is still okey but only low resolution. Extracted with Exiftool.

The blue pixels in the raw file are in the bad area hitting 16383. It means that they clip the highlights and do that even in the masked pixels. The value there should be 512.

[rbnsncrs]

Hi Jason, 

It's V60, exactly the card you wrote on the main post.

I downloaded the latest DPP, it just crashes when I try to open one of the images. Lightroom says it doesn't recognize my CR3 files. So I used Faststone to view the images in the end.

I'm far from home. When I return back I'll give a more detailed explanation.

I'm OK with using the CF card or buy a V90 as long as it's a solution. 

Thanks Peter&Jason.

[jasonleecs]

Hi Peter,

Try waiting for the program to respond, it takes a while for DPP to open those problematic images. If the photo is a goner, DPP will show a BIG QUESTION mark like the below. 

 

If you have PS, there maybe a chance to salvage the file using Adobe RAW. 1st, create a PS  shortcut in your desktop, drag the RAW file from explorer or FS over to PS icon and let PS use Adobe RAW to open the problematic image. But if you attempt to start PS and than open the corrupted file, PS will report that the file is corrupted and won't be able to open it. Below is the file I tried earlier, and export to it JPEG. I've tried a few images, some are successful, others are a goner.

As for the memory card, I would suggest to get the CFE if you plan to shoot high speed burst and do 8K video. My original intent was to dedicate each type for a specific purpose until the SD card issue crop up.

I got my Prograde Digital CFE 1TB 1700R/1300W for ~300 back in July. The newer and faster speed 1TB 1700R/1500W is only going for 350 in both Amazon and BH Photo.

If you get the V90 SDXC, you pay 50% more and only get half the capacity of the CFE.

[rbnsncrs]

I have Lightroom but I'll install PS and try the trick, thanks.

I bought a 256 GB CFE card when I was buying the camera. Ofc 1 week later a bundle came out with a free 512 CFE lol My luck...

I was planning to store the photos on the SD card and videos on the CFE. I never thought I would experience such problems, otherwise I would store them on both the cards. It was a good lesson, never trust a product nowadays. As releasing firmwares is easy thanks to internet development I feel like we all became testers until the product becomes stable.

I may go for a V90 later when the prices become more reasonable. Even though a card reader is not necessary nowadays with the option of connecting the camera or using Wi-Fi to transfer files, I have SD card readers, one of them is even installed on my PC as a port directly.

I'm still away from home. I'll keep working on the problem when I go back 🙂

[rbnsncrs]

@jasonleecs, @Peter came back to my home at last.

I was using Faststone. I tried DPP but when I tried to load the files it crashed, so I didn't force that one a lot.

Today I updated my Lightroom so it started to show the CR3 files. Some of them still looks washed out on the preview but gets fixed when I switch to the Develop tab.

Some photos still have problem. I guess those are the "goners" Jason was telling about. Uploaded one of them to Dropbox.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/68mpb7ow8rg0h3xxyo7m2/_C1A1426.CR3?rlkey=xczijhboyxaoq6azctw0v0s5g&st...

I didn't do an in camera format as far as I remember. Directly put the card in and started using if the camera didn't force me to in the beginning. I'll do that and try some more. I also started to write on both the cards, 256 GB will be enough for my daily use anyway.

Hope they solve the problem as soon as possible. Not a total deal breaker but annoying for a product at this price level.

[Peter · Accepted solution]

Yes, corrupted. One of three embedded JPEG files corrupted too. This one is still okey but only low resolution. Extracted with Exiftool.

The blue pixels in the raw file are in the bad area hitting 16383. It means that they clip the highlights and do that even in the masked pixels. The value there should be 512.

[jasonleecs]

I concur with Peter's finding.

Anyway, there is a new firmware available for the R5M2 now. Maybe you can download it and hopefully it resolved the issue; https://www.usa.canon.com/support/canon-product-advisories/Firmware-Notice-EOS-R5-Mark-II-Firmware-V...

[rbnsncrs · Accepted solution]

I already downloaded and updated. Didn't see anything about this issue in the list though.

Thanks a lot. 

[jasonleecs]

Same here. But I haven't got my lazy butt off the chair to perform any testing. Hopefully, I can do so in the next day or 2.

[jasonleecs]

Hi,

Canon Inc have revert with the cause of the phenomenon. It was cause by the SanDisk Extreme PRO® SDXC™ UHS-II V60 64, 128, and 256GB card

Please refer to this link if you're using SanDisk card; https://support-en.sandisk.com/app/answers/detailweb/a_id/52430

[Peter]

1D X II had a similar problem until the firmware was updated to 1.0.2

"If a SanDisk CFast card is inserted into the camera or a card reader, the bottom part of still images recorded may be corrupted.
This phenomenon is confirmed in images recorded in both the RAW and JPEG formats.
In the RAW file, the image corruption may appear in the bottom right corner of the image.
In the JPEG file, the image corruption may appear in the lower third area of the image.”