EOS R8 - poor buffer/write performance / firmware downgrade

[anzee]

Hello!

I have a Canon Eos R8 since june 2023. I am using it as a hybrid camera for photos and videos.

Since the very beginning I am also using Tascam XLR audio adapter for the hot shoe. Filming mostly in 4k 50p light setting.

In december 2024 I found out, that I suddenly get audio problems (out of sync, scratches in audio,.. audible while montoring earphones and also in written file) when filming in 4k50p "light", although I used this setting for at least a year before without any problems. If i continued to film, the camera buffered out (with icon) and stopped filming. It helped to change the setting to 4K25p "light", but from time to time this also results in poor audio and buffer being filled. In HD the problem is not visible.

First thing to change was the SD card. Usually I was using V30 sandisk 64GB card, changed to 128GB V60 card. No difference. Tried also some other cards, with no luck (haven't tried V90, but it worked with v30 card before..). Tried different batteries with different charge states - no luck. Tried different lenses (rf70-200 f2.8, rf50 1.2, rf24-105, rf15-35), no luck. The problem persists if recording sound from Tascam, Rode NTG2 via jack or using internal microphones.

The last idea was the firmware. I think i upgraded to 1.4.0 firmware from 1.3.0 sometime in november. But cannot downgrade back to 1.3.0. to check that.

Has anyone else experienced this performance issue after upgrading to 1.4.0 firmware? Or is there a way to downgrade the firmware to an older version, to check.

Side question - anyone else also thinks that the HD quality of footage from R8 is really poor, so is the slow motion, but the 4k is just perfect...

regards, Anze

[Peter]

For best write performance, low level format the card. You will need to do this every time you have filled the card if you want the best write speed.

Benchmark the card before and after.

[anzee]

I did try making a low level format. But there is no difference. You can clearly see that the audio starts going places as the volume meters are unresponsive and laggy. For example, 4k 50p "light" gets weird audio performance after ~30s, the buffer bar shows at ~60s, and the camera stops recording shortly after. Sometimes i also get Error07.

[p4pictures]

Firstly V30 cards are really not suited to 4K 50p recording, you're on the limit of what the card can do. A more complex scene or higher noise due to more ISO might mean the video file is not so easily compressed and you hit the limit of the card. V60 should be fine, however there have been some issues with EOS R5 Mark II and some Sandisk V60 SD cards, I would certainly give another brand of V60 or a V90 card a try. 

Have you changed the audio compression setting in the custom functions, if it was previously set to be compressed and now you chose uncompressed this also adds the to load on the card. 

[anzee]

I understand that v30 card is on the limit. Will for sure try other non Sandisk v60 cards and also v90.

No, the audio compression was set to on. I also tried turning off the compression if it will worsen the result, but it seems similar.

[anzee]

No other ideas? The problem that suddenly arose brought me a lot of stress while making interviews professionally, whereas before this was a walk in the park... 😞

Hope we get a new firmware soon, as i don't know how to downgrade to test this..

[Waddizzle]

“ No other ideas? The problem that suddenly arose brought me a lot of stress while making interviews professionally, whereas before this was a walk in the park. “

So, what has changed. Are you doing anything differently now?

[anzee]

Like I said, no. Same setup as the whole time before, for more than 1,5 years. The only difference I can think about is the firmware update that I made, or some unknown and invisible mechanical problem that could be the cause..

[anzee]

And right now I tested with a brand new Angelbird 128GB v90 300MB/s card, low level formatted in the camera. Got buffer full error after 30s of filming in 4k50p light.

It must be something with the camera...

[Waddizzle]

There’s no question that V30 and V60 cards are not the best choice for recording video at the highest resolution and frame rates.  

But your issues seem to be mostly with the audio quality associated with the Tascam adapter mounted on the shoe.  Tell us more about it.  Model number?  How is it being powered?  How is it connected to the camera?  

What microphone are you using?  What about the microphone cables?