Submit bug report to Canon: R5C needs particular type of USB-C cable

[pedz]

I'd like this to somehow get to Canon.  I realize that this is a user community but I thought I would post it here in hopes that it will give others some benefit and perhaps it will make it into Canon.

I have a Canon EOS R5C and a DJI RS 3 Pro gimbal.  To make the start / stop button on the gimbal work, a USB-C cable needs to be connected from the camera's USB-C port to a particular USB-C port on the gimbal.

I discovered that some (most) of my USB-C to USB-C cables would not work but others would.  I bought a diagnostic tool and this is what I found.  (This is basically the limit of my USB-C understanding.)

With the higher bandwidth USB-C technologies as well as the power distribution technologies introduced into USB-C over the past few years, the cables now have a chip in them.  Note I said "now" -- so older cables do not.  And I guess you can still buy new cables without the chip but I'm not sure.  The chip is called the eMarker chip and it describes the capabilities of the cable -- the bandwidth as well as how much power can flow through it.

If the cable has one of these chips, the R5C to gimbal connection will not work.  It only works with cables that do not have an eMarker chip -- at least judging from my limited experimentation and diagnostic work.

The cables that came with the gimbal work.  A cable I bought in 2018 works.  Many of my other cables do not work.

I also have a Canon R5.  It exhibits the same problem.  So this might be a problem with DJI's gimbal.  I am going to post this same message on their community board as well.

TL; DR - if the start / stop button on your gimbal isn't working, try changing out the USB-C cable.

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

I have no idea if the cable that comes with the R5 C has an eMarker chip.  I would be inclined to think so for additional charging protection.  You can likely confirm this with Canon support.  I've used several USB-C cables with my R5 C.  Apple, and some generic ones, but always ones that are high quality and insulated, etc.  I don't use a gimbal, just USB-C PD.  Since this issue is related to DJI, its won't be incumbent on Canon to ensure compatibility.  Maybe other DJI users will reply.  Let us know what you hear after posting on the DJI forums.  

[pedz]

I don't know which of my USB-C cables came with my R5C but I did test to see if I could do 8K 60 fps with the different cables I have.  It works with cables with and without eMarker chips -- which surprised me.  I don't know what to make of that.

What bothers me the most about this is the lack of information in all of this.  USB-C cables are not really truly labeled in any meaningful manner.  And these devices are not indicating which USB-C features they need or what features they can not work with.

I think I'm going to venture out and see if I can find the official USB standards group and write them "a strongly worded letter"... 🤣