Canon R8 - Video Rig & Battery Solutions

[@ecmjr]

The quest for the perfect rig is never ending. Very cool setup!

[@ryanslivinski]

Been wanting a handheld video rig for quite sometime but was super overwhelmed with all of the options. After seeing this, I ordered everything shown in this video. Everything came in today and MAN this setup is PERFECT. I also ordered a Kessler kwik stand and screwed it into the bottom of the v mount plate so it sits very nicely on any surface. Perfect video my man, cheers 🍻

[@tylerckapp]

I’ve bought my canon R8 and all of the accessories so far from small rig because of this video

[@Josh_Sattin]

Awesome. Thanks for watching!

[@schleepywolfefilm]

Thanks for this video! Completed my first rig off learning what I need to go with my R8

[@Josh_Sattin]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@J_Rios0924]

Appreciate the video. I am working on building my R8 setup so this info helped in my decision making.

[@ANKOphotography]

Optimization is what I love in gear :) Thank You!

[@Josh_Sattin]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@erkkocak]

Hi Josh, Can you install/uninstall a dummy battery to the camera while using that cage without removing the cage? I swap a lot from dummy battery to regular batteries and it will be a big hassle to remove the cage each time, manage the dummy battery cable and reinstall the cage... If that's possible without removing the cage, I am sold :)

[@mbristudio4320]

today i watch your video and i love your expelination and discription with easy link

[@dalemettee1147]

So Josh, now I don't have an R8 but I do have an R50. One of the things that I would like to do is video record a stage event. One of the main things I'll need to do is hook into the sound system. I found a solution for this. A reduction device that will take the line out signal and convert it to a mic signal. I was surprised with how many devices are out there. Anyhow the deal is to connect a wireless transmitter to the source and a receiver to the camera thru an adapter.

[@manuelfigueroa894]

Thank you, great set up for me. I was holding up since I am a photographer first but looking into video with my R5.

[@Josh_Sattin]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@nteeuwen]

You mention plugging your monitor into the same battery as the camera. One of my wireless video adapters was fried because I shared the battery for it with the monitor and the HDMI cable can create a loop. I found out that Black Magic cameras (at least older ones) had a lot of issues with fried HDMI ports for the same reason. I never share batteries now with devices that also share an HDMI cable. In this case camera and monitor use a different battery. If there was a wireless HDMI device in the mix that too would be on its own. If you are not careful with how you turn off the gear, swap the batteries you damage the HDMI ports.

[@calebmadan]

Hi, Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! I'm interested in your opinion on a budget-friendly wireless video transmission system suitable for a rig that can be powered by a V-mount battery. Have you created any videos on this topic previously? Thanks again!

[@kevin-haggerty]

Small Rig = Happiness

[@garylister-i4k]

Great video I was wondering if there was a list of the items you used in your video I can’t seam to find it in the other comments

[@Josh_Sattin]

Thanks! All of the items are listed with links in the description of the video.

[@HorsesNBayonets]

Thanks for the video. Can you please tell me how much that rig costs minus the R8?

[@Phloshop]

I thought once you connect a monitor to the R8, you can no longer record internally. So if you’re using the shinobi as a monitor, how do you record your footage? I’m really curious.

[@jpfreelancefilm]

Is there any concern with running your camera and monitor off the battery? I’ve been seeing that you can fry your hdmi port that way! Thanks for the informative video!

[@loransalabood3386]

Nice setup, but as a Canon R8 owner myself, I am thinking how you would control the camera? The R8 doesn't allow touch input via 3d party monitors. So you will have to rely on the buttons only, which don't seam accessible in this setup.

[@JackZucker]

i'm confused. You say you prefer to use the USB C cable but plugging the USB C cable in disables the HDMI output. Is there some setting I'm not aware of?

[@Marfi2000]

As someone who just wanted a nice camera and does not have much experience that video just made me think that its hillarious how much gear fits on that camera xD, almost like building a lego set

[@slowmastervideos]

Thank youuuuuu so much 🙏🏾

[@Josh_Sattin]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@jamesgaszak3685]

excellent video

[@josephmhines]

AWESOME video, Josh and very timely for me!!! (already grabbed a few of the items via your affiliate links.)...here's what may be a dumb question...but can the L bracket be used in conjunction with the cage or is it an either or?

[@Josh_Sattin]

Thanks! It's either or. The cage and L bracket mount directly to the camera. You can swap them out as needed though.

[@thomaschrisohoidis7285]

Very nice and helpful review, thank you ! Did you try to connect the camera with an external power supply like Anker 25600 PD etc. like the R5c which works perfectly ?

[@Josh_Sattin]

You're welcome. I haven't tried that specific battery bank, but there are a lot out there that work.

[@Fernando-nd1hx]

Hello Josh, just saw this rig and it was just what i was looking for my needs, but im still debating between the Atomos shinobi or the ninja V, the external recording is really tempting for the redundancy (considering the R8 only supports 1 SD cards, I have never had a corruption problem, but well, there is always the "what if..") and for improved recording overall. Have you tested the smallrig VB99 battery with the R8 and the Ninja V while recording? will that battery sustain it enough? or will setup not last even 2 hours ?

[@erickman41]

Hey. So if Josh can’t get to you first, I will say that I have the Smallrig VB50 with my R8 and it lasted me roughly 8ish hours of shooting at 4k 60, dropping the Smallrig battery to as low as 19% (Which I kind of felt iffy about because of the “man what if I needed to shoot longer” ) i didn’t have any overheating issues, but it was also a cool day outside. Knock on wood, I haven’t had any problems using only 1 SD card *knock on wood* but having the safety net of the ninja V would be nice paired with the output capability of the R8 The monitor I have is the OSEE T5 and unfortunately I haven’t used it paired with my R8 running off my Smallrig battery, but I did with my M6MKII and the battery lasted me a full college basketball game shooting at 4k30. So if you’re thinking of getting the VB99, you could last a full day of shooting and monitoring

[@harvinvillamizar]

Gracias por tu aporte, puedes mostrar como funciona la cámara con ese monitor? Gracias

[@johnnyharrington232]

Could you use the r8 as a B cam with the R5c?

[@ademthedirector]

Thank you!

[@Ghost_of_the_Mountain]

Cool rig. I am getting into videography and have the same camera and microphone, but it is picking up noise from the camera autofocus. The SmallRig Wooden NATO-Rail Mini Side Handle is no longer available. Do you have any other recommendations?

[@AkaBull]

I built a rig using Sony NP-F970 batteries. They last just as long, but more compact and I can split the weight in my bags.

[@sahibdewan8961]

I'm considering using the Neewer NP-F970 Batteries(Got with Newer lights) with the Small rig Adapter Plate with my Canon R8. Do you think it can fry my R8?

[@AkaBull]

@@sahibdewan8961 Na I doubt it. You should be good. I've been using the same setup for a while now.

[@JayfkProductions876]

Small Rig full cage saved my camera during a nasty fall

[@BLUELEMURPRODUCTIONS]

Hi, Hope everything is ok. I'm thinking of buying a PD power bank with 20000mah or the small rig 99v batterie, do you not what is the best option for r8? What option will run the camera for a full day event? Thanks in advance

[@zephanmoses]

Hey I might've missed it but with the Vmount, how many different ways can you power the camera? Is it dummy battery with DC coupler or can you power the camera over USB? Or can you do either/or?

[@Josh_Sattin]

Either will work. I generally like USB C since you also have a battery inside the camera in case of a failure or if your V mount dies.

[@zephanmoses]

@@Josh_Sattin awesome thanks for the quick answer! I've been wanting to trade in my EOS R for a while but only if I could have a battery that can last! Now I need to try to figure out the best way to gimbal mount it with a vmount battery.

[@Josh_Sattin]

@@zephanmoses You're welcome. I'm not sure about USB PD on the EOS R. I thought you were talking about the R8. It's been a while since I've used the R.

[@zephanmoses]

@@Josh_Sattin I meant on the R8 - I'm hoping to sell the R to get the R8 🙂I just don't want the R8 battery life to be an issue.

[@Josh_Sattin]

@@zephanmoses Yeah battery life on the R8 is not good when shooting video.

[@DovetailKitchens]

I was just about to press the button on purchasing an R8 but have been informed that it has been crippled by Canon to run no longer than 30 mins when recording over HDMI to an external device. IS THIS TRUE? perhaps you could do a video about this! PS. I love your videos. Keep them coming.

[@Josh_Sattin]

I haven't heard that.

[@myblacklab7]

It's crippled by overheating issues, actually. If you only film when it's below-freezing outside, you might be OK.

[@diwasbaralstudio1503]

Thank you josh

[@Josh_Sattin]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@soon3794]

Could you use an external recorder to record at 4k 60fps indefinitely?

[@diegoviecili8888]

Hello Is it true that the camera cut and restart the hdmi signal after 30 minutes ?

[@BleepingWorld]

does running a camera for 5hrs strait degrade the sensor? like from heat build up?

[@TravisAtom]

How does this cage work with a dummy battery? Will the dummy battery need to be inserted into the camera before the cage is put on?

[@graysonallenn]

Awesome video! Quick question: do you know how low the shutter speed can go when in video mode? Looking for a camera that can get that cool slow/delayed shutter effect for video. Thanks!

[@quintonberry9713]

Any camera that will let you manually change settings will let you do that effect. So basically every camera lol

[@graysonallenn]

@@quintonberry9713 Actually I've owned multiple different Canon cameras and been unable to get my shutter speed below 25. I'm talking videos, not photos

[@quintonberry9713]

@@graysonallenn dang bro, well I have the camera so I tried it. Yes, i was able to put the shutter at 1/8 of a second and got the effect. I do video too and am surprised to hear your having that problem. Good luck bro!

[@vshvarts]

@@graysonallenn 1/8 of a second. And I totally understand you. My canon 200d unable to go below 1/25 in video mode

[@mauricioli3901]

Thank you Josh. I build a rig with NP-F970 battery great and more compact. Saludos ☀️👍🏻☀️🏝🌋☕📸

[@sahibdewan8961]

I'm considering using the Neewer NP-F970 Batteries(Got with Newer lights) with the Small rig Adapter Plate with my Canon R8. Do you think it can fry my R8?

[@D4ni3lS4nk3]

Can you connect the camera to the v battery via the dr-e18?

[@S9universe]

hello do u power the r8 with an usb c cable coming from the v mount or you use a dummy battery ?

[@Aryanjoshi5]

When I use the r8 with a monitor my lcd screen turns off, any way to fix this I’ve checked all settings, it works on my older sl3 it makes no sense

[@andreiter]

Other than the camera, lens and microphone, roughly how much would this setup be, including the monitor

[@johnsonguite]

Good to see once again that R8 does not overheat at 4K@24 fps... Some user mention that even in stills, it overheats...

[@Josh_Sattin]

Oh the R8 overheats big time. The only situation I have found it not overheating is in a cool indoor studio setting. It overheats quickly outside and even overheated in my driveway when it was 65F outside and not even recording. I made a video about the overheating: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGbNh4akYpV7a8k

[@johnsonguite]

@@Josh_Sattin thanks for the reply.. good that you can use without overheating in studio... Will be happy to see you testing upcoming sony cameras for overheating... Do so if you get some like A6700 rumoured to be announced on July 12..

[@Josh_Sattin]

Unfortunately I have to do overheating testing on every camera I get my hands on nowadays.

[@johnsonguite]

@@Josh_Sattin yes... but your test and video are very helpful... No doubt 4k takes lots of processing which can overheat cameras but wish camera designers should do something to overcome them...

[@jasperdcullen]

hey need some help. my R8 says "Camera control is limited when used as UVC/AUC device" and then won't power with my Vmount battery through usbc. Please can you tell me the fix to this problem?

[@Mantafilm]

Don't you need a PD usb c cable to power a canon?

[@Tonellacam]

Hey I just bought 2 smallrig vb50’s , how do you charge them ?? I know the charging brick has to at least be a 45wh pd , but what cable do I use ? Are cables rated ? Do I need a 45 pd rated cable ?

[@Josh_Sattin]

I have used random USB C cables that I have and they all seem to work.

[@myblacklab7]

Cables are rated. It's somewhat complicated, but Google is your friend. Javex cables are made in Taiwan - nearly all others are made in China.

[@ericgrayphoto]

Does that side handle get in the way of the flip out LCD when you’re holding it (when not using the Shinobi)?

[@stby3398]

Hey Josh, loved the video. I bought the items you suggested. Except the usb-c cable so I'm using other cables I have laying around. The smallrig v-mount battery is not charging my canon R5 via the usb-c port. Is there something I'm missing? It won't even turn on without the canon battery inserted. Even when the battery is inserted, it's not taking power from the v-mount battery(just ran a test). Would love any help. Thanks!

[@mcdicky]

I have the same problem 😢, have my PD power bank with PD cable but it doesn't work.

[@Josh_Sattin]

I am not sure if the R5 can actually charge through the USB-C port since it is a bit older. It might just give the camera enough power to run. Yes, you need to have a battery in the camera to power it via USB-C. Seems silly but that is the case. You can tell if the camera is pulling power via USB-C if the little battery icon on the screen turns gray, it's usually all white.

[@myblacklab7]

The cable has to be rated high enough to support the voltage and amperage. Your issue is probably the cable. FYI: Javex cables are made in Taiwan (the only ones I found that aren't made in China). CableMatters is a U.S. company whose cables are made in China.

[@MacGralek]

How do you supply power to R8 from the V-mount battery? Which dummy battery are you using? LPE17 dummy batteries are a bit "problematic" on Amazon, some have really bad reviews.

[@Josh_Sattin]

I generally use USB-C to power the camera from my V-mount battery.

[@jasperdcullen]

@@Josh_Sattin I get error message "Camera control is limited when used as UVC/AUC device" when plugged into usbc, I have a battery inside, and I still get this error, please advise

[@squidward3333]

You don't have a link to the Manfrotto arca swiss tripod plate. Where is that?

[@abiliocabral6279]

So, I bought a canon r8 with the 50mm f1.8 stm, I solved this problem by buying a 20000 20w powerbank. I never charged the battery again

[@AT-js6py]

HI Josh, very cool L bracket but I can't seem to find one for the r6 mark 2, any idea ? thanks !

[@Josh_Sattin]

I'm not sure Smallrig makes one for the R6 II.

[@AT-js6py]

Yap I can’t seem to find, cool design, really like the folding concept ! thks Josh 👍

[@AndrianTam]

thanks for this. not sure if i missed, but does this mean that the R8 can charge via usb while operating? unlike the RP, it can only charge when its turned off.

[@myblacklab7]

The R8 cannot charge via usb while operating. Most (all?) power banks that deliver 45 watts through a single connection can power the camera, if there is a battery with a charge inside the camera, but it will only charge the battery when the camera is turned off.

[@AndrianTam]

@@myblacklab7 hey, so im using the R8 now and i have a v mount battery that supports PD and can confirm it can charge while operating. The battery icon will turn grey when on to indicate that its powered externally. It also works with PD power supplies like car or wall chargers.

[@myblacklab7]

@@AndrianTam Thank you for the information! Please note that "charge" and "power" are two different things. I thought you meant that you wanted to charge the battery while the camera was in operation, but now I understand that you meant that you just wanted to power the camera, and I'm glad that worked out well for you. :) I've been researching this subject a lot, and while you might already know this, I thought I'd mention that the power supply (power bank, external battery, etc.) needs a certain minimum voltage and amperage - I think most (maybe all) 45 watt power banks/batteries will work, if the cable is rated to carry that much power. Note that the 45 watts I'm talking about is 45 watts from one part - some power banks add together the total wattage it can provide while powering multiple devices, which could mean that a "45 watt" power bank might just be able to provide 15 watts of power to three different devices at the same time. I'm a little leery of using a car or wall charger - I suppose that probably works, and is probably safe if one is using a USB-C or Thunderbolt cable, but I wonder if one might run into issues if there were a power surge or something like that.

[@AndrianTam]

@@myblacklab7 ah yes sorry, my terminology wasnt clear. I initially asked this before buying the R8, but in the end i still got it and im glad they all work. Yeah, the other chargers usually has voltage regulators but no guarantee that it would protect the camera. Its gonna be used minimally anyway Thanks again

[@myblacklab7]

@@AndrianTam Cheers!

[@vitorribeiro9249]

Can you send the link from the bottom plate from manfrotto ?

[@erikjuarezdk2367]

Hey John, You should really check out the Falcam, Ulanzi system. I change my Smallrig (which I was just not happy with).. it was always loose and the fact that I had to screw everything on and off while on shoots, just didnt work for me. The Falcam is imo way better and has more oppurtunities when it comes to rigs. I appreciate your videos, so I thought I would let you know. I use it for my FX30 and it works super well!

[@Josh_Sattin]

Josh here. Yeah I've seen the Falcam stuff and it looks awesome. I haven't had the chance to use it yet though.

[@erikjuarezdk2367]

@@Josh_Sattin definitely worth a shot. The click on system is very smooth.

[@bwoods245]

can i use the half cage on this camera?

[@Marcarfel]

Can you record ProRes with R8 and Atomos Ninja?

[@Josh_Sattin]

Yes I believe you can record Prores with the Ninja and any camera. It's one of the main recording options in the Ninja. You can't record Prores raw with the R8, you need the R6 II for that.

[@91pimtim]

you know if works with peak desgin capture dual plate with the small V monut from smairlirg?

[@Josh_Sattin]

The Peak Design capture plate does not work with the Smallrig V Mount.

[@redbike5042]

Hello! Can you record 4K video with power from USB-C powerbank? When I turn on video recording, my R8 immediately switches to the internal battery.

[@Josh_Sattin]

You should be able to use the power from USB-C PD while recording unless your powerbank doesn't have enough watts.

[@redbike5042]

@@Josh_Sattin I have xiaomi powerbank with PD 3.0 45W, camera works, battery icon is gray, until I try to record 4k60...

[@regard321]

I can't find a straight answer online. Can the r8 output 4k raw video to an external recorder?

[@Josh_Sattin]

No, the R6II can do that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gX29YmCVacR9hbc

[@YamanSharma_]

Does it support recording to SSD?

[@Josh_Sattin]

The Canon R8 does not support that.

[@aldrindetablan4358]

Have you tries using an np-f battery to run it?

[@Josh_Sattin]

I use NP-F batteries to run my monitor but I haven’t used one to power the camera.

[@davidmaxfieldgolf]

Great video, not sure the point of the battery though, it’s very big and blocks a lot of the screen which then means the extra expense of the monitor is essential. I don’t see what’s so hard about changing out the smaller batteries and just having 3-4 of them. It only takes 2 seconds.

[@Josh_Sattin]

On more demanding shoots having a larger battery is very helpful. Also if you need to power accessories like monitors, follow focus, wireless video transmission units, etc. it is very helpful.

[@troyflatland5299]

Why does the wall behind you have all those warped lines?

[@Josh_Sattin]

It’s from the KZbin compression.

[@troyflatland5299]

@@Josh_Sattin I don't see that on other videos like this. How could you have avoided it?

[@Josh_Sattin]

It is more apparent in the darker sections of an image with a gradient. This is where the 8 bit KZbin compression destroys it. Break up the background with objects and have more light in the scene.

[@DanetheBeautifulMonster]

BRO, Thank you. Hooked me up. #Newbie

[@Josh_Sattin]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@MHBTeleVision]

Will the L bracket work with a DJI Ronin S3 Pro?

[@tim-n.schutze8796]

Hello Josh. Here in Germany i can get the canon r8 for 1500 € and the Canon R6 mk1 for 1650€ . I am shooting wildlife, sports, street photgraphy, nature photography and i also want to film it. I am fine with having a smaller battery, one sd card slot or having no joystick but i am not sure about the missing IBIS and the slower frames per second. Which cam would you recommend? Is the ibis also worth for video?

[@Josh_Sattin]

Here is a video about the stabilization in the R8: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pofRpHqbarKCaac

[@prozacsf84]

bro, there are other videos guys i guess dont know you can just connect usb cable and eliminate the problem with small battery ... they propose fake batteries, bro ... i order one .. its time to cancel the order

[@Godzilla6864]

The Canon R8 will not power direct from an ext battery via USBC. It still runs the OEM battery in the camera to empty. The external battery will just recharge the Canon battery once it dies. That may be too late to keep things functioning as there would not be enough battery charging power. Dummy battery is the best bet with the external battery.

[@xkben90]

I think it depends on your use case. Although you do need the OEM battery in order to power the camera even with the external battery, I’ve noticed that the camera prioritizes to the external battery when plugged in. I’ve done tests on this to conclude this as well. When I use just the internal OEM battery, the camera overheats in 4K 60fps mode pretty quickly. When I plugged in an external battery via Usbc, I recorded for over an hour and could not get it to overheat. The issue with a dummy battery for me is that if a cable gets unplugged somehow, your camera is essentially dead. If you use Usbc power method, at least you have a little time to react. Just my experience.

[@myblacklab7]

Wouldn't it make more sense to just put all that money into a better camera, instead of buying an R8 and rigging it out?

[@HarrisBeauchamp]

A rig provides features/benefits outside of the quality/specs of the camera itself. It’s more about usecase, than it is about making up for a cameras spec weakness.

[@myblacklab7]

@@HarrisBeauchamp I can see the logic in that, although it still seems odd to start with the R8, if you have a big enough budget to rig it out so extensively. But yeah, I could imagine a use case where this would make sense, especially as the R8 goes down in value due to its overheating and battery issues. It seems like it would be a pretty limited use case, but maybe if someone wanted a monitor and V-mount battery, and was just shooting 1080p, or only shooting in cold weather, and had a budget that wouldn't allow for spending an extra grand or two for a better camera, it might make sense for someone to do this... maybe. ;P

[@troyflatland5299]

@@myblacklab7wtf are you talking about

[@shathisvaran1026]

Good luck rigging the better camera

[@Topidoit]

​@myblacklab7 the R8 is a very very capable camera especially for video. I can do 4k60 in 10-bit RAW footage. People's main gripes are the limited controls and small battery. People have shot incredible things on t3i's. The only reason I would ever upgrade from mine is if an SD card fails and I decide to get a 2 slot camera

[@sunflowerdeath]

What the point of making R8 rig since it has no stabilisation, so is useless for shooting from hands without a gimbal.

[@Josh_Sattin]

The R8 stabilization is decent with a stabilized lens. Also adding weight to a camera rig will increase the stability of the footage of any camera. Here is a video where I tested the stabilization of the R8: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pofRpHqbarKCaac

[@AkaBull]

You obviously haven't seen the mk6 ii wobble....

[@ntsan]

Those cinema lens and camera like red or arri is totally useless cause they dont have any stabilization

[@AkaBull]

@@ntsan Not useless, you just have to know how to use them. Just look at all the big budget films, they don't use lens with IS.

[@Deerob]

@@AkaBull pretty sure that was their point ;-) #sarcasm

[@GWaiver]

wonder if it will overheat with this setup

[@Josh_Sattin]

Yes the R8 will overheat - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hGbNh4akYpV7a8k