Canon EOS R5 Mark II Firmware Rumors & Speculation

Big changes are on the way, and Canon users are waiting on what might be a major firmware update for the new Canon EOS R5 Mark II.

For those that have missed some of the current issues with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, I’ll also share my own experience testing the EOS R5 Mark II on firmware version 1.0.3 — including some strange autofocus issues and how I worked around them.

Canon’s Upcoming Firmware Update for the EOS R5 Mark II

Back in January, we expected to see a major firmware update coming to the R5 II that would add significant updates.

If you remember the original EOS R5, we saw big upgrades come through firmware like Canon Log 3, better autofocus, and improved heat management. So it’s reasonable to hope for big things here too.

Major Firmware Specs (Rumoured):

• 4K 60p Fine Recording
  This is a long-standing request. The R5 II already shoots 8K60, so 4K60 downsampled from that sensor seems doable. Even if it comes with heat warnings, many of us would like the option.
• Opengate Recording
  Opengate means using the full sensor — great for video shooters. It’s not confirmed yet, but it’s possible.
• APS-C 17:9 Mode at 120fps in RAW
  This would let you record high-quality, cinematic slow motion in RAW using a cropped part of the sensor. That’s a big deal for filmmakers and color graders.

Why not give us full frame 120fps RAW?

Heat.

That would be a data firestorm, possibly cooking the camera, choking your CFexpress cards, and stressing your editing system. So, APS-C 120fps RAW sounds like a smart middle ground.

ICYMI: Canon EOS R5 Mark II Autofocus Woes on Firmware 1.0.3

Now let’s get into my own experience. I updated my Canon EOS R5 Mark II to firmware 1.0.3 back in March. Right after, I noticed some strange behaviour with autofocus. Sometimes it was fast and snappy, other times… totally unresponsive.

Here’s what happened:

• Sometimes the autofocus locked up, refusing to refocus.
• I’d half-press or even fully press the shutter and nothing.
• Sometimes it took over a minute before the autofocus woke up.
• Even worse: AF tracking would appear to work perfectly, but when I got home, the footage was out of focus.

I was using the Canon RF 100–500mm (firmware 1.1.0) and testing in bright, sunny weather. Temperatures were around 8–13°C (46–55°F). Oddly, when I turned off power saving, the problem disappeared.

If the camera went to sleep and I woke it up, the AF would misbehave. Sound familiar? It’s like waking a grumpy teenager — confused, slow, and not very helpful.

I’ve tried reproducing this issue under controlled conditions, and it’s inconsistent. Some days, no problems at all. Other days, autofocus just wouldn’t cooperate.

Could it be temperature related? Maybe. Battery issues are also widespread. Canon support confirmed those are their number one complaint. Autofocus issues seem less commonly reported… but that could change if more people speak up.

EOS R5 Mark II

4.2

• 45MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS
• DIGIC Accelerator Processing
• Dual Pixel Intelligent AF, Eye Control
• 8K 60 Raw/4K 60 SRAW/4K 120 10-Bit
• Up to 30 fps, Pre-Continuous Shoot
• 5.76m-Dot EVF with OVF Sim
• 3.2″ Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
• In-Camera Upscaling to 179MP
• CFexpress & SD UHS-II 

My Workarounds (and What You Can Do)

Until Canon delivers a fix, here’s what worked for me:

• Turn off power save
  Letting the camera go idle causes problems.
• Flip the AF/MF switch
  Sometimes toggling from AF to MF and back kicks the autofocus back into gear.
• Hard reset
  Turning the camera off and on again, or even removing the battery, helped.

I’ve sent my findings to Canon, and they’ve asked for more details. Field data like this helps them track issues that might not show up in their labs.

What can you do?

If you’re having problems, call Canon and report it. Even if you get a scripted answer or repeated steps, your report is logged. The more reports, the higher the priority the issue gets. It’s the best way to help Canon fix this sooner.

Final Thoughts

Firmware updates matter. They can fix bugs, unlock features, and extend the life of our camera. Nikon just showed they’re still supporting older models. Canon is preparing to deliver big new capabilities to the R5 Mark II, but first, they need to fix some bugs.

If you’re having issues with autofocus or batteries, don’t wait for someone else to report it. Help the community by reporting the issue to Canon. And if you’re testing too, let us know your experience in the comments.

Go to discussion…