Hey there! I’m curious to see if anyone here has been using the R5 underwater and could give me insight into the best autofocus mode(s) to use for my upcoming shark dive trip. I will be going back to Guadalupe to photograph white sharks. I’ve been before with a 7d mark ii but I’ve yet to do a dive with the R5. I’ll be using the rf 24-70 in an ikelite housing with the 8 inch dome. Does the animal eye detect work on sharks? Should I use a zone af? Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks in advance!

On 7/15/2021 at 6:00 AM, sharkbytesmatt said:

Hey there! I’m curious to see if anyone here has been using the R5 underwater and could give me insight into the best autofocus mode(s) to use for my upcoming shark dive trip. I will be going back to Guadalupe to photograph white sharks. I’ve been before with a 7d mark ii but I’ve yet to do a dive with the R5. I’ll be using the rf 24-70 in an ikelite housing with the 8 inch dome. Does the animal eye detect work on sharks? Should I use a zone af? Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks in advance!

Doesn't seem like there are many R5's underwater - the only reviews up specific to UW are from Bluewater/underwaterphotography guide which does mention eye detect:  https://www.uwphotographyguide.com/canon-eos-r5-review#uwphotoandvideo

They also have some recommended settings which may help start you out.

I'm using the R5 - almost exclusive macro so far although I have a dome & 8-15. Since I have not used it WA yet I might tweak my setup but below are my settings. It was inspired by Bluewater Photo article on settings (https://www.bluewaterphotostore.com/canon-eos-r5-r6-underwater-settings) and other sources. 

If I were to setup for sharks I would probabaly create a new custom mode (C2) and increase drive speed.

Canon EOS R5 settings for Nauticam NA-R5 house

Manual mode (M) / Aperture Priority mode (Av)

• Set camera to manual mode
• Set the following in menu (only deviations from default documented)

SHOOT1

• Set SET-UP1/Record func+card/folder sel. Before this one
• Store CRAW on card 1
• Store JPEG (fine/L) on card 2

SHOOT2

• ISO Speed settings
  • Auto range: 100-12800
  • Min. shutter speed: Auto
• Highlight tone priority: D+
• External speedlite control
  • Flash firing: enable
  • Slow synchro: 1/200-1/60sec. auto

SHOOT3

• Picture style: standard
  • Standard: strength: 5
• Lens aberration correction
  • Distortion correction: on
  • Digital lens correction: standard

SHOOT4

• Long exp. Noise reduction: Auto

SHOOT6

• Shutter mode: mechanical
• Release shutter without card: off

SHOOT7

• Image review
  • Review duration: 4 sec
• Metering time: 8 sec
• Shooting info disp.
  • Screen info settings
    • Disable all but 1 and 3
    • 1:  enable top/bottom, histogram
    • 3: enable all
  • VF info/toggle settings
    • Disable 1
    • 2: enable detailed shooting info (left/right), histogram
    • 3: enable all
  • Grid display: 3x3

AF1

• AF operation: servo
• AF method: AF square (1-point AF)
• Subject to detect: People

AF2

• MF peaking setting
  • Peaking: on
  • Level: high
• Focus guide: on

AF4

• Lens electronic MF: One-shot -> enable (magnify)
• Limit AF methods: face tracking, Spot AF – optionally: expand AF area (around), Zone AF
• AF method selection control: M-Fn

AF5

• Initial servo AF pt for face: Initial AF pt set for face

PLAY5

• Playback information display: 1 – 7,  9 – 10
• Highlight alert: enable
• AF point disp.: enable
• Playback grid: 3x3

NETWORK1

• Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connection: Mobile (Oneplus A6003), Computer (STEFAN-ASUS)
• Airplane mode: off (set last)
• Wi-Fi settings: enable
• Bluetooth settings: enable
• Nickname: EOSR5_Ekman
• GPS device settings
  • Select GPS device: smartphone

SET-UP1

• Record func+card/folder sel.
  • Rec options: Rec. separately – note: this enables SHOOT1/Image quality/separate cards

SET-UP2

• Video system: PAL
• Beep: disable
• Power savings:
  • display off: 1 min
  • auto power off: 3 min
  • viewfinder off: 1 min

SET-UP3

• Viewfinder brightness: auto

SET-UP4

• Multi function lock: only touch and control ring

SET-UP5

• Custom shooting mode (C1-C3)
  • Auto update set.: Enable
• Battery info: register all batteries
• Copyright information
  • Author: email address
  • Copyright details: email address

C.Fn2

• AE lock meter. Mode after focus: evaluative, spot
• Restrict shooting modes: On
  • Press Q to set modes: P, Av, M, Bulb, C1, C2

C.Fn3

• Customize buttons – stills/movies
  • Shutter: * - AE lock (while button pressed)
  • AF-ON: Metering and AF start
  • AE lock button (*): Eye Detection AF
  • AF point button: Direct AF method selection
  • LCD panel illumination button: Maximize screen brightness (temp) (stills/movie)
  • Multi-controller: Direct AF point selection (stills/movie)
• Customize dials
  • Main dial: Av
  • Quick Control Dial 1: Tv
  • Control ring: exposure comp. (hold meter. Btn)

MY MENU

• 3 x Add My Menu tab
• Menu display: From MY MENU tab

*Shoot (MY MENU1)

• Configure – rename tab to: *Shoot
• Configure – select items to register
  • Subject to detect
  • External Speedlite control
  • White balance
  • Custom White Balance

*Prepare (MY MENU2)

• Configure – rename tab: *Prepare
• Configure – select items to register
  • Record func+card/folder sel.
  • Format card

*Postpare (MY MENU3)

• Configure – rename tab: *Postpare
• Configure – select items to register
  • Wi-Fi settings
  • Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connection
  • Airplane mode

Q

• Drive mode: slow speed continous

Custom mode 1 (C1 manual)

• Set camera to manual mode (M)
• Save to C1
• Enter C1 and set the values below
• Save to C1 (if not auto save is enabled)

SHOOT2

• Auto Lightning Optimizer: Off
• Highlight tone priority: off

SHOOT4

• Long exp. Noise reduction: off

SHOOT7

• Expo. Simulation: Disable

AF1

• Subject to detect: Animal

AF2

• AF-assist beam firing: off

AF3

• Servo AF case: 2

SET-UP5

• Custom shooting mode (c1-C3):
  • Auto update set.: Enable

C.Fn3

• Customize buttons – stills/movies
  • AE lock button: Flash function settings
  • DOF preview button: Eye Detection AF
  • M-Fn: still <-> movie switching
• Customize dials
  • Control ring: Select AF method or Flash exp comp (hold meter btn)

C.Fn4

• Retract lens on power off: Off

Shooting mode

• Shutter: 1/250
• F-stop: F9.0
• ISO: 100

Hi Stefan,

I have an R5 and Nauticam housing and been having nothing but problems with it from the start. First the on/off switch on the housing wasn't working, and i sent it back to Nauticam. They sent it back and the. on/off switch still won;t engage the camera and now the VF/LCD toggle won't allow the LCD to come on.

Wondering if. you've had any issues or have any thoughts what might be going on...

Thanks in advance!!!!

2 hours ago, mjrovner said:

on/off switch still won;t engage the camera and now the VF/LCD toggle won't allow the LCD to come on.

A bit strange - both those controls are very straightforward, have you looked at them if they seem OK ?

I’m sure you did it properly, but still - on/off switch on the camera and the housing should be in the “off” position before you close the housing.

Does VF/LCD work properly (switches from LCD to VF automatically) when you look into the VF (without the housing, of course) ? Possibly you need to adjust the camera’s setting…

Talking about the topic - after 10 days of shooting (both photo and video) I’m NOT impressed with the autofocus. Possibly my old 5D Mark IV performed better in this respect.

Planning to spend some underwater time just playing with different AF settings - hopefully it will improve the situation…

Thanks for the info on your settings! I really appreciate it!

7 hours ago, mjrovner said:

... on/off switch still won't engage the camera and now the VF/LCD toggle won't allow the LCD to come on...

I have had two issue with my R5.

1. if I close the NA-R5 house with the on/off switch set to on and with the camera set to off, I can not engage the switch. Only solution is open the house and set both switches in the same position. Really annoying. 
2. If I dive in cold water (6° C / 43° F) for 40+ min the camera will start acting up - quickly changing ISO, flash settings etc. Solution is to restart camera, reset the settings. This work for 1-2 pictures and then the same thing happens again. I started seeing this after the latest FW (1.3.1).

As for focus, I can't say I have noticed that focus is bad, I think it works very well. But I'm coming from a Olympus OM-D E-M5 II where autofocus was slow and hit/miss, so the canon is much better compared to that.