# Goodbye to My Canon M5



## mazza1967 (Sep 15, 2017)

I have just traded I'm my M5 having got a 6dMK11 body and a 16-35 L series 2.8 to add to my original 6d and collection of Art Sigma Lenses , 2 full frame bodies will easily keep my happy for many years ,My Final decision being based on 3 things first the battery life I found this a real pain and I whilst i enjoyed the small body and portability the pain of constantly having a battery charging found me with 3 batteries 2 with me one constantly on charge for when I got back home usualy with both flat from not that many shots and Secondly not being able to get my Godox Flash to work consistantly with my Godox studio kit which meant it was not being used not a canon issue but for me a real pain
and despite many update from Godox to try and make it work. I like some of the features of Mirror system but I think the battery life for me was the Killer


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## Fleetie (Sep 15, 2017)

Shame. I like my M5. 

BTW, what were you using to charge the M5's batteries? Full-stops?* ;D 
You might find electricity gives better results!
--
* periods


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## bholliman (Sep 15, 2017)

You must shoot more than I do. I've not run into a situation yet where 2 batteries didn't handle a days shooting with my M5. I'm getting 300-400 pictures per fully charged battery depending on how much I'm using the LCD. I normally take 3 batteries with me (1 in camera and 2 in the bag), and I haven't needed the 3rd battery yet.


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## AlanF (Sep 15, 2017)

I just don't get more than a 100 or so shots per charge. The M5 was sent back to Canon but they sent it back the next day that it was fine.


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## bholliman (Sep 15, 2017)

AlanF said:


> I just don't get more than a 100 or so shots per charge. The M5 was sent back to Canon but they sent it back the next day that it was fine.



Wow, 100 is bad. Is this with different batteries?


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## dak723 (Sep 15, 2017)

bholliman said:


> AlanF said:
> 
> 
> > I just don't get more than a 100 or so shots per charge. The M5 was sent back to Canon but they sent it back the next day that it was fine.
> ...



Do you have Eco mode turned on?


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## Frodo (Sep 15, 2017)

Sure the battery doesn't last as long in my M3 as on my 6D, but that's not a reason I'd sell the camera. I spent 3 weeks walking through the Alps and couldn't rely on power, so I took 3 spare batteries. They are small and I never needed more than two in a day.
The M5 is very different to the 6D, of course, including being much smaller. I'm pleased I didn't have my 6D plus 24-105 on the hike. But the 6D is much better for events.


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## Jopa (Sep 15, 2017)

mazza1967 said:


> I like some of the features of Mirror system but I think the battery life for me was the Killer



No wonder. Battery life was one of the reasons I said goodbye to my a7r2.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Sep 15, 2017)

So far, I've been surprised that the battery in my SL2 has been lasting so long. I was planning to buy a couple spares, but, so far, I've only recharged the battery once, maybe twice.

On the other hand, the battery that came with my 5D MK IV seems to have a short life, the second one I bought lasts longer.


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## AlanF (Sep 15, 2017)

bholliman said:


> AlanF said:
> 
> 
> > I just don't get more than a 100 or so shots per charge. The M5 was sent back to Canon but they sent it back the next day that it was fine.
> ...



I have 2 Canon and 2 3rd party batteries. I use eco mode and every setting I can find to lower power consumption.


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## KeithBreazeal (Sep 15, 2017)

The compact design of the M5 with the guts of an 80D(basically) has it's tradeoffs . Something as small as the M5 will not have room for a high capacity battery- pure fact. I bought an extra battery for mine but only used it once. Actually, I'm surprised how well it does considering how long the LCD screen stays on.


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## Talys (Sep 16, 2017)

KeithBreazeal said:


> The compact design of the M5 with the guts of an 80D(basically) has it's tradeoffs . Something as small as the M5 will not have room for a high capacity battery- pure fact. I bought an extra battery for mine but only used it once. Actually, I'm surprised how well it does considering how long the LCD screen stays on.



On an 80D or 6DII, 2 batteries will run an entire work day running tethered, wifi, or LCD liveview (though the LCD will annoyingly shut off), or HDMI. I always take at least three, and have never needed to go into the third unless one was accidentally half-charged.

When the battery starts flashing low power, I can probably still get 100 pictures off  I shot for 2 hours after work today, on the lake, and took at least a couple hundred photos on the last bar of battery (almost no liveview or LCD). I had a spare, but never had to crack it open.


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 16, 2017)

Has anyone compared Eco Mode vs not? Heading to Italy for a few days with my M6, will bring two charged batteries, but need to decide whether or not to pack the charger. It'll be my daytime/backup camera, as I'll have my 1D X along (and I know one fully charged battery will be sufficient, I won't even bother with the second battery, much less the charger).


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## dcm (Sep 16, 2017)

Like the original M, one of the biggest battery savers is to turn Continuous AF off.


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## Act444 (Sep 16, 2017)

Don't know about the M5, but 2 batteries has been often enough for me for a day's shooting with the M6 (as well as the M I had before). In my experience, unless I have the LCD continuously on, even one battery is enough from time to time. 

I do turn continuous focus and AI Servo off (two major battery drains).


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2017)

I sold my M5 a few months ago too. I still like the camera, but it still felt laggy to me. Like it was one generation away from being as snappy as an slr. The big reason, though, is that I went all full frame by selling all my aps-c glass. When they come out with a full frame mirrorless, I'll be sniffing around.


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## AlanF (Sep 16, 2017)

Act444 said:


> Don't know about the M5, but 2 batteries has been often enough for me for a day's shooting with the M6 (as well as the M I had before). In my experience, unless I have the LCD continuously on, even one battery is enough from time to time.
> 
> I do turn continuous focus and AI Servo off (two major battery drains).



I have Continuous AF turned off but leave AI Servo on. Is that really a major drain as well? If so, off it goes.


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## mazza1967 (Sep 16, 2017)

Hi Guys , I had three Canon branded batteries and yes I could get through a day shooting with 2 batteries but as a holiday Travel Camera ,where charging points are not always handy I felt I was always trying to get one charged up , perhaps a double charger would have helped , Once traded in I kept 2 of the batteries for my friend Coco who has just started out with an EOS 200d which uses the same Battery ( 1 battery lasted all day not even 50% used so its not a fault with the battery just the power drain of the camera) we shot hundreds of shots using the live view screen.
Turning of the screen and putting eco mode on would for me make the advantages associated with Mirrorless less useable , It killed it for me and I stood a big loss to put into a new body that said I am happy with my new 6d11 body and my original 6d Very Impressed with the new 200d as a cop body and out of the box works with all my Godox flash systems/triggers no issue , so I guess something about mirrorless and electronic shutter is what makes it hard for Godox to get it to work properly .


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## bf (Sep 16, 2017)

How the battery life is compared between M5 and M6?


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## mb66energy (Sep 16, 2017)

mazza1967 said:


> [...]
> 
> Once traded in I kept 2 of the batteries for my friend Coco who has *just started out with an EOS 200d* which uses the same Battery ( 1 battery lasted all day not even 50% used so its not a fault with the battery just the power drain of the camera) we shot hundreds of shots using the live view screen.
> 
> [...]



The higher power need of mirrorless cameras and comparable system size used with EF(-S) lenses was the reason I skipped the M5.

First time I saw the M5 I thought "What's that camera body, never heard about it" but than I realized it was the M5 which has similar size of SLR bodies except the short flange distance. Because I like my EF(-S) lenses and are more a tele user I do not profit too much from mirrorless I thought: Wait what's coming. FF mirrorless is maybe interesting to use the old FD glass I really liked.

But than came the 200D / SL2 which is cheap enough to buy bodies to avoid lots of lens changes and it is a great camera: With OVF and with display + DPAF. And the battery life is good + using OVF + manual focus with non-focus-by-wire lenses is a powerless method to check a photograph before taking it.


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## bholliman (Sep 16, 2017)

AlanF said:


> I just don't get more than a 100 or so shots per charge. The M5 was sent back to Canon but they sent it back the next day that it was fine.





AlanF said:


> Act444 said:
> 
> 
> > Don't know about the M5, but 2 batteries has been often enough for me for a day's shooting with the M6 (as well as the M I had before). In my experience, unless I have the LCD continuously on, even one battery is enough from time to time.
> ...


I just finished a day of shooting with my M5 and 18-150 and 22. 428 shots on a single battery and the indicator shows its 50% (the indicator is not very accurate and usually optimistic), I think the battery is pretty much drained. We attended an outdoor festival and later took the kids to a park. I mostly shoot with my EVF, but did some over my head and down-low shooting with the LCD. I was in Servo, high speed continuous whole time and mostly had continuous AF off, but did turn it on twice for limited periods of time.

I've found continuous AF to be the biggest battery drain, so I am always judicious with its use. If you leave you camera on with continuous AF active, the camera will burn through the battery very quickly.


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## docsmith (Sep 17, 2017)

neuroanatomist said:


> Has anyone compared Eco Mode vs not? Heading to Italy for a few days with my M6, will bring two charged batteries, but need to decide whether or not to pack the charger. It'll be my daytime/backup camera, as I'll have my 1D X along (and I know one fully charged battery will be sufficient, I won't even bother with the second battery, much less the charger).



From image resources review:

"When using the built-in monitor, the camera offers up to 295 shots of CIPA-rated battery life. If you are using an optional electronic viewfinder, the battery life dips slightly to 290 shots. The M6 also has an Eco mode, which provides up to 425 shots when using the monitor by dimming it after about two seconds and then turning it off after ten seconds when the camera is idle."


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## Talys (Sep 17, 2017)

docsmith said:


> neuroanatomist said:
> 
> 
> > Has anyone compared Eco Mode vs not? Heading to Italy for a few days with my M6, will bring two charged batteries, but need to decide whether or not to pack the charger. It'll be my daytime/backup camera, as I'll have my 1D X along (and I know one fully charged battery will be sufficient, I won't even bother with the second battery, much less the charger).
> ...



I wonder why battery life dips on EVF as opposed to the screen.

Also, I wonder how that 295 shots is rated. The problem is, if I'm taking 295 shots, it won't be over a very short period of time. I might take 10 shots in a few seconds, but then I might be looking at the viewfinder for another 10 minutes before I taken 1 more shot...

If you don't take any shots at all, but keep the EVF running, I wonder how long the EVF would last.


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 17, 2017)

docsmith said:


> From image resources review:
> 
> "When using the built-in monitor, the camera offers up to 295 shots of CIPA-rated battery life. If you are using an optional electronic viewfinder, the battery life dips slightly to 290 shots. The M6 also has an Eco mode, which provides up to 425 shots when using the monitor by dimming it after about two seconds and then turning it off after ten seconds when the camera is idle."



Thanks! Since I tend not to chimp, Eco mode sounds worthwhile. 




Talys said:


> I wonder why battery life dips on EVF as opposed to the screen.
> 
> Also, I wonder how that 295 shots is rated. The problem is, if I'm taking 295 shots, it won't be over a very short period of time. I might take 10 shots in a few seconds, but then I might be looking at the viewfinder for another 10 minutes before I taken 1 more shot...
> 
> If you don't take any shots at all, but keep the EVF running, I wonder how long the EVF would last.



EVF is higher resolution, more pixels to drive = more power. 

CIPA has established protocols, which include powering the camera off/on every 10 shots, and for cameras with an onboard flash, firing that flash every other shot.


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## AlanF (Sep 17, 2017)

I take CIPA battery tests as seriously as diesel emission tests.


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 17, 2017)

AlanF said:


> I take CIPA battery tests as seriously as diesel emission tests.



Depends on your purpose. US EPA mileage estimates are similar – tell you nothing about real world use, but allow you to say an Accord is more fuel-efficient than a Pilot, or that the M3 gets more/less battery life than the M6.


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## Rocky (Sep 17, 2017)

If you like the camera, Shorter battery life is not the reason to get rid of the camera. If two spare battery is not enough, get two more. I travel with M plus M2 and 3 spare batteries.


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## BasXcanon (Sep 18, 2017)

So do the Godox triggers work on the 6Dm2?


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## Zv (Sep 18, 2017)

Purely anecdotal and non scientific but I find that if I press the preview playback button between shots it saves a little battery life (Press the info button to get the RGB Histogram view which is mostly black screen). I can get around 200-300 shots out of my M/M2 battery that way. If I shoot any video clips that number goes way down. I don't think I've ever needed 3 batteries for a days shooting but I'm fairly casual with my photography.


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## Ozarker (Sep 18, 2017)

BasXcanon said:


> So do the Godox triggers work on the 6Dm2?



Only in series and with a 500k ohm resistor.


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## PCM-madison (Sep 20, 2017)

I have not had my M5 long enough to have an example of a time when I used the battery to empty, but so far battery life has not been an issue for me. As an example, I went to a local wetland photographing wildlife today with my M5 + M to EF adaptor + EF 70-300mm F4-5.6 L IS USM lens. Camera settings were mostly continuous AF off, servo focus used with single point or tracking, eco mode on, high speed continuous shooting on. I always composed with the EVF. I occasionally used the back screen to check images and histogram. I took 733 photos and downloaded them to my computer on this battery charge, and my battery charge indicator on the camera still indicates a full battery. I will keep shooting on this battery charge and report back when I have a total picture count.


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## neuroanatomist (Sep 22, 2017)

PCM-madison said:


> I took 733 photos and downloaded them to my computer on this battery charge, and my battery charge indicator on the camera still indicates a full battery. I will keep shooting on this battery charge and report back when I have a total picture count.



That's encouraging. I'm headed to Italy for four days next week, I'm going to take two batteries for the M6 and one for my 1D X, and I probably will not take the chargers.


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## PCM-madison (Sep 23, 2017)

I was able to take another 677 photos on this battery charge. Final total 1410 photos on one charge of my M5 OEM battery.


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## AlanF (Sep 23, 2017)

PCM-madison said:


> I was able to take another 677 photos on this battery charge. Final total 1410 photos on one charge of my M5 OEM battery.



Nothing like it since 5000 were fed by 5 loaves and two fishes on the mount.


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## dak723 (Sep 23, 2017)

PCM-madison said:


> I was able to take another 677 photos on this battery charge. Final total 1410 photos on one charge of my M5 OEM battery.



Please let us know your settings. Are you shooting bursts? One shot at a time?

I have taken a total of 1198 shots with my M5. I am not sure if I have recharged the battery 3 or 4 times, so getting somewhere between 250-400 shots per charge. Shooting one shot, with EVF and with Eco mode on.


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## PCM-madison (Sep 24, 2017)

I was mostly shooting with my M5 + M to EF adaptor + EF 70-300mm F4-5.6 L IS USM lens. Camera settings were mostly continuous AF off, servo focus used with single point or tracking, eco mode on, high speed continuous shooting on. I always composed with the EVF. I occasionally used the back screen to check images and histogram. I was photographing wildlife, mainly wetland birds such as osprey, great blue herons, northern shovelers, wood ducks, pied billed grebes, sandhill cranes, etc. Because the subjects were at similar distances, the lens elements did not have to move much to focus between most shots. I was also shooting bursts of frames with high speed continuous shooting where there was minimal movement of elements for focusing. I'm sure these factors helped conserve battery power.


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## meckley (Oct 23, 2017)

I got a used M5 a month ago to take on a 11 day trip to Austria & Germany. In the past, I have used the M and M3, but was unhappy with the auto focus. I was about to give up on the M-Series, but decided on giving the M5 a try. It came with the 18-150 mm lens.

I really enjoyed using the M5. I liked the auto focus better on the M5 than on the M3. It is still not as fast at my 7D2, but I'm not sure I really missed out on any pictures by using the M5. Personally, I would have preferred my 7D2, but it is heavy, especially with two extra lenses and accessories. I can carry the M5 and three EF-M lenses for maybe a little more than the weight of the 7D2 and an attached L lens. Also, the camera bag is about a third of the size of the one I use for my 7D2.

I had three batteries along on the trip. I would go through a battery and a half each day taking about 200 to 400 shots. One battery was charged every night. While I would have liked better battery performance, the picture quality and weight/size make the M5 a good choice for type of vacation. I am glad I bought it.


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## jolyonralph (Oct 23, 2017)

I have five or six LP-E17 batteries - I wouldn't want to go out without at least 2 spare charged.

I bought a cheap 'Neewer' brand USB charger that takes 2 LP-E17s and charges them both at once (you need a full power USB port for this). 

Battery life is erratic. But I've also found that often when the red flashing low battery warning comes up it still has plenty of shots left in it until it dies. Depending on temperature to a great extent. And the usual trick of putting a discharged battery in your pocket to warm up for a few minutes is often enough to get those four or five urgent extra shots if everything is depleted.

I have the M3 (converted to IR), the M5 and the M6. I like them all.


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