Canon EOS C70 vs EOS C50 vs EOS R5 C: video specs head-to-head

Today's content creators need versatile tools and the Canon EOS C70, EOS C50 and EOS R5 C are three compact but incredibly powerful cameras for filmmakers.

The groundbreaking EOS C70 ushered in a new era for pro video as the first model in Canon's Cinema EOS System to feature the advanced RF mount. The Canon EOS C50 is Canon’s smallest and lightest Cinema EOS camera with professional cinema features such as internal 7K RAW at up to 60p, Open Gate recording for maximum flexibility in post production, plus a versatile design with a removable top handle. The hybrid EOS R5 C cinema camera shares many of the same features as the EOS R5 series of mirrorless cameras, including its full-frame, high-resolution sensor, but adds a raft of pro video capabilities, most notably incredible long-duration 8K recording.

All three cameras feature Canon's revolutionary RF mount technology and intelligent autofocus, but how do their video specifications compare, and which is right for your production needs? Here, we examine some of the shared technologies and key differences between the Canon EOS C70, EOS C50 and EOS R5 C, with expert insight from Canon Europe product specialists Ram Sarup and Aron Randhawa.

• Lens mount: the RF mount system
• Performance: stabilisation, power, record times
• Sensors: Super 35 vs full-frame
• Recording formats
• Design: lightweight cinema camera and professional video features
• Autofocus: shared Dual Pixel CMOS AF technolog
• Which is the best Canon compact cinema camera for you?

The Canon EOS C70, Canon EOS C50 and EOS R5 C all use the revolutionary RF mount system. The wide lens mount and the short flange back mean that Canon’s designers can essentially go back to the drawing board and design lenses with video in mind as well as stills, such as the new wave of RF hybrid lenses.

The 12-pin lens communication of the RF mount has enabled the development of new features, including sophisticated autofocus capabilities and advanced image stabilisation that uses coordinated control of lens-based optical IS and in-camera Digital IS . The high speed of the RF mount makes effective real-time electronic focus breathing correction possible in the EOS C50, so your angle of view is maintained as the lens is focused, The aperture system has also been redesigned to transition in smaller increments, meaning there is no distracting shift in brightness levels when you adjust the aperture while recording video, compared with conventional lenses.

While RF photography lenses can be mounted on these cameras, Canon's cutting-edge RF hybrid prime and zoom lenses offer additional benefits for video. Their compact uniform size makes it easy to swap lenses in and out of a rig, and they combine the optical quality and autofocus speed that photographers need with practical features for filmmakers, including a smooth-action manual iris ring, focus breathing suppression and internal zoom mechanisms in the zoom lenes for better balancing.

The optional Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E2/PZ-E2B offers smooth zoom control of the RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z and RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Z. For convenience the EOS C50 is equipped with a zoom rocker that can be used to operate the Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E2.

EF and PL mount lenses can be used on the Canon EOS C50 and EOS C70 via EF-EOS R Mount Adapters and the PL-RF Mount Adapter, which features an additional locking plate that securely attaches to the body. All three cameras can also be used with third-party anamorphic lenses, with a range of desqueeze output magnifications, including 2x and 1.3x . All three cameras are also compatible with Canon's EOS VR SYSTEM and the RF 5.2mm F2.8L DUAL FISHEYE lens for creating 180° VR content.

A range of EF lenses can be paired with the EOS C70 with the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R 0.71x, which enhances the performance of EF lenses on the camera in two distinct ways. "Not only does it retain the full angle of view of a full-frame EF lens on the EOS C70's Super 35mm sensor, its optical conversion allows an increased light transmission of approximately one stop," says Aron. This means that an EF 24-105mm f/4 lens effectively becomes an f/2.8 lens, offering significant advantages when shooting in low light.

The Canon EOS C70, Canon EOS C50 and EOS R5 C all offer advanced 5-axis Electronic Image Stabilisation (EIS) to reduce the effects of unstable handheld movement. EIS achieves fantastic smooth and stable video performance in a variety of situations, including walking and panning. It delivers optimal performance when paired with lenses featuring optical IS, but it also works with lenses without IS. The system is also compatible with anamorphic lenses too.

Like the EOS C70, the EOS R5 C is a cinema camera offering long-duration recording. "The internal fan means it can record for long durations no matter what mode you are in – 8K 60p, 4K 120p, whatever you like," explains Aron. The Canon EOS C50 also offers long-duration recording and features an improved heat-dissipating design with an additional air intake at the front.

All three cameras offer Canon Log 3 for exceptional dynamic range, although the Canon EOS C50 and EOS C70 have the option of Canon Log 2 for the maximum dynamic range of up to 16-stops. Although Canon Log 2 features additional shadow information, it may require further post-production to suppress potential noise compared to Canon Log 3 . As a dedicated video camera, the EOS C70 comes with built-in ND filters for convenient control over the exposure when using a shallow depth of field in bright light.

One of the key differences between the Canon EOS C70 and the Canon EOS C50 and the EOS R5 C is their imaging sensors. The EOS C70 uses a Super 35mm sensor, while the EOS C50 and the EOS R5 C feature a full-frame sensor – but the underlying technology is distinctly different too.

The EOS C70 features Canon's innovative Dual Gain Output (DGO) sensor technology and DIGIC DV7 image processor. This is the same sensor found in the Canon EOS C300 Mark III, delivering incredible performance with over 16-stops of dynamic range when shooting in Canon Log 2.

"This works at the sensor level, before any processing is applied to the image," says Aron. "It seamlessly combines two separate images captured at different amplification levels: one at a lower gain that retains details in the highlights, and the other at a higher gain to increase details in the shadows while diminishing noise. This all happens in real-time and is active up to 60fps."

The EOS C50 also has a DIGIC DV7 processor, plus a state-of-the-art full-frame 7K sensor that provides over 15+ stops of dynamic range for full-frame video and over 16-stops for Super 35mm when recording in Canon Log 2.

While this compact hybrid camera doesn’t have the EOS C70’s DGO sensor technology, it is equipped with Dual Base ISO. This lets you switch between two base ISO levels according to the brightness of the scene, ensuring the optimum signal-to-noise ratio and maintaining the dynamic range when shooting in low light. “The highest base on the EOS C50 is 6400 when shooting in Canon Log 2, Canon Log 3 or RAW, which gives the camera an impressive low-light capability,” Ram says.

The EOS C50 is the first Cinema EOS camera to include a Full Frame 3:2 mode for Open Gate recording. This captures the entire area of the sensor, giving more flexibility for framing during the edit and allowing horizontal and vertical movies to be freely edited from the same footage.

The full-frame sensor in the Canon EOS R5 C is made for high-resolution photo and video capture, and it delivers 45MP stills for photographers plus 8K recording for video. But it also has an amazingly low rolling shutter even at high resolution.

A useful Digital-Teleconverter, featured on all three cameras , offers four image magnification options – 1.5x, 2x, 2.5x and 3x – and allows you to effectively extend the range of your lenses via sensor crop recording.

"In addition," Aron says, "the EOS C50 takes the Digital-Teleconverter function further with Zoom rockers featured on the camera body and top handle for Digital Zoom, allowing users to digitally zoom smoothly into a shot up to 4x, even when using a prime lens."

All three bodies in this Canon cinema camera comparison offer a wealth of recording formats. Each has dual media card slots – the EOS C70 has two UHS-II SD card slots, while both the Canon EOS C50 and EOS R5 C have one UHS-II SD slot and one CFexpress Type B slot – and all three offer the flexibility of simultaneous recording for saving files in different formats, resolutions or bit depth to each card.

The EOS R5C has the highest resolution of the three cameras. It can record full-frame 8K 12-bit video footage at up to 60p internally. It also offers XF-AVC format in 4:2:2 10-bit up to 810Mbps, plus three flavours of 12-bit Cinema RAW Light for ultimate flexibility when it comes to quality and file sizes.

In addition to recording RAW internally, the EOS R5 C supports 8K ProRes RAW capture to a compatible Atomos recorder. The camera offers enhanced ProRes RAW editing capabilities in Final Cut Pro using the Canon plug-in 1.0 for ProRes RAW support, which enables image-processing parameters such as ISO, custom white balance and noise reduction to be customised.

All three cameras offer scalable 12-bit Cinema RAW Light recording, as well as 4K up to 120fps in 4:2:2 10-bit. The EOS C50 also offers the new MP4 formats XF-AVC S / XF-HEVC S seen on the EOS C80, EOS C400, EOS R5 Mark II and EOS R1.

"A firmware update for the EOS C70 and EOS R5 C introduced the Canon 709 picture profile," continues Aron. "This adds a slight amount of contrast and saturation, plus the highlight rolloff is also a bit smoother. This will appeal to filmmakers who want to get a slightly punchier and more striking image straight out of the camera, without the need for any post-production."

As the most recent camera of the three, the EOS C50 offers forward-looking recording features, including simultaneous crop recording. This enables a vertical or square 2K crop – ideal for social media, advertising and other applications – to be recorded at the same time as a full aspect ratio 4K (DCI/UHD) video. “For those people who have a very fast turnaround and need to work quickly, being able to capture two aspect ratios at the same time is a real benefit,” Ram says.

Form factor varies between the three cameras. The Canon EOS C70 bridges the world of Cinema EOS and Canon's mirrorless cameras, offering a high degree of mobility, as well as all of the professional features that you would expect from a Cinema EOS camera, including mini XLR inputs to record audio internally, built-in ND filters and unlimited recording.

"If you're a dedicated filmmaker who shoots a range of productions, from corporate work to weddings to independent film, these are three essential camera features that you're going to need," says Aron. "They are simple functions for a video camera, but the EOS C70 is the first camera to incorporate these features in such a compact body."

Despite its small form factor, the EOS C70 has 13 customisable buttons, an eight-way joystick and a 3.5-inch 16:9 articulated screen. "In previous models, the touchscreen only controlled the Dual Pixel CMOS AF," says Aron. "However, the EOS C70 introduced a whole new direct touch user interface, for even further intuitive control."

The Canon EOS R5 C body is based on the EOS R5 mirrorless series and is approximately 60% the size and weight of the EOS C70. While the cinema-focused EOS R5 C is similar in appearance to EOS R5 series cameras, it features additional tools for filmmakers, including a front tally lamp to indicate recording and a timecode in/out terminal, which is particularly useful for synchronising multiple cameras at once.

Both the EOS R5 C and the EOS C50 have a three-way power switch that sets the camera to either video or photo mode, and each mode has its own streamlined menu system . The EOS C50 is even more compact, however, like a miniature, modular Cinema EOS camera. It doesn’t have a built-in viewfinder like the EOS R5 C for example, and it has a removable handle unit that expands connectivity options and provides improved ergonomics for fast-paced shooting.

Both the handle unit and the EOS C50’s body offer versatile expandability to support a wide range of professional setups. “The handle features two full-size XLR inputs, as well as audio controls,” Ram notes. “There’s also a zoom rocker and a record button on top, which is a similar setup to our camcorder range and makes the EOS C50 so much more comfortable to control when you’re run-and-gunning and holding the camera a little bit lower."

All three cameras offer Canon's Dual Pixel CMOS AF for responsive and reassuringly accurate tracking when the situation demands, which is particularly useful for solo shooters. The Canon EOS R5 C (in photo mode) features Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, which covers a wider area of the image and features integrated animal detection. The Canon EOS C50 uses Dual Pixel CMOS AF II in both photo and video modes, which is further enhanced with the capability to detect birds in addition to automatically tracking cats and dogs.

The cameras also benefit from EOS iTR AF X, an advanced deep-learning autofocus technology that delivers exceptional face-tracking capabilities, even when the subject is facing away from the camera.

Detect Only mode can be enabled to focus only when a face has been detected in the frame, explains Aron: "Once that person leaves the scene, rather than refocusing on the background, it waits for someone to re-enter the frame before refocusing. This delivers a much more professional result."

A firmware update has further improved the autofocus functionality of both the EOS C70 and EOS R5 C, making it possible to select the subject via the control ring/dial, as well as enabling detection of heads that are facing sideways or backwards. The EOS C50 goes even further, allowing you to prioritise a person or animal’s left or right eye.

Beyond the headline specifications, the Canon EOS C70, EOS C50 and EOS R5 C all present filmmakers with a similar proposition: a highly mobile camera that delivers exceptional image quality. So, which camera is right for you and your video production?

The EOS C70 is a dedicated filmmaking tool with exceptional battery life, dynamic range and in-built capabilities such as XLR terminals and ND filters. It's ready for professionals to simply pick up and shoot a range of productions, such as weddings, corporate videos, documentaries and cinematic filmmaking. Support for native CN-R Prime lenses and the Canon Multi-Cam app provides the image quality and creative control that professional filmmakers look for.

The EOS C50 is the smallest Canon cinema camera and complements fast-paced workflows where you need to stay agile. It offers unprecedented versatility for such a compact camera – including multiple accessory mounting points, a feature-packed handle unit with full-size XLRs, Open Gate, simultaneous crop and vertical recording – complete with a vertical interface. It’s ideal for videographers looking for a versatile camera that fit seamlessly into their workflow.

The EOS R5 C is an exceptionally powerful and compact hybrid camera that combines professional filmmaking and photography in a single solution. Enhanced functionality such as 8K video, 45MP stills, and long-duration recording ensure that it's a camera that's ready for anything, designed for a new wave of creatives who shoot a wide variety of content and need a camera that can quickly adapt to their ever-changing requirements.

"The EOS C70, EOS C50 or EOS R5 C would make a great companion for the Canon EOS C400 on cinematic productions where a small-format camera may be required for action setups or drone sequences," adds Aron. "The EOS C50 or EOS R5 C can also come into the mix as a B-cam to the EOS C70 or when higher resolution is required for particular shots. They all share the same colour matrix, so it's easier to combine footage from different bodies."