What are the must-have travel accessories for the Canon EOS R5?

Question

So I finally moved up to the R5 after shooting with the 5D series for ages and I'm realizing this thing is a totally different beast when it comes to power. Im planning this big trip to Iceland next month and my logic was just to pack a few extra LP-E6NH batteries but now I'm wondering if I need a dedicated PD power bank for those long hikes. Also the file sizes are massive. I was looking at CFexpress cards but they're so pricey so I'm stuck deciding if I should just lean on the SD slot or bite the bullet on a ProGrade card for the speed. Budget is around 500 for all the extra bits... what are you guys actually using in the field?

WirelessWonder · Accepted Answer

Building on the earlier suggestion, you need juice and storage.Angelbird AV PRO CFexpress B SE 512GB is a decent option.SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I 256GB works but is slow. Go Angelbird.

Nicole Marie Lewis · Answer

I switched to the R5 last year and honestly, the battery life is pretty disappointing compared to the old 5D tanks. Carrying spares was my first plan, but Iceland is cold and those Canon LP-E6NH Battery units drain way faster than you'd expect when the temperature drops. Had issues with the camera dying mid-timelapse once, which was super frustrating and basically ruined my night. You definitely need a power bank if you're doing long days. The Anker 737 Power Bank PowerCore 24K has been a total lifesaver for charging via USB-C while I'm hiking between spots. About the storage... yeah, the prices are honestly painful. Relying on just a fast SD card was not as good as expected. The buffer clears so slowly it almost ruined a bird shoot for me. Unfortunately, you really do have to bite the bullet on a CFexpress if you want to use the camera's full potential. I eventually went with the ProGrade Digital CFexpress Type B Gold 256GB and it's night and day. Since you're on a 500 budget, maybe skip the fancy filters for now and prioritize the speed and power. You dont want to be stuck waiting for your camera to write files while the aurora is dancing above you. Also, grab a SmallRig L-Bracket for Canon EOS R5 because it makes switching to portrait for those tall waterfalls way easier without messing up your tripod alignment. The weather can be brutal there so maybe get a cheap rain cover too... forgot mine once and it was a mess.

margaret.kelly · Answer

Saw this earlier but just now responding... I moved to the R5 from the 5D series too and honestly the speed is just a massive jump. I've been super happy with how the dual slots handle the workflow, though the power draw is more intense with high-speed drive mode engaged. I had a similar experience in cold weather where the voltage drops, but using a power bank that supports at least 45W PD really kept me going without complaints. Honestly, as long as the specs match the 9V/3A requirement, the camera stays happy all day. Quick question tho, are you planning on shooting a lot of 8K or the high-frame rate 4K stuff? That really changes how you'll want to prioritize your storage speed versus capacity. Also, how many GBs do you think you'll actually hit in a day on those long hikes?