Cameras & drones

Canon EOS R8 Mark II video settings: C-Log 3, the 30-minute 4K 60p limit and what's missing

Canon says the R8 Mark II shoots 4K 60p for about 30 minutes before it shuts down, and 4K 30p without a heat limit. C-Log 3 settings and the limits to know.

The Canon EOS R8 Mark II body without a lens, seen from the front at an angle, showing the RF mount, sensor and top dials, on a black background
Canon EOS R8 Mark II. Image: Canon, graded by 4FILMMAKERS.

The Canon EOS R8 Mark II records 4K up to 60p in Canon Log 3, but Canon's own figures say the 4K 60p mode runs for about 30 minutes from a cold start at 23°C before the camera shuts down. 4K at 29.97p and Full HD have no heat limit in the same test. For C-Log 3, start at ISO 800, record 10-bit 4:2:2 and keep 4K 60p for short takes. The camera went on sale on 20 October 2026 at $1,899 body only, about €1,800 to €1,890 in Europe and £1,729 in the UK.

You won't find the heat table in Canon's English spec sheet. It sits on Canon Japan's movie features page, together with a list of functions that switch off when you pick Canon Log 3. We've put both into tables below, with the settings we'd start from and the limits worth knowing before you plan a long interview or an event on this body. We couldn't find a published timed heat test of the Mark II, and we haven't run one ourselves, so the numbers here come from Canon's documentation.

Does the R8 Mark II overheat?

Canon publishes a cold-start table for the R8 Mark II: the time from switching on to automatic shutdown, recording continuously. Canon measured it at 23°C, on a UHS-II card, using the rear screen, with Wi-Fi off and the camera on the DR-E18 dummy battery and AC-E6 adapter, without USB power.

Canon's cold-start recording times before shutdown
ModeEOS R8 Mark IIEOS R8 (2023)
4K UHD 59.94pAbout 30 minAbout 30 min
4K UHD 29.97pNo limitNo limit
Full HD 29.97pNo limitNo limit

Your 30 minutes start shrinking the moment you power on: Canon warns that menu work and live view warm the camera before you press record. And 23°C in the shade is a mild day. Owners of the first R8 have been posting heat complaints on Canon's own community forum for years, including a May 2026 thread titled "EOS R8 overheats after 60-120 seconds". The Mark II carries the same rating and Canon lists no cooling fan, so plan as if it behaves like the R8 until someone tests it.

The menu has an "overheat control" setting that drops the standby frame rate and resolution while you're not recording, plus a temperature warning and an auto power-off threshold. Turn the first one on if you shoot long days.

What are the best C-Log 3 settings for the R8 Mark II?

These are the settings we'd start from for a graded job in Europe. Change the frame rate to 23.98 or 29.97 if you deliver for the US.

Starting settings for Canon Log 3 on the EOS R8 Mark II
SettingOur pickWhy
Custom PictureC2: Canon Log 3Canon's preset slot for Log; C1 is Canon 709, C3 PQ, C4 HLG
Colour spaceCinema GamutThe widest of the three on offer (BT.709, BT.2020, Cinema Gamut), and Resolve's Color Space Transform handles Canon Log 3 with Cinema Gamut
Movie size4K UHD 25p, uncroppedUncropped 4K is the only mode oversampled from 6K
CodecXF-HEVC S YCC422 10-bit135 Mbps at 25p; XF-AVC S 4:2:2 at 150 Mbps if your editor struggles with H.265
Shutter1/50Double the frame rate; under flickering LEDs, high-frequency anti-flicker lets you fine-tune between 1/50 and 1/8192
ISO800 and upCanon's 14-stop claim is at ISO 800; Auto ISO in Log won't go lower anyway
Exposure toolsFalse colour or zebras, plus View AssistBoth on custom buttons; View Assist shows a normal-contrast image while you record Log
ISIBIS on, Movie Digital IS offDigital IS narrows the frame; switch it on only for walking shots
AudioManual level, wind cut on outdoorsBuilt-in mics are 48 kHz 16-bit stereo; use the 3.5 mm input for anything that matters

Low-light AF is the weak spot in Log. Canon itself warns that focus struggles more in Canon Log 3 in dark or low-contrast scenes, and sometimes at small apertures, and suggests opening up or using a brighter lens. If you shoot handheld in a dim room, a fast prime will help focus as much as exposure.

Which ND filter do you need at ISO 800?

Starting at ISO 800 means outdoor Log needs a lot of ND. With the sunny 16 rule, a bright day at ISO 800 gives f/16 at roughly 1/800. Holding 1/50 costs 4 stops of shutter, and every stop you open the lens adds one more.

ND needed in full sun at ISO 800 and 1/50 (sunny 16 estimate)
ApertureStops to removeFixed ND
f/2.89ND512
f/48ND256
f/5.67ND128
f/86ND64

A 2 to 5 stop variable ND won't be enough wide open in sun. A 1 to 5 stop variable with a fixed ND8 behind it, or a 6 to 9 stop variable, gets you there. Our variable ND guide covers which ones avoid the X pattern at the top of their range, and the Pocket 4P ND article runs the same maths for a camera with a native ISO of 1600.

What stops working in Canon Log 3?

Several of the R8 Mark II's easier video features can't run alongside Log. Canon lists them in the footnotes of the Japanese movie page:

Features you lose or keep with Canon Log 3
FeatureIn Canon Log 3
Cinema View (2.35:1 framing, fixed 23.98/25p)Not available
Movie digital zoom (Full HD, up to 10x)Not available
4K frame grab (8.3 MP still)Not available
Auto ISO below 800Not available
Pre-recording (3 or 5 s)Works, except in slow and fast motion
HDMI out10-bit 4:2:2 over micro HDMI
Full HD 180pAvailable, uncropped only, without sound

Which limits should you check before buying?

Side view of the Canon EOS R8 Mark II showing the microphone, headphone, micro HDMI and USB-C port covers next to the RF mount
The side ports: 3.5 mm mic and headphone, micro HDMI and USB-C. Image: Canon, graded by 4FILMMAKERS.
EOS R8 Mark II video limits, from Canon's spec sheet
ItemWhat Canon listsWhat it means on a shoot
Clip length6 h below 100 fps, 2 h at 100 fps and aboveHeat or battery will stop you first
BatteryLP-E17, about 40 min of 4K 60pCarry spares or power it over USB-C (PD-E1/PD-E2)
Aspect ratios16:9 UHD and Full HD onlyNo open gate for vertical crops; use aspect markers (9:16, 4:5 and more)
4K crop modeAbout 62% of the width, not oversampledCanon says it reaches UHD "by image processing"; RF-S lenses force it
Movie Digital ISOff / On / Enhanced / new Enhanced+Narrows the frame; can't run with subject tracking IS
CardOne SD slot, UHS-IINo backup recording; V60 for 4K 60p XF-AVC S 4:2:2 at 250 Mbps
4K 60p ISOExpanded ISO capped at 51200Minor, unless you shoot in the dark
Full HD 180pMax shutter 1/200, exFAT cards only, no soundFine for slow motion, not for synced audio
HDMIMicro (Type D)Use a cable clamp if you run an external monitor

At 4K 59.94p in 10-bit 4:2:2 HEVC, a 64 GB card holds 37 minutes. That lines up with the heat rating, so one 64 GB card and one battery last about as long as a single 4K 60p take.

What changed for video from the original R8?

The sensor stays at 24.2 MP, and you get the same 4K 60p from 6K, the same Full HD 180p and the same C-Log 3. For video, the Mark II's real change is stabilisation: the original R8 had digital IS only.

EOS R8 Mark II vs EOS R8 for video
R8 Mark IIR8
Stabilisation5-axis IBIS, up to 7.5 stops centre (CIPA)Digital IS only
Movie Digital ISOff, On, Enhanced, plus new Enhanced+ and subject tracking ISOff, On, Enhanced
Heat rating, 4K 60pAbout 30 minAbout 30 min
Weight with battery and card546 g461 g
Multi-controller (joystick)YesNo

Who should buy it for video?

Who the R8 Mark II suits, and who should look elsewhere
You shootGood fit?Reason
Travel, vlogs, handheld B-rollYesIBIS plus Enhanced+ digital IS in a 546 g full-frame body
Short graded pieces, music videosYes10-bit 4:2:2 C-Log 3, false colour and a waveform
Long interviews at 25pYes, with mains or USB-C powerNo heat limit at 4K 30p in Canon's test; battery is the catch
Events in 4K 60p, summer outdoorsNoAbout 30 minutes at 23°C, less in sun
Weddings or paid jobs with no second cameraThink twiceSingle SD slot, no backup recording
Vertical-first social workPartlyNo open gate; you crop 9:16 from 16:9
Pros and cons for video
ProsCons
4K 60p oversampled from 6K, uncropped4K 60p limited to about 30 minutes by heat
IBIS, new on the R8 lineOne SD slot, micro HDMI
False colour, zebras, waveform, LUT supportCinema View, digital zoom and frame grab off in Log
Pre-recording and a front tally lampLP-E17 battery, about 40 min of 4K 60p

How much is it in Europe, the UK and the US?

EOS R8 Mark II body prices, checked 31 October 2026
MarketBody onlySource
Italy€1,889.99Canon Italy online store, at pre-order (TechPrincess)
Germany€1,799Calumet Germany listing
UK£1,729Park Cameras and other UK retailers
US$1,899Canon USA launch price (kit with RF 24-50mm: $2,099)

Retail prices in Europe already vary by about €90 between countries, and Black Friday is close, so check before you order.

Questions people ask

How long can the Canon R8 Mark II record 4K 60p?

About 30 minutes from a cold start at 23°C, according to Canon Japan, before the camera switches itself off. Warmer weather, direct sun or a long setup before recording will shorten that.

Does the Canon R8 Mark II have a recording time limit?

Canon lists a maximum of 6 hours per clip below 100 fps and 2 hours at 100 fps and above. In practice, heat at 4K 60p and the LP-E17 battery stop you long before that.

What ISO should I use for C-Log 3 on the R8 Mark II?

Start at ISO 800. Canon measures its 14-stop dynamic range claim there, and Auto ISO won't go below 800 in Canon Log 3. In daylight, use ND filters to keep the shutter at 1/50 instead of dropping the ISO.

Does the Canon R8 Mark II have IBIS?

Yes. It's the first R8 with in-body stabilisation, rated by Canon at up to 7.5 stops in the centre and 7.0 at the edges, with the RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z at 105 mm.

Can the R8 Mark II shoot open gate?

No. Canon's spec sheet lists 16:9 UHD and Full HD only. For vertical video you crop from 16:9, with 9:16 and other aspect markers on screen to help framing.

Sources

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