Is It Time to Upgrade the Video Camera?
Canon R5C vs Canon C50, C80… or Stay Put?
We already own what many people would call a dream hybrid camera: the Canon EOS R5 C.
It’s a serious stills camera and a very capable video camera, producing beautiful 4K and 8K footage with colour science we trust and lenses we already own.
Alongside it, though, we still rely heavily on older Canon DSLRs for multi-camera teaching, lab demonstrations, and day-to-day filming. They work. They’re reliable. But they are undeniably showing their age.
So the big question becomes:
Is it time to move up to a dedicated cinema camera like the Canon C50 or C80 – or are we better off sticking with hybrids and legacy kit?
Let’s break it down properly.
What the Canon R5C Already Does Brilliantly
The R5C sits in an interesting middle ground:
-
Superb image quality for both video and photography
-
Canon colour science that matches our existing cameras well
-
RF mount keeps us fully inside the Canon ecosystem
-
Internal fan removes most overheating worries
-
Ideal for solo operators, small crews, and hybrid shooting days
For science teaching videos, sailing content, and blog-linked visual work, it does exactly what we ask of it.
Its weaknesses aren’t about image quality – they’re about workflow:
-
No built-in ND filters
-
Audio needs more rigging
-
Still very much a camera, not a video appliance
Where Older DSLRs Are Now Holding Us Back
The older DSLRs still earn their keep, but:
-
Limited codecs and bit depth
-
Weak low-light performance compared to modern sensors
-
Manual audio workarounds everywhere
-
No timecode, no pro I/O, no modern monitoring tools
They’re fine as locked-off angles, but they’re no longer ideal as primary cameras in a modern teaching studio or production workflow.
The Case for a Cinema Camera: Canon C50
The Canon EOS C50 is often described as the “first proper step” into cinema cameras – and for good reason:
What you gain
-
Built-in ND filters (huge quality-of-life upgrade)
-
Excellent autofocus for teaching and demonstrations
-
Proper audio inputs
-
Long-form recording without drama
-
A body designed for video first
What you lose
-
No stills camera capability
-
Slightly less flexibility for grab-and-go photography
-
More setup, more intention required
For education, interviews, lab work, and talking-head clarity, the C50 starts to make a lot of sense.
Looking Further Ahead: Canon C80 and Beyond
The Canon EOS C80 (and higher-end cinema bodies) push things further still:
-
More robust codecs
-
Greater dynamic range
-
Higher-end monitoring and connectivity
-
Designed for broadcast and professional environments
But this is where an important question arises:
Are we upgrading because we need it – or because we can?
For most education, online content, and sailing video work, these cameras may be overkill unless the workflow itself demands them.
The Real Question Isn’t the Camera
This isn’t really about image quality.
It’s about workflow efficiency.
A cinema camera makes sense when:
-
You’re filming long sessions regularly
-
Audio must “just work” every time
-
ND filters save setup time on every shoot
-
Reliability matters more than flexibility
A hybrid camera still wins when:
-
You need both video and photography
-
You’re moving quickly between setups
-
You want maximum versatility in one body
A Sensible Upgrade Path
For a setup like ours:
-
Keep the Canon R5C as the flagship hybrid
-
Retire the oldest DSLRs first, not everything at once
-
Introduce one cinema camera (C50 is the sweet spot)
-
Use it as the main teaching / studio / long-form camera
-
Let the R5C handle photography and high-impact video
That’s not chasing specs – that’s improving how we work.
Final Thought
The question isn’t “Is the Canon C50 or C80 better than the R5C?”
Of course they are – at video-specific jobs.
The real question is:
Which camera makes filming easier, more reliable, and more enjoyable for the work we actually do?
And sometimes, the smartest upgrade isn’t the most expensive one – it’s the one that removes friction from every shoot.
