How do the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and newer EOS bodies retain date/time without a removable backup battery?
Asked 2/10/2017
303 views
2 answers
0
Older Canon EOS cameras used a user-accessible button-cell battery to preserve the clock and settings when the main battery was removed. I can’t find any mention of a backup battery in the EOS-1D X Mark II or 5D Mark IV manuals. Do these newer bodies use a non-user-serviceable backup battery or a capacitor instead, and roughly how long can the camera keep its date/time if the main battery is left out?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
3
The manual of the EOS 5D Mark IV contains the following section (page 53):
The date/time/zone settings may be reset when the camera is stored without the battery, when its battery becomes exhausted, or when it is exposed to below freezing temperatures for a prolonged period. If this happens, set the date/time/zone again.
This indicates that the camera uses something like a capacitor to keep the clock running while the user changes the battery, but is unable to keep the time for prolonged periods without a functional battery.
Originally by user47528. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user47528
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Canon appears to have stopped using user-replaceable date/time backup batteries in EOS bodies around 2012. Models such as the 5D Mark III and original 1D X still had one, while later cameras like the 6D, 7D Mark II, 5D Mark IV, and likely the 1D X Mark II do not.
The manuals’ wording suggests newer cameras use an internal backup method such as a capacitor or built-in rechargeable backup cell rather than a removable coin battery. Canon also notes that date/time/zone settings may reset if the camera is stored without the battery, if the battery is exhausted, or after prolonged exposure to very cold temperatures.
So, for the 1D X Mark II, it’s best to assume there is no user-serviceable backup battery. The backup power should be enough for battery changes and possibly short-term storage, but not indefinite storage without a main battery. Exact retention time is not clearly documented; community experience on similar Canon bodies suggests it can last at least days and sometimes a couple of weeks, but you should expect to reset the clock after longer periods.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI9y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why does my Canon EOS 50D lose the date whenever I remove the main battery?
Does a Canon EOS 50D keep its settings if the main battery is removed for a long time?
Why does a GoPro Hero3+ Black reset its date and time after the battery is removed?
Canon EOS 400D/XTi won’t power on or shut off properly after sitting unused
How weather-resistant is the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV compared with the 1D X?