G5 X Mark ii fatal flaw, at least for me

Richard Southworth · Aug 5, 2019

I extracted this post from another thread, because I believe it should be more visible.

I just spent an hour with Canon customer support, about charging the G5Xm2 thru the camera's USB C port. The rep checked all of her materials (limited I think) and bounced it off of more senior personnel. The short (not sweet) answer is the only way to charge this camera thru the USB C port is with the PD-E1 accessory, presently going for $190 at B&H.

I went back and read the manual for the G5 X previous model, has a page describing how to charge the battery in place from your computer USB port. I pointed this out to the customer support person, she went back again and returned with the same answer, Canon only provided thru the camera charging using the PD-E1 for the mark ii, which also allows the camera to be operated while charging.

If this is all true then Canon has done something insane, makes no sense to me, but the camera is going back to B&H.

Richard Southworth

abruzzopat · Aug 5, 2019

Richard Southworth said:
I extracted this post from another thread, because I believe it should be more visible.

I just spent an hour with Canon customer support, about charging the G5Xm2 thru the camera's USB C port. The rep checked all of her materials (limited I think) and bounced it off of more senior personnel. The short (not sweet) answer is the only way to charge this camera thru the USB C port is with the PD-E1 accessory, presently going for $190 at B&H.

I went back and read the manual for the G5 X previous model, has a page describing how to charge the battery in place from your computer USB port. I pointed this out to the customer support person, she went back again and returned with the same answer, Canon only provided thru the camera charging using the PD-E1 for the mark ii, which also allows the camera to be operated while charging.

If this is all true then Canon has done something insane, makes no sense to me, but the camera is going back to B&H.

Richard Southworth

I have good news Richard. My new G5Xii charges just fine with the two 3rd party USB adapters I have tried. One is the Apple iPad pro cable, and the other is a no-brand cable that charges my wife's Samsung phone.

I don't know why Canon insists on pushing their over priced charger as the only solution (they need the money i guess?) but plenty of other chargers will work.

HowardCB · Aug 5, 2019

Richard Southworth said:
I extracted this post from another thread, because I believe it should be more visible.

I just spent an hour with Canon customer support, about charging the G5Xm2 thru the camera's USB C port. The rep checked all of her materials (limited I think) and bounced it off of more senior personnel. The short (not sweet) answer is the only way to charge this camera thru the USB C port is with the PD-E1 accessory, presently going for $190 at B&H.

This isn't correct. I have the G5X Mark 2, and I have been charging it with a standard USB-C charging cable and a small USB-C charger. I can also power the camera while shooting with the same USB-C and an external battery.

I think the key is that the charger or battery needs a USB-C PD (Power Delivery) port to make this work.

My other camera is a Fujifilm X-T3. It also has a USB-C port, and I use the USB-C cable & battery routinely, in place of a vertical grip with extra batteries.

More and more stuff is moving to USB-C, so I think this was the correct move by Canon.

Richard Southworth · Aug 5, 2019

I have no problem with the USB C move, but I do object to not being able to use one of my existing USB A chargers, i.e. with a cable that is USB A on one end and USB C on the other. I don't want to carry along yet another charger, should be able to make it work (as per the previous model) from a USB A port.

Richard Southworth

Richard Southworth · Aug 5, 2019

abruzzopat,

If I understand your post correctly for both cases you are using a USB C charger and a double ended USB C cable?

Richard Southworth

crj200 · Aug 5, 2019

I have tested LENOVO PD Charger，it works well ，This is a 45W charger, I also use it to charge my phone and laptop. I guess the G5x2 only supports chargers with PD protocols (just guess), you can try the chargers that support PD protocols for regular phones ( 45w power is not necessary)

davesurrey · Aug 6, 2019

Richard Southworth said:
I have no problem with the USB C move, but I do object to not being able to use one of my existing USB A chargers, i.e. with a cable that is USB A on one end and USB C on the other. I don't want to carry along yet another charger, should be able to make it work (as per the previous model) from a USB A port.

Richard Southworth

Richard,

The USB interconnect has come a long way since it was first introduced mainly as a replacement for D-sub 9 and D-sub 25 cables. Remember them?

I believe most folk see USB-C and USB-PD as offering big improvements over previous standards.

It's always frustrating when standards change until the new one dominates the older one but with USB-PD capable of delivering not just 5V but higher voltages and not just 2.5W but up to 100W it means that it will be possible to carry just one charger and lead to power a wealth of devices, not just a phone or camera but hard drives, monitors and laptops....

So for once I believe Canon did the right thing.

Of course paying nearly $200 for a Canon branded charger is un-necessary and absurd.

HTH

DavidHH · Aug 6, 2019

Richard Southworth said:
I have no problem with the USB C move, but I do object to not being able to use one of my existing USB A chargers, i.e. with a cable that is USB A on one end and USB C on the other. I don't want to carry along yet another charger, should be able to make it work (as per the previous model) from a USB A port.

Richard Southworth

A charger that has USB C with PD (Power Delivery) is very different from USB A charger. It is the "Next Generation" of chargers.

abruzzopat · Aug 6, 2019

Richard Southworth said:
abruzzopat,

If I understand your post correctly for both cases you are using a USB C charger and a double ended USB C cable?

Richard Southworth

Well, the two I have tried are:

- Apple cable which is USB-C on both ends

- Cheap 3rd Party which is fixed on one end to the transformer

If you have a cable with USB-A on one end, and USB-C on the other end, I believe it would work as long as the transformer you are using has adequate power.

Richard Southworth · Aug 6, 2019

A usb-a to usb-c cable definitely (at least for a sample of one) does NOT work, using a charger with plenty of power. Apparently the PD protocol doesn't exist for this type cable, at least I haven't found any advertised with the capability.

I'll probably make a stop at Best Buy, pick up a usb-c to usb-c, and give it another try.

Richard Southworth

davesurrey · Aug 6, 2019

abruzzopat said:
If you have a cable with USB-A on one end, and USB-C on the other end, I believe it would work as long as the transformer you are using has adequate power.

No...It's not just a question of the wiring in the cables. The USB-PF protocol is quite smart and both charger and device need to negotiate what voltage and current to supply. So you need a USB-PF capable charger.

Tony Defriez · Aug 6, 2019

This is the problem with USB-C in general - it supports multiple voltages between 5v and 12v to support daisy chaining and high wattage charging 9fast charging). If you try a standard USB-A charger (5v output) it will not work. Any USB-C charger which supports all the possible voltages will work. For me I'm either carrying my MacBook Pro USB-C charger (85W version) or my iPod Pro charger USB-C charger so have no issues with charging this camera.

Note: the same is true for my EOS-R, it also only charges with charger using higher than 5V supplies. Canon has adopted the non-5V charging voltage, look for higher wattage charger if you want to charge via USB-C on any Canon camera

Richard Southworth · Aug 6, 2019

I understand the protocol, and I have a charger that is both usb-c and usb-a capable. My point is I have seen no indication that charging is allowed via a usb-a to usb-c cable, even from a suitable charger. I have found no such cables advertised to have the PD protocol capability.

Later I will obtain a usb-c to usb-c cable, PD certified, and try again. While I sort this function out I continue to take pictures, the camera does a nice job, both raw and jpeg. The only adjustment I made was to turn down the jpeg sharpness two notches, there was a little too much halo otherwise.

So I'll probably keep it, other than the in-camera charging question I have no reservations.

Richard Southworth

davesurrey · Aug 6, 2019

Richard:
I'll be honest and say that I don't know for sure but I believe that the G5Xii uses USB-PD for charging so needs to talk to the charger to determine voltage etc.

The USB-A connector only has 4 pins (2x data and 2x power at 5V) unlike the USB-C which has 22 pins. So no way for them to negotiate.

BTW what charger with usb-a and usb-c do you have?

Tony Defriez · Aug 6, 2019

Actually meant to indicate top voltage of 20 volts

davesurrey · Aug 6, 2019

davesurrey said:
abruzzopat said:

If you have a cable with USB-A on one end, and USB-C on the other end, I believe it would work as long as the transformer you are using has adequate power.

Click to expand...

No...It's not just a question of the wiring in the cables. The USB-PF protocol is quite smart and both charger and device need to negotiate what voltage and current to supply. So you need a USB-PF capable charger.

Sorry should have said USB-PD not PF

Richard Southworth · Aug 6, 2019

Success, I think. Purchased a usb-c to usb-c (3.1 rated with PD), connected my Anker PowerCore Fusion 10000 (has both usb-a and usb-c outlets), and camera now shows solid orange light, i.e. battery charging from the Anker.

However, the manual describes three different icons, and none of them are showing on the LCD, just the orange light. Anybody seen any of the icons for in-camera charging? If I turn on the camera I get the standard screen, normal battery icon.

Richard Southworth

Jerrich · Aug 6, 2019

My Motorola G6 phone has a turbo charger usb c with outputs 12, 9, and 5 volts. Wonder if it would work ok on the canon g5x II ?

JR

Bart Horn · Oct 30, 2023

It's four years later now, but I also was unpleasently surprised.
The G5X mark I charges with any (micro USB) cable. I was expecting the same when I bought the mark II, because when I'm not at home I use a batterypack or 12V car/boat charger very often.

I so lucky to own a PD (Power Delivery) battery pack and a PD-cable.
The standard HP laptop type-c charger is a cheap alternative for the expensive Canon Charger if you don't own a PD battery pack AND PD-type-C-cable.

I must agree; strange design decision by Canon.

Hope1943 · Nov 15, 2023

Richard Southworth said:
I extracted this post from another thread, because I believe it should be more visible.

I just spent an hour with Canon customer support, about charging the G5Xm2 thru the camera's USB C port. The rep checked all of her materials (limited I think) and bounced it off of more senior personnel. The short (not sweet) answer is the only way to charge this camera thru the USB C port is with the PD-E1 accessory, presently going for $190 at B&H.

I went back and read the manual for the G5 X previous model, has a page describing how to charge the battery in place from your computer USB port. I pointed this out to the customer support person, she went back again and returned with the same answer, Canon only provided thru the camera charging using the PD-E1 for the mark ii, which also allows the camera to be operated while charging.

If this is all true then Canon has done something insane, makes no sense to me, but the camera is going back to B&H.

Richard Southworth

Old post - but add this to the other strange things for this strange little camera - like not knowing when a picture is actually taken - sometimes when you pust the shutter button all the way down and sometimes when you take your finger off of the button - You never know for sure, and moving the focus point with your finger even though the adjustments via the screen is turned off - now a charging cable issue. Not to mention the poor low light focusing with CDAF only,

John

G5 X Mark ii fatal flaw, at least for me

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