Short answer: the R5, R6, R7 and R6 II all ship with an LP-E6NH, which is rated for 3.0A of continuous discharge. The earlier LP-E6 and LP-E6N have no such margin. Fitted with a low-drain pack, these bodies trip their protection during peak loads such as high-bitrate recording and burst buffer writes, showing up as slower bursts, errors or a straight shutdown. The pack has not failed; it simply cannot supply the current being asked of it.
Most people fixate on mAh and reason that 1865mAh against 2130mAh is only 14%, so it will do. What actually decides whether a pack works in these bodies is a different figure: continuous discharge current. Capacity decides how long you can shoot; discharge decides whether you can shoot at all.
Why discharge current is a hard threshold
A lithium-ion pack’s voltage sags under load, and the sag equals current multiplied by internal resistance. At light loads the drop is negligible; when the body suddenly calls for 5A or 6A, a high-resistance cell falls below the protection threshold and the camera concludes the pack is empty.
The pattern has a few signatures: the gauge still shows two or three bars and the camera shuts off; powering back on gives another few dozen seconds; a recording stops partway with a battery error. Many people assume a contact problem and clean the terminals repeatedly, which achieves nothing, because the cause is cell resistance rather than the interface.
Capacity and discharge capability are separate properties. A 2130mAh cell with high internal resistance looks good on paper and performs worse under load than a 1865mAh original E6N. This is also why identical capacity can carry very different prices: the difference is nearly always in the cells.
How the loads differ across bodies
| Body | Heavy-load situations | Recommended pack | Behaviour on E6N or earlier |
|---|---|---|---|
| EOS R5 | 8K 30p, 4K 120p, RAW video | LP-E6NH (E6P also works) | High-bitrate modes limited or will not start; burst rate drops |
| EOS R6 | 4K 60p oversampled, 20fps bursts | LP-E6NH | Will shoot, but long takes hit heat and power cutoffs earlier |
| EOS R6 Mark II | 4K 60p, 40fps bursts, pre-capture | LP-E6NH (E6P needs a firmware update) | Some high-speed functions limited; buffer writes slower |
| EOS R7 | 4K 60p, 30fps bursts, in-body stabilisation | LP-E6NH | Noticeably shorter runtime; slower write-back after bursts |
The R5 is the most demanding of the group. 8K and 4K 120p draw far more power and current than ordinary recording, and the body actively checks what the pack can deliver. The R6 and R7 are more tolerant: an E6N will power on and shoot, but you will meet thermal protection and jumping charge levels sooner. The R7, with continuous in-body stabilisation, is also sensitive to voltage stability.
One point that gets overlooked: bursts place demand on discharge capability as well. During 20fps or 30fps sequences the sensor, processor and card are all at full load, and the instantaneous current is comparable to video recording. So even for stills only, a low-drain pack can leave you feeling that the burst stalls after a second or two.
Spotting a third-party high-drain pack
The original E6NH’s specification is unambiguous; third-party products are where the trouble starts. Plenty of listings claim “fits LP-E6NH” and very few state a continuous discharge current. Filter with the following:
- Is a discharge current stated? A clear 3.0A or higher at least shows the maker knows what question has to be answered. Capacity alone usually means an ordinary cell in a moulded shell.
- How does it behave in continuous recording? Fit it to an R5, shoot 8K or 4K 120p, and see whether ten minutes pass without an error and with a smooth decline. Anything that trips mid-take is out.
- Feel the temperature. Warm after a take is normal; too hot to hold is not. Excess heat means high internal resistance, with energy going into heat instead of the recording.
- Watch the curve. A healthy pack falls evenly from 100% to 20%. One that drops slowly at first and then jumps from 40% to 5% is padding its estimate.
YO builds the LP-E6 series to a 2130mAh specification, and the same four checks are worth running yourself rather than trusting the packaging. Packs are consumables, but a verification method lasts for years.
Four practical habits
- Do not run to shutdown. Repeated deep discharge accelerates capacity loss. Swap at the last bar, especially before an important shoot.
- Rotate packs. Alternating two packs balances wear and stops one sitting at full charge for months.
- Use external power for long recordings. For fixed-position interviews, streams and conferences, a dummy battery or USB-C PD supply is more stable and reduces body heat. The approach in this FX3/FX30 video power setup applies here too.
- Carry an extra in the cold. Below freezing internal resistance rises and usable capacity shrinks; the records in this minus 10°C battery test show how far. Keep spares against your body and swap only when needed.
If you are still weighing whether to save money with an E6N, do the arithmetic this way: one important shoot lost to a mid-take power failure costs far more than the difference between two packs. The logic in this range differs from that of small LP-E17 bodies: there, capacity carries more weight because loads are light; here, discharge capability comes first.
FAQ
What is the difference between E6NH and E6P on an R5?
Both are 2130mAh; the E6P is rated 6.0A continuous discharge against the E6NH’s 3.0A. An E6NH already supports every function on the R5, and moving to an E6P mainly adds margin and slightly lower heat — no extra features unlock. Where the price gap is large, the E6NH is the better buy for an R5.
A third-party pack claims 2130mAh and is very cheap. Will it work?
Ask whether it dares to state a discharge current. Capacity alone usually means an ordinary cell that will drop out under the R5’s high-bitrate modes. Buy one and stress-test it before ordering more; do not buy four at once.
Why is a fully charged pack flat after a week?
First check whether it was left in the body. A camera on standby still draws power, so remove the pack for long gaps. If it still loses half its charge in a week when removed, self-discharge is abnormal or the protection board is leaking, and the pack should be replaced.
Should I worry about a warm pack?
Warm after a long take is normal. Too hot to hold, slight casing deformation, or an odd smell — any one of those means stop at once and isolate it. Do not put it back in a camera, do not keep charging it, and dispose of it through battery recycling. More fault diagnosis is in the LP-E6 section.