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How Do I Use My Canon EOS R as a HDMI Webcam?

It’s not as easy as just downloading one piece of software. 

To summarise, this is how you use your Canon EOS R as a webcam with HDMI output:

  1. Connect your Canon EOS R camera to a capture card using a ‘Mini HDMI to HDMI‘ cable.

  1. Plug the capture card into your computer.

  1. Use a suitable webcam software and use the feed from the capture card for high quality video for video calls or live streaming.

  1. Enable clean HDMI for the best results.

This post will guide you through the above steps in further detail and provide you with helpful tips to make sure you get the most out of this setup. 

What about Canon EOS Webcam Utility?

You can also use the Canon EOS R as a webcam using just a USB cable and the Canon EOS Webcam Utility software.

However, that method produces a lower quality video compared to using a HDMI cable and a capture card.

To find out more about the alternative method check out our post on how to use the EOS R as a USB webcam.

What Accessories Do I Need to Use My Canon EOS R as a HDMI Webcam?

To use your Canon EOS R as a HDMI webcam you will need a few accessories for different things.

Essential Accessories

1. Mini HDMI to HDMI cable

You will need this to connect your Canon EOS R to your capture card.

The small side is the Mini HDMI (HDMI Type C) and the larger side is the standard HDMI (HDMI Type A).

2. Capture Card (I recommend the Elgato Cam Link 4K)

The capture card will be outputting the footage straight from your Canon EOS R to your video calls or streams via HDMI.

I recommend the Elgato Cam Link 4K as Elgato is a reputable company which has a compatibility checker too.

The Elgato Cam Link 4K is also a recommended product because it uses a UVC driver.

This basically means it is universally compatible with any conference software that is able to use webcams e.g. Zoom, Skype or OBS Studio.

Below you can see a screenshot from Elgato’s website showing compatibility with the Canon EOS R.

Elgato Compatibility Check for Canon EOS R 

To check for yourself you can go to this Elgato camera checker link, search for Canon and go to the EOS R.

You can check the current price and availability for the Elgato Cam Link 4K on Amazon at the link below.

3. Webcam software e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, OBS Studio

This is up to you what you use, but you will need a webcam/streaming software.

The Elgato Cam Link 4K should work with most popular webcam or streaming software.

For extra information you can check out Elgato’s page for ‘Supported Software for the Cam Link 4K’.

Optional Accessories

1. HDMI Extension cable

This is only necessary if you need a long cable length from your camera to the capture card.

Most people should be fine with just the Mini HDMI to HDMI that I linked earlier.

If you think the Mini HDMI to HDMI cable you have is too short for your setup, then you will want to get a HDMI male to female extension cable.

It’ll allow you to basically extend the length of cable between your camera and the capture card.

E.g. A Mini HDMI to HDMI cable fits into the female side of the HDMI extension cable and the male side fits into the capture card.

Tip: To reduce the need for this, get a mini HDMI to HDMI cable that is already long enough on its own. 

2. Recommended* – AC Adapter with dummy battery / DC coupler

Having constant power is quite important if you are streaming or using the EOS R for a long period of time.

If you plan to stream for a prolonged period of time then your battery will run out.

The AC adapter uses a dummy battery in the battery compartment of the camera and allows your camera to have continuous power.

This will ensure that you DON’T run out of power when streaming on the Canon EOS R.

The Canon EOS R uses the LP-E6N which is the same battery as other popular Canon cameras.

To replace the battery with a constant power source you need an AC-E6N adapter and a DR-E6 DC coupler.

Below are two examples of ‘AC adapter + dummy battery’ kits which work with the Canon EOS R. One is the official Canon version and the other is a third party brand.

The video below shows you how to use the dummy battery kit.

3. Tripod 

If you are going to be streaming or using your camera as a webcam you need somewhere stable for it to be positioned.

If you don’t already have a tripod then you may want to invest in one as they can provide more flexibility to your set up.

  • GorillaPod 3K – if you need a lot of flexibility you can attach this to pretty much anything.

  • Manfrotto Tripod – if you have more space in your room and don’t mind having a larger tripod.

4. Suitable Lens

Depending on your setup you may want a new lens.

For example, if you only have a telephoto lens there is no way you will be able to do a gaming stream with a camera only inches away from your face.

You would need a wider angle lens.

A wide angle is beneficial because the camera is normally quite close to you when streaming.

However, if you have the standard kit lens which normally comes with the EOS R then you should be fine.

The kit lens for the Canon EOS R is the RF 24-105mm f4-7.1 lens.

Since the Canon EOS R is a full frame camera, this lens should give you a wide enough angle to allow you to use it as a webcam or for streaming.

For streaming, an ideal focal length is probably in the focal length range of 24-35mm or equivalent.

Just make sure you have adequate lighting. Something like the Elgato Key Light Air is a good option for lighting.

What Software Do I Need to Use My Canon EOS R as a HDMI Webcam?

To use the Canon EOS R as a webcam or for live streaming you will need software that is compatible with the capture card that you decide to use. 

The Elgato Cam Link 4K is universally compatible with any conference software that is able to use webcams, like Zoom or Skype.

You can also use it with popular streaming software like OBS Studio. 

To read more about compatibility with the Cam Link 4K check out the following link ‘Supported Software for the Cam Link 4K’.

If you decide to use a different capture card then please check the compatibility for that specific capture card with the webcam/streaming software that you intend to use.

Set up the Canon EOS R with a Capture Card

  1. Make sure your camera has enough battery or set up the AC adapter with dummy battery so that your camera can receive constant power.

  1. Use your Mini HDMI cable to connect your camera to the capture card.

    The small side of your Mini HDMI cable should go into the Mini HDMI port on your Canon EOS R.

    The larger side can go straight into the Elgato Cam Link 4K. 

  1. Plug the Elgato Cam Link 4K into a USB 3.0 port on your computer (a USB 3.0 port is a standard USB port which has a blue colour).

  1. Open your webcam software on your computer and make sure your camera is turned on. 

  1. Select the appropriate setting so that the Elgato Cam Link 4K is your chosen video feed. (This will depend on the software you decide to use but you can use the Elgato help website for assistance).

  1. Now you should see a direct feed from your Canon EOS R on your webcam/streaming software. Adjust your camera settings to suit your preference.

  1. If you can see lots of icons etc. on your video feed then that means you need to set your camera up to have a Clean HDMI feed.

To make the most of this set up you also want to make sure you have the ability to use a Clean HDMI feed on your Canon EOS R.

This basically means that the camera can output what it is recording without having all of the icons from the user interface such as the frames per second, battery life etc.

Luckily the Canon EOS R does have Clean HDMI. 

This is actually one of the major benefits for the Canon EOS R compared to some other older Canon cameras which do not have ‘Clean HDMI’.

How to Enable Clean HDMI on the Canon EOS R

To enable a clean HDMI feed on the EOS R you need to do the following:

  1. Make sure your camera is in movie mode.

  1. Go to your ‘Menu’.

  1. Go to page 4 of the ‘shooting settings’ menu. This menu has an icon of a camera body and has a red theme. 

  1. On page 4 there should be an option which says ‘HDMI info disp’. Select this option.

  1. Choose either ‘Clean / 4K output’ or ‘Clean FHD output’.

    I recommend the FHD output as this will provide you with 1080p footage which is more than enough for a webcam or livestream.

    The 4K option crops in a lot, so if your camera is placed close to you then this can be an issue.

  1. Now your Canon EOS R will output a clean HDMI feed.

    This should also automatically disable the ‘auto power off’ function of the camera where the camera turns off automatically after a while (perfect for streaming!) . 

The video below shows you how to do this very quickly.

You should now be ready to use your Canon EOS R as a high quality webcam or streaming device using a clean HDMI output.

Further Resources

Below are some links that might be helpful to refer back to.

Related Reading: