It’s not as easy as just downloading one piece of software, but it is the best way to use your EOS RP as a webcam.
To summarise, the set-up I recommend is as follows:
- Connect your Canon EOS RP camera to a capture card using a ‘Mini HDMI to HDMI‘ cable.
- Plug the capture card into your computer.
- Use a suitable webcam software and use the feed from the capture card for high quality video for video calls or live streaming.
- Make sure you use a clean HDMI output on the Canon EOS RP for best results
I’ll show you how to do the above steps in detail and provide you with helpful tips to make sure you get the most out of this setup.
Table of Contents
What Accessories Do I Need to Use My Canon EOS RP as a HDMI Webcam?
To use your Canon EOS RP as a HDMI webcam you will need a few accessories for different things.
| Essentials | Optional |
|---|---|
| Mini HDMI (HDMI C) to HDMI cable (HDMI A) | AC Adapter with dummy battery / DC coupler (RECOMMENDED) |
| Elgato Cam Link 4K | HDMI Extension cable |
| HDMI Extension cable | Neewer Table Top Tripod |
| Extra lens – Something in the 24mm-35mm range | |
| Lighting – Elgato Key Light Air |
Essential Accessories
1. Mini HDMI to HDMI cable
You will need this to connect your Canon EOS RP 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 RP 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’s 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 RP.
To check for yourself you can go to this Elgato camera checker link, search for Canon and go to the EOS RP.
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’ll 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 can get a HDMI male to female extension cable.
It will 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 pretty important if you are streaming or using the EOS RP 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 RP.
The Canon EOS RP uses the LP-E17 battery. To replace the battery with a constant power source you need an AC-E6N adapter and a DR-E18 DC coupler.
Below is the Canon ACK-18 AC adapter kit which includes the AC-E6N adapter and a DR-E18 DC coupler.
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.
- Neewer Table Top Tripod – if you need to place your tripod on your desk or table.
- GorillaPod 3K – if you need a lot of flexibility you can attach this to pretty much anything.
4. Suitable Lens
Depending on your setup you may want a new lens.
For example, if you only have a telephoto lens there’s no way you’ll 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 better 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 RP then you should be fine.
The standard kit lens for the Canon EOS RP is the RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM lens.
Since the Canon EOS RP 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 RP as a HDMI Webcam?
To use the Canon EOS RP 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 RP with a Capture Card
- Make sure your camera has enough battery or set up the AC adapter with a dummy battery so that your camera can receive constant power.
- 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 RP. The larger side can go straight into the Elgato Cam Link 4K.
- 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).
- Open your webcam software on your computer and make sure your camera is turned on.
- 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).
- Now you should see a direct feed from your Canon EOS RP on your webcam/streaming software. Adjust your camera settings to suit your preference.
- 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 RP.
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 RP does have Clean HDMI.
This is actually one of the major benefits for the Canon EOS RP compared to some other older Canon cameras which do not have ‘Clean HDMI’.
How to Enable Clean HDMI on the Canon EOS RP
To enable a clean HDMI feed on the EOS RP you need to do the following:
- Make sure your camera is in movie mode.
- Go to your ‘Menu’.
- Go to page 4 of the ‘shooting settings’ menu. This menu has an icon of a camera body and has a red theme.
- On page 4 there should be an option which says ‘HDMI info disp’. Select this option.
- 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 this can be an issue.
- Now your Canon EOS RP 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 RP as a high quality webcam or streaming device using a clean HDMI output.
What About Canon EOS Webcam Utility?
You can also use the Canon EOS RP as a webcam using just a USB cable and the Canon EOS Webcam Utility Pro 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 RP as a USB webcam.
Further Resources
Below are some links that might be useful.
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