D800 movie time limit

<p>Hi, I hadn't read through the user's manual and so didn't realise that movies with the D800 are limited to 20 minute shots. I filmed myself playing squash this evening; games last over an hour. I think I read somewhere that the D800 recording limit was an hour so was disappointed to get only 20 minutes. Is anyone aware of a lesser quality option that will allow longer recording time? I gather that the constraint is over-heating circuitry. If I had a cameraman how long would he have to wait before starting to record again?</p>

<p>If you play in a air-conditioned gym, the camera might cool off in 30 minutes or so. If you are in a 85 degree F - humid out-door area, it may take an hour to cool off. If you really want a long time video, a suggestion would be to get a digital video camera that does not have the 20-minute limit...</p>

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<p>If the video is not HD, the D800 can capture up to 30 minutes (actually 29 minutes and 59 seconds). See Rob Galbraith's description: <a href="http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-11674-12304-12305">http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-11674-12304-12305</a></p>

<p>All of that is not a technical issue. As soon as HD video capture ends after 20 minutes, you can restart the next capture immediatley. However, I haven't pushed the D800 in that manner. On the J1 mirrorless camera, the camera got quite warm after an extended video capture.</p>

<p>This whole limit is to avoid getting the D800 classified as a video camera, which requires additional import duty into Europe: <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/05/18/WTO-looking-at-moves-to-remove-30-minute-limit-from-digital-cameras">http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/05/18/WTO-looking-at-moves-to-remove-30-minute-limit-from-digital-cameras</a></p>

<p>If the camera starts to overheat you'll get a countdown to Live View shut off. I recommend getting some canned air and very carefully (about a foot away) spraying it into the mirror box. The idea is get air into the sensor box, a fan or other type device works well, but on location canned air is usually most convenient.</p>

<p>I recently used my D300s to video a 45 minute concert in a little club. The D300s has a 5 minute record time, so as it got close each time, I stopped than immediately started it again at a good lull in the show. I didn't experience any problems with the camera running that continuously. With that, and also the cumbersome focussing, I decided if I do more video work, I'm getting a dedicated video camera.</p>

<p>Thanks for the prompt and very helpful responses (particularly Shun's). The self video application was not purely narcissism. We don't have a ref. so I have to point out where my opponent is cheating! I'm only half joking. He's a very good friend of mine but the competition on the court is brutal.</p>

<p>Canned air into the mirror box of a $3000+ camera doesn't sound like a really good idea...</p>

<p>In any case, this is, imho, a job for a dedicated video camera.</p>

Canned air into the mirror box of a $3000+ camera doesn't sound like a really good idea...

 

 

As long as one is careful, all the professional AC's (Assistant Camera) I know use canned air to cool DSLRs sensors down. Occasionally,

although rarely needed, we do the same thing with $80,000 professional movie cameras. On a hot day it's done between every take.

Don't blow directly at the sensor, the idea is to get air flowing in an other wise stagnet envirment, not to actually blow the sensor off.

<p>Oh I was making a faulty understanding about the limitation all the time... I thought it is the FAT32 file system that limits the video size... Thanks.</p>

<p>The limit of 29 minutes and 59 seconds is actually not a software or hardware limitation at all. Devices that can record 30 minutes or longer at a time qualify as video recorders by European law and are therefore subject to a 5.4% higher import duty. The original idea behind this is aimed at video recorders that can make -possibly illegal- copies of television shows or movies. The 5.4% is used to compensate the theoretical loss of royalties to copyright holders. While this hardly makes sense for cameras, the law does apply to them.<br>

Please read more at <a href="http://photo.vanderkolk.info/photo-nikon-d800-30-minute-limit.php">http://photo.vanderkolk.info/photo-nikon-d800-30-minute-limit.php</a></p>