T2i 7D T2i recording time

Ed Kishel

Ed Kishel

Veteran
sorry if this has been addressed (I have read the manual and tried a search but got several server error screens).

I plugged in (and formatted) a new 16gb sdhc card into my T2i and it states 29min 59sec recording time avail when I press DISP. Page 132 of the manual states you should get 49 minutes from such a card at full HD.

Am I missing something here?
 
THe maximum recording time it will allow is 30 minutes at a time (12 minutes in HD). So you'd have to do multiple recordings to use it all.
 
So... you could get the 49min out of a 16gb card by recording roughly 4 12min clips? Or 8 6min clips. Or 16 3min clips?

And the reason they don't show any remaining recording time over 29min is because technicaly (starting with a blank card) you can't record one single clip at anything above that time limit.

With this camera you can't show 49min remaining since you can't actually record one single 49min clip (even though when the seperate clips are totaled they can add up to 49min).

Have I got this right?
 
OK, perhaps in the next firmware release they could include an option like "total reamining time on card"...
 
Edweirdo said:
OK, perhaps in the next firmware release they could include an option like "total reamining time on card"...
Click to expand...

What I do is go to menu and then hit display. That shows how much of the card you used. It's not timecode but it gives you a rough idea on when it's time to switch cards.
 
Is this per-clip limit (on the T2i) because of the media, or something else?
The T2i is supposed to support the new exFAT format, so, if this 12 min HD per-clip limit is based on the FAT32 structure of current SD cards, it should go away in the future. ( when newer, exFAT cards become available.)
I've heard that the 12-min limit is a firmware issue in the 550D, to keep the camera outside of certain import tariffs in the EU. Not sure if that's rumor or fact, though.
 
KarlSoule said:
Is this per-clip limit (on the T2i) because of the media, or something else?
The T2i is supposed to support the new exFAT format, so, if this 12 min HD per-clip limit is based on the FAT32 structure of current SD cards, it should go away in the future. ( when newer, exFAT cards become available.)
I've heard that the 12-min limit is a firmware issue in the 550D, to keep the camera outside of certain import tariffs in the EU. Not sure if that's rumor or fact, though.
Click to expand...
I'll just quote from Barry, because I can't say it any better myself:
Barry_Green said:
However, the file size limitation of FAT32 does not have to translate into being a recording time limitation -- AVCHD and P2 both use FAT32 and both provide for unlimited recording times, because both systems were designed from the ground up to support file chaining to the next or previous clip.

The Canons don't, and we don't know exactly why; either they just didn't bother to implement it, or perhaps the Quicktime file format they use doesn't support chaining. In any case, don't expect it to change, because the Canons can also have issues with overheating and a forced file shutoff at 12 minutes helps prevent that situation too.
Click to expand...
BTW, SDXC cards are looking to be pretty expensive. The first couple of models announced, 64GB cards, are around $350 each. Even if there are big price cuts in the future, I still expect there to be a significant price premium over SDHC, simply because of the greater capacity and transfer speeds.
 
KarlSoule said:
Is this per-clip limit (on the T2i) because of the media, or something else?
The T2i is supposed to support the new exFAT format, so, if this 12 min HD per-clip limit is based on the FAT32 structure of current SD cards, it should go away in the future. ( when newer, exFAT cards become available.)
I've heard that the 12-min limit is a firmware issue in the 550D, to keep the camera outside of certain import tariffs in the EU. Not sure if that's rumor or fact, though.
Click to expand...
This has been discussed almost to nauseum in this and many other forums.
The main reason for the limit is FAT32 formatting, but most importantly the EU import costs for Canon and their DSLRs. If Canon would let their new DSLRs simply start a new file and still keep recording, their DSLRs would be classified as camcorders and not DSLRs.

Thus Canon would have to pay more in import taxes to Europe.
Canon doesn't doesn't want to do this obviously as their profit margin is far and away more on DSLRs than camcorders.

As much as it pains me to say it, I don't think that Canon is going to develop 2 different versions of their camera to be sold in the U.S. or overseas.
As it's not cost efficient to do so.
 
Just curious as to how many have bought or are planning to purchase this camera JUST FOR THE VIDEO capabilities alone. If Canon would see that many are drooling over the video part, perhaps a firmware update will allow that file limit size to be taken off. That overheating thing is bullcrap. It's all about the money. Taxes that is.
 
Norman99 said:
Just curious as to how many have bought or are planning to purchase this camera JUST FOR THE VIDEO capabilities alone. If Canon would see that many are drooling over the video part, perhaps a firmware update will allow that file limit size to be taken off. That overheating thing is bullcrap. It's all about the money. Taxes that is.
Click to expand...

Hey I purchased this cameras strictly for it's video possibilities, to be teamed up with actual HD video cameras, not as a straight A camera. However, after playing with it a lot for photos, I am planning on using it just as much for photos as well. So the video only thing is out the window with me. The great thing about DSLRs, is that the most important thing on them is actually the glass. So if a better DSLR camera comes along, you can simply sell the body and use your high end glass for a newer camera. Let's see anyone do that with a prosumer video camera.

Trust me, I think Canon knows that people are purchasing these cameras for video.
But trust me in saying that Canon sells WAY more DSLRs than camcorders. This is their bread and butter. After all, I have been told by several Canon reps that they are an optics company. This is where their money is made, DSLRs and lenses.
And lots of them!

So I seriously doubt that Canon would justify the tax increase in DSLR sales for this purpose. They want to keep these DLSRs as just this, DSLRs. Now if Europe changed it's now outdated import tax, then you might see action.

Companies like Panasonic didn't worry about the classification (their cameras will continue to write unlimited files until card is full), as they don't even sniff the amount of cameras being sold like Canon does.

So unfortunately you are right, it is all about the money and bottom line. :embarasse
 
Last edited:
Norman99 said:
That overheating thing is bullcrap. It's all about the money. Taxes that is.
Click to expand...
Are you saying these things don't overheat? Have you seen all the reports here and elsewhere about overheating, and the warning in the manual about it? Overheating is reality.
 
Norman99 said:
Just curious as to how many have bought or are planning to purchase this camera JUST FOR THE VIDEO capabilities alone. If Canon would see that many are drooling over the video part, perhaps a firmware update will allow that file limit size to be taken off. That overheating thing is bullcrap. It's all about the money. Taxes that is.
Click to expand...

Well...since this camera also takes stills, I may use it for that as well.

I bought the cam for the video- I like what I saw on vimeo from the 7d and when I read over at prolost.com and from P. Bloom that the video performance was virtually identical, I said OK.
 
Last edited:
Norman99 said:
Just curious as to how many have bought or are planning to purchase this camera JUST FOR THE VIDEO capabilities alone. If Canon would see that many are drooling over the video part, perhaps a firmware update will allow that file limit size to be taken off. That overheating thing is bullcrap. It's all about the money. Taxes that is.
Click to expand...

Vegas gave you the correct answer. The 29:59 seconds has NOTHING TO DO WITH FILE SIZE. It has to do with the camera's classification and tariffs on import/export to various countries.

That means there will never be a firmware update changing the 25:59 limit.

As for who will buy... I have 5D Mark IIs and I'm going to buy a T2i just for the slow motion. That is unless Canon adds 60 frames to the firmware upgrade next week.
 
Whatever technical problems there were regarding file size were worked out years ago. Some of the new cams even roll over from one flash card to another. I'm really surpised some of these cams don't have heatsinks and fans if overheating is a problem.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top