How quickly does your 5dmk2 overheat?

ICD Films

Well-known member
My PAL camera dies within 10min (and HOT in the hand after about 5 min). Pros like Shane Hurlbut have huge circulation of cameras but most people don't.

So, just curious, I'm in a cold country here so... how have you peeps coped with 5dmk2 all these years? I know people who shoot interviews with a single camera body but this kinda puzzles me a bit.
 
Your camera is defective. I have been shooting video with 5DIIs for over three years & have only once seen one overheat & that was in the South of France when the ambient temperature was 35C & the camera was on a tripod in direct sunlight. Shane Hurlbut rotates cameras to avoid sensor noise which is said to increase with operating time as the sensor warms up long before the camera gives a warning or cuts out through overheating.
 
"Your camera is defective. "

this one is my second 5dmk2, doubt it. 10 min I mean constant shooting as in one file.
 
I have never had any issues. But then again I am not so sure I've ever done a 10 min shoot. I have certainly done more than 5 minutes without it getting hot though.
 
Never had an overheat warning in over a year of shooting and also never noticed a picture degradation. Now only a couple of times have I done event shoots where I was doing 10 minute or 12 minute takes. Normally shoot narrative where 2 or 3 minutes is the usual length of a take.
 
"Your camera is defective. "

this one is my second 5dmk2, doubt it. 10 min I mean constant shooting as in one file.
We shoot weddings with two or three 5DIIs we would have noticed if this was a problem. We have been shooting video on 5DIIs for over three years. Overheating has never been a known problem with 5DIIs. It's relatively common with the 7D & T2i/550D. I am sorry but your camera has a problem. Honestly if this were normal it would be all over these forums.
 
Every single time i have a 5D to shoot with and or have someone come out to shoot with me they overheat. if you shoot under the types of conditions I do with the amount of footage then it's a given. I've heard the same thing from every single 5D shooter I work with and every single one of them overheats when we shoot. I like to get in.. shoot a ton and then move on. The 5D, 7D and the other canons all overheat on me. It makes my Gh2 look even better due to that. Now I use the canon cameras cause they look great and you can't beat the 5D for still, but its far from an ideal video camera and it keeps me from buying one. Renting and borrowing and using cameramen who have them... that's fine, but till this is solved I can't ever think of owning one. I'd never get through a single shoot without it overheating...
 
We shoot weddings with two or three 5DIIs we would have noticed if this was a problem. We have been shooting video on 5DIIs for over three years. Overheating has never been a known problem with 5DIIs. It's relatively common with the 7D & T2i/550D. I am sorry but your camera has a problem. Honestly if this were normal it would be all over these forums.
I've had mine for 2 years and have shot seminars that are 6 hours long. I shoot 12-15 min till it times out then I restart fast as I can. NEVER had a warning. My 7D I have had 1 warning in the whole last year and I also use this all the time...Both my cameras (knock on wood) have been so good to me.
 
Obviously it varies wildly by individual body, environmental conditions, and style of shooting from these responses. From me and others "never had it even begin to overheat, not even once" to "it overheats every time I turn it on".

Are you guys with issues using battery grips or something else unusual with it?
 
I've never had any problems either, thank God. Only occasionally shoot in hot conditions, though, and this thread has made me kind of nervous. Fingers crossed for this weekend (going to film two days of surfing under hot sun).

A tip someone once gave me: regularly swap out battery and maybe even card (which both get very hot). If it overheats completely, try putting in a fresh card and turning it back on.

I don't use a battery grip or external battery, but presumably they help a lot with any overheating problems?
 
Last edited:
Obviously it varies wildly by individual body, environmental conditions, and style of shooting from these responses. From me and others "never had it even begin to overheat, not even once" to "it overheats every time I turn it on".

Yes this is bit puzzling. (for example I've never ever had any signs of heat issues on t2i, a camera that I actually switched back to when I got tired of my first 5dmk2 overheating).

So. Environment of coure but... who knows. It doesn't seem *that* far fatched that Canon would do minor improvements during a production cycle spanning several years. Just look at what Microsoft & Sony do with their video game consoles... silly amount of hardware variations of Xbox 360's.

Would be cool if anyone actually had any insight in this?


 
Call Canon Support. The 5DII is a professional camera. It is supposed to be able to record 12 minutes of video in one go. It is not supposed to overheat after 10 minutes.
 
Back
Top