Time Limits on the DSLRs: Is this the reason why?

F

Foster Kane

Well-known member
I was talking to a Canon rep about the T3i time limits. The rep told me that the time limit is about 29 minutes but on HD is 12. The rep told me that the reason why this is the case is that DSLRs are designed be like film cameras not camcorders. There are time limits on film since film gets used up really quickly.

Does that sound right?
 
Depends on the camera- some are legally prohibited by laws in Europe from recording more than 29 minutes. other times it's technical reasons. Not really an issue unless you are shooting court cases- in which case you want a camera that does not have a limit such as most tapeless camcorders, etc.

Noah
 
NoahK said:
Depends on the camera- some are legally prohibited by laws in Europe from recording more than 29 minutes. other times it's technical reasons. Not really an issue unless you are shooting court cases- in which case you want a camera that does not have a limit such as most tapeless camcorders, etc.

Noah
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Why are they legally prohibited in Europe?
 
Foster Kane said:
I was talking to a Canon rep about the T3i time limits. The rep told me that the time limit is about 29 minutes but on HD is 12. The rep told me that the reason why this is the case is that DSLRs are designed be like film cameras not camcorders. There are time limits on film since film gets used up really quickly.

Does that sound right?
Click to expand...
Total nonsense.

The Canon recording format is limited to 4GB continuous in one file. In standard-def, you run into the 4GB limit at about 29 minutes. In HD, you run into it at about 12 minutes. Has nothing in the world to do with it being "designed like a film camera."
 
Barry_Green said:
Total nonsense.

The Canon recording format is limited to 4GB continuous in one file. In standard-def, you run into the 4GB limit at about 29 minutes. In HD, you run into it at about 12 minutes. Has nothing in the world to do with it being "designed like a film camera."
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... and to add to this. What is interesting is the subject matter that you record will affect the bitrate, which affects the amount of time that will fit in a 4 gig file. Try filming a white wall vs moving tree leaves against a blue sky. The white wall will go for well over 12 minutes. The moving tree leaves has more data and will be less than 12 minutes. The 4 gig file is a product of the Fat32 system (my earlier post)
 
Definitely nonsense, but great marketing. Why would a limitation like that, something the public fully expects not to happen, be programmed in to make something more 'filmic'? It doesn't even make sense.

As for the legal issues, that's a misleading way to say it. Panasonic's line originally had a time limit in Europe only, because by adding that time limit the import tax is drastically reduced. It becomes a still camera that takes video instead of a video camera on the customs form. The hack took care of this.
 
NoahK said:
Depends on the camera- some are legally prohibited by laws in Europe from recording more than 29 minutes. other times it's technical reasons. Not really an issue unless you are shooting court cases- in which case you want a camera that does not have a limit such as most tapeless camcorders, etc
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...or a non-EU Panasonic GH2 ;-)
 
It seems ML has been able to work around the time issues with some of the setting I read some where on the weekend on one of the forums a user of a 550d got 80min's, I am sort of skeptical of this claim maybe 29min's , But If you look at the Pana G2 and GH2 they shoot till 29min's, what I did see was that there bit rate is lower to the Canon's if I am correct. I do fined the only real problem is the overheating on the camera for me as time factor is not a problem due most of the shooting never goes over 5 mins per seen ,but saying that yes it would be nice to get a bit longer time.;)
 
Again, the time limit on Panny cameras is entirely a tax thing, and unique to EU cameras. Hacked and North American versions can record until the card is full. These memory cards aren't using FAT32, which means there is no file size limit to worry about; bitrate is unrelated. If you want to use an HDSLR for continuous shots, the Canon's are just out of the question. Unless a hack really does do that, but I don't see how it could.
 
The rep told me that the time limit is about 29 minutes but on HD is 12. The rep told me that the reason why this is the case is that DSLRs are designed be like film cameras not camcorders
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double facepalm.
 
the 12min limit is a FAT32 thing, but the 29min limit is definitely EU-tax related:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2007/07/17/tech-eu-cameras-trade-dc-idUKL1777271820070717
"The EU trade experts decided last Friday that to be classified as a digital camera, equipment must not be able to record at least 30 minutes of a single sequence of video in a quality of 800 x 600 pixels or higher at 23 frames per second or higher" --> don't comply with this, pay 4.9% to 12% import duty
 
This is why I come here. Thank you for the responses. There were a lot of face palms, but that is why I posted this since it was something that bothered me.

I was reading this interview about this one film that was done with DSLR.

Pretty amazing stuff.
 
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The GH1/2 still use FAT32 formatting, but the cameras are programmed to work around the 4GB limit by seamlessly starting a new file as soon as the first one reaches 4GB. These files are then reconnected when you import them to your computer as long as you use the right software.

Compare it to filling up a bucket of water. The Panasonic, upon filling up the first bucket, will move it out of the way and put a new one under without spilling a drop. The Canon will just turn off the tap when the bucket is full.

The 550D hack does allow you to record semi-continuosly, but it is a crude method. It is more akin to filling up one bucket, turning off the tap, swithing the buckets over really quickly and then turning the tap back on. There is a slight gap in between the two files.
 
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