T2i Unfortunately must return: OVERHEATING

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FatBird19

Well-known member
I just received my T2i today. I've been testing it out for the last few hours. It's absolutely perfect for what I want in so many ways, except that it overheats on long takes.

The T2i was a joint purchase between my brother and I; I want to use the camera for short films. He's an artist and he wanted to use the camera to record him painting or drawing so that he can upload some short clips to his youtube channel as well as photograph his portfolio and other work.


The camera only made it through 40min of recording in 640p mode in my test before that high temperature light started flashing. I turned it off.
We understood that we'd have to start a new clip every half hour or so, but the camera couldn't even make it through two full clips. This just doesn't work for what we need.


Canon, if you're reading this, do whatever you can to reduce the overheating issue in the next firmware update. Pronto. I understand this is a picture camera, not a dedicated video camera, but there's a lot I'd be willing to compromise to be able to shoot even 1.5 hours before I have to let the camera cool down.

I'm not an engineer, but here are TWO possibilities:
1. Give us a lower frame rate option in 640p mode. The T1i had a 30p mode. Why doesn't the T2i? Why only 60p? What use do most users have with 60p in standard def?
I'd even be happy with the wonky 20fps mode that was in the T1i if it meant I could record for longer.

2. Create another mode using a cropped portion of the sensor. The T2i already demonstrates this with the 640 crop mode, but the 7x crop factor makes it unusable for us as well. Could there be another crop mode where line skipping is utilized to allow for the crop to be taken from a larger portion of the sensor?


I don't know if the overheating is occurring in the sensor or the DIGIC chip, but I'd hate to see such an amazing camera fall short of its potential for something that creative firmware engineering could solve. We really don't want to return this one. It's awesome in so many ways.

-Justin
 
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Canon's Response: "Buy one of our dedicated video cameras from our great video department."

It's not what you want to hear, but that is probably what their response would be.
 
Yeah I mean- it's a real bargain camera. You want those features you need to pony up the line toward 7D and 5D MII. But that said it shouldn't be overheating to the point of usability- could be a bad unit.

Noah
 
40 minutes is a long time for any of the canon's... You most likely don't have a defective unit.

But yeah - other cameras like the GH1 shine when it comes to having similar characteristics of a pro video camera.
 
I had the GH1 sold it because of the compression. But that was my issue. The camera delivered and performed to it's published specifications, or as promised.

I have a 7D. I love it. I've seen the heat warning. I live in Florida and as it heats up I'm sure I'll see it more.

This upsets some while others are "thankful" for the camera you get for the money. I'm in the former camp. It's like buying a car that has various components like the stereo or navigation that stop working after a bit. Yeah, I know I bought the car for what it was designed for, transportation, but I also bought it for how it was equipped. Nowhere in Canon's promotion of these cameras do they mention limited video recording due to overheating...

The notion that customers should be grateful for actually getting a fully functioning, as advertised, product is baffling. Shouldn't Canon be grateful that customers give them money for these products?

Am I glad these awesome devices exist? Yes. Am I glad that market forces drive these companies to innovate? Yes. Am I grateful they allow me to buy a consumer device that overheats? No. Do you have other devices that overheat? I can't think of any that I own.
 
Simple solution. Get an ice pack. I know a lot of Red One users who say its one of the most essential things to bring with them on a shoot. If you're hot, then your camera's hot.
 
Exactly- but watch out for moisture/condensation. Wrap in a cloth or look for specialty moisture-free ice packs.

Noah
 
lol, 40 mins?? Who needs to record for 40 mins straight. As long s you stop recording between takes youll be fine.

My D90 overheated after 5 mins! FIVE!! And i easily made it thorugh shoots lasting several hours by just letting it cool between takes, even 10 or 15 seconds while you setup the shots is enough to keep you going for much longer.

jon
 
You want to use it for short films, and he wants it for short clips. What's the need to record in a 40 minute block. I don't get it. No one is recording that long with these cams. Hardly a reason to get rid of a cinema quality tool. There is nothing better unless you want to spend tens of thousands more and apparently you'll still need to bring ice packs.
 
DvxHerb said:
Yeah, I know I bought the car for what it was designed for, transportation, but I also bought it for how it was equipped. Nowhere in Canon's promotion of these cameras do they mention limited video recording due to overheating...
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Exactly.


It's an amazing camera, but if I was informed of it's limitations, I might have just purchased a video camera outright.
The marketing material says I can record up to a 29:59 clip in 640p. It never said that I could only record one of those before having to let the camera cool.

Respect me enough as a customer to let me know the limitations of your product ahead of time. I bought $1300 worth of canon stuff. Now I'm about to return $1300 of canon stuff.
 
manual says that cam can overheatt and turn itself off and you have to wait until it will be able to record vids again. Thats ok with me,i know this can cause problems with paid projects but for me this cam is amazing for the price.You have to change film rolls on film camera too you know ? So maybe we will whine about them ,there always be something for some folks to whine about.
Not mentioning 40minute clip ,i would get asleep after 20 minutes if it would be without cuts,what you can watch 40 minutes without fast forwarding or cutting?Weird reason.
There was feature film shot with red ,without cuts ,but this was extreme case and experiment,40 minutes is not a short film.
 
FatBird19 said:
Exactly.


It's an amazing camera, but if I was informed of it's limitations, I might have just purchased a video camera outright.
The marketing material says I can record up to a 29:59 clip in 640p. It never said that I could only record one of those before having to let the camera cool.

Respect me enough as a customer to let me know the limitations of your product ahead of time. I bought $1300 worth of canon stuff. Now I'm about to return $1300 of canon stuff.
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With all due respect, you are 100% wrong.

The manual CLEARLY states the camera will overheat during prolonged periods of time. If you were using an Actual film camera you would not shoot non stop as film is VERY expensive. Setup your shots properly, and grab good footage. 5-10 minute increments with turning your camera off in between will save battery life + overheating issues.

If you want a camera to strictly roll then you should look into a "video camera" such as the Hmc-40, 150 and several other models. This camera has it's specific function and you as a user need to know + understand that.


ps. I love my Canon T2i and think it is the best camera (Hd) I have ever owned.
 
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I agree completely with Cieloent. If "keeping rolling" is a the only must then you should not consider a T2i.

I own a Sony EX1 and this is the best video camera I have ever owned and this serves me for 90% of my work. My T2i (550D) is my secret weapon on those occasions where I need that DOF look. Bought an EOS-Nikkor adapter and use my lovely Nikkor primes. And by far it beats both my former Redrock Micro and Letus Extreme because at last I can obtain that DOF without putting some silly rotating or vibrating groundscreen in front of my video lens. But wait - one more thing - it's not all about DOF! At last I have a proper wide angle! Canons EF-S 10-22. This really rocks!
 
After having worked with the T2i extensively on a feature film as a B cam I can say that it overheats much faster than the 7D. What we have been doing is putting it in the fridge and on ice packs so it doesn't slow us down.
 
If you want to keep a viewers attention with a single 40 minute take, you better have some really interesting subject matter. You are expecting something this camera isn't made for. I would do shorter takes and change up camera angles which would allow the talent to be better prepared for what they are going to say etc. This would also allow you to shoot in 1080 or 720 30p and allow you to crop/downrez in post, which would yield a higher IQ. Just my .02 cents though.
 
It's an amazing camera, but if I was informed of it's limitations, I might have just purchased a video camera outright.
The marketing material says I can record up to a 29:59 clip in 640p. It never said that I could only record one of those before having to let the camera cool.
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Cieloent said:
With all due respect, you are 100% wrong.

The manual CLEARLY states the camera will overheat during prolonged periods of time.

....

If you want a camera to strictly roll then you should look into a "video camera" such as the Hmc-40, 150 and several other models. This camera has it's specific function and you as a user need to know + understand that.


ps. I love my Canon T2i and think it is the best camera (Hd) I have ever owned.
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With all due respect, you didn't read my post.

I said marketing material, not the manual. There's a big difference between the advertised, bullet-point features that Canon gives on its site and the camera's limitations that I'd have to scour through the manual to know.




I have to laugh because some of you are reacting to my post like I just shot your dog. It's a camera.

It doesn't work for what I'm looking for. It's my money that I'm spending. As you said, Cieloent, I need to understand + know the camera's specific functions, and now that I realize that those don't work for what I need, I'll be returning it, unless of course you guys can offer me some workaround solutions, which is why I came here in the first place.

I'm glad you love it for your needs, Cieloent, but it doesn't work for mine. This isn't meant as on offense to your camera.
 
Richard J. Johnson said:
After having worked with the T2i extensively on a feature film as a B cam I can say that it overheats much faster than the 7D. What we have been doing is putting it in the fridge and on ice packs so it doesn't slow us down.
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Thanks Richard,

Is that working well for you? My fear with ice packs or anything like that is the possibility of creating internal condensation in the camera's electronics.
 
Jacob Nielsen said:
My T2i (550D) is my secret weapon on those occasions where I need that DOF look. Bought an EOS-Nikkor adapter and use my lovely Nikkor primes. And by far it beats both my former Redrock Micro and Letus Extreme because at last I can obtain that DOF without putting some silly rotating or vibrating groundscreen in front of my video lens.
Click to expand...

Haha. For the film work I want to do, this is why I'm really excited about this camera. I feel like I'm practically getting an HVX resolution camera with a Academy 35mm sensor but without the bulk and for only $1300!!

I feel like this thing is absolutely perfect for anyone who wants a starter video camera for film production. I'll definitely recommend it to them.
 
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