Warning on low card space

[alexanderferdinand]

Nice idea or not (I wouldnt need that feature): its not good to fill the card to the end. This can cause trouble.
I would change my 32gb card when there are only 50 left from the apr. 1000 possible files.
My 2€- cents.

[Chris Geiger]

I shoot with 2 64gig cards in each 5d3 body. I can shoot a full 9 hour wedding day without changing batteries or cards.

[brianleighty]

Before somebody says it, I do realize that the 5D mark iii has 2 slots and that I could of selected the option to have it start recording to the other card but being that it was a wedding, I decided to have it record JPGs in case there was an issue with one of the cards I was recording on. I had extra cards in my pocket but in moments like that you don't have time to switch cards. Sigh... live and you learn I guess. Just frustrating that a $3000 camera can't give a simple warning for something so important as card space.

I have my camera set to switch from Card 1 to Card 2 automatically. I have two 32GB CF cards which can hold roughly 1,396 RAW pictures each. From past experience, I know roughly how many pictures I will take at each event and so I make sure I have enough. The same goes for the battery. They are the two things you must never run out of on a shoot, especially a paid shoot, or anything that is important to you.

I think the idea of getting a notice from the camera saying that you have only X number of shots left on a card is a good one in theory, though I am not sure how effective it would be in real life. Still sounds like a simple issue to implement and Canon could give users the option at what point to deliver the notice and how.

You mentioned you were shooting JPGs, how big is the card you were working with?

My backup was JPEG as I don't use SD cards much so I only had a single 16 GB card which wouldn't be enough for recording RAW as a backup.

[Studio1930]

Nice idea or not (I wouldnt need that feature): its not good to fill the card to the end. This can cause trouble.
I would change my 32gb card when there are only 50 left from the apr. 1000 possible files.
My 2€- cents.

My 1DX auto switches to the second card and usually leaves 1 shot free on the first card so the card is never 100% full.  I am not sure if this is by design to try and not mess up the card or not but it is a nice feature.

Having the camera tell me when I am almost full would be nice but I am used to checking since film cameras never told you either (you had to look at the number). 

[brianleighty]

How large is your card?  On a 32GB card I have shoot around 1,000 raw images.  Is that enough for a single event.  Costs are around $150.  Consider that 1,000 images is the equivalent of ~30 rolls of film.  Back in the day (ancient history) slides plus processing cost between $10-15/roll.  Digital equivalent of a roll of film (36 exposure) is only $5.

Double the card size, you will double the number of images.  Are you using the vertical grip?  If not, the battery will die before a 64GB card is filled.  A 128 GB card will outlast both batteries in the vertical grip.

If you are still worried about filling the card try setting the camera to use automatically switch to the second card once the first is filled.

Yup, using 32GB cards. I switched my first card with about 100 pics left on it and I filled up the second one. We tend to shoot quite a lot (in the 3500-5000 shot range). Not using a vertical grip although I'm curious if it might help me with the 70-200. I tend to use it a lot in portrait orientation and my arm was pretty sore by the end of the ceremony.

I have the vertical grip, and aside from the extra weight and bulk in the bag, I really like it.  The vertical shutterbug is a really plus and I like the larger size.

If you shoot 3500-5000 shots, how often do you need to switch batteries?  I tend to get 1500 shots / single battery (straight shooting, no viewing, no tracking with a supertelephoto lens).

It's 3500-5000 between 2 cameras not just one. My wife and I do it together. 3 batteries normally covers me.