30 Minute Video Limit: Make it EU-only?

[peederj]

So we are told, repeatedly, that the reason Canon DSLRs are unable to record more than 30 minutes of continuous video is there is a EU-imposed tax on video camera imports that exceed this limit. So Canon has crippled all their products, for the entire world, to conform to this EU-imposed limit.

Do you think this is fair? Would it be cruel for Canon to punish their European customers for the protectionist knee jerks of their politicians? Or is it crueler for Canon to punish the entire world for the protectionism of the EU bureaucrats? We report and you decide...

[marekjoz]

Although I'm from Eueope, it's fair to differentiate it. On the other hand, people from around the world also don't need to read warnings: "Do not eat this battery. This can be unhealthy for you" which are specific for some regions...

[eeek]

To say crippled in this case is really a poor choice of words.  Unless you are filming a news feed or a long interview, you can work around the limitation.  It really isn't as big a deal as you are making it out to be.

[thenickdude]

If the Magic Lantern team can do anything with the 5D Mark III, they'll be able to remove this limit. It'll be considerably easier than with other cameras since the 5D Mark III can already split its videos up into 4GB chunks.

[niccyboy]

If magic lantern does enable this I wonder how longer videos will go with overheating? As obviously Canon have designed this based on the camera  only shooting for 30min.

[expatinasia]

How does the 30-min limit work? Is it based on continuous shooting? Does it reset once you turn the video function on/off etc?

There are very few times when people would need to do a continuous 30-min shoot for a video but there will be some that need it.

Even if you are doing interviews though, you and the interviewee would probably want to take a short breah after 30 minutes!!

Unfortunately I do not think there would be the demand for more than 30 minutes which does not give canon the reason to make any change on that front.

[peederj]

Consider that it actually hurts Canon's sales quite directly.

The most expensive thing (at least in the developed world) is a human being. Cameras are cheap comparatively. Now if I'm shooting an event (a wedding, a concert, whatever) singlehandedly, or even with a small crew, I am currently more or less limited to one camera per person...someone has to be tending the cameras, because 30 minutes after I press record they are going to shut themselves off to satisfy a few politicians sitting in Brussels. When I'm halfway around the globe.

But if Canon produced an uncrippled version of their cameras, I could buy more cameras, load them with high-capacity memory cards, put each of them on a tripod with a good vantage point, pull a good frame and focus, and set them off recording while I walk around getting different vantage points with another camera on a shoulder rig.

Canon sells more cameras. I have more footage to cut to without having to manage or hire more people. Everyone would be happy...other than the mentioned EU politicians (and some maker of video cameras in the EU...is Arri to blame for this?).

If you don't understand the value of this, I wonder if you've shot events. Or interviews. Or weddings. Or anything remotely documentary. Lifting the limit from 12 minutes to 30 minutes was huge in this generation of releases. Why is the whole world forced to crash up on a new, 30 minute ceiling then?

If it is a fear of overheating, fine, but it sounds like the worst ad for Europe possible.

[Marsu42]

If the Magic Lantern team can do anything with the 5D Mark III, they'll be able to remove this limit. It'll be considerably easier than with other cameras since the 5D Mark III can already split its videos up into 4GB chunks.

Following the ml development for quite a while, I wouldn't be so sure if this limit is "fixable" because ml can only use the firmware hooks that Canon exposes. It is very well possible and might be even probable that Canon did more than just "disable" the continuous recording, but really prevented it.

The reason for this and why it's not eu-only might be that they want to sell their real and upcoming movie bodies at an even higher price. The good thing: At 3500 bucks, this problem won't matter to most people :-p

If magic lantern does enable this I wonder how longer videos will go with overheating?

I am pretty sure overheating is not the problem - the only problems with ml and overheating were on older, obviously less power-efficient bodies (like 50D, unlike 60D), and occurred a short time after enabling specific features. A slow heat build-up until exactly 30min seems very improbable, the outside temp (shooting in the desert or in the arctic) will play a larger role here.

[Drama79]

Canon sells more cameras. I have more footage to cut to without having to manage or hire more people. Everyone would be happy...other than the mentioned EU politicians (and some maker of video cameras in the EU...is Arri to blame for this?).

I doubt your customers would be - your videos would be dullsville. Unless you are going to cut around more than once every half an hour, in which case your point is moot. And why would Arri care?

If you don't understand the value of this, I wonder if you've shot events. Or interviews. Or weddings. Or anything remotely documentary. Lifting the limit from 12 minutes to 30 minutes was huge in this generation of releases. Why is the whole world forced to crash up on a new, 30 minute ceiling then?

Woah! easy on the condescension there, pal. Look - I get what you are saying. Consider this offset on your weird not-wanting-to-employ people deal. Huge HD clips over a half hour require much more expensive machines to cope with the memory requirements. I shoot documentaries a fair bit, and you need shot variety. A half hour limit is more than enough for any one take. Anything further, and I'd be using a dedicated video system anyway, as the batteries definitely would overheat. Because it's a hybrid camera, not a full on video camera. Which is what it sounds like you want.

Your argument boils down to "why isn't this motorcycle a car?". The answer is, because it's a motorcycle. It does motorcycle things well. If you'd like a car, stop telling everyone they don't know how to drive and go buy a car.

[bycostello]

how many GB is 30mins anyway?  would u not need to change card?