# 5D ii / iii recording limit



## threedsnack (May 4, 2012)

Is there any way to get more than what seems to be 11 minutes of 1080p video out of my mk ii? I realize the mk iii has a 29 minutes limit as well. Is there any magic lantern hack or anything relatively magical that can extend the video recording time (I've read it's due to overheating?)?

thanks


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## Mt Spokane Photography (May 4, 2012)

threedsnack said:


> Is there any way to get more than what seems to be 11 minutes of 1080p video out of my mk ii? I realize the mk iii has a 29 minutes limit as well. Is there any magic lantern hack or anything relatively magical that can extend the video recording time (I've read it's due to overheating?)?
> 
> thanks


 
No.

Other than reducing the file resolution, the file size is limited to 4GB which is about 11 minutes at full resolution. The 5D MK III has a feature that creates a additional file once the 4GB file limit is reached, and does so until the 29 minute limit is reached.

The 4GB file limit is due to the Windows Fat 32 file size limitation and has nothing to do with overheating. The 29 minute limit has to do with European Taxes which kick in if a camera exceeds 29 minutes video recording capacity.


*File Size Limit For FAT32
*Most computer users (which included me, until very recently) are usually not aware of the fact that there is a maximum file size memory limit on every formatted hard drive. This file system's maximum limiting size on stored files is set by its inherent design considerations. The *FAT32 file size limit is only 4 GB minus 1 byte (232 - 1 bytes)*. That means, any kind of file cannot attain a maximum size of 4GB. Therefore, FAT32 is unsuitable as a file system for large databases and video applications. 

Many people that use video converter software, find that creating video files greater than 4 GB is just not possible on a hard drive formatted using FAT32 format. Though initially, one may think that it is due to some flaw in the video converter software, the problem lies in the limitation of FAT32 file size limit itself. So, there is no option but to resort to an NTFS format for hard drive formatting when you have large sized files, greater than 4GB. The actual maximum volume size allowed under a FAT32 format is 2 terabytes. The maximum number of files that one can store under FAT32 is 268435437.


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## threedsnack (May 4, 2012)

ok, so what's this tax!? is it really worth the loss of customers that you get over Canon (or insert other dslr video maker) paying a little extra for production with this tax (am I understanding what you said correctly)? 

are there more outside sources about this? I would like to learn more.


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## JasonATL (May 4, 2012)

threedsnack said:


> ok, so what's this tax!? is it really worth the loss of customers that you get over Canon (or insert other dslr video maker) paying a little extra for production with this tax (am I understanding what you said correctly)?
> 
> are there more outside sources about this? I would like to learn more.



Here's one, but I'm sure you can use Google better than me to find other articles about the EU video camera tax. http://www.ephotozine.com/article/eu-add-import-duty-to-digital-cameras-5905

It is apparently close to 5%, according to the above-referenced article. That's about USD175 (I assume wholesale) that doesn't go to the camera manufacturer or the retailer at all. No one is losing relative sales to a competitor, since all manufacturers are subject to this tax.

Having said that, if you need to record continuously longer than 30 minutes, Canon and others have full lines of proper video cameras that can do that. 

Other than the 5% of the time that I shoot a long-form program/event, I have not found this to be a problem. In fact, I'd guess that at least 60% of my shots are less than 1 minutes and the other 35% are less than 5 minutes.


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