# DSLR video and sensor life



## Ejazzle (Apr 6, 2010)

Does using video mode on a dslr shorten the sensor life more that shooting photos?


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## KmH (Apr 6, 2010)

Ejazzle said:


> Does using video mode on a dslr shorten the sensor life more that shooting photos?


No.

The vulnerable part of making images is the shutter. The shutter is a mechnical device and in time it wears out. If a shutter mechanism craps out a new one can be put in the camera for about $300.


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## ghpham (Apr 6, 2010)

There is however, a limited amount of time you can use your DSLR for video in anyone session before you do overheat the sensor.  Consult your manual.


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## KmH (Apr 7, 2010)

Yep, I think Nikon's D90 is 5 minutes max, but a video made from 5 minute segments between cuts, is pretty boring.


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## Village Idiot (Apr 7, 2010)

ghpham said:


> There is however, a limited amount of time you can use your DSLR for video in anyone session before you do overheat the sensor. Consult your manual.


 
There's not really a set limit. This time can vary greatly depending on a lot of things like ambient temparature, shooting environment, and shooting technique. There were people in other threads claiming that they have shot extended periods of time up to 3 hours without having the camera overheat.



KmH said:


> Yep, I think Nikon's D90 is 5 minutes max, but a video made from 5 minute segments between cuts, is pretty boring.


 
That's the limit on the actual file size. I didn't realize this, but Nikon's limit is 2GB, which is about 5 minutes at 720p, according to their manual. Canon's is 4GB which with their video mode is 12-15 minutes at 1080P and they claim around 24 minutes at 720p.

If all the current DSLRs follow the trends of the D90 and 5D MKII, they will automatically shut off if they start to overheat and won't allow you to operate them in some form or another after a count down or until the temperature hits a certain mark.


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## Village Idiot (Apr 7, 2010)

erose86 said:


> Village Idiot said:
> 
> 
> > If all the current DSLRs follow the trends of the D90 and 5D MKII, they will automatically shut off if they start to overheat and won't allow you to operate them in some form or another after a count down or until the temperature hits a certain mark.
> ...


 
Word of advice. If you give a rat's ass about sound quality, purchase something like a Zoom H4N recording device. The Canon's onboard mic won't be able to handle it and it'll most likely sound like crap. I did a recording of Norma Jean at the show that I shot for the hell of it with my Zoom and the sound quality was awesome. I had to crank it's record level to something like 2-5 out of 100 so that the level wouldn't clip.


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## Village Idiot (Apr 7, 2010)

You'd record at the same time and then sync in post.

check out cinema5D.com

There's people that have even used hot shoe mic mounts to attach it to the camera.


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