Heat gotcha
 

There's one issue with using DSLR's for lot's of video work: heat. I've spoken with a few rental houses who have the 5D are saying it was specifically rented *just* for it's video-capture capabilities. They're already seeing dead pixels crop up from all the use and customers have also noted the camera being "hot to the touch" after extended video use.

This is a significant factor that needs to be considered before making any DSLR a primary capture source since it is entirely possible that the imaging chip could die prematurely due to it being literally burned-out.

Unlike a camera purposely built for video use DSLR's do not have vents or cooling apparatus instead their enclosures are closed and often weather-sealed with o-rings which means the heat has no natural dissipation source or method of escape. Since this camera has been released during the cooler winter months I expect we'll start seeing serious heat-related issues when summer temps come around again.

Food for thought.

Hi Robert,

I filmed by sons school nativity with the 5D and a EX1. The 5D captured 1 hours worth of straight video (12min sections) and although you could feel the camera was gently warm it was by no means 'hot to the touch'.

With so little body surrounding the camera I would expect a little heat to build up.

I have not noticed any more dead pixels than I had already. I can't see Canon releasing the Camera without giving it an extended workout.

I have had the 5Dmk2 for two weeks now and have filmed everyday. No problems yet.

James

Canon has hinted at this issue in the manual, pages 112 and 126 about high internal temps degrading image quality.

These rental houses have seen the camera go out every-day since they've had it, one location says one of it's 5D's already has more than 1200 hours on it [ Note from Admin: this is a bogus claim which has been refuted below ] specifically for video capture. If anyplace will find weaknesses in equipment it's the rental facilities.

As I say, I think during the cooler winter months this characteristic won't be much of an issue but during the hot summer months it will be a different story - as warned in the manual.

And it's worth pointing 2 things out: 1) Everyone is in love with the image quality and shallow, film-like DOF this little cam shoots making it totally seductive as a primary video camera. 2) The cam is specifically designed to be a still-photo capture device *first*, the video capture capability is simply a cool added feature, not it's primary purpose. In point of fact it is the big brother to the G10; a very nice still camera that can also shoot nice quality video, it just so happens that the 5D shoots *gorgeous* quality video.

Just be aware of all the caveats that come with using the 5D for video; if the imager burns out from over-use or dead pixels start to invade I doubt Canon will allow a warranty repair specifically because of the warnings in the manual.

Thanks Robert.
The Camera will also shut down if it gets too warm.
One reason I'm not too concerned is battery size. The camera can shoot for an hour on a little battery. Heat comes from inefficiency. The camera simply can't be particularly inefficient.
1200 hours is amazing. 23 terabytes of data in a couple weeks from a DSLR

Hmm... as of today (Friday, December 19th), the 5D Mk. II has been on the market exactly 24 days (it became available in the U.S. on Wednesday, November 26th). If the rental location you're referring to actually managed to obtain a 5D Mk. II on the day it was released, and kept it running all day, every day around the clock (including Thanksgiving and Sundays), it would not yet have accumulated half of the hours they're claiming.

In other words, the camera has only been out for 576 hours, as of today.

If the defense for a claim of 1200 hours is that they somehow got one fifty days ago (which would then equal 1200 hours of around-the-clock recording), then I'd have to suggest that theirs is a pre-production sample, and not up to full spec, invalidating the claim that all 5D Mk. II's will behave similarly. And for what it's worth, the idea that a 5D Mk. II sample has been out in the wild for 50 days isn't easy to swallow. Canon USA has been extremely protective of where their pre-production samples went, and for how long. I don't think there were any units in the country fifty days ago (the very first MT samples went to Canon USA for the Photo Plus Expo in New York at the end of October).

Either way, I have to say that 1200 hours of video on a 5D Mk. II is extremely difficult to believe. Therefore this entire issue is in doubt as far as I'm concerned.

good one, chris.

I think it's just as likely that the dead pixels were already in place on these cameras upon arrival at the rental shops. As I own several high megapixel cameras (21 mp, 22mp MF and 31mp MF, I can tell you that they all have dead pixels...since day one. In the still world, it's not really the same issue as it is in video, as they are rarely noticeable and easy to edit out. And as the 5d2 is probably being used for a lot of High ISO, low light photography and video, these dead pixels are probably just more apparent than if the camera was being used for "default ISO" photography.

I just relay what I'm told; either way if heat wasn't a potential problem Canon wouldn't have addressed it directly.

James. How does the video of the 5D compare with your EX1 video? I had the EX1 but I like the look of the 5D better. Any thoughts?

Dee Joslin your signature is very clever. I had to think about it for one zero seconds or so to get it though.

Hi Dee,

The day before the shoot I spent about 2 hours trying to get the EX to match the look of the 5D. I got some way in doing this but if I had more time I think I could have matched them pretty well.

The 5D was used as the locked off wide angle cut away, I had the 17-40 on the front.

Every 12-14 min's I would reset the recording whilst locking off on the EX.

The EX was set to 25p. I confirmed the footage to 25 and then slowed it down to match frame perfect over 12mins to the EX1.

I had two time lines running and used every second of EX footage where possible.

I shot the EX on 25 just incase it all went pear shapped.

The 5D was a star but when it came to it and for a one time event, I'm glad I had the EX1.

Under controlled conditions or just creative filming the 5D is great. I have never shot so much footage in two weeks before.

But when you need to be sure your getting the shot in a live event then the EX is a great match.

Typed in bed with my iPhone and my son bouncing around on my legs so sorry for any typeo's.

BR, James