How much memory per minute? at DVinfo.net

Jesse Morgan · January 22nd, 2009, 12:07 AM

Does anyone know off hand how many minutes you would get per gig with the 5D mark2?

I know it does a max of 30min or 4G (at least that's what I heard). Does that mean it's about 7.5 minutes a gig?

I am debating purchasing a 16 or 8 gig card.

Darren Jew · January 22nd, 2009, 09:52 AM

I shot a clip the other day and in shut off at 3.99 GB and I got 14mins 29 seconds recording.
I think the actual time will vary a little depending on what subjects you are shooting.

So approx 275 MB/minute, give or take.

Chris Hurd · January 22nd, 2009, 10:05 AM

The maximum video clip file size is 4GB. That's the most you can get in one shot from a 5D Mk. II.

That translates to twelve minutes of HD (1920x1080 at 16:9), or thirty minutes of SD (640x480 at 4:3).

An 8GB card will hold two 12-minute HD clips, for a total of 24 minutes, or two 30-minute SD clips, for a total of one hour. A 16GB card will hold four 12-minute HD clips, for a total of 48 minutes, or four 30-minute SD clips, for a total of two hours.

Of course, if your clips are shorter than the maximum allowed recording time, then you can get more clips on a card... but the overall card capacity doesn't change: an 8GB card holds 24 minutes of HD or one hour of SD. Double that amount for a 16GB card. Hope this helps,

Darren Jew · January 22nd, 2009, 10:20 AM

So how is it that I got 14mins 29 secs in one 3.99 GB clip. Is it something to do with subjects colour/s and tonal range/s compressing differently?

Chris Hurd · January 22nd, 2009, 10:33 AM

Sorry, I should have said "approximately" twelve minutes of HD per 4GB clip.

Yes, the recording time may vary, because the compression itself is using a variable bit-rate. So it all depends on what you're aiming the camera at. The maximum it can record under any circumstance is 29 minutes and 59 seconds, and HD clips will come in at approximately twelve minutes when they max out the 4GB file size limitation.

Even though you managed to get 14:29, somebody else in a different shooting situation might not be able to do that -- in fact, they might not be able to make it to 12:00. It all depends. That's why Canon states "approximately" twelve minutes per 4GB clip. Hope this helps,

Darren Jew · January 22nd, 2009, 10:30 PM

Ok thanks for the clarification. A bit like a 2000x3000 picture of a blue sky will compress to a smaller .jpeg than a same-sized picture containing many different colours. Thought it'd be something like that.

The clip I'm referring to was in a pool, mostly one colour.

Jesse Morgan · January 23rd, 2009, 09:35 PM

Thanks for the info. It's hard for me to wrap my head around memory per minute. I am so used to tape with it's finite standard record times.

January 22nd, 2009, 12:07 AM	#1
Jesse Morgan Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Geneva/Toronto Posts: 42	How much memory per minute? Does anyone know off hand how many minutes you would get per gig with the 5D mark2? I know it does a max of 30min or 4G (at least that's what I heard). Does that mean it's about 7.5 minutes a gig? I am debating purchasing a 16 or 8 gig card.

January 22nd, 2009, 09:52 AM	#2
Darren Jew New Boot Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 18	I shot a clip the other day and in shut off at 3.99 GB and I got 14mins 29 seconds recording. I think the actual time will vary a little depending on what subjects you are shooting. So approx 275 MB/minute, give or take. __________________ Darren Jew \| sunny Queensland, Australia ... learning about moving pictures after 25+ years of still ones ...

January 22nd, 2009, 10:05 AM	#3
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	The maximum video clip file size is 4GB. That's the most you can get in one shot from a 5D Mk. II. That translates to twelve minutes of HD (1920x1080 at 16:9), or thirty minutes of SD (640x480 at 4:3). An 8GB card will hold two 12-minute HD clips, for a total of 24 minutes, or two 30-minute SD clips, for a total of one hour. A 16GB card will hold four 12-minute HD clips, for a total of 48 minutes, or four 30-minute SD clips, for a total of two hours. Of course, if your clips are shorter than the maximum allowed recording time, then you can get more clips on a card... but the overall card capacity doesn't change: an 8GB card holds 24 minutes of HD or one hour of SD. Double that amount for a 16GB card. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 22nd, 2009, 10:20 AM	#4
Darren Jew New Boot Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 18	So how is it that I got 14mins 29 secs in one 3.99 GB clip. Is it something to do with subjects colour/s and tonal range/s compressing differently? __________________ Darren Jew \| sunny Queensland, Australia ... learning about moving pictures after 25+ years of still ones ...

January 22nd, 2009, 10:33 AM	#5
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Sorry, I should have said "approximately" twelve minutes of HD per 4GB clip. Yes, the recording time may vary, because the compression itself is using a variable bit-rate. So it all depends on what you're aiming the camera at. The maximum it can record under any circumstance is 29 minutes and 59 seconds, and HD clips will come in at approximately twelve minutes when they max out the 4GB file size limitation. Even though you managed to get 14:29, somebody else in a different shooting situation might not be able to do that -- in fact, they might not be able to make it to 12:00. It all depends. That's why Canon states "approximately" twelve minutes per 4GB clip. Hope this helps, __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 22nd, 2009, 10:30 PM	#6
Darren Jew New Boot Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 18	Ok thanks for the clarification. A bit like a 2000x3000 picture of a blue sky will compress to a smaller .jpeg than a same-sized picture containing many different colours. Thought it'd be something like that. The clip I'm referring to was in a pool, mostly one colour. __________________ Darren Jew \| sunny Queensland, Australia ... learning about moving pictures after 25+ years of still ones ...

January 23rd, 2009, 09:35 PM	#7
Jesse Morgan Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Geneva/Toronto Posts: 42	Thanks for the info. It's hard for me to wrap my head around memory per minute. I am so used to tape with it's finite standard record times.