Anyone know if there's a way to get the 5D to automatically resume shooting after it stops (when file size hits 4GB)?

IMHO it would actually be worse than hitting stop and record every ten minutes... there would be a 1sec gap every twelve minutes, and you'd have no control over where that gap would be.

It would be useful to me in certain situations...like doing a 2 camera shoot, with one of them on lockdown, unattended.

Great question, this would be very useful for live event multicam shooting. Magic Lantern? ;)

IMHO it would actually be worse than hitting stop and record every ten minutes... there would be a 1sec gap every twelve minutes, and you'd have no control over where that gap would be.

Might be true for you, but there are a lot of us where this is a real significant issue. Two really obvious scenarios come to mind, music shooting and shooting interviews. All you have to do is not notice or forget to restart once and you're completely fvcked.

Might be true for you, but there are a lot of us where this is a real significant issue. Two really obvious scenarios come to mind, music shooting and shooting interviews. All you have to do is not notice or forget to restart once and you're completely fvcked.

Been there, yes, it would be nice to have it auto start again, as Id rather lose one sec than 10 minutes...like when I was working another camera and forgot about the other one sitting on the tripod.
to me, I have enought to worry about during a shoot or interview than having to check my phone every few minutes to see when I need to stop/start the camera again...(or multiple cameras)

Might be true for you, but there are a lot of us where this is a real significant issue. Two really obvious scenarios come to mind, music shooting and shooting interviews. All you have to do is not notice or forget to restart once and you're completely fvcked.

Yeah, shooting live music is what I had in mind. One camera locked down (and unattended) on wide shot, other camera roving.

I was hoping to try and rig something for this using an intervalometer... but I'm not sure you can control video start/stop in any way thought the cable pull port.... I wonder if there is a wireless intervalometer out there that uses the RF... I know you can control start/stop with RF. Anyone?

You can control the shutter release via Pocket Wizards and a special (that is, expensive) cable. But I don't know if that would work for starting video recording.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/198049-REG/PocketWizard_804_511_CM_N3_P_Remote_Cable_Motor.html

I have a cable release (not the above) for the 5D; I just tried it in live view mode and it takes a still shot. I have a feeling the PW shutter release would do the same thing.

I can do that. Its more suited for locked down studio work because it requires an Apple laptop, and a Zephir IR device (http://www.thezephir.com/ZephIR/Home.html) connected via USB and aimed at the camera. I bought a RC-1 remote and learned the Zephir the codes. I also submitted the code to the Zephir database so you wouldn't need the RC-1 (it can be found under Canon > Cameras > SD Mark II). The repeating 11 minutes long recordings are then controlled by AppleScript. This should also work with the 7D which has a much better IR sensor placement. On the 5D the lens and the grip can hinder transmission so you need to aim the Zephir very accurately (I mounted it very close).

The AppleScript looks like this:


tell application "ZephIR"
repeat --repeat until AppleScript is stopped
fire zephir command "START-STOP VIDEO" of component "Canon 5D Mark II RC-1" --start recording
delay 660 -- record for 11 minutes (11*60s)
fire zephir command "START-STOP VIDEO" of component "Canon 5D Mark II RC-1" --stop recording
delay 1 -- wait one second before starting recording again
end repeat
end tell

I found great info about the RC-1 remote and was able to build a stand alone, battery operated solution that automatically resumes video recording after 11 minutes via IR control. For details read my blog (http://controlyourcamera.blogspot.com/2010/01/automatically-resume-video-shooting-on.html).

Martin,
Amazing! Good work... I need set myself up with something like this soon. Well done!

Wow, that's fantastic, thanks for sharing!

ETA: I didn't realize the RC-1 could start and stop video. The Arduino solution will send an IR signal every 11 minutes, right? So you wouldn't need to press the switch every 11 minutes? Also I noticed the RC-1 has a max. range of 16', which isn't very far. I wonder if the Arduino could have an extended range?

I didn't realize the RC-1 could start and stop video.
It's the only way to do it remotely. As far as I know there's no way to do it via cable release.

The Arduino solution will send an IR signal every 11 minutes, right?
Correct. It stops recording after 11 minutes (or any time you choose) and starts it again with a 1 second delay. A 9 V battery should last a very long time.

Also I noticed the RC-1 has a max. range of 16', which isn't very far. I wonder if the Arduino could have an extended range?
I wouldn't do that because there's always the danger that someone interrupts the IR signal. Additionally the placement of the IR receiver on the 5D is miserable chosen. For fool proof operation mount the battery operated Arduino box very, very close to the IR receiver of the camera. Alternatively if you power the camera with a power adapter you could power the Arduino box with a 9 V power adapter. For a smaller form factor use an Arduino Nano (http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardNano).

Does anyone know if this device is now available commercially?

Regards

Jeff

Agreed that auto-continue in video-mode is handy.

For remote stills & video I use the Shoot Interval Timer, and Phottix Hector for remote Live view framing.

For stop-start at distance in Video Mode I mainly use the RM-4D Universal Camera Remote Control (this works for all the Canon, Pentax and Nikon DSLR cameras).

The main problem with the 5D Mark II is that the sensor for infared beam is at the front of the camera, which can be a headache if you are trying to stop & start the camera from a distance directly behind the camera; but to get around this problem I simply use a small mirror attached via bendy-arm to the hotshoe. The mirror is positioned in front of the 5D sensor and then you just fire the beam directly at the mirror. It works well, especially for wildlife filming or photography.

Magic lantern is working on getting the focus box off the screen so that you can capture the HDMI out feed to a digital video recorder, getting around the 4gig limit. Don't know how affective a wire removal plugin would be to use it at this time.

Thanks Tony and Greg - I am looking for something to automate a second camera for events.

Tony, does the Shoot Interval Timer and Phottix Hector auto stop and start every 12 minutes?

I am a one man band and will be using the Canon 5D2 in close and a 550D for the wide shots hopefully on some kind of auto mode.

I guess I will have to get my soldering iron out.

With regards

Jeff

Anyone know if there's a way to get the 5D to automatically resume shooting after it stops (when file size hits 4GB)?

I would prefer having a "warning" countdown from 10 to 0 in large red numbers before hitting the 4GB limit.

-- peer

The camera does count the seconds if you press the "Info" button (although it counts up rather down). I would much rather have the small black numerals counter than large red numbers flashing on the screen. Plus the fact that the info counter can be left on-screen or off, to leave a clean frame or not.

On another note, it is not a 4GB Limit...although we'd better not shake that hornet's nest... :)

There aren't many hornets in that nest, Tony...

The limit is 29 minutes and 29 seconds (29:29) of standard-definition video recording.

Which works out to 4GB per clip, which itself is *roughly* twelve minutes or so of HD.

A good way to think of it is "4GB or 29:29, whichever comes first." In HD mode, it'll be 4GB.

That's all there is to it...

Roughly speaking of course, Chris...although the limit itself was not set by a 4GB barrier but rather the 30min limit... :)

But who really cares, as long as the hornets remain inside the nest. Now if Canon manages to break down import rules and 30-min limits and provide us with a camera that keeps on recording until a 100GB card is filled up or the battery dies, then that will be worth talking about!

I've ordered the parts - it'll cost around £26 depending on the switch and LED - which I expect will be pence. There is a box available for the Arduino board so I ordered that as well.

Looking at the open arduino experiences it would be feasible (although beyond my knowledge) to build the device you're needing. This board obviously has a clock on it and I've seen all manner of devices hooked up to it from motion detector devices to lights and other things. I guess it would be feasible to trigger the onboard clock to a display via the HDMI out on the camera. The forum for the Arduino board is here:

http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl

Will post back with experiences on building the IR auto resume device.

Regards

Jeff

We look forward to seeing how you get on with the soldering iron, Jeff. Just make sure to stay away from the old Mecano set in the attic when you're looking for spare parts. :)

So here is a home made intervalometer with an Arduino. Proves the LED display can be hooked up.

Arduino Canon Intervalometer (http://trevorshp.com/creations/intervalometer.htm)

iPod Canon 20d Arduino Intervalomters:

YouTube - iPod controlling a camera using an Arduino (incl. intervalometer) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbUsvdtd64o)

I'll see if there is any experts who can help me design what we are looking for.

No meccano here - I was a remote control car lad. Electronics and mechanical stuff all in one.

Regards

Jeff