Little Red Thermometer...

[Aaron Fowler]

I got my 32GB card and my AC adapter (ACK-E8) today for my 550D! So like many of us, what do I do? Try 'em out! Set everything up next to my desk (nice cool room), plug everything in, works great! So over the course of about 45 minutes I do just a few quick tests, nothing special, before I think to myself, "Let's make a few longer clips!" 10 minutes into the first clip... Dun dun! Overheating Indicator comes up!

So I keep recording... Waiting for... I don't know, something. Yet nothing so far... I'm up around 100 minutes since the Overheating Indicator came on, but nothing yet. So why am I disappointed? The camera keeps rolling, and that's a good thing, but what I'm a little concerned about right now is being outside on a 40°C day in the hot Australian sun.

I'm shooting 1080p25, average temperature room. I think using the AC Adapter had a lot to do with it (check page 235 of the Instruction Manual). The camera is slowly getting hotter, but not as hot as my laptop battery is right now though. It would still be manageable to handhold, but it wouldn't be the most comfortable experience. It's still running as I write this post, and I'm really hoping something happens soon, because I'd really like to have some sort of a result and have a few facts about overheating on the 550D.

This is a brilliant little camera and I don't regret buying it one bit, but it does have its limitations, and for me, this is just a reminder of those limitations. Just thought some of you guys might be interested. :)

(Still nothing... I'm not going to leave it running anymore. I'm going to bed. Goodnight DVInfo!)

[David Chilson]

Aaron,

Thanks for torture testing your camera so others don't have to but are you going to use the a/c adapter in the hot Austrailian sun? You let it run for 100 minutes "after" the heat indicator came on?

Just like your lap top when plugged in using the a/c outlet will heat up the camera because it's charging the batteries. In the field most people will be shooting with the camera running off the internal batteries so your test is extreme and not a representation of any kind of heat problem with this camera.

This is a consumer DSLR camera that shoots nice video. If you need over 100 minutes of continuous recording time, I would recommend the use of a dedicated video camera.

[Aaron Fowler]

It wasn't intended to be a torture test, but it happens. No, I don't plan on using the AC adapter outside, but I'm curious what would happen running off battery in conditions 20°C hotter. And yes, it was running for 100 minutes after the Indicator came on, the camera was on for 45 minutes to an hour before that.

I wouldn't say it's extreme. Extreme would be using the AC adapter in the 40°C heat! :P But it's the extremes however, that show us the limitations of our equipment. Sometimes extremes do happen. And I'd rather be previously informed than find out on a job. I started this thread to share an experience, I know that it's a very specific situation, but maybe someone else is (or will be) in the same situation.

I don't plan on 100 minutes of continuous video... I just couldn't resist trying it out. My EX1 will always be my first camera (in conditions like this at least) and the 550D will make an excellent B cam. I'm waiting for a hot weekend so I can try a real outdoors torture test, but since I got my camera the weather has actually been quite cool down here. :(