How do you abuse your 7D?

Chad Ream · May 26th, 2010, 08:07 PM

I had my 7D ripped out of my hand and watched bounc off the cement floor. Mind you the lense broke, put a new lense on, and kept shooting. The body had no issues.

Manus Sweeney · May 29th, 2010, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce S. Yarock

I haven't really used my 7D in challenging weather ( except for South Florida sun). I did have continuous overheating on several shoots; one was out in the hot sun, another was an all day shoot in air conditioning, and yesterday in a green screen studio. I only ran the camera for a couple of hours, shutting down after each take, and the overheatring wa really a pain.
I love the image it produces, but the overheating is just one of the many ergonomic pains in the ass.
Bruce Yarock

did you install the new firmware bruce? supposed to have fixed the overheating threshold probelm although i never had an issue so cant confirm it..

Bruce S. Yarock · May 30th, 2010, 07:49 AM

Manus,
Right after I installed the new fimware, I let the camera run in record mode for a full 12 minutes several times. After the 2nd time, it started overheating. Then i id testimonila shots on wed, and thursday ( 2 hours each day), and turned the camera off and on after each interview, (10 each day) and got no overheating.
At this point, I have no idea...
Bruce Yarock

Khoi Pham · May 30th, 2010, 09:36 AM

After you installed new firmware, you need to remove the battery for it to take effect, so maybe after that first time you removed the battery and it stop overheating but turning off and on for me is the key to keep it cool.

Morten Engelien · May 30th, 2010, 10:57 AM

My precious has been through a lot.. Filming for 6-7 hours in - 25c degrees to working in heavy snow/rain/slush all day long.. Works as a charm :)
7D is more water resistant than most people think...

Bruce S. Yarock · May 30th, 2010, 12:59 PM

Morten,
I think that hot sun and humidity are the real problems. Good to hear that you've had such success in the cold.
I'm going to do another test having changed batteries and see if the firmware update did help.
Bruce Yarock

Michael Dalton · June 2nd, 2010, 08:49 PM

I've put mine through hell an back. Africa, jungles, volcanos, salt water, volcanic gases etc!! I shoot mainly in high heat, dusty, humid, cold, and environments where I hike through jungles for days with it either over my shoulder or in a backpack (not the kind made for the camera). It's held up well.

Used to use canon video camera, and they would go in the shop after every use. Switch to Panasonic P2 cameras, did not have a problem at all for three years. I bought a 7d for shooting time-lapse, but field tested it, and like it better then my Panasonics, so it became my everyday use. I shoot about 1000-3000 pictures a day and about 2 hours of video. I'm shooting an entire 10 part Africa series on it.

I get teased occasionally by BBC and others. Simon King (BBC Presenter/DOP) apparently told a group of people that he shoots with real camera equipment. But when lugging it up 5000-6000 meter Mountains and for several days in the jungles, I love it! I've managed to sell my series to the big boys, so who cares what people think.

Michael

Bruce S. Yarock · June 3rd, 2010, 02:07 AM

I'm shooting outside this week end and a music video next week end in the hot South Florida sun. Looking forward to seeing how much the overheating issue comes into play, now that I've installed the new firmware.
michael- have you had any overheating issues?
Bruce Yarock

Jesse Haycraft · June 7th, 2010, 08:21 PM

I have found that one of the simplest ways to keep the camera running during a shoot is to just bring a small cooler with some ice packs in it and a large ziplock bag to prevent condensation. Whenever I have a break in the shoot for more than a minute or two I'll put the cam in the bag in the cooler. Works great, though a few people have given me odd looks...

You could probably also just use a large, flexible ice pack and put it directly on top of the camera or something. I didn't have anything like that lying around the house so I went the cooler route.

Supposedly RED shoots often use ice packs.

Doug Bailey · June 13th, 2010, 12:12 PM

Hi everyone,
I'm shooting nature video & stills in Florida. No overheating problems yet and still using the old firmware. Mostly I shoot short clips of 30 sec to 1 minute, so this probably explains it. The main reason for the short clips is that I focus and compose through the viewfinder as if taking a still shot, setting exposure manually. Then switch to video mode and use a remote Canon RC1 from my 10D days to start/stop the video. If I get the focus wrong I only lose a 30 sec clip instead of the whole shoot. Cheap insurance.

Here's the abuse from this am:
I was shooting a pair of woodpeckers in a tree at dawn doing microphone tests. The sun was behind a cloud and the camera was pointing directly at where the sun would have been. I took the CF card inside and listened to the audio. When I went back outside the full sun was blazing directly down the barrel of the 100-400 lens at full extension. Wow. I would never allow that intentionally and have always been very aware of the damage that could cause. Then went to a local park and shot some Swallow Tail Kites in a tree, both still and video. Perfect. Sorry 7D and thank you for forgiving me, I promise not to do that again.

May 30th, 2010, 09:36 AM	#19
Khoi Pham Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Dallas Posts: 747	After you installed new firmware, you need to remove the battery for it to take effect, so maybe after that first time you removed the battery and it stop overheating but turning off and on for me is the key to keep it cool. __________________ Khoi Pham www.proeditproductions.com

June 2nd, 2010, 08:49 PM	#22
Michael Dalton Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Torotnto, Canada Posts: 139	I've put mine through hell an back. Africa, jungles, volcanos, salt water, volcanic gases etc!! I shoot mainly in high heat, dusty, humid, cold, and environments where I hike through jungles for days with it either over my shoulder or in a backpack (not the kind made for the camera). It's held up well. Used to use canon video camera, and they would go in the shop after every use. Switch to Panasonic P2 cameras, did not have a problem at all for three years. I bought a 7d for shooting time-lapse, but field tested it, and like it better then my Panasonics, so it became my everyday use. I shoot about 1000-3000 pictures a day and about 2 hours of video. I'm shooting an entire 10 part Africa series on it. I get teased occasionally by BBC and others. Simon King (BBC Presenter/DOP) apparently told a group of people that he shoots with real camera equipment. But when lugging it up 5000-6000 meter Mountains and for several days in the jungles, I love it! I've managed to sell my series to the big boys, so who cares what people think. Michael __________________ www.digitalcrossing.ca www.4kafrica.com documentary filmmaker/screen writer

June 13th, 2010, 12:12 PM	#25
Doug Bailey Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Jupiter, FL Posts: 164	How do you abuse your 7d? Hi everyone, I'm shooting nature video & stills in Florida. No overheating problems yet and still using the old firmware. Mostly I shoot short clips of 30 sec to 1 minute, so this probably explains it. The main reason for the short clips is that I focus and compose through the viewfinder as if taking a still shot, setting exposure manually. Then switch to video mode and use a remote Canon RC1 from my 10D days to start/stop the video. If I get the focus wrong I only lose a 30 sec clip instead of the whole shoot. Cheap insurance. Here's the abuse from this am: I was shooting a pair of woodpeckers in a tree at dawn doing microphone tests. The sun was behind a cloud and the camera was pointing directly at where the sun would have been. I took the CF card inside and listened to the audio. When I went back outside the full sun was blazing directly down the barrel of the 100-400 lens at full extension. Wow. I would never allow that intentionally and have always been very aware of the damage that could cause. Then went to a local park and shot some Swallow Tail Kites in a tree, both still and video. Perfect. Sorry 7D and thank you for forgiving me, I promise not to do that again.

May 26th, 2010, 08:07 PM	#16
Chad Ream Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Portage, MI Posts: 38	I had my 7D ripped out of my hand and watched bounc off the cement floor. Mind you the lense broke, put a new lense on, and kept shooting. The body had no issues.

May 30th, 2010, 07:49 AM	#18
Bruce S. Yarock Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pembroke Pines, Fl. Posts: 1,842	Manus, Right after I installed the new fimware, I let the camera run in record mode for a full 12 minutes several times. After the 2nd time, it started overheating. Then i id testimonila shots on wed, and thursday ( 2 hours each day), and turned the camera off and on after each interview, (10 each day) and got no overheating. At this point, I have no idea... Bruce Yarock

May 30th, 2010, 10:57 AM	#20
Morten Engelien Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Norway Posts: 28	My precious has been through a lot.. Filming for 6-7 hours in - 25c degrees to working in heavy snow/rain/slush all day long.. Works as a charm :) 7D is more water resistant than most people think...

May 30th, 2010, 12:59 PM	#21
Bruce S. Yarock Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pembroke Pines, Fl. Posts: 1,842	Morten, I think that hot sun and humidity are the real problems. Good to hear that you've had such success in the cold. I'm going to do another test having changed batteries and see if the firmware update did help. Bruce Yarock

June 3rd, 2010, 02:07 AM	#23
Bruce S. Yarock Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pembroke Pines, Fl. Posts: 1,842	I'm shooting outside this week end and a music video next week end in the hot South Florida sun. Looking forward to seeing how much the overheating issue comes into play, now that I've installed the new firmware. michael- have you had any overheating issues? Bruce Yarock

June 7th, 2010, 08:21 PM	#24
Jesse Haycraft Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 57	I have found that one of the simplest ways to keep the camera running during a shoot is to just bring a small cooler with some ice packs in it and a large ziplock bag to prevent condensation. Whenever I have a break in the shoot for more than a minute or two I'll put the cam in the bag in the cooler. Works great, though a few people have given me odd looks... You could probably also just use a large, flexible ice pack and put it directly on top of the camera or something. I didn't have anything like that lying around the house so I went the cooler route. Supposedly RED shoots often use ice packs.