NEX 5N or 7 overheat issues...

[Ryan Douthit]

Okay, new theory on the overheating issue.

NEX 7 set for ISO100, 1/60, Canon FD with adaptor. Room temperature is about 70-degrees.

I mounted the camera on a P&C Gearbox (Cage) and from a cold-start I was able to do a full 30-minutes.

Immediately, I started a second roll and it indicated an overheat within two minutes. (really, not surprising)

I let the camera sit 10-minutes to cool down.

Rolled again, got the full thirty minutes. (score!)

Let the camera sit 15-minutes, changed to ISO 1600.

First roll, overheat after only 15 minutes.

Once the camera completely cools (over an hour, or maybe tomorrow) I'll re-try this test at ISO 1600 to see if it fails again. If it does, high-ISO may be a contributing culprit.

----

I recalled that the first time I tried this camera in an interview setting - where it constantly overheated - I was also running a fairly high ISO due to the dark environment. The next time I used the camera, I only received one overheat warning all day long (during an interview, natch.), that time I was shooting at ISO100. Possible link? Maybe.

[Ryan Douthit]

Let it rest an hour, started rolling at 1600ISO and it only made it to 16 minutes before giving an overheat warning.

Now, going to let it cool and see if going back to ISO100 will give me a full 30-minutes.

[Ryan Douthit]

Let it cool for about 20 minutes. Set to ISO100 and it went the full 30-minutes without an issue.

Confirmed: high ISO is a contributing factor to overheating,

Note: all tests at 1080/60p

[Dave Blackhurst]

Quite possibly an indicator that the higher ISOs are requiring more "post" processing in camera - maybe those little "Bionz" processors are working a lot harder to "clean up" the noise? Would make sense that it's "harder" and requires more work to achieve and maintain image quality.

Did you ever fiddle further with attaching a "heat sink" of some sort directly to the tripod mounting to see if you could draw off some of the heat you say is being generated in that area? It may be an impossible task if your new theory is correct, but might allow for "some" improvement?

[Chris Barcellos]

Very interesting theory with experimental back up. I wonder if it proves true with the Canon lines that were complaining of overheating.

I have not had an issue with the VG20, which I know uses a lot of post noise cleanup, but is probably otherwise the same chip as in the 5N..

[Ryan Douthit]

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

Quite possibly an indicator that the higher ISOs are requiring more "post" processing in camera - maybe those little "Bionz" processors are working a lot harder to "clean up" the noise? Would make sense that it's "harder" and requires more work to achieve and maintain image quality.

Did you ever fiddle further with attaching a "heat sink" of some sort directly to the tripod mounting to see if you could draw off some of the heat you say is being generated in that area? It may be an impossible task if your new theory is correct, but might allow for "some" improvement?

I'm doubting that an external heatsink would accomplish anything. I did find another thread about the Sony A77 where someone quoted a Sony UK representative stating that high ISOs (1600 was the example) require more power to the imaging sensor (thereby generating more heat) and that's why video modes are sometimes limited to lower ISO than the camera may deliver in still mode (as the A77 is limited). If true, that is consistent with my findings for the NEX 7, though here Sony didn't impose quite the same software limitations (glad they didn't, but maybe a warning about limited record times would have been useful.)

[Dave Blackhurst]

That makes sense - I too noticed that the higher ISO's are greyed out (A65 and 57), though the existing ones seem quite adequate.

The heatsink question is based on the apparent possibility to design a camera with presumably "indentical" internal components (VG series) that is able to dissipate the heat generated so the camera has no thermal limitations. If Sony did it in the VG's, it should at least in theory be possible to achive a similar result in the NEX - of course you would have to increase the physical size of the camers, somewhat defeating the original compact design...

I've always suspected that the small NEX bodies impose a design constraint that tends to increase thermal issues. IF it were possible to draw off and dissipate some of that heat, it should in theory improve performance!

[Chris Joy]

Looking at Nex 3/5/7 teardowns, there's no wasted space, virtually no air space for heat to dissipate - and little room for a heat sink. Makes sense that more processing power is needed at high ISO's, which would generate more heat.

I'm going to try this with my 5n and see if I get similar results.

[Rafael Lopes]

I cannot post it right now because youtube is firewalled at work but I´ve seen a video of a guy who used a pc cooling fan hooked to a small battery to cool the NEX off. He has posted a video showing the NEX enduring extreme heat like a trooper with this little device. I think that one of those portable usb power sources hooked up to a laptop fan could maybe do the trick.

[Bill Bruner]

I'm confused. Why not just buy a camera that shoots as long as you need it to and doesn't overheat?

[Chris Barcellos]

Dear Bill

In the real world there are all types of people who shoot quality video, but don,t make a dime doing it. Thus finding acamera for $750. that take incredible video might be important

[Rafael Lopes]

I absolutely LOVE the NEX system for stills and it´s what I do 90% of time, so it´s really not worth it getting a dedicated video camera...specially when the potential on the NEX5N and NEX7 is there but it´s just crippled by overheating.

BTW, I just got the NEX7 and I´ve realized the way the LCD tilts will not allow you to stick the fan there :( So long for an easy fix :(

[Werner Graf]

found this info...

More Is Said Than Done: NEX Overheating: More Surprises Revealed

[Dave Blackhurst]

If a camera shoots good video in 29 minute chunks (max advertised time), it'll do quite a lot as a video acquisition device, though you still might want or need a "dedicated" video camera...

The obstacle is that these super compact bodies generate HEAT and don't allow it to dissipate "fast enough", sot the recording times are limited IF you want the highest resolution video (and apparently video at higher ISO's?), Thus the discussion to try to figure out whether this can be somehow overcome... I passed on the NEX cameras (more a "I don't want to invest in a new lens system" than anything) because of the heat issues, but am using the larger "SLT" Alpha cameras, same tech, bigger bodies, so far heat seems to be better handled...

These cameras are of course "sold" on their STILLS feature set, the video is "bonus" for most folks. It's only a relatively small part of the market that is going to be trippin' over "shallow filmic DoF" and lots of lens options... most people will buy 'em to have a "really good" vacation camera for stills, and that it can shoot a few videos too is "cool".

To actually shoot smooth video takes work that most users won't bother with (like they did with "video cameras"?!?).

These little cameras offer intriguing "possibilities", but also serve up a bunch of "limitations", so it's a matter of learning what those limits are, so they don't bite you in the rear mid-shoot, presuming the image qualites grab yer eyeballs and make you WANT to shoot with them (and sadly, they do, at least what I've shot with an A65 makes me WANT to use it to shoot video...). I regard it as a "bonus" to have a pile of "small" point and shoots that can shoot "pretty good" 60p video, and still SLT cameras that can "double up" on video too. More image acquisition devices and options are ALWAYS good...

[Dave Blackhurst]

Originally Posted by Werner Graf

found this info...

More Is Said Than Done: NEX Overheating: More Surprises Revealed

Hmmm, not sure quite what to say about that blog post... removing a cover that most likely helps to spread/dissipate generated heat and then hanging the camera upside down? Looks like somehow it keeps heat from reaching the sensor - might have a "brick" coming soon... as big a fan of "hacking" and taking stuff apart to find out how it works, this blog post is more than a little "scary", IMO.