SDXC card allow T2i (or other SDXC compatible Canon camera) to record 29 mins 59 sec?

[HD-tography]

Forgive my frustration but I can't find any hard and fast confirmation at all anywhere on the web that a T2i (or other SDXC compatible Canon camera) when using a SDXC card surpasses the 4GB limit or allows in some manor the recording to reach its 29 min 59 sec capacity (introduced by Canon to avoid EU import tariffs on camcorders). There are many forums talking about this exact question and it all ends in speculation, theory, or people voicing their opinions about why they think the 12 minute limit matters or not (I really don’t care if it matters to you or not)... but none actually answer the question...

It's really a simple question, does an SDXC card allow a T2i to record 1080p for 29 mins 59 sec ? Only way to answer this is for someone with both a T2i and an SDXC card to try it and report... I can't believe nobody has answered this yet (that I can find... if you know please share with the rest of us).

[Janke]

According to the camera manual (have you perused it?), there is a 4 GB limit, i.e. 12+ minutes of HD.

The manual mentions SDXC cards, so if there were a difference in max time for different card types, it would be stated.

[HD-tography]

According to the camera manual (have you perused it?), there is a 4 GB limit, i.e. 12+ minutes of HD.

Yup, I'm well aware... but many many many people claim that the SDXC card is NOT subject to the 4GB limit.

Here is the theory...

The 4GB limit was due to FAT32 for the file system (FAT32 has a FILE SIZE limit of 4GB) whereby SDXC uses exFAT, which makes individual file size virtually unlimited (actually, 16 exabytes) thus allowing the recording to reach 29 mins 59 sec (if the sensor doesn't over heat that is, but again that is not my question).

So I feel this is a very reasonable question and to my knowledge has not been answered one way or the other.

The manual mentions SDXC cards, so if there were a difference in max time for different card types, it would be stated.

The manual rarely addresses every question in detail, especially because it may have been written before the camera was made SDXC compatible.

For example, here is my Canon HF S200 manual written before (written 22-02-2010) and after (written 30-08-2010) SDXC compatibility, which was added with a firmware update.

[Lunchbox]

You can record 29:59 with SDXC. That's the real limit for still camera taking video clips. The 4GB is the FAT32 limitation. AFAIK, there isn't any class 6 SDXC card available yet.

[Janke]

The manual rarely addresses every question in detail, especially because it may have been written before the camera was made SDXC compatible.

I find that strange, page 2 of my (Finnish) manual says the camera is compatible with SD, SDHC and SDXC cards. But it still says (on page 132) that there's a 4 GB limit...

[Lunchbox]

I looked at my English T2i manual on page 132. Here's what I found

"After you start shooting a movie, the movie shooting will stop automatically if the file size reaches 4 GB or if the movie length reaches 29 min 59 sec. "

It's either 4GB limit, OR, movie length reaches 29:59

[Janke]

Yes, but those statements are not mutually exclusive. I see it as: recoding will stop at 4 GB limit (applicable to HD) or at 29:59 (applicable to SD). The manual is ambiguous here...

But, it would indeed be great if we'd be able to use SDXC cards and shoot up to 29:59 in HD !

[drapeama]

AFAIK, there isn't any class 6 SDXC card available yet.

I don't think there's anything under class 10, which isn't a bad thing imho.
Bought a Kingston 16gb class 10 for less than 60$ shipped. Originally bought it for my ZoomH2, but as the device doesn't support SDXC, i had to reformat it to Fat32 instead of exFat.

[Lunchbox]

Yes, but those statements are not mutually exclusive. I see it as: recoding will stop at 4 GB limit (applicable to HD) or at 29:59 (applicable to SD). The manual is ambiguous here...

But, it would indeed be great if we'd be able to use SDXC cards and shoot up to 29:59 in HD !

Don't know why you need to add your own criteria to such simple statement. It said clearly either 4GB limit or 29:59. In fact, you can record longer than 12 minutes with your current SDHC card by shooting with the lens cap on.

[Lunchbox]

I don't think there's anything under class 10, which isn't a bad thing imho.
Bought a Kingston 16gb class 10 for less than 60$ shipped. Originally bought it for my ZoomH2, but as the device doesn't support SDXC, i had to reformat it to Fat32 instead of exFat.

Do you mean you bought a kingston 16GB class 10 SDXC card?

[Janke]

In fact, you can record longer than 12 minutes with your current SDHC card by shooting with the lens cap on.

WHAT are you drinking?

But seriously, do we have definite proof for over 12 minutes of HD on SDXC ?

[Lunchbox]

Maybe its the water in Finland.. haha

Go try it yourself. With the lens cap on, shoot in HD. You can get over 12 minutes of complete black video.

I don't have any SDXC Card. But I'm sure you will get 29:59 per clip with SDXC card.

[HD-tography]

Bought a Kingston 16gb class 10 for less than 60$ shipped. Originally bought it for my ZoomH2, but as the device doesn't support SDXC, i had to reformat it to Fat32 instead of exFat.

Do you mean you bought a kingston 16GB class 10 SDXC card?

Not possible, SDXC starts at 64 GB and up... It was a SDHC card... totally different...

It said clearly either 4GB limit or 29:59. In fact, you can record longer than 12 minutes with your current SDHC card by shooting with the lens cap on.

...shoot in HD. You can get over 12 minutes of complete black video.

Yes, the T2i manual (printed 27-10-2010) says "After you start shooting a movie, the movie shooting will stop automatically if the size reaches 4GB or if the movie length reaches 29 min. 59 sec. To start movie shooting again, press the record button. (A new movie file starts being recorded.) = 4GB or 29:59, which ever comes first (as is interpreted by hundreds of other on various forums). If the 1080p recording is not capturing a lot of data due to the lens cap being on, it will reportedly record longer than 12 mins because 12 mins is not it's limitation but rather 4GB.

I see it as: recoding will stop at 4 GB limit (applicable to HD) or at 29:59 (applicable to SD)

Many others verify you can shoot in SD for 29.59 (Examples also were given for the Canon 7D with the resolution down to VGA) because it will never reach 4GB in SD before 29.59, the only reason it stops at all at 29.59 is another story entirely, the limit reportly was imposed so Canon could make one camera for all Continents and those in the 27 Nations of Europe could avoid paying the import tariffs/duties (starting at 4.9 percent) on video recorders, defined as a device able to record at least 30 minutes of a single sequence of video in a quality of 800 x 600 pixels or higher at 23 frames per second or higher.

Here is an article on this subject of import tariffs for video cameras vs still cameras.


The ONLY question is if it will stop when it hits 4GB on an SDXC card, due to the exFAT file system. Some say it will pass the 4GB while others say that although the T2i supports exFAT it still cuts off at 4GB. This can only be answered by trying it, otherwise it is all speculation, which has cause the question to go unanswered internet wide, which surprises me.

[Janke]

With the lens cap on, shoot in HD. You can get over 12 minutes of complete black video.

OK, that's logical, actually. Since HD video is compressed, and black compresses better than any "real" image, you can get more than 12 minutes of black into 4 GB. But what's the use???

[drapeama]

Do you mean you bought a kingston 16GB class 10 SDXC card?

HD's right:

It was a SDHC card... totally different...

Here's the link of the card. I think i've mistaken the fact that SDHC cards can be formatted: NTSC, FAT32 & exFAT...
But yes, it's only SDHC, my bad.

[HD-tography]

AFAIK, there isn't any class 6 SDXC card available yet.

If you are referring to SanDisk Ultra SDXC cards your are correct, they currently only make class 4 cards, which are WAY overpriced!

Kingston makes Class 6 SDXC Memory Cards...

Kingston 64GB SDXC Class 6 Memory Card

However, many companies make Class 10 SDXC cards today (I would really only trust the Kingston or Transcend cards, but that is just my opinion having worked without error with both company's SDHC versions)

Kingston 64GB SDXC Class 10 Memory Card (Buy One)

Transcend Ultimate 64GB SDXC Class 10 Memory Card (Buy One)

Panasonic GOLD Series 48GB/64GB SDXC Class 10 Memory Card

Verbatim 64GB SDXC Class 10 Memory Card

Patriot LX Series 64GB SDXC Class 10 Memory Card

Buffalo 64GB SDXC Class 10 Memory Card

I am planning to buy one regardless in the new year, but I'm hoping someone here (whom also owns a T2i) may have use for a 64GB SDXC card, buy one and just try it out already.

[Lunchbox]

OK, that's logical, actually. Since HD video is compressed, and black compresses better than any "real" image, you can get more than 12 minutes of black into 4 GB. But what's the use???

It is used to prove you wrong... hehe

[Janke]

LOL! OK, you won that round!

[mkkid28]

With Magic Lantern you can film for 29 mins and 59 seconds by having the Q-Scale on a low setting (-1 or something) on a SDHC card. I tested it by filming my dog in the garden and it did film for the full 29:59 minutes If you're going to colour grade or do any heavy effects in post then I wouldn't recommend doing this but if you going for the in camera look the quality is very acceptable.

[redfalcon]

It is whichever comes first.... 30 min or 4GB.

Doesn't matter what card you use, the camera's software will only record up to those.

It's a camera thing, not a card thing.

[Lunchbox]

With SDXC, there will be no 4GB limit. but still each clip limited to 30min. It's best if they can come up a way to incrementally record video in the next file just like panasonic GH1.

[redfalcon]

With SDXC, there will be no 4GB limit.

You sure?

Cool if that's true, but I was positive that was a camera limitation.

[Lunchbox]

The camera limits each video clip to be 29:59 that's for sure. The 4GB limit was because of the FAT 32 file system. SDXC doesn't have the 4gb per file limit. So you can record each clip up to 29:59.

I don't have any SDXC card. So all these are what I read about

[GeorgeMaier]

In fact, you can record longer than 12 minutes with your current SDHC card by shooting with the lens cap on.

Growing up, without internet, until I was about ten, in my mind I imagined codecs as capturing information about the image, then if nothing changes in the next frame then it just says, 'same' in whatever code rather than re-detailing every pixle. And if only part of the image changed then it would only note that part ect... you get the idea

I don't know if this is actually how codecs work, but if it is then it makes logical sense to me that complete black would be one 1080 compressed image followed by hours of 'same' every 24th of a second, or whatever frame rate..

On the other hand, I am most likely totally wrong about how codecs work seen as I've never actually looked into it.

[redfalcon]

That's pretty much exactly how it works.

And that's great news on the SDXC cards.