Will it overheat?

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Paul
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If I leave my 550d on live view for about 6 hours? Basically I want to try and catch the lowlife who keeps trying to break into my shed. I was going to set the 550d up at the window with motion detection active through Magic Lantern and a flash off camera so I dont get a reflection. I've tested it and it works brilliant but im unsure of leaving it on live view for such a long time. Should it be ok? Live view has to be active for motion detection to work. Also this is just a temporary idea for tonight, going to look into CCTV kits tomorrow. Cheers.
 
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It may well overheat if it is left on too long. If it does the camera will shut down:
  • If the camera's internal temperature becomes high, the [
    G0053121_tcm14-652243.gif
    ] icon may appear on the screen. If you then continue with Live View shooting, the image quality might degrade. You should stop Live View shooting and allow the camera to rest.
  • If Live View shooting continues while the [
    G0053121_tcm14-652243.gif
    ] warning icon is displayed and the camera's internal temperature increases, the Live View shooting will stop automatically. Live View shooting will be disabled until the camera's internal temperature decreases.
Will the battery last?
 
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Well I have used mine on the 40d for about 10 mins at a time, so no reason it wont last that long, just remember to turn off, auto turn off!
As for overheating, I don't see why it should. Battery life may be a problem though!
 
It may well overheat if it is left on too long. If it does the camera will shut down:
  • If the camera's internal temperature becomes high, the [
    G0053121_tcm14-652243.gif
    ] icon may appear on the screen. If you then continue with Live View shooting, the image quality might degrade. You should stop Live View shooting and allow the camera to rest.
  • If Live View shooting continues while the [
    G0053121_tcm14-652243.gif
    ] warning icon is displayed and the camera's internal temperature increases, the Live View shooting will stop automatically. Live View shooting will be disabled until the camera's internal temperature decreases.
Will the battery last?


Cheers. I have a battery grip for it for doing stuff like this and multiple long exposures so I'd imagine it would last if I dim the screen down, but after you saying that I don't know if I'm too keen on it. Knowing my luck the camera will not shut down by itself and end up catching on fire:rolleyes:
 
I've no answer to your question, but I'd buy one of these .

They don't come with an adapter for 240v but any universal one with a choice of plugs will work it :)

I've had a couple of them 2 years now, run them every day, never had a problem
 
I've no answer to your question, but I'd buy one of these .

They don't come with an adapter for 240v but any universal one with a choice of plugs will work it :)

I've had a couple of them 2 years now, run them every day, never had a problem

I've been looking into CCTV kits as well but they are some price. Is that camera you linked any good in the dark?
 
There was a problem with the 7D overheating (fixed through firmware I think), don't know about the 550D.
 
There was a problem with the 7D overheating (fixed through firmware I think), don't know about the 550D.
I think I had it overheat on me a while back, but I was continuously shooting HD video for 2hours.
 
Its a lot better with some light, but if someone was breaking into my shed, a good light would be the first thing I put up :)
 
:) it says nightvision :) :)
A lot of them do but some are very poor. That's why I'm planning to use my 550D because I already have a "nightvision" camera lol. It's about as much use as an ash tray on a motor bike.
 
A lot of them do but some are very poor. That's why I'm planning to use my 550D because I already have a "nightvision" camera lol. It's about as much use as an ash tray on a motor bike.
That'll teach me not to read it!

I'd have thought a cctv camera would be the way to go rather than using a DSLR camera.
 
Its a lot better with some light, but if someone was breaking into my shed, a good light would be the first thing I put up :)
I have security lights out the front on my garage but my house is surrounded by fields and they can come from anywhere. My shed is out the back, it's empty with nothing in it but that's not the point. The point is I want to catch the person trying it on with me lol. I probably will end up getting some more lights and look into a cctv kit tomorrow. I'll see what they have in Maplins because I could do with a few cameras.
 
That'll teach me not to read it!

I'd have thought a cctv camera would be the way to go rather than using a DSLR camera.
Yeh I'll pop into Maplins tomorrow, it was just a temporary idea for tonight mainly:)
 
Dark you say.......:thinking: bear traps might be better than CCTV :D
 
Lol I am a registered user of a .338 calibre rifle, but I think I may get into a tiny bit of trouble for using that:(
 
Could always try something like THIS
 
How about a trap with a trip wire when touched it fires a blank 12 bore cartridge. That'll frighten the bugger and everyone else for about 50 meters.... Lol
 
How about a trap with a trip wire when touched it fires a blank 12 bore cartridge. That'll frighten the bugger and everyone else for about 50 meters.... Lol
Lol There's no one else within 50metres so I might just get away with that:banana: I don't own any rounds for the shotgun though I'm afraid, very rarely gets used compared to the rifle:(
 
I use my 550d a lot on live view and it does switch off after a while unfortunately
 
I use my 550d a lot on live view and it does switch off after a while unfortunately
Cheers. I'll give it a shot, hopefully if the guy tries again tonight it will be within the time the camera is on.
 
Chavs, but you have to dispose of the body carefully

(I'm thinking the answer is probably deer , unless its a typo and he mean a .308)
 
Holy s£&@t. What are you allowed to shoot with that calibre ?

I was as shocked as you are when I got the all clear to register one. I'm a Gamekeeper part time so I have access to the amount of land needed for the rifle. I never use it on animals though, it would just obliterate them, it's more of a "toy" than anything that gets used for practice on melons or old burnt out cars. I use smaller calibres for the deer.

Holy s£&@t. What are you allowed to shoot with that calibre ?
No not a typo. The head keeper at the estate has the same rifle as me but a model down, a Sako TRG 21 which fires the .308. I have the TRG 42 which fires the .338 Lapua round. He probably wishes it was a typo, he was fuming when I got the all clear :D http://world.guns.ru/sniper/sniper-rifles/fi/sako-trg-e.html


PS: before anyone goes into a debate about game keeping, it's not for fun. It's to keep the deer at a healthy number so they don't over populate and kill themselves off. I know a number of you love to shoot them(with a camera), so we wouldn't want them to disappear:) :exit:
 
I bet that gives you a sore shoulder - I fired a 338 Winchester magnum once (in the states) , it had a kick like a mule , I sure as hell wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis.
 
Isn't the most you can record on most DSLRs around 30 minutes? Ignore... just read your post again and noticed the motion detectr thingy.
 
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Isn't the most you can record on most DSLRs around 30 minutes?

I thought magic lantern overcame that issue ?

yep I just checked - as standard you can record up to 4GB (which is about 12 minuites) , magic lantern allows you to virtually seamlessly record file after file with each one at 4GB - you can also reduce the bit rate to allow for longer recording in a 4GB - there isn't a limit on how long this can go on for , apart from card capacity

That said for what the op wants to do , you'll need some big arse cards and to continually swap them out unless you set up to record direct to a computer- but there are easier ways , like CCTV, or a trackcam.
 
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No idea.. not a Canon user. If it does... that's brilliant. I wish Nikon had a similar hack.

I'm not sure I'd like to run the sensor so hot for hours at a time though. It will get quite warm. I've left mine on live view for a long time while testing battery life etc... it got a bit toasty.
 
I bet that gives you a sore shoulder - I fired a 338 Winchester magnum once (in the states) , it had a kick like a mule , I sure as hell wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis.

Not too bad actually. It has a clever muzzle break on the end of the barrel which throws the gasses back, it really helps to reduce the recoil.

Isn't the most you can record on most DSLRs around 30 minutes? Ignore... just read your post again and noticed the motion detectr thingy.
I haven't tried using my 550D without Magic Lantern so to be honest I couldn't say. I have shot video for an hour or two solid with no breaks whilst using Magic Lantern though. In my original post I wasn't on about shooting video anyway, Magic Lantern has a really neat motion detect setting. It takes a picture if something passes a select area on the live view screen. Pretty neat but I haven't used it properly yet.

Edit: No I wasn't using it in a cinema for a few hours solid lol. It was my kids first school play and it started to over heat after 2hours of filming.
 
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It's a bit bad when major companies get shown up by a few people with electrical know how lol. The guys at Magic Lantern have done some great work.
 
Surely a decent CCTV camera and a couple of motion detector security lights will give you better footage than a single hopeful image on your 550D.

Leave the CCTV running in the dark and when the intruder trips the motion sensor the lights come on and illuminate him for the recording.
 
Surely a decent CCTV camera and a couple of motion detector security lights will give you better footage than a single hopeful image on your 550D.

Leave the CCTV running in the dark and when the intruder trips the motion sensor the lights come on and illuminate him for the recording.
Yeh that's what I will probably do. Using the 550D was just a temporary idea for tonight really.
 
All clear on the western front last night. The only thing the camera picked up was me letting the new puppy out at 3am. Worked a charm though and it lasted a good 5hours before it overheated. Going to look for CCTV kits and another security light today.
 
Interesting. At the least you've confirmed what happens.
 
Cheers but I've ordered a four camera CCTV set up and another security light. Should all arrive tomorrow:banana: I just need some gun turrets and razor wire now.
 
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