I would like to attach a D800 to an HD monitor and view video continuously for 2 hour periods of time. I understand from the manual that if left in live view, the camera will automatically turn itself off after one hour and that it will only record for 30 minutes at a stretch. Can you restart it right away or do you need to wait and cool the camera down? Is the sensor heating up or the camera LCD screen? If it is the LCD, can you turn off the LCD but continue to monitor on a remote monitor? Thanks,

Hil

Hil Brodie
Davis, CA

Anyone have a recommendation on where to look for an answer to this question? I do not want to invest in the camera without knowing the answer because this will be one of its key purposes. The camera will be attached to an operating microscope allowing we to take both videos as well as capture stills. Thanks.

Hil

Hil Brodie
Davis, CA

Hi.

I LOVE my D800; but I don't think it's the correct tool for your job.

I would instead invest in one of the newer generation Camcorders, they are amazing in quality and take stills. And you won't have any heating issues.

I'm no specialist in the dedicated video field, but here is one that is going to be released tomorrow, and looks incredible (full frame, interchangeable lenses, hdmi output, etc etc).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/892256-REG/Sony_NEX_VG900_Full_Frame_Interchangeable_Lens.html/BI/4775/KBID/5289/

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Hi Geoff,
The camcorder is a nice idea but I do not think that it will work for this application very well. The adapters to attach a camera to an operating microscope are somewhat limited and I am not aware of any to attach camcorders. I think the market would just be too small. The other problem is that they are a bit bulkier and may have issues dangling from the adapter. The video cameras that are made for these applications are quite overpriced due to their limited market and are single use. Whereas at least with the D800 I can take it home on the weekends and enjoy it.

Hil Brodie
Davis, CA

Quote
>Whereas at least with the D800 I can take it home on the
>weekends and enjoy it. <Quote<<<

It also can be written off on your business 100%.

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It's the sensor heating up. I don't think the D800 can do what you want. There is also some legal malarkey: there are different import duties if a camera "is a video camera" as opposed to "a still camera." I have a foggy recollection that this is one way that we pay still camera duties rather than video camera duties.

_____
Brian... a bicoastal Nikonian and Team Member

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Hi Hilary,

Try Custom Setting c4. The D800 allows you to set up the monitor off delay for live to "no limit." As I understand it, this should work for playback of video or a slide show of stills, but I have not personally verified it goes longer than 2 hours. Give it a shot and see if it works.

To be sure I understand your question, you are talking about continuous video playback and not recording for 2 plus hours - correct? If you are talking about continuous recording from the D800 throught the HDMI port, check out Thom Hogan's article on this -
http://bythom.com/hdmivideo.htm . I've never tried it, so I can't offer any first hand experience.

I hope this helps.

Dave

Hillary,
Sorry - with my first post, I did not see that you had already clarified your original question. Obviously, if you are considering buying the D800, and don't already own it, my suggestion to try something out does not help much! But, the article from Thom Hogan may answer some of your questions if you really do need to do continuous recording, especially if it is over 2 hours.

Since the LCD monitor and HDMI output are not limited by heat, it is the sensors being powered up that might create a heat problem that could create a cap on what you want to do. I can't speak definitively on that issue.

Dave

Thanks Dave and Brian. The article from Hogan was very helpful. I assume that since he indicates that there is a setting to set live view to "no limit" that I can indeed view continuously for longer periods of time. I think I will risk it. Thanks again.

Hil

Hil Brodie
Davis, CA

Hil,
Glad to help. I hope it works out. I think you'll find the resolution of a D800 still image to be amazing. You can zoom in to an incredible level and still have good detail. The image file can function almost like a microscope in it's own way, so for what you described your need is, I think you are making an excellent choice with the D800. Enjoy!

Dave

Should work.
I record HD 1080 Video at 30fps for up to 80 minutes on Sunday Mornings.
Never had my D800 overheat but have to restart the Video every 20 minutes.
There is and external HDMI recorder (Ninja 2) that allows you to go at least one hour continuously.
I think you would have to attach an external power source or battery pack to the D800 to record more than 1.5 hours

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