Z7 overheating with long video

Started 5 months ago | Discussions
nigelht Senior Member • Posts: 1,861
Re: Z7 overheating with long video
1

jaba wrote:

drt3 wrote:

I have been really enjoying getting to know my new Z7. Awesome camera.

One issue I am hitting is shutting down from over-heating during long video shoots. I use an Atomos Ninja Flame with 10-bit NLog HDMI output from the Z7. After 60-90 minutes, the Z7 shuts itself off from overheating. Ambient temp is reasonable (around 70-73 degrees) and the Z7 is open to air for ventilation.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips on how to handle?

Have you thought of ventilating the back of the camera with some USB-powered fans? Deploy the screen first...

Just an idea...

Some Sony a6000 users did that but it’s very suboptimal...

The tear down of the Z7 doesn’t show as much heat management as the A7RIII...

We were also surprised by how plain things are looking under the hood so far. We’re not seeing the layers of heat shielding and heat sink tape that we say in the A7R III.”

https://kolarivision.com/nikon-z7-dissasembly-teardown/

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Mikspin
Mikspin Forum Member • Posts: 66
Is this a Joke? or are we supposed to take you seriously?
1

No text.

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izzard Forum Member • Posts: 67
Re: Why?
1

nigelht wrote:

Why would wedding videographers care? I was at an hours long Indian ceremony that didnt have many breaks. Having your camera overheat and be dead for 15+ mins as it cools off is really bad even if you are shooting multiple cameras because often you’re shooting multiple angles.

Just curious what is the use of such videos? Just because you can? Is it sort of cultural thing to show the wedding guests the wealth of whoever is paying the "fun"? I can't imagine that kind videos are shot to have someone watch them...

RicksAstro
RicksAstro Veteran Member • Posts: 3,852
Re: Why?
6

izzard wrote:

nigelht wrote:

Why would wedding videographers care? I was at an hours long Indian ceremony that didnt have many breaks. Having your camera overheat and be dead for 15+ mins as it cools off is really bad even if you are shooting multiple cameras because often you’re shooting multiple angles.

Just curious what is the use of such videos? Just because you can? Is it sort of cultural thing to show the wedding guests the wealth of whoever is paying the "fun"? I can't imagine that kind videos are shot to have someone watch them...

Really?  You of course edit the footage down to a reasonable level.   You leave it roll to capture unpredictable precious moments that can occur at any time.

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nigelht Senior Member • Posts: 1,861
Re: Why?
3

izzard wrote:

nigelht wrote:

Why would wedding videographers care? I was at an hours long Indian ceremony that didnt have many breaks. Having your camera overheat and be dead for 15+ mins as it cools off is really bad even if you are shooting multiple cameras because often you’re shooting multiple angles.

Just curious what is the use of such videos? Just because you can? Is it sort of cultural thing to show the wedding guests the wealth of whoever is paying the "fun"? I can't imagine that kind videos are shot to have someone watch them...

I’m not a wedding videographer for me 1 cam is set wide to cover the entire stage and it runs the entire performance.  Choreographers want wide to capture everything, parents want closeups.  I’ll shoot a longer zoom for that and cut between the two...

I dunno why folks would want an entire hours long ceremony for and probably just key moments...but if you’re being paid for that sort of gig you’d want to shoot everything and edit after to something more reasonable in length.

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rumple
rumple Contributing Member • Posts: 963
Re: Z7 overheating with long video
1

drt3 wrote:

[...]

Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips on how to handle?

I have not, but I have noticed that my D850 runs noticeably cooler if the articulating LCD is pulled out from the body.

Same thing should apply to the Z7.

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izzard Forum Member • Posts: 67
Re: Why?

nigelht wrote:

I’m not a wedding videographer for me 1 cam is set wide to cover the entire stage and it runs the entire performance. Choreographers want wide to capture everything, parents want closeups. I’ll shoot a longer zoom for that and cut between the two...

That use case makes kind of sense. The kids could use some break though as well as the Z7

I dunno why folks would want an entire hours long ceremony for and probably just key moments...but if you’re being paid for that sort of gig you’d want to shoot everything and edit after to something more reasonable in length.

It's a ceremony, pro wedding photog should know and prepare for the key moments, don't you think?

izzard Forum Member • Posts: 67
Re: Why?
1

RicksAstro wrote:

Really? You of course edit the footage down to a reasonable level. You leave it roll to capture unpredictable precious moments that can occur at any time.

Maybe some sort of surveillance system would be a better option for anyone who sells guarantee to capture any unpredictable precious moments that can occur...

MayaTlab0
MayaTlab0 Senior Member • Posts: 2,706
Re: Z7 overheating with long video

ntsan wrote:

https://kolarivision.com/nikon-z7-dissasembly-teardown/

no heatsink/cooling mechanics whatsoever inside Z7.. so no surprise it will will overheat.

I'm not sure about this. Couldn't that part below be thermally conductive tape, pressed against the Expeed processor by the foam behind it (instead of directly taped on the processor, like on the A7RIII) ?

Leonard Shepherd
Leonard Shepherd Forum Pro • Posts: 16,619
Re: Z7 overheating with long video

Donald B wrote:

so I take it that shooting stills for 13 hours no break streaming live to a uhd monitor as well as using the evf at the same time in 36deg c is out of the question ? shooting raw and h jpeg

A sensible response I hope to your query 

How long between each shot comes to mind.

13 hours shoot at 1 shot a minute is 780 shots - likely fine with 1 battery and no overheating.

1 shot a second is 46,800 shots - about a quarter of the tested shutter life and perhaps 40-50 battery changes 

Information on whether the batteries or card (assuming a big enough card) used at a rate of 3,600 shots an hour would overheat seems not in the public domain; but seems a distinct possibility.

The receiving source would need 2,000 GB or more free storage capacity for 46,800 shots depending on RAW compression and bit depth.

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Leonard Shepherd
In lots of ways good photography is much more about how equipment is used rather than the equipment being used.

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Leonard Shepherd
Leonard Shepherd Forum Pro • Posts: 16,619
Re: Z7 overheating with long video
1

Donald B wrote:

A battery grip will defiantly help. and only use the grip battery.

There is no grip announced yet (other than under development) for the Z7.

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Leonard Shepherd
In lots of ways good photography is much more about how equipment is used rather than the equipment being used.

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Leonard Shepherd
Leonard Shepherd Forum Pro • Posts: 16,619
Re: Z7 overheating with long video

rumple wrote:

I have not, but I have noticed that my D850 runs noticeably cooler if the articulating LCD is pulled out from the body.

Same thing should apply to the Z7.

A common sense suggestion 

So far common sense seems uncommon in responses to the original somewhat naive feedback.

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Leonard Shepherd
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Leonard Shepherd
Leonard Shepherd Forum Pro • Posts: 16,619
Re: Z7 overheating with long video

ntsan wrote:

https://kolarivision.com/nikon-z7-dissasembly-teardown/

no heatsink/cooling mechanics whatsoever inside Z7.. so no surprise it will will overheat.

Fair comment - in a thread where common sense seems somewhat lacking.

Nikon has made it clear their primary aim with the Z6/7 design was to keep them as small as possible.

A small body does not seem synonymous with assuming 1.5 hours or more continuous video can be achieved without card or battery overheating issues.

This is no different to the Z7 having a much smaller buffer than the D850.

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Leonard Shepherd
In lots of ways good photography is much more about how equipment is used rather than the equipment being used.

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nigelht Senior Member • Posts: 1,861
Re: Z7 overheating with long video
1

drt3 wrote:

I have been really enjoying getting to know my new Z7. Awesome camera.

One issue I am hitting is shutting down from over-heating during long video shoots. I use an Atomos Ninja Flame with 10-bit NLog HDMI output from the Z7. After 60-90 minutes, the Z7 shuts itself off from overheating. Ambient temp is reasonable (around 70-73 degrees) and the Z7 is open to air for ventilation.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips on how to handle?

Given the battery "grip" isn't available yet you can try this:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1241257-REG/tether_tools_case_relay_camera_power.html

That should take the battery heat out of the camera.  Since you're shooting via HDMI what's one more cable :).

You probably have to remove the battery door.

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OP drt3 Forum Member • Posts: 84
Re: Z7 overheating with long video
1

Bob Jameson wrote:

Are you sure it's not the 30 min max limit set in the firmware so the camera will not be classified as a video camera avoiding additional import duty imposed on video cameras?

Yeah, I am sure.  Part of the reason that I am using external recording via the Ninja Flame is to avoid this limitation.  Also I reset c3 Power off delay to infinity for Standby timer to ensure that the camera keeps outputting to the HDMI port from which the Ninja Flame records.

OP drt3 Forum Member • Posts: 84
Re: Z7 overheating with long video
1

Leonard Shepherd wrote:

drt3 wrote:

After 60-90 minutes, the Z7 shuts itself off from overheating.

Sorry - you are making a significant usage error, though what you report can be correct after several successive video sessions.

I presume you are making successive videos as the maximum recording length is usually 30 minutes.

No.  As I mentioned in the post, I am using the Atomos Ninja Flame as an external recorder.  External recorders do not have a recording time limitation.

OP drt3 Forum Member • Posts: 84
Re: Z7 overheating with long video

jaba wrote:

drt3 wrote:

I have been really enjoying getting to know my new Z7. Awesome camera.

One issue I am hitting is shutting down from over-heating during long video shoots. I use an Atomos Ninja Flame with 10-bit NLog HDMI output from the Z7. After 60-90 minutes, the Z7 shuts itself off from overheating. Ambient temp is reasonable (around 70-73 degrees) and the Z7 is open to air for ventilation.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips on how to handle?

Have you thought of ventilating the back of the camera with some USB-powered fans? Deploy the screen first...

I'd prefer not to hassle with fans, but that is a really good idea to deploy the screen.  Pulling it away from the body should improve ventilation.  I will try that, thanks!

Donald B
Donald B Forum Pro • Posts: 11,534
Re: Z7 overheating with long video

Leonard Shepherd wrote:

Donald B wrote:

so I take it that shooting stills for 13 hours no break streaming live to a uhd monitor as well as using the evf at the same time in 36deg c is out of the question ? shooting raw and h jpeg

A sensible response I hope to your query

How long between each shot comes to mind.

13 hours shoot at 1 shot a minute is 780 shots - likely fine with 1 battery and no overheating.

the camera never gets turned off so I would expect at least 4 batteries.

1 shot a second is 46,800 shots - about a quarter of the tested shutter life and perhaps 40-50 battery changes

Information on whether the batteries or card (assuming a big enough card) used at a rate of 3,600 shots an hour would overheat seems not in the public domain; but seems a distinct possibility.

The receiving source would need 2,000 GB or more free storage capacity for 46,800 shots depending on RAW compression and bit depth.

3500 steady no burst.

Don

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ARClark
ARClark Veteran Member • Posts: 3,586
Re: Is this a Joke? or are we supposed to take you seriously?

Mikspin wrote:

I thought you left this forum? 😄

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OP drt3 Forum Member • Posts: 84
Re: Z7 overheating with long video
1

nigelht wrote:

drt3 wrote:

I have been using 4k @ 30fps 10-bit N-Log--so yes, pushing the camera hard. I have not tried other video settings, but perhaps at lower resolution the Z7 won't overheat.

If you haven’t already I’d turn off EVF and LCD as well as IBIS.

Good suggestions.  I hadn't tried those, but I will do so.

Perhaps a dumb question: how do I turn off the EVF and LCD without also turning off the HDMI output?  I have not figured out how to do that, as everything that turns off LCD/EVF also causes the HDMI output to go black.

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