A40 question - Can the video record longer with a faster CF

[fordy]

Hi,

Just bought myself a Canon A40 - very pleased with it so far.

I was wondering, if i bought a 20X speed CF card (256Mb) - would the video record more than 11 secs in one go - im assuming the reason it stops after 11 secs is becasue the buffer fills up becasue it cannon write to the card quick enough.

On the 8mb card that came with the camera i managed to record 13 secs in one go - on my new 256meg card i only get 11 - the 256meg card is only a cheap slow one, but i have seen 20X (20 times speed) cards - anyone any experience ??

cheers

chris
(fordy)

[JohnMN]

The length of the video clip is determined by an internal memory in the camera and when it fills up it has to then put the recorded clip onto the card. It wouldn't matter how big or how fast your card is, the length of the video clip is set to around 10 secs... I never got 13 so far. The speed you quote of 20x is just how fast it can read and write images and not how long the video clips are. If you were recording a fast moving sporting event it might allow you to take another picture more quickly than say with a slower card.

JohnMN

[fordy]

Thanks. Guess that saves me £80 by not having to buy a new faster card.

Still confused as to why i got different film lengths with the 2 different cards though - i think ill have to try a repeat that experiment.

cheers

Chris

[JohnMN]

The reason why it is possible to record more than the quoted 10 secs. is maybe because of the contents of the clip you are recording. You may notice that when you take still images, the file sizes are different. If one picture has a lot of colours or detail in it and another picture has less colours or detail in it you will get a smaller file size. Maybe this is what is happening to allow you to record slightly longer videos (IMHO).

JohnMN

[Branko_88]

I guess I'm lucky then as I have manged to make 20 second movies with a 32mb card on the A40. (at high res ofcourse)

[beivied]

Branko_88 wrote:
I guess I'm lucky then as I have manged to make 20 second movies with a 32mb card on the A40. (at high res ofcourse)


HI Brank

there are two settings for video. one is 160x120, the other is (lemme check....) .... 320x240.

Ok, the higher one, 320x240, the longest I have tried is 14 seconds, shortest 9 seconds. The higher resolution one doesnt seem to be very constant, which JohnMN's logic might fit in here.

HOwever, the lower resolution one, 160x120, I have tried taking different clips with it. It is definitely 30 seconds.