EOS M100 Freezes While Filming

[MissK]

Hello, everyone!

I've had an EOS M100 for about seven years or so, and I love it. I use it often, which is why this is breaking my heart a tad. I often shoot videos in FHD 29.9p, and I use a SanDisk Extreme PRO SDXC V30. For the past few weeks, at some random point while filming (it can be two minutes in or ten or twenty), the camera simply freezes, and I lose the recording (the file output is a corrupted DAT file that can't be played or converted). I get no error message or code, no green screen, nothing. The recording simply freezes, and I need to sort of "hard reset" the camera (hold the power button for quite a few seconds until it turns off).

The camera doesn't overheat and the SD card is fairly new (I bought it last year). I remember that this happened once many years ago, but never again (I spent quite a few years using the camera mostly for photography, though). This has been happening more frequently, and I'm starting to wonder if it needs professional repair?

I'd appreciate any help, suggestions, or ideas! Thank you so very much! (:

[stevet1]

MissK,

You may be having trouble with the card.

I'd start there.

Steve Thomas

[March411]

I believe that steve is pointing you in the right direction. Most manufacturers suggest at least a V60 for recording video and V90 would be better. I don't know the M100 well enough but is there an indicator light that will indicate if the camera is writing to the card? If so is it on when the camera freezes? 

It sounds like it is a writing challenge, either the card is becoming a challenge or the buffer is struggling. 

Have you tried a low level format of the card? 

[MissK]

Thank you so much. I'll look into it! (:

[MissK]

The M100 doesn't have an indicator light so it's impossible for me to figure out whether the camera continues writing to the card or not. I haven't tried a low level format of the card either, but I'll look into it. Thank you so very much! (:

[Waddizzle]

“ The camera doesn't overheat and the SD card is fairly new (I bought it last year). “

Your issues are consistent with memory card problems.  Of course, it could be something else entirely. But ya memory card is a common problem and easy to rule out.

You said that you have SDXC V30 memory cards. I assume that you are using full size cards, micro-SD cards that require a full size adapter.

What is the storage capacity for your memory card?  Did you purchase the cards from a reputable camera dealer. Online marketplaces like Amazon are rife with counterfeit memory cards.  Do you have an SDHC, 32 GB or smaller, that you could try?

How can you be certain that the camera is not overheating?

When you say the camera may stop after as little as 2 minutes, how much recording activity took place prior to the 2 minute session?

[kvbarkley]

Also make sure to periodically low level reformat in the camera. 

[MissK]

Hello, there! 

Thank you so much for such a thorough answer. Yes, I'm using a full-size card. It's a SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB (200MB/s, SDXC V30 UHS-I), and I did buy it from Amazon, but it was sold by Amazon, not from the marketplace. Back when I had just bought the camera, I used to use a SanDisk Ultra 16GB (80MB/s, SDHC UHS-I). I didn't use the camera for videomaking much then -- and I remember the same thing happened just once while I was filming a very short video (but then I thought to myself that I was asking for too much from the poor card).

I know it sounds silly to say, but I've checked the camera several times, and it never feels warm to the touch. Actually, even after filming for quite a while, and I have to recharge the battery, even then the camera/battery are never warm (the battery... perhaps a tad after 90ish minutes, but I'd say within the expected in these circumstances).

Yes, it isn't that I turn the camera on, film for two minutes, and then it freezes. It's usually after a while (so maybe after I've already shot a different 10-minute video or something).

[MissK]

I had no idea it was so important to do it periodically, so thank you so very much for the tip! (:

[Waddizzle]

MissK wrote,

” Thank you so much for such a thorough answer. Yes, I'm using a full-size card. It's a SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB (200MB/s, SDXC V30 UHS-I), and I did buy it from Amazon, but it was sold by Amazon, not from the marketplace. “

I suggest you purchase a new memory card. Stick to only SDHC cards, 32 GB or less.

If you feel the need for additional storage, then buy two or more SDHC cards.  Some camera models don’t work well with the SDXC cards. So let’s take that question off the table. 

Don’t forget to use the camera to format the memory card prior to first use.

 One last thing. Never allow another device to write or erase files from the camera (only) memory card.