T4i Rebel error message "movie recording has stopped automatically"

[uptondm]

I was recording my client when suddenly I got a this error message "movie recording has stopped automatically" and I could not record video anymore. I am recording on a class 10 sandisk Ultra card. 720/60, EFS18-135mm lens. Never had any problems in the past. First I get a small veterical meter on the frame and then after 5 secs the recording stops with this error message. Please tell me it is opeartor error...I have had this camera for 2 years now and never had a problem. I tried multiple cards.

thanks for the help,

DM

[peamom]

I had the same problem last night during my daughters year end choral concert (an unfortunate time to have this problem). It gave me this message and stopped during a song. I shut the camera off, and on and restarted it and it finished the song. I then started videoing another song and I noticed midway through the video had stopped and the picture on the screen was frozen. Again I shut the camera off, and checked that I had the wheel on automatic, and turn the camera on buttton back up  to video and tried again. It worked for some songs and not for others. I also let the camera focus before I start videoing (as the chorus is stationary) and then I touch the servo button bottom left on the screen to turn off the auto focus so I don't hear the lens noise during video. I notice sometimes when I would touch the servo button on the screen to shut off the auto-focus, that's when the picture would freeze, and I would have to turn camera off and on again. Note: I'm using a Sandisk 32GB Ultra SD card I have never had problems with before and have used since I got the camera. I had cleared the card right before the concert by formating it in camera. Please help. I love  this camera!

[uptondm]

I called Canon direct and they told me to purchase a CLASS 6 card not class 10 which I had been previously using. I am trying that today.

Good Luck.

[peamom]

I found out that there is a t4i firmware update that may solve this problem. I am going to try that first, as I have been using my Sandisk SD 32gb Ultra card for 2 years without incident. Here is the link
http://usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer/eos_slr_camera_systems/eos_digital_slr_cameras/eos_rebel_...

[TCampbell]

Either you or the person you spoke to at Canon was confused.

What the camera requires for video purposes is a card which is "at least" Class 6 or faster.  The class designation is an indicator of the cards data transfer speed.  Class 6 actually means the card is capable of transfering data (either reading or writing) at "at least" 6 megabytes per second.  A Class 10 card can transfer data at "at least" 10 megabytes per second.

The T4i is also compatible with "UHS-1" cards... which are significantly faster than eithe Class 6 or 10.

The reason for requiring "at least" Class 6 has to do with how fast the camera is attempting to capture and save frames of video to the card.  The camera actually has an internal memory buffer which is very fast.  When you start recording, the data is being saved to that buffer... and simultaneously the camera also starts taking the data from the buffer and saving it to the memory card (which is slower).  If the camera is recording video only slightly faster than the card can record, then it will actually take a few minutes before the buffer is completely filled.  But at that point the camera has no choice but to stop recording because it has absolutely no place to save data ... the internal buffer is full and it can't empty the buffer because the memory card can't save data as fast as new frames of video are coming in.

Faster is always better.

Memory cards do actually wear out and develop errors over time.  This is normal.  A good card will re-map the bad blocks so they aren't used anymore... and this is why you should do a low-level format IN CAMERA (not using the computer).  Good cards also have a "memory leveling" technology to try to use all the blocks roughly an equal number amount.   This extends the userful life of the card.

When replacing the card, do not skimp on quality!  I cannot emphasize that point enough.  Most times when someone brings up this issue... it's the card that is having problems and not the camera.   

It's easy to produce forgery cards which look like a good brand but are not.  Buy GOOD cards from REPUTABLE dealers.  Do not shop for the cheapest website on the Internet with a questionable reputation in order to save a couple of bucks.

Lexar brand and SanDisk brand are good. 

When buying memory cards, I only buy cards from Lexar and SanDisk.  I also buy their highest end cards (by speed performance... not necessarily their biggest capactiy cards).  I buy the cards from dealers with a solid reputation.  This avoids the unpleasant error messages which always seem to happen at the worst possible time.

[peamom]

Thanks! Do you recommend the 1.0.4 firmware update as I have never updated Tue camera's firmware, or just do a low level format of my Sandisk 32GB Ultra card?

[TCampbell]

You should install the firmware update as it fixes a few bugs.  You can find the details here:

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer?pageKeyCode=prdAdvDetail&docId=0901e0248090cddd

The update process sounds complicated... but is actually very easy.  When you download the update from Canon, the instructions are packaged with the download.  There are two methods to do the update... you get to choose which method you'd prefer to use.  

One method involves using the EOS Utility to update the camera using the USB cable.

The other method involves simply copying the firmware file (it's the file with the ".FIR" extension) to the base directory of your memory card (not into any sub-folder).  Insert the card into the camera and navigate to an on-camera menu to ask the camera to update it's firmware ... and it'll find the firmware file on the memory card.

Both procedures just take a few minutes to do -- however they do recommend you have a freshly charged battery (if the battery died half-way through the update process that would be bad.)

Regards,

Tim

[uptondm]

This information is very helpful.

Thanks,

DM