A7RII recording past 29.50 limit and video setup.

[DanArt]

Okay so one of the things I have been doing is setting up my camera to do recordings for shows so I can keep recording as long as possible.
Originally I was using firmware 1.00 with the Openmemories tweak but I was only able to get over fifty minutes ( 0.50.00 ) before it turns off. It is impossible for anybody to know when.

This is the specs I got

TIME: 1:57 ( before it shuts off )
Battery: %61 ( might have been %51 ) left using power-extra via dummy battery
Room Temperature: Might be a bit below body temperature. A little chil and not stuffy. No AC but floor AC was on in a room nearby.
Lens: 70-400mm

What do I learn from this?

1. My A7RIi needs a heatsink ( which somebody did create but no longer is for sale ).

or

2. We need an Open memories tweak where we could just turn off the Temperature warning. In fact we need the actual temperature to be displayed because this is just silly.

About High temperatures. I have taken my A7Rii out in the sun and I never had no operational problems. However the screen protector is slipping off the display and the rubber was coming off from the memory card chamber.

[VTC]

If this is something you do often consider investing in an external monitor recorder and be done with it. You could, and probably have, spent hours testing configurations and recording and over heating et. al. when running an external recorder will bypass all those frustration and wild gymnastics when things crap out on you. (I use Blackmagic Video Assist 5 and Atomos Ninja V units.) Sometimes you have to be smarter than the camera.

[DanArt]

4 hours ago, VTC said:

(I use Blackmagic Video Assist 5 and Atomos Ninja V units) you have to be smarter than the camera.

Don't be verbal abusive and say "I have to be smarter then the camera". I know my camera is not made for video but only because of software limitations imposed by Sony. The goal is to override these limitations without breaking the bank or dumping income on lying sponsors. Or even worst B&H/Adorama.

Also I have an idea for external viewers but I need details???. Did you do it on firmware v 1.00 without open memory tweak?

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Also the external battery was a powerextra. Not a good brand but it did its job. I wish SONY made an battery grip  VG-C2EM that could recharge eternally. Sadly I have to invest in a "case relay". I am trying to arm myself for a recording video jobs. So I work based on clients needs then upgrade and spend.

 

Have to run more tests. Again we need to stop two things.

1. Camera from turning off randomly even if due to overheat. I prefer the camera to just  to warn me with some words. I did not spent money for nothing. So far going great.

[VTC]

Don't take offense to the comment. I was referring to thinking AROUND the problem and getting on with things instead of trying to diagnose or understand as to why things are doing what they're doing and ending up burning time then STILL having to come up with a solution because some issues can't be easily remedied.

I used the tweak successfully before (prior to having an external recorder) for close to 2 hours and never had a shut down. Kept the monitor pulled out. External dummy battery powering it (goes without saying). 256GB card. Something also to consider is capturing audio on a second device so if the thing does shut off, the battery dies, or you run out of memory card there's still audio to work with. Hasn't been an edit yet that I couldn't insert stills or B roll video to cover the down time a battery or card swap took. 

[DanArt]

Well that is nice to hear. My question is which "Firmware" did you have installed, and was the area temperature moderated.

I just did the test again in the same room but the room is sorta warm without cool and hit up to 0.40:00 ( forty minutes ) before I realized my memory was full.
I was also double recording material.

Another problem I am having ( which I never encountered before ) is the A7RII shutting off around 22.30 ( twenty two minutes and thirty seconds ). I assume the new firmware ( 4.0 ) limits the recording time when using regular ( small ) batteries and shooting in MP4 mode.. Or it might be the MP4 mode?????

I noticed using my external battery this has not occurred yet. However I have the view-finder on auto and ( just to be paranoid ) disable/enable the tweak and the High TEMP shut off off and on again. That is another problem entirely.

I really wish SON would just allow us to

1. Have an option to switch off the temperature auto off and display the actual temp. JUST TURN ANY TEMP AUTO OFF. AND STAY OFF
2. Prevent camera from turning off itself for any reason. Because I could be shooting and the thing turns off ( I am not talking about battery dying but just shutting off without warning ).

Edited August 8, 2019 by DanArt

[VTC]

3 hours ago, DanArt said:

I really wish SON would just allow us to

 

3) The camera to stop recording ON IT'S OWN if it's ten seconds before a battery dies.

Sometimes I'm too busy to notice the battery warning and currently the camera dies an immediate death and the file gets corrupted because it didn't close properly. Look, the camera's needs turning off to swap batteries which means the recording gets interrupted anyways so throw up a full screen overlay telling the operator the file's going to be stopped, saved safely, and the whole shebang goes dark in 10 seconds. As it is now a 20 minute session could be botched entirely when the power gets cut. Yes, Sony does a lot of dumb stuff.

[DanArt]

NOTE:: Did not turn on the memories app loophole. Nore did I check the setting at all. For anything mentioned in this paragraph. This is firmware 4.0 etc

KEYWORDS:

HOT SWAPPABLE, WITH DECODING IDENTIFICATION OF POWER SOURCE.

So I am updating my quest findings for a power source to keep the camera going for at least 4hrs straight. At least that is the goal.

FIRST TEST

Case-relay = fail ( scam ). They have batches of this product going bad. I am not surprised at all. Tether tools claim their product needs that matching couple ( also from tether tools to function. However I have tried charging this thing over and over only to have it remained on red and this was from a new box. I do not feel safe with this garbage via my camera system. I thought it was a great idea. Theter tools is the most dumbest crap company I have seen forever. Their products looks like great ideas but they go bad. Reading more on the Case-relay horror show a dude literally took his apart to actually make the thing work. It uses a 7.4 1200mah ( note 7.5 is recommended ) but only has a 5 volt draw ( usb stick ).  Also it is unable to use with power banks that auto off when doing jobs that requires you not to auto off.

SECOND TEST

So I ran into a new problem. The NP-F970 that I have going into the NP-FW50  does not ID the battery unit at all. What I did different was to see if the NP-F970 would stay alert and stay charged while plugged in. Here is what happen.

The charger unit to the NP-F970 was actually feeding the juice to the camera. The charger unit also holds a charge even without a battery inserted. I put the batter in the unit and it showed green ( because the battery was charged ) but when I switched on the Camera A7rii the light became red. The camera recorded for about 1 hour long before tapping out ( over heat? ).

So what I discover is while I can get the NP-F970 to function it was not reading the battery at all. It shut off ( after one hour ), and in fact it was reading the charge unit. It kept on recording beyond 30 minutes while being on %2.

Turning the camera back on I discover the unit to display %100. So again it is not even reading the battery because it is unable to decode or identify the battery itself. The charge ( power source is accepted ) but the amount of juice being reported is incorrect including whether or not it is coming from the wire itself.

So I need to get a solution that is able to decode and report the battery type and display the true amount of the battery to the A7rii. I have purchased a matching unit for the NP-F970 powerextra ( note this went up to 2 hours the last time  I did a test ).

Again without the ability to Identify the battery as with the VG-C2EM even if I have a power source I am unable to get the full amount in

OTHER IDEAS

Both Lanparte and Andoer have V-mount and Gold-mount solutions. Lanparte seems to have a more professional solution which I am looking for. A power source that does not stop..but what i need is the ability to hot swap the battery itself, or even to charge the battery while it is plugged into the camera.

Again I am trying prep this camera for long term recording. Like an auditorium. Not film making but to be in an big room of performers and not making and shooting movies with surfer dudes and washed up movie stars. I need this camera to keep on running without any auto power offs.

Some USB sticks auto power off and it is a feature being built into them too many too much. Using the official power cable is a huge no as it needs to be free for other devices and overheat is more evident with the battery in the body.

While SONY has made the VG-C2EM which is decoded and is identified. I am not too certain about charging the thing via the power insert at all. I would need to see somebody test their A7rii in a non air conditioned environment with the VG-C2EM loaded. I am not against SONY but I wish we could charge via the add-on itself which would actually make it worth while. Other devices have remotes but I need a remote that could take advantage of the SONY Clear view or Zoom via TV lens. ( Another problem all together. )

The main idea is to get the battery away from the camera to prevent overheating. Overheating is the real issue here. Overheat has three to four causes.

Battery

Internal recording via SD slot which is why we have external recording devices after the update. In fact my SD card has literally melted during the two hour test, ( became soft feeling ). So even if I do find a %100 solution I might have to record externally ( which just sucks ).

Charging bay. The USB port.  As you know power means heat and we do not need more heat then what is being generated from the battery.

sensor. Years back via the A7rii was released somebody did produce a heat sink for the back ( between the display and the sensor. That area gets super hot next to the battery and SD bay.

This is for film in a auditorium, performance hall, or even a game not to be missed. No edits or cuttings. Shooting a 17 minute scene is no problem but I need to hit 4hours straight at least. I got it to 2 hours before

If the VG-C2EM could charge from the VG-C2EM itself it would be the External Battery system I could use. However it charges from the camera itself???

NP-F970 series also have a dual V-mount solution but again I am to worry about the reporting of the power. As somebody has mentioned about self powering off. 

Again the goal is to

Beat the heat

Continues recording via A7rii. Maybe we get a fix that prevents powering off or even ignoring the temp monitor.

Edited December 1, 2019 by DanArt