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I have a Canon EOS 7D and I can't seem to record videos longer than the FAT32 4GB limit. Is there a way to make the camera split the video and continue recording in a new file?

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It's not possible with standard firmware, not ideal with Magic Lantern either. From the ML wikipage:

How do I record for more than 12 minutes?

  • Lower the bitrate_ (CBR 0.4 will let you record continuously for 30 minutes).

  • Use Movie restart_, but you will lose a few seconds when a new file is created.

  • To record continuously for more than 30 minutes, you need to use a HDMI recorder. Enable the Clear Overlays feature to hide the focus box and the 16:9 bars, and make the half-shutter button sticky to prevent the camera from turning off LiveView after 30 minutes.

Technically, there's no 12 minute limit. There's a 30 minute limit and a 4 GB limit, whichever comes first. With default bitrate settings, the 4 GB limit is reached after around 12 minutes (more or less).

The limit isn't just the 4GB FAT32 filesize, it's also due to import taxes to the EU.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Even if I hooked it up to an NTFS external hard drive, it'd still kill recordings after 30 minutes? Would the same thing happen on Magic Lantern? \$\endgroup\$
    – Naftuli Kay
    Commented Feb 18, 2013 at 18:07
  • \$\begingroup\$ How much more in licensing and taxes are we talking about to make a DSLR camera produce indefinite (limited only by technical issues like memory size, battery capacity, etc) videos? \$\endgroup\$
    – Skaperen
    Commented Feb 18, 2013 at 22:24
  • \$\begingroup\$ How would you hook it up to a external drive? Not that it matters, since the time limit would kick in. The only way is to attach an external recorder using the HDMI, as explained on the ML wiki. \$\endgroup\$
    – Håkon K. Olafsen
    Commented Feb 19, 2013 at 19:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Skaperen I don't know, but it's a good question. \$\endgroup\$
    – Håkon K. Olafsen
    Commented Feb 19, 2013 at 19:38
  • \$\begingroup\$ I am trying to record video through the HDMI clean output and an acquisition card. How do you keep the "half-shutter button sticky" ? \$\endgroup\$
    – Sébastien Stormacq
    Commented Sep 8, 2022 at 15:57

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