MA2 Recording 4K HDR HEVC - file size seems to be limited to 3 GB? Am I right?

[Mavic Air 2]

Hi to all - could you comment on this please?

I am recording 4K HEVC video at 30 fps on my Mavic Air 2 and if I record for a long period of time, the video is split into blocks of 3 GB or 4 minutes 41 seconds long.

Each file joins with the previous seamlessly - so, is this normal? I can't find any reference to this in the manual, but I might have missed it.

Thanks!

 

[Heindrich1988]

It's completely normal. If you want to combine them in one video, use an editing software.

I asked this question too in this thread.

Default 3.5G file size limit?

Hey guys, I just went for my first long flight on my MA2 (or any drone for that matter). When I transferred the video recorded from my micro SD to my laptop, I saw that the footage got broken down into multiple 3.5GB files. I feel like I've missed something blatantly obvious... but how do I...

mavicpilots.com

 

[dirkclod]

As far as I remember correctly it has been that way with all Mavics.
Video clips break around 5 minutes.

 

[Howard70]

I’ve seen similar size restricted video recording in several other small cameras. I have a bicycle-specific “dash cam” that breaks video files into similar sized chunks (although it is possible to change the default to a larger size).

My digital single lens reflex camera also limits video recordings to a similar size. This one is more frustrating because it simply stops recording when a file size reaches the limit, unlike the MA2 and the bicycle camera both of which continue recording by simply adding additional files.

I wish I knew more about how memory cards, camera buffers etc. interact.

Howard

 

[StantonZ]

@Hendrich already gave you the straight answer to your question, but I have taken a different road.
Between the hardware/software resources to process/edit 4k video and the file size limitations, I have "down-shifted" to HD (1080p) video capture and hardly notice a difference (and this is on a pretty decent 4k TV). Not only can pack more video on my SD card, but it's much easier to manipulate it if I want to do some editing.
My 2 cents.

 

[dthreee]

I’ve seen similar size restricted video recording in several other small cameras. I have a bicycle-specific “dash cam” that breaks video files into similar sized chunks (although it is possible to change the default to a larger size).

My digital single lens reflex camera also limits video recordings to a similar size. This one is more frustrating because it simply stops recording when a file size reaches the limit, unlike the MA2 and the bicycle camera both of which continue recording by simply adding additional files.

I wish I knew more about how memory cards, camera buffers etc. interact.

Howard

This might not be related to the SD card. Older DSLRs will stop recording after a specific time to prevent the sensor from overheating. I had a Canon 7D with a 15 minute hard stop.

 

[Macinfo]

This has been widely discussed and there are technical reasons why its done.. There is no need to use lower resolutions which generate smaller files, as there is zero advantage to this it just lowers video quality,

The files when merged in a Video editor timeline are seamless, you won't even know other than it crosses files in the timeline that anything happened while viewing it.

 

[StantonZ]

This has been widely discussed and there are technical reasons why its done.. There is no need to use lower resolutions which generate smaller files, as there is zero advantage to this it just lowers video quality,

The files when merged in a Video editor timeline are seamless, you won't even know other than it crosses files in the timeline that anything happened while viewing it.

You are assuming folks have the hardware/software necessary to view/edit 4k video files (I don't). Not only that, but h.265 requires CODEC plug-ins beyond those for h.264...so it's not a slam-dunk.

 

[Macinfo]

You are assuming folks have the hardware/software necessary to view/edit 4k video files (I don't). Not only that, but h.265 requires CODEC plug-ins beyond those for h.264...so it's not a slam-dunk.

There have been other dicussions of that too, and yes, your right, if someone has a 5-8 year old computer (or older), they are going to have issues with 4K HDR or HEVC, no doubt about it.. However, new PC's with plenty of processing power are cheap, (cheaper then one's Mavic) Used Mac's that will work without issues are of course more expensive, but generally they'll last much longer.. IMHO...

 

[Mavic Air 2]

It's completely normal. If you want to combine them in one video, use an editing software.

I asked this question too in this thread.

Default 3.5G file size limit?

Hey guys, I just went for my first long flight on my MA2 (or any drone for that matter). When I transferred the video recorded from my micro SD to my laptop, I saw that the footage got broken down into multiple 3.5GB files. I feel like I've missed something blatantly obvious... but how do I...

mavicpilots.com

Thanks for your replies, everyone ....... Excellent forum.

 

[Mavic Air 2]

Thanks for your replies, everyone ...... Excellent forum.

 

[dwallersv]

The WHY: An artifact of an old version of the Windows FAT file system format, which for legacy reasons almost everything that takes SD cards supports.

Files are limited to 3GB max for technical reasons (not enough bits to address storage blocks-- who in their right mind back in '78 thought there would EVAAAAAAAHHHHHHH be storage that big? Physically impossible!)

Using a more modern file system like exFAT (and that's only more modern, still ancient) there isn't a file size limitation. However, photographers like to swap these cards across all sorts of devices, and tend to have some old, crusty, heck even mechanical tiny-bead shifting paleozoic cards, hence the maintained compatibility.

Hence the file-splitting.

 

[Dawnvt]

Mavic Air 2" data-source="post: 1135817" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

Hi to all - could you comment on this please?

I am recording 4K HEVC video at 30 fps on my Mavic Air 2 and if I record for a long period of time, the video is split into blocks of 3 GB or 4 minutes 41 seconds long.

Each file joins with the previous seamlessly - so, is this normal? I can't find any reference to this in the manual, but I might have missed it.

Thanks!

Yes, that's what I found also... I am learning how to stitch them together.

 

[dirkclod]

Yes, that's what I found also... I am learning how to stitch them together.

No stitching just place it behind your first one and so on. You never know it. Someone mentioned Windows ? Those stil around ???