Why Does My Camera Stop Recording Automatically

why does camera stop recording automatically

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A camera is a digital device that is capable of capturing and shooting high-resolution photos and videos. We shoot videos for many purposes such as education, entertainment, or simply for keeping memories. But suppose you are new to video shooting or just got your first camera. In that case, there is a pretty good chance that you came across a message while recording videos that ‘Video stops recording automatically.’

You may be pulling your hair out and asking why does my camera stop recording automatically? If this happens, there is nothing to be afraid of; you can fix this problem very simply.

Let’s learn how to do so. 

Contents

Reasons Why Camera Stops Recording Automatically

A number of reasons can trigger the camera to stop video recordings automatically. Some of these are- 

1. Limitation 

A camera is capable of recording videos but not for unlimited hours. Every camera comes with a limitation of video recording time. Most Sony DSLRs can record about 13 hours continuously without any difficulty. But the recording time deduces to 6 hours if you are recording on SLOW mode and 3 hours if you are on SSLOW mode.

So if you are using a Sony camera, make sure your recording time doesn’t exceed the limit hours. If it does, you’ll see the record stopping popup in your camera display.

Canon cameras mostly face this ‘Movie Recording has been stopped automatically’ problem. New canon DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are limited to shoot a video for 30 minutes. So you cannot shoot continuously for more than 29 mins 59 seconds using a Canon camera.

Tax is the reason behind this limitation. The devices that can record video for more than 30 minutes are considered video recording devices, and the manufacturers need to pay more taxes to ship such devices. For this reason, most Canon camera’s video recording capability is only for 30 minutes. 

If your Canon camera stops the video recording automatically after 30 minutes, there is nothing to do to extend the capability but to buy an external device. But if the camera is not recording even 30 minutes, the problem can be solved. 

2. Storage Full

The storage of your external SD card can be filled. So check there is enough space on the external drive for recording video, or else the camera will automatically stop the recording itself when the SD runs out of space. 

3. Corrupted SD Card

If a virus corrupts the SD card, it is not readable anymore. So the camera cannot store video on that SD card; subsequently, the camera stops recording automatically. 

4. Incompatibility

Modern cameras capture high-quality images and shoot videos at a very high resolution. So you have to use an SD card that is capable of storing high-quality videos. If you use an incompatible out-of-date SD card with a high-end camera, the camera will not record video correctly. Use an SD card with high read and write speed to avoid such a scenario. 

5. Heated up Camera

A widespread reason for getting recording stops automatically is the heated camera. If you are recording for long hours and the camera body gets heated up, sometimes the camera can stop the recording automatically. It often shut down as well.

Related post: Why Is My Camera Not Focusing

Fixes for Movie Recording Has Been Stopped Automatically

Some slight changes can quickly fix Movie Recording Has Been Stopped Automatically problem. Let’s see some easy fixes- 

Fix-1: Set a timer

If your camera comes with that 30 minutes recording limit, you can set a timer of 30 minutes on your watch or smartphone and restart the recording after a specific time. 

Sometimes this fix is excellent such as while recording a face cam. But not always. If the situation does not permit you to restart the recording, you can try the second fix. 

Fix-2: Recording monitor

A recording monitor such as Atomas Ninja allows you to surpass the 30 minutes limit and will enable you to record video as long as you want. Also, you can see your live recording on a big screen. 

Fix-3: Allow the Camera to Cool Down

When we capture a picture, we only capture one frame. But for a video, the camera needs 24 or 30 or 60 frames every second. So the camera has to work quite a lot more when it captures a video than when it captures an image. 

So during a video recording, the camera has to do so much work that can cause the camera to heated up. Heating up during video recording is normal, and it does not cause any harm. But overheating is a severe problem during video recording as it can stop the recording automatically. 

If you are recording video for long hours, the camera can overheat. Sometimes shooting long on a sunny day can lead the camera towards excessive heat. 

So make sure the camera is not overheated. Suppose it gets overheated, shut down the camera, and allow it to cool. Give it some minutes to cool down and then start recording again. 

Fix-4: Format The SD Card

If the SD is corrupted somehow, you may face problems while recording the video. Here, formatting the Card can allow you a fresh start. Formatting the card will delete all files, including virus or junk (if there any). Formatting the SD card on your camera and not using your phone or computer. Also, erasing the photos from the SD card will not do the trick; you have to format it. 

How to format your SD card using the camera

Step-1: Insert the SD card 

Turn off the camera and put the SD card in the SD card slot correctly. Now, turn the camera on. 

Step-2: Format the Card 

After turning on the camera, press the Menu button from your camera body. Use the navigation wheel and navigate to the Wrench with one Dot icon menu. Now use the bottom part of the navigation wheel to navigate Format Card. Press the Set button, and you’ll see a popup asking for permission. 

Navigate to Ok and press the Set button again. After that, the formatting card process will begin right away. If your card has a low read and write speed, select the Low-level format option for better results. 

Fix-5: Use A High-Class SD Card

For storing a high definition video, an SD card with increased read and write speed is required. Ten class SD cards have high read and write speed. So you should buy a high-speed sd card as these cards are capable of storing HD videos without any trouble.

Using a high-class sd card will indeed work as a solution to this automatically stopped recording problem, and you’ll be able to re-record video without any trouble. So switch to a new ten-class SD card for a hassle-free video recording experience. As it is a high-class card, the write and read speed will be more, which means better performance. 

Fix-6: Change the Recording Size

When the problem is the SD, changing the SD card will give a permanent solution, and formatting the card can provide a temporary solution. But if you are not willing to format the as this can cause you to lose many important images. Now only one thing can be done which will allow you to record video again, but the cost will be the video quality. 

Your present SD card has a slow read and writes speed; that’s why it cannot store high-definition video. But if we record the video in Standard quality rather than High-quality, the SD card might be able to store it properly. It is worth a try. 

For changing the video-recording size, go to the Movie setting by pressing the camera’s menu button. Now select a lower video quality than the current one; for example, if your camera’s current video quality size is set to 1920*1080, st it to 1280*720. 

Fix-7: Update to Latest Firmware from Canon Website

If your camera was working fine and suddenly saw this Movie stopped recording popup messages automatically, then there could be a problem with the camera firmware. 

Updating to the latest firmware can solve this problem as updates fix all types of bugs that are faced previously. So visit the official Canon website and search for the newest firmware for your camera model. If there is any available download and update and the issue should be solved. 

Try these fixes, and this should solve any type of problem you are facing with video recording. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why is my camera recording only for 30 minutes?

Many Canon mirrorless cameras can only record 30 minutes video. There is nothing to do, and the manufacturer set this limit to keep the cost of the cameras within reach. A camera that can record more than 30 minutes is considered a video camera, and the manufacturer needs to pay more tax on video cameras. 

So for keeping the cost of the cameras within reach, the manufacturer set a video recording limit of 30 minutes. For that reason, you cannot record continuously for more than 30 minutes using most of the Canon mirrorless cameras. 

Why does my camera automatically stop recording? 

The most common reason for the cameras to stop recording automatically is that you are using a low-class SD card. Upgrade to a high-class SD card with high read and write speed, which should solve the problem. 

How do you record more than 30 minutes on a DSLR? 

To surpass the 30 minutes video recording limit, you have to use a recording monitor. 

Final Words 

Upgraded to a high-class memory card and you no longer have to face the ‘Movie recording has been stopped automatically’ problem. The main culprit behind this frustrating problem is a corrupted or low-class SD card. Sometimes overheating can also trigger these issues. So use a good-quality SD card, and you will be able to record video smoothly without any hassle.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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