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Ever since high-definition video recording capability 

was introduced in the groundbreaking Canon EOS 5D 

Mark II, still and video photographers alike have been 

exploring the exciting capabilities of EOS HD video. 

This QuickGuide is written to help all photographers, 

from beginners to advanced, to produce high-quality 

videos with the least amount of unnecessary effort.

General Tips

1.  Make sure you have ample battery power. Live 

View and movie recording draw more power than 

still photography. A fully-charged battery with a 

back-up or two will avoid your camera running 

out of power during a video shoot.

2.  Make sure you are using a memory card that has 

a continuous read/write speed of 

8MB/second or 

faster

. We recommend CompactFlash cards that 

have an Ultra DMA (UDMA) specification or SD 

Cards that have a Class 6 specification or higher.

3.  Keep in mind EOS DSLRs allow a maximum 

video file size of 4GB. Larger memory card 

capacities will allow you to store more files, but 

each video file will have a maximum size of 4GB.

4.  You will need a powerful computer for smooth 

playback of HD video files. Minimum Mac 

or Windows requirements include a Core 2 

Duo processor that is 2.6GHz or faster and a 

minimum 2GB of RAM. Also make sure you have 

ample hard drive space available. A 15-minute 

HD video with sound could require at least 5GB 

of storage space, not including out-takes.

5.  Avoid shooting in direct sunlight and high 

temperatures. Video recording generates more 

heat than still photography. Prolonged recording 

at high temperatures can degrade image quality 

and may cause your camera to temporarily shut 

down to prevent over-heating. If a thermometer 

icon appears on the LCD display you should shut 

off the camera for a few minutes to allow it to cool 

down before you resume video recording.

How to Start and Stop Recording

EOS-1D Mark IV

1.  In the second 

Set-up Menu

 select 

Live View/

Movie Function Set Screen

. Set your choice to 

Movie

.

2.  Press the 

Set Button

 to activate Live View.

3.  Press the 

Flash Exposure Lock (FEL) Button

 

on the rear of the camera to start recording. A red 

icon will appear on the rear LCD monitor. Press 

FEL again to stop.

EOS 5D Mark II

1.  In the second 

Set-up Menu

 select 

Live View/

Movie Function Set Screen

, then select 

Movie

.

2.  Press the 

Set Button

. The 

Screen Setting 

options will appear. Select 

Movie Display

, then 

press the 

Set Button 

again.

3.  Press the 

Live View Button

 (to the left of the 

viewfinder) to display the Live View image.

4.  Press the 

Set Button

 to start shooting a movie. 

To stop shooting the movie, press the 

Set Button 

again. A red icon will appear on the rear LCD 

monitor. While shooting a movie, you can take 

a still photo at any time by pressing the shutter 

button.

EOS 7D

1. Set the 

Live View/Movie 

Switch

 on the back of the 

camera to 

Movie

 (the red 

video camera icon). The rear 

LCD monitor will display Live 

View.
2. Press the 

Start/Stop 

Button

 to begin recording.  

A red icon will appear on the 

rear LCD monitor. Press the 

Start/Stop Button

 again 

to stop.

EOS Rebel

 

T1i and T2i

1.  Turn the 

Exposure Mode Dial 

to the 

Movie 

Camera 

icon. The monitor will display Live View.

2.  Press the 

Live View/Movie Button 

on the back 

of the camera to begin recording. A red icon will 

appear on the LCD monitor. Press the 

Live View/

Movie Button

 again to stop.

Movie Recording Size Options 

EOS DSLRs offer a choice of recording sizes:

•  1920 x 1080 (Full HD—the default)

•  1280 x 720 (HD)

•  640 x 480 (SD)

•  640 x 480 Crop (Rebel T2i/EOS 550D only)

Recording size selections are available on your 

camera's 

Movie Shooting Menu

. In general, Full HD 

is best for larger HD displays such as televisions and 

SD is best for videos intended for the Internet. If in 

doubt, choose Full HD. You will have a full-resolution 

file and you can always downconvert to SD later.

QuickGuide to EOS 

DSLR Video Recording

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