Life View on for a long period of time.

[ACH DIGITAL]

Hello guys, I'm on a still life project where the images are to be taking almost entirely from above, overhead shot/views.

It is difficult for my back to take this stress for too long so I'm planning on leaving the Life View in through Capture One on while composing the image.

My question is, Does it damage the Camera? Nikon D800 actually.

The screen on the camera is going to be off as the life view image is going to come in the Laptop.

If it is known to overheat or damage the sensor please let me know.

ACH

[bill t.]

Not sure if there is an actual time limit.  But on all the cameras I have used, staying in  live view causes the image noise levels to get pretty high, and it's more than subtle sometimes.  Among other things, you loose the ability to pull up deep shadows because of noise there.  You basically lose one the big strengths of the D800.   Not sure how C1 handles it, but if you have the option only use live view when you absolutely need it.  It may be that giving the camera a cool down rest after composing will help.

Can't remember the model number, but there's a mostly-for-cinema Canon dslr with some sensor cooling hardware added.

[shadowblade]

My solution, for when I spend a long time perfectly composing a landscape and waiting for the right lighting, particularly in an alpine setting when the raw ingredients are all around me: wrap the camera body in ice packs.

[ACH DIGITAL]

Hi guys, thanks for the information above. I'll keep on looking for solutions.

ACH

[RFPhotography]

If the Live View isn't actually on, if the LCD isn't actually working, but rather the camera is tethered and the shot is being viewed on a laptop, is the heat still going to build up? 

Shadowblade, why do you keep Live View on if you're waiting for the light to change?  Why not compose, let Live View go off and the camera sleep, then when the light is right, hit the shutter? 

[Ellis Vener]

"is the heat still going to build up?  "

yes and it is the sensor and the processors on the front side of the CMOS ( the photo receptors are on the backside) that are generating the heat.

[ACH DIGITAL]

Well today I did the test for 20 minutes.

Camera connected to laptop with CaptureOne 7 and software life view on. The camera temperature felt normal. Less than a quarter battery drain.

I think is a long enough for composing one shot, then rest the camera for a while to continue with the next one.

A colleague from Getdpi wrote: "according to p. 56 in the D800 Manual Live view may end automatically to prevent damage to the camera’s internal circuits;"

ACH

[RFPhotography]

"is the heat still going to build up?  "

yes and it is the sensor and the processors on the front side of the CMOS ( the photo receptors are on the backside) that are generating the heat.

That makes more sense.  I understand how a sensor is constructed.

[Scott O.]

Seems that I remember reading in one of the Nikon D800
manuals that the limit for LiveView is about 30 minutes. The camera will supposedly auto shut off if it gets too hot.