Yes, the Sony ZV-1 has different recording time limits depending on the settings used.
💡 In Summary:
Normally the Sony ZV-1 can continuously record for about 13 hours, but if you are recording in 4K there’s a default recording limit of 5 minutes.
You can turn off this 5-minute 4K recording limit, and I’ve achieved about an hour or so recording continuously in 4K.
Other things that can stop your recording on the Sony ZV-1 include:
- SD card too slow
- SD card too full
- Temperature is too high (overheating)
Table of Contents
How Long Does The Sony ZV-1 Record Before Turning Off?
The maximum continuous recording time for a single movie shooting session is approximately 13 hours.
This will depend on things like the temperature and the video settings used.
4K Recording Limit
The 4K recording limit on the Sony ZV-1 is 5 minutes for a single recording, but this can be changed. (info further below)
The default 5 minutes limit for 4K recording is set because the camera’s temperature will rise faster when recording in 4K.
The camera will automatically stop recording to stop the temperature from rising too high.
So if you’re wondering why your Sony ZV-1 stops recording after 5 minutes then this is the reason.
Even though it can be seen as a safety feature, the 5 minutes can be a bit short for some people and you may want to remove this limit.
How to Remove the Recording Limit When Recording in 4K – Sony ZV-1
To remove the 5-minute recording limit when shooting in 4k you will need to change the setting for “[Auto Power OFF Temp.]” from ‘standard’ to ‘high’.
To remove the 5-minute limit on 4K footage do the following:
- Go to the MENU on your Sony ZV-1
- Press the ‘Fn’ button until you reach the ‘Setup’ menu. This is the tab which has a little icon of a toolbox.
- You want to navigate to the ‘Auto Power OFF temp.’ setting on page two of your setup menu. It should say ‘setup2’ at the top.
- Select this ‘Auto Power OFF temp.’ option and change the setting from ‘standard’ to ‘high’.
- The 5-minute recording limit for 4K recording is now removed and you should get a lot more recording time for your 4K videos.
Here’s a good video to show you how to do the above:
The recording time you get beyond the 5 minutes on 4K depends on a variety of factors such as the ambient temperature of the room.
If you do plan to record for a long time then be sure to know the battery life on the Sony ZV-1.
When Auto Power Off Temp. is ‘High’
When set to ‘High’, the temperature threshold for the camera is higher, so you can record for longer.
Below are some approximate recording times when ‘Auto Power Off Temp.’ is set to ‘High’:
Ambient temperature: 20°C (68°F)
- XAVC S HD: Approx. 30 minutes
- XAVC S 4K: Approx. 30 minutes
Ambient temperature: 30°C (86°F)
- XAVC S HD: Approx. 30 minutes
- XAVC S 4K: Approx. 30 minutes
Ambient temperature: 40°C (104°F)
XAVC S HD: Approx. 20 minutes
XAVC S 4K: Approx. 20 minutes
Just remember that the above are approximate timings.
In testing, I’ve managed to get about 1 hour of 4K footage in a room where the temperature was probably about 60°F.
To ensure you can get the most out of your camera make sure to turn it off when it is not being used so it can cool down in between recordings.
Memory Card Issues
Aside from the temperature or the recording time limit being reached, your Sony ZV-1 could stop recording because of your memory card.
If your SD card is:
- Too full
- Too slow
Then your recording could stop abruptly.
Memory Card Too Full
If your memory card is too full then it might only be able to save another few seconds before it reaches capacity. If you are in the middle of recording and the memory card reaches full capacity then your recording could stop.
I try to avoid this by having at least 64GB per SD card and always making sure I have at least 1 spare SD card.
Below is a recommended SD card for the Sony ZV-1:
Memory Card Too Slow
If your memory card is not fast enough at processing and storing videos from your Sony ZV-1 then it could stop the recording because it can’t keep up.
For the Sony ZV-1, you need a memory card that has a UHS speed class rating of U3 if you want to use the camera at its highest quality settings (4K at 100mbps bitrate). This is equivalent to a video speed class rating of V30.
The SD card below has a U3 rating so this will work perfectly for your Sony ZV-1.
Temperature Gets Too High
Another reason your Sony ZV-1 could stop recording is if the camera’s temperature gets too high.
For example, it may be that you have already just used the camera for a long period of time or you’re in a particularly hot location.
If this is the case the camera may overheat quicker and can cut off the recording suddenly.
One way to avoid this is to make sure you always turn the camera off when it’s not in use and keep it out of sunlight if you’re out and about.
Related Reading:
Now you should know how long the Sony ZV-1 can record for and why your Sony ZV-1 might stop recording.
If you liked this post you might also like this Sony ZV-1 battery guide and how to connect your Sony ZV-1 to a computer.