Nikon D7000, D5100, and D3100 video time limit can be voided

A team of hackers has managed to release a tool which removes video recording time limit from Nikon D7000, D5100, and D3100.

The guys over at Nikon Hackers have demonstrated that “hacking” is not aimed at computers and mobile devices, as they have accomplished a goal which seemed impossible.

Nikon D7000, D5100, and D3100 DSLR cameras can now record videos past their 29-minute factory limitation.

Nikon D7000, D5100, and D3100 cameras can record videos longer than 29 minutes from now on

Hacker Simeon has announced that the video recording time restriction for three Nikon cameras has been removed with the help of a special tool that requires little effort from the users.

The web tool is available for the Nikon D3100, D5100, and D7100 DSLRs, allowing them to record videos past the 29-minute limitation, which is a welcomed improvement for videographers.

Usually, Nikon cameras cannot film for longer than 29 minutes due to several reasons. The Japanese company does that in order to prevent any damage that may happen to the device’s internals during extended usage.

Procedure is risky and voids the warranty, too, not just the video recording limit

For the time being, the tool has been released only for the aforementioned cameras. It is worth noting that photographers will void their warranty, if they install unapproved firmware such as this.

Additionally, the hackers cannot be held responsible should the camera fail one way or another. The procedure should not “brick” your DSLR, says Simeon. However, the hacking team does not rule out any possibilities, therefore daredevils should be very careful.

Simeon says that D3100 and D5100 owners can also use non-branded batteries from now on, though their options are pretty limited.

According to the Nikon hacker, cinematographers can record about 24 minutes of full HD videos at high-quality. Moreover, about 42 minutes of 720p videos can be filmed, while low-quality 640p movies can be taped for up to 59 minutes.

The reason for this limit consist of the fact that FAT32 cards support files sized at a maximum of 4GB.

D3200 version has not been tested yet

Future plans include a release for the Nikon D3200, but the hacker is waiting for some brave testers to come and experiment with the tool.

All the information, including download links and setup procedure, can be found on Simeon’s personal blog. Like the hacker said, be careful during installation, follow the instructions, and do not complain if something goes wrong.