Canon 90D video specs (what you can record)
This page is built from Canon’s own manual sections for Movie recording size and Movie Recording Quality Settings. It gives you the concrete modes (4K/1080/720), the frame rates, and the two limitations that surprise most people: clip length and 4GB file behavior.
Canon 90D Guide: See all Canon EOS 90D setup + gear answers in one place.
Table of contents
Video
resolutions (movie recording size)
- 4K: 3840×2160 (Canon labels this image size as [H]).
- Full HD: 1920×1080 (Canon labels this as [L]).
- HD: 1280×720 (Canon labels this as [w]).
Source: Canon 90D manual, Movie recording size section (around p.288).
Frame rates (NTSC vs PAL)
- NTSC: 59.94 fps and 29.97 fps
- PAL: 50.00 fps and 25.00 fps
Source: Canon 90D manual, Movie Recording Quality Settings (around p.290).
Compression: IPB (Standard) vs IPB (Light)
- IPB (Standard): higher quality / higher bitrate than Light
- IPB (Light): smaller files / lower bitrate
Source: Canon 90D manual, Movie Recording Quality Settings (around p.290).
Clip length limit (the one most people miss)
Canon states that for non-High Frame Rate movies, the maximum recording time per movie is 29 min. 59 sec. After that, recording stops and you need to start a new recording (which is saved as a new file).
Source: Canon 90D manual, Movie Recording Time Limit (around p.294).
4GB file behavior
Canon includes a dedicated note about movie files exceeding 4 GB: you can keep recording without interruption, but file system formatting can matter (FAT32 vs exFAT depending on card type/format).
Source: Canon 90D manual, Movie Files Exceeding 4 GB (around p.293).
SD card requirements (mode-dependent)
Canon supports SD/SDHC/SDXC and notes UHS‑II and UHS‑I cards supported. Canon also states that the required card writing/reading speeds vary depending on the movie recording size and points to the card performance requirement table (manual p.617).
- Recommendation: for 4K and long takes, use a strong UHS‑II card to reduce the risk of recording errors.
- Avoid: UHS‑II microSDHC/SDXC with microSD→SD adapters (Canon notes this is not recommended; use full-size SDHC/SDXC for UHS‑II).
Practical picking guide
- Default “works for most people”: Full HD (1920×1080) at 25p (PAL) / 29.97p (NTSC) with IPB (Standard).
- If you need smoother motion: step up to 50p/59.94p (and confirm your SD card meets the requirement table).
- If you need maximum detail: use 4K (3840×2160), but treat card performance and heat as part of the setup checklist.
More Canon 90D help: Back to the Canon 90D Guide
