advice for burst mode

[Pier]

I like a lot burst photos especially for my children. I was looking for a consumer dslr with a fast burst but also with a large buffer so that I can take long bursts.
I saw the sony a77 can shoot at 12fps but its buffer is actually 12 frames.
Many nikons (d3200, d7000) have just 4-5 fps but with the recommended memory cards they can hold 100 jpeg photos before filling the buffer.
It would be great to find a camera with a sort of unlimited buffer in burst mode, the only limit being the memory card itself. I wouldn't mind about shooting at full resultion, only a fraction of the sensor definition would be ok.
Is there something out with these features, or only super-pro equipment?
Pier

 

[tirediron]

I'm curious as to why you want a feature like this in a still camera; you're really verging on low resolution movies at these speeds. You can get into something like the D700 (prosumer) which will give you up to 8 FPS, but I have to tell you, even shooting baseball, rodeo, and 4WD competitions, I've never needed anything like that sort of frame-rate; shooting families with young, active children I almost always shoot either single shot, with VERY occasional uses of 2-4 frame/second bursts.

It may seem like you're capturing the action, or it's easier to get 'the' shot with this sort of technique (often called "spray & pray") but the reality is, you are far better off in the long run to take some more time and get 2-3 outstanding shots rather than 100 good ones. A couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to attend a lecture given by Dr. Ted Grant, who's iconic photo of Ben Johnson winning at the '88 Seoul Olympics serves as a benchmark in sports-journalism. He explained how, in the press-box, all the other photographers had their motor-drives set to 'max' and simply shot as fast as they could for the last couple of seconds of the race, but he followed the action through his lens and watched and waited, and when he SAW the shot, he took it.

 

[cgipson1]

when he SAW the shot, he took it.[/QUOTE]

^THIS!!!!! Much better technique....

And in selecting a camera, you need to look at overall useful features! Not just some ridiculous burst mode rates. (Hint.. check out low light usability... since many, many pictures of your kids will be taken indoors! Look for LOW NOISE at Higher ISO's, that is a much better and more useful feature.. and one that Sony lacks, compared to Nikon and Canon)

 

[Big Mike]

Another factor to consider, is how well the auto focus works. If you're wanting to shoot burst photos of fast moving kids, you will want a camera/lens combo that can keep up and achieve focus quickly. I'd recommend looking at the Canon 7D or the Nikon D7000.

I haven't been paying much attention to this spec. on modern camera, but I'd think that most DSLR cameras (certainly from Canon/Nikon) can shoot pretty fast, for a long time....as long as you're shooting in JPEG mode.

But yes, if it's your goal to shoot 100s of images at 5+ frames per second....you might consider just shooting video rather than still photos. And yes, if you just want to end up with some great photos, rather than a bunch of only OK photos, I don't think that 'spray & pray' is the best technique.

 

[KmH]

There are some technical considerations too.

The Sony a77 is an SLT, not an SLR. The T means the camera has a Translucent mirror that doesn't move out of the lens to image sensor light path like the mirror in a SLR does.

So an SLT has to use an electronic viewfinder display in lieu of an all optical viewfinder. At 12 fps, the electronic display cannot refresh as fast as the camera is making exposures.

 

[cgipson1]

WOW! Four answers from four members (three of which are MODS) and a combined post count of 73,849 post! Wonder if that has ever happened before? lol!

You might want to listen to what was said.. some massive experience there!

 

[Kolia]

All good answers.
I myself try to be more deliberate in my shoots and aim for the good ones.

There are still times when a high FPS is useful tho. Avoiding the trigger shake of the first shoot. Capturing the micro expressions of your child while at play (It’s physically impossible to react and capture those). Yet you don’t need 12 FPS, and even with an a77 you might want to use the regular hi speed of 10 fps instead and keep the AF and AE working.

As for buffer capacity, one full second is actually a very, very long time to be shooting ! My toddler walks half way across the 10 feet pool in that time. The “moment” came and is long past in a full second.

High ISO noise is important but not that much of a deal is you’re only printing 8x10 images. A better, faster lens will be more useful indoor.

The shutter’s reaction time is a big factor. So is the AF’s speed.

In short, shooting many noisy, out of focus, late pictures doesn’t help make a good family album! You want a balanced camera and a quick eye.

 

[table1349]

Here you go take your pick.
Camcorders, Video Cameras, Digital Video | B&H Photo Video

 

[Pier]

Many thanks for your replies. But consider this, I'm not a novice, I've had a dslr for many years now and I have a decent previous knowledge of film photography. In these years I just discovered that I do like to take photo-sequences instead of recording a video. I simply like the overall taste of a series of photos seen one after another much more than a video. Call it a whim, call it an oddity, but I like it!
Having said this, can you suggest some model? the d7000 is ok, but it has a limited 100 photos of buffer, even when shooting at lower resolutions. What I look for is a camera without such a limit which looks like artificial, I mean if the resolution is small and the card is fast I don't see why limiting the max number of photos. If you look at nikon specs you'll see that no matter how small you set your image there's no chances to get above the 100 images.

 

[table1349]

I have $100.00 in my pocket and want a new Porsche, but it ain't happening. Something like this is your best bet.

Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) 5253B002 B&H Photo

 

[Kolia]

I can shoot 60 images per seconds at just under 2MP for 29 minutes... Lol !

 

[Pier]

I can shoot 60 images per seconds at just under 2MP for 29 minutes... Lol !

:hugs:

 

[TheKenTurner]

Why not go with the 7d? Well besides the bad sensor...

-Ken Turner

 

[o hey tyler]

Why not go with the 7d? Well besides the bad sensor...

-Ken Turner

What exactly is wrong with the sensor in the 7D? You have the same one in your rebel.

 

[kundalini]

I shot this series with the Nikon D300. I'm pretty sure I had the grip on it which increases the frame rate. I cannot remember if it was set to shoot jpeg either because it was taken in 2008.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photojournalism-sports-gallery/119110-windup-release-swing.html


I have shot a flock of geese landing in a pond and something else, but that's about it for laying on the shutter release. Not even with the D700 have I shot many bursts and if I did, the burst was fairly short lived and the buffer was nowhere close to being tapped. But, it does sound cool hearing those clicks.