Buffer limitation for Nikon D800?
Mar 10, 2015 06:27:17 #
davtesouro
Loc: Madrid
Gene51 wrote:
45mb/s card is slow. You can get a Sandisk HC I Ex... (show quote)
Thanks... but I still don´t think it is a card problem. As I said, the number of shots is the same when using a class 4 SD card or a class 10... if the card were the problem, the number should vary according to the card speed.
I´m starting to believe that OddJobber is right and it is a camera problem...
Mar 10, 2015 06:30:37 #
DaveHam
Loc: Reading UK
Gene51 wrote:
You might want to consider getting faster memory cards - I just blasted off 19 on each of my D800s before the buffer filled.
Yes - I just realised we use 50ns cards as a standard, so can go quicker.... thing is we never use D800's for burst shooting.
Mar 10, 2015 06:32:06 #
davtesouro
Loc: Madrid
Gene51 wrote:
You might want to consider getting faster memory cards - I just blasted off 19 on each of my D800s before the buffer filled.
Still, the strange thing remains... If the number of shots increases with a faster card, it should decrease with a slower one, which it doesn´t. Again, same 12 pics with both 4mb/s and 45mb/s... that´s whats buggering me, and preventing me to make the investment in a faster card :(
Mar 10, 2015 06:34:32 #
davtesouro
Loc: Madrid
DaveHam wrote:
Yes - I just realised we use 50ns cards as a standard, so can go quicker.... thing is we never use D800's for burst shooting.
Do you have the same limit with different speed cards? or does it change accordingly?
Mar 10, 2015 08:18:48 #
Despite the suggestions offered, I think it might be a problem with your particular camera. If nothing you do can get you above a buffer limit of 12, then I think there's a problem. Contact Nikon service.
Maybe MT Shooter will chime in. He's had D800's since they came out.
Maybe MT Shooter will chime in. He's had D800's since they came out.
Mar 10, 2015 08:28:58 #
davtesouro wrote:
Still, the strange thing remains... If the number of shots increases with a faster card, it should decrease with a slower one, which it doesn´t. Again, same 12 pics with both 4mb/s and 45mb/s... that´s whats buggering me, and preventing me to make the investment in a faster card :(
You might have a problem with the camera. I just put a slower card in my D800 and the buffer dropped to 16. I am shooting 14bit raw lossless compressed, BTW.
Mar 10, 2015 11:27:03 #
ldhflyguy
Loc: near Chicago
I just experimented with my camera to get the following information. Maybe this will be helpful.
With my D800 set to RAW there is a noticeable difference in how fast my buffer fills up if I use a 60MB/s CF card and a 160 MB/s CF card. The buffer size stays at r16 regardless of the card; but, I seem to be able to take several more pictures with the 160MB/s card before the buffer reaches r0. I think this is because the faster card is doing a better job of emptying the buffer as the camera tries to fill it. If I take a short break after every burst of 5 pictures I can get a lot more than 16 pictures before the buffer stops the camera. If I set the camera on JPEG basic the r number goes up to 47 and I can shoot unlimited burst shorts and the r number levels off around 44.
With my D800 set to RAW there is a noticeable difference in how fast my buffer fills up if I use a 60MB/s CF card and a 160 MB/s CF card. The buffer size stays at r16 regardless of the card; but, I seem to be able to take several more pictures with the 160MB/s card before the buffer reaches r0. I think this is because the faster card is doing a better job of emptying the buffer as the camera tries to fill it. If I take a short break after every burst of 5 pictures I can get a lot more than 16 pictures before the buffer stops the camera. If I set the camera on JPEG basic the r number goes up to 47 and I can shoot unlimited burst shorts and the r number levels off around 44.
Mar 10, 2015 12:07:01 #
After reading your post I took my D800 out and shot in basic JPEG. I shot 107 frames before the buffer filled up. There may be something wrong with your camera. I would have it checked.
Jack
Jack
Mar 10, 2015 12:27:45 #
davtesouro wrote:
Still, the strange thing remains... If the number of shots increases with a faster card, it should decrease with a slower one, which it doesn´t. Again, same 12 pics with both 4mb/s and 45mb/s... that´s whats buggering me, and preventing me to make the investment in a faster card :(
Part of the "strange thing" is that different people are talking about different things. What the "r" number seen in the viewfinder means and how many shots can be fired off consecutively are two different things and comparing them is confusing.
The viewfinder on mine shows "r13", and of course goes down towards "r0" while shooting a burst. The only way that I can get the maximum of "r13" to change is to set register D3: to a number below 13, and then the "r" number will also be lower.
If yours shows "r12" we may have different firmware, or it may be that there are hardware differences since the initial release.
Note that even though it says "r13" when not shooting, I can get 15 shots in RAW+FINE mode, and 26 shooting small JPEG basic. Shooting in RAW means it locks up for a significant amount of time, and shooting in JPEG mode means it slows down to about half the frame rate. If I put it into Cl mode and set it for 2 shots per second it will continue shooting JPEGs at that speed until the the maximum set in register D3: is reached. At 2 fps, shooting RAW+FINE went to 19 shots before slowing down.
That is using a 120MB/s card, and various counts would no doubt change with a faster or slower card.
If shooting long bursts in Continuous mode is important, a D4 will shoot RAW+JPEG at maximum rate until the maximum number of continuous shot allowed is reached.
Mar 10, 2015 13:24:51 #
jackpi
Loc: Southwest Ohio
davtesouro wrote:
Thanks... but I still don´t think it is a card problem. As I said, the number of shots is the same when using a class 4 SD card or a class 10... if the card were the problem, the number should vary according to the card speed.
I´m starting to believe that OddJobber is right and it is a camera problem...
I´m starting to believe that OddJobber is right and it is a camera problem...
All class 10 cards aren't the same.
http://www.cameramemoryspeed.com/nikon-d800/fastest-memory-sd-cf-card-tests/
Mar 10, 2015 15:02:53 #
Pecos
Loc: trundlebus
ISO, noise reduction and auto distortion control settings can affect the buffer limit. Set to ISO 100 and disable all settings that require extra processing.
Mar 10, 2015 16:59:05 #
davtesouro wrote:
Hi everyone, I´m new at this forum, I hope there´s... (show quote)
My D800E shoots 20 shots in RAW, CH before it slows down to 1 or 2 per second. I use a Samsung 32 Pro 90MB/sec SD Card. I have not got my CF Cards yet so I don't know what they are capable of yet.
Craig
PS: In Jpeg Basic I get 47 shots before the buffer jams.
Mar 10, 2015 23:18:32 #
Pecos
Loc: trundlebus
When I set the D800 to the following settngs I get r12 -- regardless of image quality (RAW+JPEG, RAW, JPEG all sizes)
Auto Distortion Control ON
Long Exposure NR ON
The Auto Distortion Control is the main reason the "r" number remains at 12. If you turn this off it will read much higher in JPEG settings, a few higher RAW (up to 14-16 depending Long Exp NR)
Long Exposure NR to OFF (ADC still on), the number is 13 for all.
Setting Auto ISO (or choosing an extended Hi ISO) can also affect the r number with various combinations of settings.
Auto Distortion Control ON
Long Exposure NR ON
The Auto Distortion Control is the main reason the "r" number remains at 12. If you turn this off it will read much higher in JPEG settings, a few higher RAW (up to 14-16 depending Long Exp NR)
Long Exposure NR to OFF (ADC still on), the number is 13 for all.
Setting Auto ISO (or choosing an extended Hi ISO) can also affect the r number with various combinations of settings.
Mar 10, 2015 23:32:36 #
You're right, Pecos. I never use distortion control but I just set it to on, and I get r12 on all quality settings. Hope this has put this to rest so we can cancel the trip to repair.
You're just damned smart for a new guy. :thumbup:
You're just damned smart for a new guy. :thumbup:
Mar 11, 2015 00:54:06 #
Pecos
Loc: trundlebus
Glad I could help.
You might wonder why the setting affects RAW also, since distortion control and other adjustments don't apply to RAW, but I think the reason may be that the RAW includes an embedded JPEG that requires the extra processing.
You might wonder why the setting affects RAW also, since distortion control and other adjustments don't apply to RAW, but I think the reason may be that the RAW includes an embedded JPEG that requires the extra processing.
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