jwest wrote:
I have a Canon 6D and while I love the camera when I shoot in continuous mode (6 frames p/sec) I will fill the buffer after 8-12 frames shooting RAW and I have to wait for the camera to write to the SD card. It does seem to be somewhat dependent on shutter speed and aperture but that might just be me. I use the fastest SD cards available but the write speed causes me to miss shots. I have learned to be judicious in how many frames I shoot but sometimes I have no choice. I haven't found a solution to this issue other than a new body. I thought maybe I could upgrade the buffer memory but that doesn't seem to be an option. Any one else have this problem? Maybe a suggestion or solution? BTW I shoot action at rodeos, dog shows, and sporting events thus the need for continuous, high volume shooting.
Thanks...
I have a Canon 6D and while I love the camera when... (
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You must have a 6D Mark II. The original 6D's top continuous shooting rate is 4.5 frame per sec, while the newer model can do 6.5 fps.
The camera's BUFFER is what determines how many consecutive shots it can take at max frame rate, before it needs to pause to clear. The buffer is like RAM in a computer... size matters! So does the speed of the buffer.
Original 6D is rated to be able to buffer about 75 JPEG or 14 RAW. The 6D Mark II has larger images file sizes, but obviously has a bigger, faster buffer because it is rated for 2000 JPEG or 21 RAW.
But it's also important what memory card you're using. This another possible "bottleneck" that can also effect how fast the camera to record data. Cards have different write speeds and more or less advanced technology. For example, the latest SD cards are UHS-I or UHS-II... The 6D Mark II is stated to be compatible with the UHS-I, so that type card, at a minimum, will give best performance (Bryan Carnathan at The Digital Picture tested 6DII with UHS-II and found a slight increase in the number of images AND the continuous shooting rate). The original 6D is not able to take advantage of UHS technology... so SDHC "Class 10" with a high write speed are probably what will let the camera reach it's max potential.
So look closely at the cards you're using... particularly at their write speed. "Read" speed is more important when it comes to downloading images later... but often is a higher figure that manufacturers cite on the cards... You may have to do some research to find out the actual write speed of some cards. If you can't find any info on a particular card's write speed, I'd assume the worst and look at other cards instead.
I hope you have a 6D Mark II, trying to shoot sports and rodeo with it! The 6DII got a much improved AF system: 45-point, all "cross type" points, -3EV and f/8 capable (same system as in 80D and a couple other recent models). The original 6D is a lot less desirable to use for sports/action because of it's slower frame rate, plus it's 11-point AF system, where only the center point is "cross type", -3EV capable, and is "f/5.6 limited" (less useful with some lens/teleconverter combos). Sure, you can take sports/action shots with a 6D, but there are other Canon models able to do the job much better, more easily, and make for more "keepers".
With it's AF system and big bump in frame rates, the 6DII is much more capable than the original for sports/action shooting.
But frankly, shooting similar stuff I deliberately don't use a full frame camera like the 6D-series. A lot of that type of photography is done with telephoto lenses, and an APS-C format DSLR allows you to use considerably smaller, lighter, less expensive lenses. For the last couple years I've been using a pair of 7D Mark II now. (I have a full frame 5D-series camera, but mostly use it for portraiture, landscape, some macro, etc.... almost never for sports). I shot with a pair of original 7D for around five years, previously. Original 7D has a 19-point, all cross type AF system and can shoot at up to 8 fps and buffer 25 RAW. 7DII uses a 65-point, all cross-type AF system, up to 10 fps and buffers 31 RAW. However, a key difference is that the 7D-series use a separate chip to run the AF system, plus dual image processors. This arrangement is much like the 1D-series models use and helps overall performance, but especially focus tracking fast moving subjects. All other Canon use the same single sensor both to run auto focus and to handle images (the 50MP 5DS models use dual image processors).
The faster frame rates and higher performance AF are great, but mainly an APS-C model allows me to shoot hand held with a $1350, 3 lb. 300mm f/4 IS lens instead of a $9000, 8 lb. 500mm f/4 that a full frame camera would require and is pretty much tripod-only (or at least monopod). Similarly, I can hand hold a $1000, 1.65 lb. 135mm f/2 on APS-C versus a $5700, 5.5 lb. 200mm f/2 on FF.... or be more mobile with a $2000, 3.5 lb. 100-400mm on APS-C versus an $11,000, 8 lb. 200-400mm 1.4X Extender that would be needed to frame subjects similarly with a FF camera.
Finally, what are you doing that's filling the buffer? I shoot short bursts at max frame rate... usually no more than 2 or 3, maybe 4 images... only very rarely 5 or 6. I almost never have had to wait for buffer to clear.. even with slower, less capable cameras with smaller buffers and lower performance memory cards.
For some sports I just time individual shots. But I often use short bursts for equestrian sports, in particular, because it's difficult to precisely time horses' strides... They can look awkward frozen in a still shot. For every "keeper" that I'm happy with, there are probably one or two or three I don't care for and trash. It's
very rare for me to get series like these:
Far more often I take short bursts.... 2 or 3 images... to get a single shot where everyone is posed is "just right":
Another reason I keep to short bursts.... I really hate sitting at my computer editing images any more hours than necessary. Usually it's around 1500 to 2500, but at larger events I may take 4000 or 4500 images in a day. Worst I've done is 6000 images... and over the course or a large, 4-day event around 17,000 images! Even just doing fast proofing in Lightroom... spending 30 seconds or less inspecting & tweaking each image... 1500 images is about 12 hours work.