Raw Burst Mode - who is using it and how

[Jeff USN Photog 72-76]

EDIT: I am talking about "Pre-Shooting" I just always called it Raw Burst Mode

With the advent of Raw Burst Mode on the mirror-less cameras I have on occasion used the Raw Burst Mode on my Canon R7 and R6ii.

I like it for birds, the only "complaint" I have about it is that it used the electronic shutter, granted you get 30 fps but I would rather have the mechanical or at worst Electronic First Curtain both at 15 fps since with the electronic shutter there is a real problem with the rolling shutter on the birds wings. You quite often get a fan effect. But you can get shots you would otherwise miss.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Cool thread, Jeff.

I must confess that I have never used it. I know you use it though, I've seen the images. And sometimes with really nice results. It'll be interesting to see how people use it and what their experiences with it are.

I think it was Duade Paton who summed up the downsides? Like how the buffer fills up and you have to wait until it clears before you have access to the camera again. And it takes a while to clear the buffer. But I can definitely see how it could be useful.

 

[Anton Largiader]

Do you mean Pre-shooting? RAW Burst by itself only bundles RAW files into one. I don't see how that helps you not miss shots. With Raw Burst enabled, you can then select Pre-shooting which DOES help you not miss shots.

 

[Bill in Texas]

Not all have the rolling shutter. Sony A1 and A9 series do not. The A7R3 I had did have it.

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Not all have the rolling shutter. Sony A1 and A9 series do not. The A7R3 I had did have it.

The Canon R3 also doesn't have it...

 

[BirdsofBC]

Do you mean Pre-shooting? RAW Burst by itself only bundles RAW files into one. I don't see how that helps you not miss shots. With Raw Burst enabled, you can then select Pre-shooting which DOES help you not miss shots.

the Pre-shooting setting is the money setting. why you wouldn't use it is beyond me.

 

[Anton Largiader]

Because with the R7 (which is what Jeff is asking about) there is noticeable rolling shutter distortion in ES for fast-moving objects like birds taking flight. Pre-shooting only happens in ES. Canon's example of pre-shooting (train emerging from the tunnel) doesn't involve a fast moving object, but to me the majority of scenarios that would benefit from pre-shooting ARE fast.

Pre-shooting with MS would mean the shutter is constantly churning away on the half-press. I (admittedly not a Canon Product Engineer) don't see why that isn't technically possible but it would be pretty intrusive and shutter counts would go through the roof.

 

[Jeff USN Photog 72-76]

I am currently trying it with my R62 and we will see how much rolling shutter there is. I realize that Sony's don't have it but I am not switching systems just for pre-shooting. The Canon R3 doesn't have it but I don't have $6,000 to drop on a camera for pre-shooting, wish I did LOL

 

[Anton Largiader]

Canon R3 also does not have pre-shooting...

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Canon R3 also does not have pre-shooting...

Really? So the R7 can do something the R3 cannot. Cool.

Well, unless you have an R3 and would like that feature...

 

[Anton Largiader]

That feature makes way more sense on the R3 than on the R7, but features seem to be added to the cameras more according to release date than overall camera capability. The R7 was released after the R3. The R6ii has features that the R7 didn't get, like a USB connection to Camera Connect.

 

[Archibald]

Rolling shutter effects in the R7 make electronic shutter a bad choice for most situations. Various online sources show the severe distortion it can cause on moving subjects. You still get subtle distortion with static scenes if the camera moves, and mine always does when I'm hand-holding. We might not notice when looking at a single photo, but if you compare consecutive shots in a burst, you will see it.

The R5 has much less rolling shutter effect because the readout speed off the sensor is faster. But the R5 doesn't have the pixel density that the R7 has, and is less suitable for long-reach wildlife photography.

Maybe there will be an R7 version II one day with a faster sensor.

 

[Jeff USN Photog 72-76]

Maybe there will be an R7 version II one day with a faster sensor.

Hoping for an R7ii with a faster sensor and a battery grip!

 

[Lester Wareham]

I have tried it a couple times but with zero success, I think that is down to insufficient practice.

A main issue if handheld is arms getting tiering waiting for the action; support probably worth a try.

Next issue is loosing mental focus if waiting too long and taking the finger of the shutter button too late!

 

[Jeff USN Photog 72-76]

I have tried it a couple times but with zero success, I think that is down to insufficient practice.

A main issue if handheld is arms getting tiering waiting for the action; support probably worth a try.

Next issue is loosing mental focus if waiting too long and taking the finger of the shutter button too late!

There is a degree of luck even with the process. Yup often you have to stretch you hand and viola the birds go. Also the lenses get heavy, I have been using my RF 100-400 for a lot of these although with my bird feeders the EF 70-200 works well. Even with that lens I will sit in my office chair with my arms braced as you can sit there for minutes.
Yesterday I used it on a hawk sitting for ever on a chimney. I had to stretch several times but still was lucky and finger was on the button when he took off
OF COURSE he took off away from me and was obscured, but that happens.
Also rolling shutter is an issue, wish we could change from 30fps to 15fps

 

[Levina de Ruijter]

Also rolling shutter is an issue, wish we could change from 30fps to 15fps

They could so easily make that available in a firmware update...

 

[Anton Largiader]

You phrase that as if RSD is connected with the 30 FPS. 15 FPS would not change the RSD.

 

[Jeff USN Photog 72-76]

I will test it more in the next few days but yesterday at one of my ponds shooting seagulls, when I did Electronic 30 fps there was severe RS, but when I did 15 fps it didn't seem as bad on the R6 mk ii, I need to do some panning at both 30 and 15 at the same place and see what I get