How to get the most frames in burst mode on my Nikon D40X (or in general)

FULMTL · *Last edited by FULMTL; 08-07-2009 at 04:37.*

Gonna try to do a photoshoot of my buddy breaking bricks and other things in burst mode. I want to take as many frames as I can so that I dont miss anything and then we are going to make it into a GIF or short clip.

So far Ive:
-reduced the picture resolution to smallest possible
-Reduce picture quality (might not do this)
-turn off flash
-turn off noise reduction
-turn off image optimization, set to "Normal"

**oh and Im using a Kingston Ultimate 4GB SDHC card thats supposedly 20MB read/write.

is there anything else?

Finchwizard

Increase ISO to make sure you have the fastest shutter times to help as well.

sAAdC · 08-07-2009, 06:40 | posts: 440 | Location: Kenya

Here are all the things that you can do:

1) Buy a battery grip, that will increase the fps of the camera.

2) Increase the ISO to increase your shutter speed

3) Go to the smallest f-number on your lens, i.e. if you have a 50mm f1.8 then put the aperture to f1.8. This will increase the amount of light entering the camera and will also increase your shutter speed.

4) Put your camera of continuous mode instead of one shot.

FULMTL · 08-08-2009, 18:16 | posts: 6,150 | Location: Portland, Oregon

thanks for the info. Unfortunetly I just read that my camera can only max out at 3 frames per second. We are trying to break some bricks but that only takes a few seconds to do so I dont know if its worth taking with such few frames. If I mess up, he has to break more haha and apparently he says it hurts.

eclap · 08-08-2009, 22:49 | posts: 18,467 | Location: Hampshire UK

3fps is all u gona get out of ur cam. Not sure if thats with a battery grip or not. Other than that only a better body will help u get more fps...

UTHammy · 08-13-2009, 21:06 | posts: 13

Actually, increasing ISO will increase noise - possibly increasing JPG processing time, but certainly increasing file size and therefore write times. But I agree, that 3fps is all you'll get out of the camera. Going manual focus, will ensure no time is spent/wasted on AF calculations or lens drive.

Finchwizard

Yes ISO will increase noise.

But if you're burst shooting, and your shutter speed is slow, increasing the ISO and the noise, will increase the shutter, just so that's not the limiting factor.

ie. If you were shooting at 1/4th of a second.