Slow buffering when shooting high burst mode with my 7DMarkii.....what is the fastest SD card?

[iris]

When shooting high burst mode with my 7D Mark ii, I am not getting optimum performance...the buffer fills fast and backs up ..so that I can't take any more shots...I have turned off the High NOise reduction setting altogether...I usually only have an SD card in the camera. I don't use the other card slot....is it because I didn't have the fastest SD card....For those of you who regularly shoot the 7D Mark ii, do you make a point to always shoot with a SAndisk SD 95 card...? Would i get better performance if I used the CF card slot or both?

[TTMartin · Accepted solution]

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@iris wrote:

I am shooting with one card (SD), a Lexar pro 64 GB 150Mb/s Class 10  and 3 inside the U (whatever that means)  but I show a 16 limit burst on my screen....so I don't get it...I'm shooting a low ISO....I have the noise reduction turned off....I"m shooting a Standard picture style......I'm shooting RAW only...My battery is loaded......So why is it backing up and buffering so often   ?? Have I forgotten something? .is it just that the CF card is faster? ....I doh't understand why I"m not getting the promised high perfromance of 20 + something shots burst ...

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First yes, CF cards are faster.

Second, the number you see is the actual buffer, and doesn't include the write speed of your card.

So the only way to tell what your actual burst capapbility is, is to test it. 

Shooting RAW to a SanDisk Extreme PRO 32GB 160 MB/s UDMA 7 CF Card, I get about 30 shots before the burst slows. My viewfinder shows 15.

Note, when testing your cards burst capability set your lens to Manual Focus (MF) because depending on your focus priority settings the camera auto focusing can slow or even interrupt your burst.

[Peter · Accepted solution]

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@iris wrote:
OK...so i'll get my first CF card...So Peter there was nothing wrong with your information the first time around..

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Don´t forget to check the write speed of the CF card. The SD card you wrote about from Lexar has a write speed of maximum 75 MB/s and a read speed of maximum 150 MB/s.

[Peter]

Swedish, but you will understand the write speed http://kameratrollet.se/2016/01/15/vilken-hastighet-pa-minneskortet-till-canon/

7DII has around 103 MB/s for CF and 75 MB/s for SD. Buy a fast CF card and don't save raw to both CF and SD at the same time to get the best performance.

[cicopo]

The old saying speed costs money is true here. I shoot fast paced action with a 7D2 & shoot large fine jpg + RAW to both cards & I think I've hit the buffer's limit ONCE, but I may have just stopped holding the shutter button down far enough too. Other than that single time all bursts have been within the limit. My 7D2 can fire longer than my 1D4 & both use top of the line (when bought) Sandisk cards. The CF's are 90 MB / s, or the newer 160 MB / s versions Extreme Pro & the SD cards are 95 MB / s

[tinwhistle]

I had the same problem when I purchased my markII. Solved it by buying a 64 gig sd card.

[RobertTheFat]

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@tinwhistle wrote:

I had the same problem when I purchased my markII. Solved it by buying a 64 gig sd card.

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I strongly suspect that the solution to your problem stemmed from the speed, not the size, of your new SD card.

[iris]

I am shooting with one card (SD), a Lexar pro 64 GB 150Mb/s Class 10  and 3 inside the U (whatever that means)  but I show a 16 limit burst on my screen....so I don't get it...I'm shooting a low ISO....I have the noise reduction turned off....I"m shooting a Standard picture style......I'm shooting RAW only...My battery is loaded......So why is it backing up and buffering so often   ?? Have I forgotten something? .is it just that the CF card is faster? ....I doh't understand why I"m not getting the promised high perfromance of 20 + something shots burst ...

[TTMartin · Accepted solution]

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@iris wrote:

I am shooting with one card (SD), a Lexar pro 64 GB 150Mb/s Class 10  and 3 inside the U (whatever that means)  but I show a 16 limit burst on my screen....so I don't get it...I'm shooting a low ISO....I have the noise reduction turned off....I"m shooting a Standard picture style......I'm shooting RAW only...My battery is loaded......So why is it backing up and buffering so often   ?? Have I forgotten something? .is it just that the CF card is faster? ....I doh't understand why I"m not getting the promised high perfromance of 20 + something shots burst ...

---

First yes, CF cards are faster.

Second, the number you see is the actual buffer, and doesn't include the write speed of your card.

So the only way to tell what your actual burst capapbility is, is to test it. 

Shooting RAW to a SanDisk Extreme PRO 32GB 160 MB/s UDMA 7 CF Card, I get about 30 shots before the burst slows. My viewfinder shows 15.

Note, when testing your cards burst capability set your lens to Manual Focus (MF) because depending on your focus priority settings the camera auto focusing can slow or even interrupt your burst.

[Peter]

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@iris wrote:

I am shooting with one card (SD), a Lexar pro 64 GB 150Mb/s Class 10  and 3 inside the U (whatever that means)  but I show a 16 limit burst on my screen....so I don't get it...I'm shooting a low ISO....I have the noise reduction turned off....I"m shooting a Standard picture style......I'm shooting RAW only...My battery is loaded......So why is it backing up and buffering so often   ?? Have I forgotten something? .is it just that the CF card is faster? ....I doh't understand why I"m not getting the promised high perfromance of 20 + something shots burst ...

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What was wrong when I wrote "7DII has around 103 MB/s for CF and 75 MB/s for SD"?

It doesn´t matter if your card has a write speed of 150MB/s or of 1000 MB/s. You will only get around 75 MB/s with a 7DII together with a SD card.

[iris]

OK...so i'll get my first CF card...So Peter there was nothing wrong with your information the first time around..

[Peter · Accepted solution]

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@iris wrote:
OK...so i'll get my first CF card...So Peter there was nothing wrong with your information the first time around..

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Don´t forget to check the write speed of the CF card. The SD card you wrote about from Lexar has a write speed of maximum 75 MB/s and a read speed of maximum 150 MB/s.