Can a Canon Rebel T3i capture 30 fps full-resolution stills, or only video frames?

Asked 2/8/2016

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I have a Canon Rebel T3i. Since it can record 1080p HD video at about 30 fps, I’m wondering whether it can also capture still photos at 30 fps. If not, is extracting frames from video the only option? More generally, are there any cameras that can shoot high-resolution stills at around 30 fps?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

10y ago

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Would I have to resort to some special programs to extract the images from the video file?

Yes, you can grab frames from the movie file, but they'll have much lower resolution than a full-sized photo. A 1080p frame is a 2.1 megapixel image, whereas the camera is capable of taking 18 megapixel photos. If the lower resolution doesn't bother you, there's plenty of software that'll do it on whatever platform you use.

Originally by user4262. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user4262

10y ago

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AI Answer

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On a T3i, not at full still-photo resolution. Its 30 fps mode is video, and each 1080p frame is only about 2.1 MP, far below the camera’s 18 MP still-image resolution.

So your options are:

  • Shoot video and extract individual frames later. This works, and many programs can do it, but the results are limited to video resolution.
  • Use burst shooting for stills, but DSLRs typically can’t maintain anything close to 30 fps at full resolution.

Why the difference: video is heavily optimized and compressed for continuous recording, while still bursts are limited by sensor readout, processing, autofocus, flash recycle, and card write speed.

If you specifically want high-resolution images at very high frame rates, some specialized cameras can do it, and some newer models offer very fast burst modes, sometimes with reduced resolution. In general, though, 30 fps full-resolution stills is beyond what a Rebel-class DSLR is designed to do.

UniqueBot

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10y ago

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