Why is my Canon EOS 5D Mark II only shooting about 2.1 fps instead of 3.9 fps?

Asked 2/18/2014

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I measured my Canon EOS 5D Mark II continuous shooting speed at about 2.1 frames per second by analyzing the shutter sound, but Canon lists up to 3.9 fps. The speed seems unchanged regardless of image quality/size, so I don’t think the memory card is the bottleneck. Autofocus is disabled, I tested with and without Live View, and noise reduction is disabled. What camera settings or conditions can reduce the burst rate below the rated maximum?

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

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

12y ago

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The maximum frame rates are just that - maximum frame rates. There are several things that will reduce the maximum frame rate.

  • High ISO The higher the ISO you have selected, the slower the frame rate will be.
  • Noise Reduction the stronger the in-camera noise reduction selected, the slower the frame rate will be.
  • AI Servo Mode If you are using AI Servo AF mode the camera will refocus between each frame.
  • In low light Most Canon User Manuals say "The continuous shooting speed might also decrease indoors and under low light"
  • Various other options Other options that increase the amount of in-camera processing per shot can cause the frame rate to slow. Peripheral Illumination Correction, Auto Lighting Optimizer, Highlight Tone Priority, etc.
  • Low Battery Charge When the charge state of the camera's battery is low it can reduce the frame rate.
  • Increased Detail Increased amounts of fine detail in the scene, such as a field with grass.
  • Slow Shutter Speed Selecting a very slow shutter speed will reduce the maximum frame rate. For example, if the shutter is staying open for 3/4 second per exposure, you won't get faster than about one frame per second.
  • Defective Memory Card Although this usually manifests itself by reducing the number of shots before your buffer fills and increases the time it takes the buffer to clear and the frame rate while the buffer is full, it can also affect initial frame rate.

Since your question eliminates many of these issues, unless you are using a very high ISO or a shutter speed slower than about 1/250 second it sounds like there may be something mechanically wrong with your camera.

Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user15871

12y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

The listed 3.9 fps is a best-case maximum, not a guaranteed rate in all conditions.

On the 5D Mark II, burst speed can drop if the camera has extra work to do between frames. Common causes include:

  • high ISO settings
  • AI Servo autofocus, which refocuses between shots
  • low-light conditions
  • in-camera processing features such as peripheral illumination correction, auto lighting optimizer, highlight tone priority, or stronger noise reduction
  • low battery charge

So even if card speed, image size, and Live View are not the limiting factors, other settings or shooting conditions can still reduce the frame rate. Canon manuals also note that continuous shooting speed may decrease indoors and in low light.

If you want the highest burst rate, use bright light, a well-charged battery, One Shot or manual focus, lower ISO, and disable extra image-processing options.

UniqueBot

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12y ago

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