7D buffer question

So I picked up a cheap 7d used. Loaded the 2.0.3 firmware and started configuring it to my preferences. Somewhat weird is the camera functions normally except the buffer. The indicator does not go past 4 frames regardless of card. I'm using a 600x card (and others) that allow for ~30 frames in a 1D and clears very quickly. I have reloaded the firmware and nothing changes. Any ideas?

If you have high noise reduction C.Fn II-1 & C.Fn II-2 turned on, it will slow down the frame rate..

frame rate isn't the problem. Buffer. 4 shots is the most I can take @ ISO 100

Oops.. I meant maximum shots not frame rate. Putting noise reduction on 'Strong' will pretty well guarantee filling the buffer at 4 shots.

Did you try a "clear all settings" just to make sure the owner didn't leave any surprise settings?

Jim_T wrote in post #15659842
Oops.. I meant maximum shots not frame rate. Putting noise reduction on 'Strong' will pretty well guarantee filling the buffer at 4 shots.

You are correct but it doesn't make sense. Doesn't work that way on my other bodies. Weird. Thanks though.

Good to know.

Just so you know, the new firmware doesn't wipe out all of the settings back to default. It will keep many of your settings except for a few like the clock and calendar.

Check also to see if "Long Exposure Noise Reduction" is enabled and if so, disable it.

The manual doesn't mention it, but LENR will also fill the buffer quickly.

If you reset the camera, don't forget to reset custom functions as well.

rrblint wrote in post #15660380
Check also to see if "Long Exposure Noise Reduction" is enabled and if so, disable it.

The manual doesn't mention it, but LENR will also fill the buffer quickly.

It only kicks in on exposures of one second and longer, and with such shutter speeds, you aren't achieving much of a frame rate anyway.
What shortens the burst length is high ISO noise reduction set to strong, as well as using the camera without exposure lock in pretty dark environments. But then the shutter speed is again often too long to run at max frame rate. Max frame rate requires about 1/500 s or shorter time.

apersson850 wrote in post #15661073
It only kicks in on exposures of one second and longer, and with such shutter speeds, you aren't achieving much of a frame rate anyway.
What shortens the burst length is high ISO noise reduction set to strong, as well as using the camera without exposure lock in pretty dark environments. But then the shutter speed is again often too long to run at max frame rate. Max frame rate requires about 1/500 s or shorter time.

Hi Anders...I can't explain why, but for some reason, even at fast shutter speeds, if LENR is enabled(on some cameras), the frame rate slows after a few shots and acts as if the buffer is full(goes to about 0.5-1 f/s). I've seen at least two threads where this has been the case(I think that you were there on at least one of these threads). I realize that OP said that the frame rate was not a problem, but maybe he just didn't keep shooting long enough for the slower frame rate to kick in.

Since this is not mentioned in the manual, the only explanation that I can think of is that this may be a programming error, just the sort of programming error that the programmer would never think to check...Question that the programmer asks himself: "What happens to the frame rate if LENR is engaged when using a fast shutter speed?"...Answer: "Oh, that will never happen since it will only be used with a slow shutter speed, so no need to worry about it". I've actually had this same kind of thing happen to me before while writing a program. It took me hours to find the problem as it was totally unrelated to the main purpose of the program and ended up being one of those "this will never happen" types of things. I think that it ended up being an uninitialized variable carrying a bad value from one subroutine to another. At any rate, something that can be easily overlooked by an overworked, underpaid programmer.

Or perhaps this is only a problem that is unique to a specific camera model or specific units of a camera within a model designation. I have tried to duplicate this problem with my own camera without being able to do so, nor have I been able to duplicate it with high ISO NR either.

See page 224 of the manual -

C.Fn II-2 High ISO Speed Noise Reduction.

With setting 2 (high) the maximum burst for continuous shooting will greatly decrease.


And they're right. When I set it to that value the indicator in my viewfinder drops from 22 to 3!

What do you all set High Iso speed noise reduction to? I understand turning it to 'high' slows the frame rate but should it be disabled?

heagarty5 wrote in post #15665358
What do you all set High Iso speed noise reduction to? I understand turning it to 'high' slows the frame rate but should it be disabled?

I think you'll find that anybody who shoots in raw will have it disabled (because it doesn't affect the raw data) and do their noise-reduction during post-processing.

Even if I shot jpeg I'd still prefer an external program for noise-reduction (not least because I can experiment - doing it in-camera means your stuck with whatever the camera decided to do).