Is it a Power or Transfer rate issue?

Last Weekend I was asked to take a few family photos. As most of the shots were taken inside the house and I only have the built-in flash. I know some people would say don't even use the flash but I did.

here's my problem.
after shooting 200+ (Image = Jpeg L) my 40D started to hang. I looked and it says blinking BUSY. So I waited for a few seconds and it will disappear but comes back again after I have taken another shot.

My uneducated guess would be that the battery is not supplying enough power and I need to use the battery grip for extra power.

My second guess would be that the transfer rate is too slow that it is choking the CF card. I only have this kind of problems when I use the Transcend 8GB. I already know that the transcend 8GB CF gives me errors when I used during a very cold days. Thats the reason why I'm thinking it might be the CF card. I've never have any problems with my 4GB

any thoughts?

It

Unless you meant 200+ in a row (continuous), it'd be impossible to be a card issue unless the card is broken. It's likely low power in the battery, since those batteries are generally rated at about 500 shots or half that with flash.

As battery voltage drops it takes longer to charge the flash capacitor. The camera won't take the shot until the capacitor is fully charged.

thanks to both of you. Now I know why people use battery grip.

Or carry spare batteries - lighter and cheaper than a grip .

Canajun wrote in post #8131926
thanks to both of you. Now I know why people use battery grip.

sapearl wrote in post #8131951
Or carry spare batteries - lighter and cheaper than a grip .

That would be the first choice but I already have a grip. It came as part of a kit. I just haven't found the need for it.... until now.

Ah - I see. Makes sense then to use what you have .

Canajun wrote in post #8131965
That would be the first choice but I already have a grip. It came as part of a kit. I just haven't found the need for it.... until now.

I'd be thinking of ditching that card tbh. You already know it can give you problems, why risk it. Memory is cheap these days.

The only time I have experienced a low battery, the camera has just shut down. The only time I have experienced busy is when the buffer is full. As shots transfer off you can take another and so on it goes.

I shoot with a 30d, and have never had a full buffer give me a problem, filling the buffer takes some doing. With my old 300d I regularly filled the buffer, and got just what you describe.

And with the 30d I get well over 400 shots on a battery with on camera flash, is the 40 that much more power hungry?

If the camera is reporting "busy", it seems to me it would be a card issue, and not a flash issue. I've only ever seen "busy" when the camera is writing to the card. I don't think that's a battery issue at all...you'd just get a low-battery indicator.

thanks for all your sound comments. it's kinda 50/50 between the CF & battery. But to be prudent, I do have more CF cards so it's no problem using the one acting up as an last resort card.

Anyways, next time it happens, I'll switch to fresh batteries and see if it goes away. This should prove either way.

Canajun wrote in post #8131926
thanks to both of you. Now I know why people use battery grip.

the grip doesn't soft your problem, it will just delay it. So instead of happenning after 200 shots, it will happen after say 500 shots. I think a better solution is to get a 430ex, so flash is supplied by its dedicated batteries

eelnoraa wrote in post #8132726
the grip doesn't soft your problem, it will just delay it. So instead of happenning after 200 shots, it will happen after say 500 shots. I think a better solution is to get a 430ex, so flash is supplied by its dedicated batteries

Another good advice. I understand the logic but at the moment, off-flash is not a priority. All my cash is going toward a longer reach glass. My forte is outdoors/nature/wildli​fe