1D Mk III - Is it the card or the buffer

mikeassk wrote in post #9024770
I use lexar 133X cards and i get 20-30 shots raw at 10FPS... Am I missing something here.

Yes, the number of shots in RAW wasn't the issue of the Original Poster. How fast the Mark III clears the buffer once it is filled is the issue.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #9024783
Something else to bear in mind, some (many? most?) "working pros", especially in sports, aren't shooting RAW. They're shooting the necessary JPEG size that makes FTP-ing images to their publications as fast and painless as possible.

RAW is a "luxury" and is generally reserved for less deadline-intensive photography.

Yes indeed.

emtp563 wrote in post #9024043
The exact numbers I can not give you. But the Mk IV will certainly incorporate UDMA, which will boost write speed substantially.

133 MB/sec according to their white paper for the Mark IV. This is faster than the 90 MB/sec Sandisk Extreme Pro cards that are currently available.

Well in the past I've done some tests with my MKIII and the average time to clear the buffer when I've shot all it can take is 28 seconds, I think it varied around + or - 3 seconds depending upon which card CF or SDHC or both etc. and all of this was shooting RAW. That said I don't remember how I had the camera set up at that time.

RE: FlyingPhotog's comment "some (many? most?) "working pros", especially in sports, aren't shooting RAW" is something to consider, I don't think I'll do anymore attempts at high speed shooting in RAW anymore, and doing side by shooting with both cards, one set on RAW and the other on JPEG L, the latter do look exceptionally good.

I do ALL of my high speed shooting in RAW mode. Not RAW+ Jpeg, just the larger RAW mode.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #9024783
Something else to bear in mind, some (many? most?) "working pros", especially in sports, aren't shooting RAW. They're shooting the necessary JPEG size that makes FTP-ing images to their publications as fast and painless as possible.

RAW is a "luxury" and is generally reserved for less deadline-intensive photography.

Good point, Jay, however, when Peter Read Miller of Sports Illustrated got the chance to "test" the 1D Mark IV, he states in his review:

"...About a month ago I was fortunate to get the opportunity to spend a few days shooting with a couple of pre-production Canon 1D Mark IV's. Because the camera had not yet been announced, I was somewhat limited in where I could shoot. In other words, I wasn't able to shoot an NFL game or the like. Also, the raw processing software had not yet been finalized, so I couldn't shoot anything for Sports Illustrated as we always shoot RAW files."

So if the PREMIERE sports magazine in the world has it's photographer's shoot in RAW format, then either they must know something that we don't about their cameras being able to "keep up" with their shooting demands, or else they must have some kick-ass type of CF cards.

another excerpt from his review: "...• Files. Big and sharp, everything looked great right out of the camera. It was surprising to look at frame counter when I put my 16gb Hoodman card in and see I was getting a little over 500 RAW files instead of the 900 + I was used to with the MK III. I guess I'll be going to 32's."

Here is his brief, but full "early" review:

http://www.sportsshoot​er.com/news/2316

SI is a Weekly publication...

I'm referring to shooters who are on deadline for immediately after (or even during) an event.

Ack - wish I wouldn't have read that...That's a good sign for sure.

Doesn't SI wi-fi their RAWs to a processing booth? I thought I read somewhere that's how they do it...Or is that the papers...I don't remember!

Mr. Clean wrote in post #9025768
Ack - wish I wouldn't have read that...That's a good sign for sure.

Doesn't SI wi-fi their RAWs to a processing booth? I thought I read somewhere that's how they do it...Or is that the papers...I don't remember!

No doubt they do but (depending on publication cycle Vs event day) they get a little more lead time in many cases.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #9025735
SI is a Weekly publication...

I'm referring to shooters who are on deadline for immediately after (or even during) an event.

Oh I know. I didn't mean anything bad or against your statement, Jay. I'm sorry if it came across like that.

Hi Jannie thanks for that detailed unbiased post.
I ordered a 16GB 300x transcend. If I get it in time for this weekend I can test it out.
Thanks all.