Bursting with creativity

One of the least-discussed functions in point-and-shoot digital cameras is the "burst" mode. It lets you shoot a sequence of shots, usually 3 to 6 images, without removing your finger from the shutter button.

Why is this useful? Get yourself a DVD of the Beatles' film, "A Hard Day's Night." You'll see a scene where a photographer shoots a rapid sequence of portraits of George Harrison. Most of the faces he makes are goofy. A few are keepers. If you have kids, you're better off shooting a quick series of photos of them, and review them later to choose the best shots.

Unlike motor-driven film cameras, digital cameras use a burst mode to capture a sequence of images. Some cameras keep shooting images for as long as you hold the shutter button, but only save the last few frames. Or the first few frames. My old Kodak DX7630 offered the option of one or the other.

Today, all but the least-expensive digital cameras offer a burst mode.

If this sort of technique interests you, here are a couple of pointers:
  • Check the specs to see how many images a camera will capture per second in still mode. (Video can grab about 30 frames per second, but not usually at the same high image quality as still shots). A Canon SD700is, for example, can grab about 2 frames per second. Its replacement, the Sd850is, only nabs 1.4 shots per second -- possibly because it's capturing larger (8MP) image files.

  • Do a little research to see how quickly the camera saves image files to a memory card. Low-cost cameras sometimes have a very slow "write speed," leaving you waiting 10-, 20-, or even 30 seconds while your photos transfer from the camera's buffer to the card.

  • Find a camera with good low-light performance. Burst modes almost always mean you'll be shooting without flash. A built-in flash just cannot recharge quickly enough to fire as quickly as your shutter. Fujifilm's f31fd, f40fd, and f50fd earned praise from online reviewers for their low-light performance.

  • Edit on a computer screen, not on the camera. Review your burst-mode shots on a large monitor. Even the best camera LCDs won't show as much detail as a 17-inch monitor. Remember, you can always discard the unwanted shots after you've found the keepers.

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