Sony: Slow data buffer transfer to SD card

Mick2011

1,104 billets depuis
Jun 15, 2011

Rédigée le Jan 11, 2012 6:00 AM

Hi skicoach, welcome to the Sony Forums

That 10fps burst is quite remarkable for a compact and on the face of it, makes it an ideal sports shooter. However, this is achieved by writing (buffering) the 10 frames to internal memory, which then has to be written to the card. You can't simultaneously write to and from the internal memory, hence the long delay. As you suggested, a faster card will obviously not help the internal memory situation.

You shouldn't get a delay with a single shot unless you have the camera in Continuous mode. Switching to Single should make it more responsive. You'll also get less of a delay the fewer shots in your burst... I guess you've worked that out for yourself but I'm afraid the buffering isn't a firmware issue, it's the way the camera is designed to work.

Sorry I can't be of any more help.

Mick

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skicoach

2 billets depuis
Jan 11, 2012

Rédigée le Jan 13, 2012 10:41 AM

Thank you for the warning not to waste money on a faster SD card.

In "single shot" with the "Advanced Sports" mode it takes about 5 seconds for each shot to clear through the system - even at low resolution - displaying the shot meantime with no apparent option to NOT display it. This MUST be a firmware issue if the camera can buffer 10 shots at full resolution - and it is not acceptable. If you are a Sony employee then you are either seriously misinformed (which I hope is the case) or lying. The camera is practically useless for sports photography and is a big disappointment. The publicity claims are literally fradulent because they hide the sad reality of this limitation. You cannot track any fast moving action with a camera that shuts down for 5 seconds after each and every shot - and you cannot use a "burst" mode with action that moves rapidly towards the camera and where no parameters can be changed during the burst. Sony publicity does not even hint at those big problems and the fact that combined together they render this camera almost completely useless for most sport. This IS a firmware issue - and probably deliberate so as to push people towards more expensive cameras. Shame on you Sony. Please - if anyone can hack this firmware and sort it out then do so ASAP! It's clear that this is a Sony policy issue so there will be no fix from Sony.

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cmosse

317 billets depuis
Feb 24, 2012

Rédigée le Mar 19, 2012 3:28 PM

In fact I think this IS an issue with the speed of the SD card you are using. I did a quick, "non scientific" test with a standard class 6 SD card and can not confirm your statements.

When using the 10fps high speed mode it takes about 7 after one burst before the next can be captured

In Sports Auto mode the camera takes images approximately eacht 2 seconds.

Please try another card.

The missing option to disable AUTO review is indeed something Sony should consider to improve, probably with a firmware update.