Effects of battery power on performance?

[Bill Dix]

To what extent (if any) will the camera's battery affect either AF performance or Frame Rate, or both? If the camera indicates that the battery has only a 50% charge, for example, will either or both slow down, as compared with a 100% fully charged battery?

If the camera indicates 100% charge, but the battery has had repeated use and recharging for, say, 3 years, will that affect performance?

I'm asking specifically about a Nikon D7000, but guessing that the question is probably more universal. I realize that very cold weather is also a contributing factor.

Bill

[arash_hazeghi]

Hi Bill,

It has no effect whether it is 100% or 50%, unless the camera has a power saving mode by design which will make it slower to save power, I don't know of any DSLR that has this. As the battery discharges its voltage slightly drops but the camera's circuit will regulate and keep it constant. Once it depletes and voltage drops below a certain threshold it will shut down.

Cold whether can reduce battery capacity too but it has no effect on performance.

[Bill Dix]

Thanks Arash. I guess I can't blame the battery. I have a sense that both AF acquisition and frame rate (buffer speed?) have slowed down. Or maybe it's just me or my imagination.

[arash_hazeghi]

you can measure the frame rate easily to see if it matches with the spec or not.

[Daniel Cadieux]

Sometimes when using my 7D in very cold temperatures for a while the frame rate starts to down considerably. Perhaps due to the mechanics of the camera as it persists even if I change batteries....

[Arthur Morris]

If you want to measure the frame rate make sure to be in Manual Focus or One-Shot (focused). The frame rate drops when you are in (active) AI Servo. Curiously, the 1DX seems somewhat immune to this tenet....

[Bill Dix]

Interesting. Thanks Artie. I'll try an experiment both ways, but I'm almost never in manual or one-shot, so maybe that's why it sometimes seems slow.

[Arthur Morris]

YAW Bill. Some bodies slow down a ton. The 1D X is barely (if at all) affected at least as far as I can tell.

[arash_hazeghi]

Good call by Artie, if you want to test make sure you set it to MF cause AF might slow down the continuous drive

I remember my 1D4 used to drop to something like 6fps when tracking in lower light but the 1DX it keeps firing at 12fps...

Another factor (unlikely but possible) is memory card. Cheap memory cards get slower as you cycle them many times, it takes longer for the camera to flush the buffer...

[Bill Dix]

Thanks Artie and Arash for your information. I'm coming to the conclusion that the problem is simply that my expectations exceed the ability of my pro-sumer D7000. I went to the lake to test it on the gulls. Temperature in the mid-40's. With camera set on AF, continuous-high, I was getting 6 fps, which is according to spec for that body. (I didn't try setting to MF, but will do so out of curiosity.) Part of the problem is that after 9 or 10 frames, sometimes 8, it would slow down dramatically to something like 1.5 fps while the buffer struggled to catch up. I'm using a SanDisk 32G Extreme Pro SDHC card that has been reformatted numerous times. The manual says that with IQ set at RAW Lossless compressed 14-bit the buffer capacity is 10 frames. I've got it set at RAW Lossless compressed 14-bit plus JPEG basic, so I guess I'm almost within spec for the camera. I could probably gain a frame or two of buffer if I dropped the JPEG basic, and switched to RAW compressed 14-bit. I don't know whether that would make any difference in IQ. But if I really want to solve the problem I suspect I'm going to have to upgrade to a pro body. I appreciate your help.

[Diane Miller]

Setting it to JPEG only (just for a test run) should let you see if the buffer is the problem. I'd guess it is. Sure sounds like it.

[Colin Gilyeat]

Bill, I use a D7000 as well, and my experience on the buffer is very similar. I don't have my camera out right now, so I am not sure of the RAW settings, but I believe that I have it set to 14-bit RAW. I don't generally set the camera to save a JPG when I am shooting RAW, but I really think that the issue is the buffer itself. Once you get it filled to capacity, the FPS will slow down while it catches up. I have gotten used to it and do my best to shoot short bursts so I don't fill the buffer.

[arash_hazeghi]

Part of the problem is that after 9 or 10 frames, sometimes 8, it would slow down dramatically to something like 1.5 fps while the buffer struggled to catch up. The manual says that with IQ set at RAW Lossless compressed 14-bit the buffer capacity is 10 frames. I've got it set at RAW Lossless compressed 14-bit plus JPEG basic, so I guess I'm almost within spec for the camera. I could probably gain a frame or two of buffer if I dropped the JPEG basic, and switched to RAW compressed 14-bit. I don't know whether that would make any difference in IQ. .

The buffer memory in your camera is extremely small. by saving RAW only (w/o JPEG) you can maybe get one or two more shots which is what I would do. I think you are asking too much from this body, it was not made for action. Top Nikon bodies for action are D3S/D4/D4s. even a used vintage D3 would be a better choice if you are after fast action shots.



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[Doug Brown]

YAW Bill. Some bodies slow down a ton. The 1D X is barely (if at all) affected at least as far as I can tell.

Agree 100% with this Artie!

[Bill Dix]

The buffer memory in your camera is extremely small. by saving RAW only (w/o JPEG) you can maybe get one or two more shots which is what I would do. I think you are asking too much from this body, it was not made for action. Top Nikon bodies for action are D3S/D4/D4s. even a used vintage D3 would be a better choice if you are after fast action shots.



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Thanks Arash. Is there any significant difference between "RAW Lossless Compressed 14-bit" and "RAW Compressed 14-bit" in terms of IQ? The latter seems to gain me a frame or two.

And do you have any recommendations for winning lottery numbers?

[arash_hazeghi]

Thanks Arash. Is there any significant difference between "RAW Lossless Compressed 14-bit" and "RAW Compressed 14-bit" in terms of IQ? The latter seems to gain me a frame or two.

And do you have any recommendations for winning lottery numbers?

I think it only becomes visible if you have very fine tonal gradations...nevertheless the purpose of RAW is to have loss less data so it seems a bit odd to shoot RAW and then lose some of the data....

[Bill Dix]

I think it only becomes visible if you have very fine tonal gradations...nevertheless the purpose of RAW is to have loss less data so it seems a bit odd to shoot RAW and then lose some of the data....

Thanks. That was my logic as well.