Long write time...

[captainshane]

I have a Canon xsi. Just lately I noticed a long write time. The red light in the bottom right corner is on for at least 8 seconds after I take a pic. It dosen't matter what sd card is in or what lens is on. I cleared all custom and camera settings with no luck. I shoot in raw so that will make a slight difference but a friend of mine has the same camera and his light is on for about 2 seconds with the same settings. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Shane

[Steve Foss]

There are a variety of factors that can lead to long write times. Long exposures are one of them. High iso images also usually yield larger files, and the more detail and color you have in an image, the larger the file size.

But in this case, based on what you've said, it's quite possible your friend has a card with a faster write rate than yours. Or, if you are shooting RAW and he's shooting large jpeg, there'll be a very significant write time difference.

And is he even shooting large jpeg? I've been surprised at the number of people using DSLRs who set the camera at a much smaller jpeg setting to get more images on the card, not realizing that if they sometime capture the image of a lifetime they've already sacrificed print size.

When you say you just lately noticed the long write time, do you mean it's just started doing that, or it might have been doing that all along and you just noticed?

Eight seconds still seems like a long time. On my Canons, the large jpeg files tend to be about 1/3 the size of the RAW files, so it takes the RAW images about 2-3 times as long to write as the jpeg files.

[finnbay]

Write times do vary on cards depending on it's ability to record data. My SanDisk Ultra II is MUCH slower writing data then my SanDisk Extreme IV, especially when taking RAW, low ISO and time exposures.

[Jim Almquist]

Shane

You should try swapping SD cards with your buddy just to rule out the cards themselves unless you know that they are just not that fast.

[captainshane]

We both are shooting raw. When I shoot in high quality jpeg the light is on for about 2-3 seconds. Exposure times from 1/125 to 1/500 have the same outcome. I am gettin a new faster card so I will try that next and I don't think this has always been happening.

Thanks everybody.

[Jim Almquist]

SD cards are rated by class and the bigger the number the faster R/W times. I like using Sandisk because so far I have not had one go bad yet...Knock on wood

I really hope that will fix your problem.

[captainshane]

I am using a class 6 and will be getting a class 10.

[Steve Foss]

SD cards are rated by class and the bigger the number the faster R/W times. I like using Sandisk because so far I have not had one go bad yet...Knock on wood

I really hope that will fix your problem.

I've had two SanDisk Extreme cards [PoorWordUsage] out on me in in the last two years. Luckily, it happened with the 1D3, so the backup SD card in the camera took the load and delivered the goods.

[Jim Almquist]

I better start knocking on wood

[captainshane]

Well I purchased a Lexar Professional class 10 card. It took 5 seconds off the write time. The thing is I am unsure when the old card started the longer write time or if it was always that way. I'm not gonna worry about it now!

Thanks again,

Shane

[Jim Almquist]

If you only take a few pics at a time you might never notice how long it takes to write. Glad to hear things are moving faster.