Burst Mode Calculator — Burst Duration & Image Count

The camera buffer (fast internal memory) fills up as the camera shoots faster than it can write to the memory card. Once the buffer is full, the burst rate drops to the sustained rate, limited by the card write speed. Faster cards and larger buffers allow longer bursts.

Yes significantly. JPEG files are much smaller than RAW, so more fit in the buffer. RAW+JPEG writes both formats, using even more buffer space. Shooting compressed RAW or lossy RAW can increase buffer depth by 30-50% over uncompressed RAW.

For professional burst shooting at 10-20 fps with RAW files (50MB each), you need at least 90 MB/s write speed. CFexpress Type B cards can write at 400+ MB/s. UHS-II SD cards write at 90-250 MB/s. Faster cards clear the buffer faster, giving you more sustained shooting time.

The sustained rate is the continuous shooting speed once the buffer is full. It equals the card write speed divided by the file size. For example, a 90 MB/s card with 50MB RAW files gives a sustained rate of 1.8 fps — much slower than the initial burst rate.