Canon 30D - Manual (Page 9)

Page 9 of 35 © Ken Rockwell 2006
DRIVE - ISO works the same as the AF-WB button. It will stop accepting input
6 seconds after you're done twiddling, or the instant you tap the shutter
button.
Tap it and the front dial selects the drive modes. You see the self-timer mode
selected on the LCD in my photo.
Other drive options are:
Single mode makes only one shot, no mater how long you hold the
button. It's shown as one rectangle.
Continuous mode shoots frames for as long as you hold down the
shutter button. It's shown as a rectangle with a beard (more rectangles)
growing out of it.
Continuous mode comes in two speeds:
• High-speed (5FPS) and
• Low-speed (3FPS).
High-speed is shown with a little "H" next to the bearded rectangle. Low-
speed is just the bearded rectangle.
I prefer low-speed (3FPS) over high-speed (5FPS). High-speed is so fast it
often fires two shots before I can remove my finger from the shutter, even if I
only wanted one shot! I always use low-speed continuous, so a short press is
one shot, and a long press is several. This saves me from having to switch
modes. I always make several shots if the light is dim so I can pick a sharp
shot from among the blurry ones.
The low speed mode is unique to the 30D. Both the 20D and 30D have high
speed mode, although the 20D has no H to show for it. The 20D is always in
high-speed mode if you select the bearded rectangle.
Of course for sports and action, use high-speed.