Camera Tips Photo & Video Resource

Continuous Shooting Tips for the Canon SX210 IS

Canon SX210 IS Continuous Mode - Bicycling

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How to enable Continuous Shooting on the SX210 IS

Enabling the continuous shooting mode on the SX210 IS is actually quite easy.

The default setting on the SX210 IS is single shot mode, so if you’d like to switch to burst mode just click the FUNC/SET button on the back of the camera
Next rotate the dial to the rectangle shaped icon and click the FUNC/SET to enter the continuous shooting mode options
Select one of the options for continuous shooting

Regular Continuous Shooting Mode – In this mode the SX210 IS will capture 0.7 frames per second or 1.4 frames every two seconds. The SX210 IS will lock the focus and exposure when you half press the shutter button, so keep that in mind when using this mode. If the subject is moving towards or away from you, then I suggest you switch over to Continuous Shooting with auto-focus (AF).

Continuous Shooting with AF – In this mode the SX210 IS will capture 0.5 frames per second or 1 frame every two seconds. It’s a little bit slower than the regular continuous mode, but the advantage is that it will refocus before each capture. This is helpful when the subject is moving towards or away from you.

Continuous Shooting with LV – This mode will only show up when shooting in Fireworks mode or when using the manual focus. It captures 0.5 frames per second or 1 frame every two seconds. The focus is locked on the manual focus point.

When to use Continuous Mode on the Canon SX210 IS

Most people assume that continuous mode (burst mode) is only good for shooting sports, however, there are many other situations where continuous mode can lead to some amazing photos…

Portraits – Instead of counting to three and taking one picture at a time, activate continuous mode and and capture everything before and after the smile. Some of the best portraits are when your subject has no idea you are taking the photo. For me, I’ve found the best moment is right after they smile at the camera, especially when they’re in a group. Many times they’ll laugh or make a great expression which is great for capturing amazing portraits.

Wildlife – Animals come and go so fast. When you’re in continuous mode you can snap off a series of photos and a capture all of the movements the animal makes. This is especially helpful with fast moving subjects like birds and other small wildlife.

Events or Festivals – When photographing people at festivals or events, you usually only have one chance to take that perfect photo. Continuous mode will allow you to capture a few extra images, ensuring you get the best possible shot.

Babies – Little children and babies are known for their priceless expressions. Getting them to do the same expression over and over again is next to impossible. One idea is to leave the SX210 IS in continuous mode ‘on’ during the day. This way if your baby is doing something cute, you can quickly snap off a bunch of photos and later find the one that makes your heart melt.

Continuous Mode Tips for the PowerShot SX210 IS

Tracking your subject in continuous mode can be very difficult. The LCD screen will capture the image and then reappear each time a photo is taken. One trick, is to hold the SX210 IS as far away from you as possible. Just like aiming a gun, close one eye and position your subject just above the top of the SX210 IS. If you can keep them just above the microphone as they move around, you will have an even better chance of framing your subject.
Canon SX210 IS - Continuous Tracking

Continuous mode can eat up a lot of memory card space. I suggest that if you plan on doing lots of continuous shooting to use a 16GB SDHC memory card (see my recommendations here).

If you’re using flash, the speed of continuous shooting will slow down. The SX210 IS has to recycle the on-board flash before it fires again, so this delay will reduced the amount of frames per second you can capture. If the scene is dark, raise the ISO or switch over to Low-Light mode which can be found on page 56 of the SX210 IS manual (see here). Non-flash pictures give off a more natural look anyway, so give it a shot!

Jump back to the Canon SX210 IS quick reference for more helpful tips and resources. Happy Shooting!