Photographing birds in flight: What's the best frame rate?

Is 20+ frames per second really necessary in wildlife photography?

Brandt’s cormorant in flight, La Jolla, CA | © Jason P. Odell

Introduction

Wildlife photographers love mirrorless cameras because many of them offer incredibly fast frame capture rates. I currently shoot with the OM System OM-1 Mark 2 camera, which can capture as fast as 50 frames per second (fps). Most high-end mirrorless cameras, like the Canon R5ii, Sony A1ii, and Nikon Z9 are capable of capturing raw images continuously anywhere from 20-30 fps. The appeal of such fast burst rates for still photography is that these speeds increase the probability that you'll capture a moment of peak action, or a dynamic animal pose.

Capturing images at super-fast frame rates offers several advantages, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. One significant downside is the sheer volume of images you’ll end up with. Not only will your memory cards fill up faster, but you’ll also have to sift through hundreds or even thousands of shots during your triage and culling process.

Another challenge is the difficulty in firing off a single shot when your camera is set to high-speed frame advance. Even with practice and a good shutter release technique, shooting individual images becomes increasingly challenging once the camera is configured to capture images at speeds exceeding 12 frames per second.

While there are certain subjects and situations that demand fast burst rates, such as capturing flying birds, super-fast frame rates often lead to redundant images in most wildlife photography scenarios. However, when attempting to photograph flying birds, high frame rates do provide an advantage. Let’s delve into what we’re trying to capture: the wingbeat cycle of flying birds.