If your digital camera has a "burst", or "rapid shot" mode, it may prove beneficial to your sports photography. During a fast-paced event, it is almost impossible to time every shot perfectly. Burst mode lets you set up your exposure, shutter speed, and other options as you anticipate a play, and, just as you expect a play is about to happen (such as a penalty kick), you can take several photographs in rapid succession.

When purchasing a digital camera that you plan on using for sports photography, see if it has burst mode. You should check:

* How many photographs will burst mode take in succession?

* During how much time will burst mode work (does it take 10 photos in 2 seconds, 20 in 5 seconds, etc.)?

* What are the resolutions supported by burst mode? Some digital cameras may support 8 megapixels at RAW quality for normal photos but only 5 megapixels at JPG quality in burst mode, for example.

* Does the digital camera require high-speed memory to take burst mode shots?

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