I've used continuous shooting mode on and off over the years. But for the last few weeks it's been the default mode in all my cameras. I love it!
Continuous shooting means your camera will take photos for as long as you keep pressing the shutter button. Usually, you can choose the speed, slow or quick bursts. My little RX100VA can take up to 24 frames per second, which is way too many, so I usually go with slow.
These are some the advantages of using continous shooting.
1. It's the best way to capture moving objects
Continuous shooting is great if you are trying to capture a moving subject or when it's hard to predict what is going to happen next. For example, take a look at these images of some waves in Michigan City and a train in rural Indiana.
Having a set of images to choose from will increase the likelihood of you capturing the right moment.
Slightly blurry image, I was putting the camera down while taking it. I like it more this way!
2. It adds randomness and brings "happy accidents" to digital
I use continuous shooting even for static subjects, though. I rarely stop to shoot while I'm walking, I take the shots as I pass by. Then I'll select the best one. This makes for unexpected, random and sometimes more interesting results.
Or sometimes I'll accidently press the shutter for a bit longer than intended and take 2-3 pictures in a row. That second or third picture might be blurry because I was already putting the camera away. Sometimes, those images are even better than the original. Unintentional blurriness. Bringing "happy accidents" to digital photography.
3. You can still take just one shot
You might be thinking: "I already have way too many photos, why would I want to take even more?" The goal here is still a single image, just the best one of a burst. It's not to end up with several images taking space in our hard drive and sanity in our brains. Be merciless when it comes to deleting your photos (back them up first to something like Google Photos if you want to).
And remember: being on this mode doesn't mean you have to take several pictures, either. Press and immediately release the shutter and you'll take your regular one shot. Getting several exposures with a long press is optional.
There are a couple of downsides to using continuous shooting:
1. More photos means more work
Taking several pictures instead of one implies a bit more work on your part. There will be quite a bit of deleting images, but I came to enjoy the process a lot. Deleting and getting rid of stuff makes me feel good!
2. Incompatible with other features of your camera
Continuous shooting is incompatible with other modes like BULB. You'll have to go back to single shot before taking a long exposure. But since long exposures are more deliberate and take more time, this isn't a big deal.
Conclusion
Continuous shooting brings more advantages than disadvantages to the table. It's not only a good way to capture moving objects, but we can also add some randomness and interesting elements to static compositions.
Perhaps you want to try it next time you go out with your camera. Make sure you have enough space in your memory card for a few extra images, and shoot away!