Why I HATE my digital camera About This Page:

[Carousel96]

The lag time between pressing the button and taking the picture is huge!
DD and I went on a dolphin cruise in Savannah last week. Saw TONS of dolphins playing -- but all I have are pictures of dolphin butts. If that. More are the splashes from where they went in the water.
I've been told that "its the way digital is. Get used to it" But I can't believe that. The cameras never would have caught on if you missed every photo op.
So... what do I look for in "the next camera" to avoid this?
Hopefully it's something available in a general point-and-shoot model. DH will never go for a pricey camera or a Digital SLR.

[muphoto]

This is a classic case of "You get what you pay for." Shutter lag is a problem in cheaper cameras, but there are some upper end point and shoot cameras that aren't as bad. I suggest going to Best Buy or Circuit City and ask them to let you try a couple.
Nikon makes a very good entry-level prosumer camera,the D40 that is a DLSR but very easy to use.
You can get the camera body with a lens for around $500.00. You might want to check it out.

[Pax]

I'm no expert, but with my camera ... I'd be pre-focussed to about the right distance if possible, and be waiting/watching for the dolphins. I think you also have to learn to be slightly faster on the trigger - as soon as you see their head start to break otu of the water, TAKE THE SHOT ... by the time the sensor registers the image, they should be right up in the air.

However, I think the problem you face is this: the really fast sensors just don't show up in the less expensive point-and-shoot cameras. I just bought a Fujifilm S5700 point-and-shoot, it was $180 for the camera (plus memory cards, batteries, battery charger, etc - my first not-borrowed digital). And it's reasonably fast, but still not completely instantaneous. (The autofocus takes a moment, mostly.)

So, in a sixty or eighty dollar P&S? I seriously doubt you'll get instantaneous image recording.
I'd love to be wrong about that, but ... there you are.

[Colexis Mom]

I'd get a DSLR DH's (Canon Rebel) goes very fast Mine (a 4 YO Nikon Coolpix) is very SLOW

[Dave Marx]

It took me a long time to get used to film cameras with autoexposure and autofocus. With my old Nikon F, there was no waiting around for anything, because it was up to me to do everything. I got the exposure and focus in advance, and waited for the shot. Click.

The problem comes because the automatic cameras are programmed (in Auto) to focus and get a new exposure when you click the shutter. The fastest fully-automatics are reasonably fast, but even those are hardly instantaneous. In many cases, the lag time isn't a huge problem, but when you have rapidly changing conditions, it can be hugely frustrating.

Most of the mid-range and better digitals have controls that let you minimize some of these problems. Many let you lock in the focus and exposure in advance by holding down the shutter release half-way. That's only good for a single shot, or a series of shots if your camera has a "burst" mode. You can eliminate most of the delay by putting the camera into manual focus mode (if the camera has it). The motors that change the lens' focus are much slower than the auto exposure system.

For the dolphins, you were probably hit by a next-to-worst-case scenario. Autofocus systems always have a hard time with highly reflective, moving surfaces like water - the focus system spends extra time "hunting" for the proper focus. Add fast-moving dolphins and the autofocus will have a really, really hard time making a decision. The only thing worse than this is trying to shoot the same subject with the autoflash turned on. That's just one more exposure decision to slow things down. As long as you're confident of getting a good natural light exposure, put the camera in no-flash mode.

If you have a burst mode (several shots taken in sequence from a single shutter click) you can "bracket" the shot. Somewhere in the series of four or more images, one of them may be the winner. Of course, you end up needing a bigger memory card since you're shooting so many frames, but memory is cheap. Afterwards, it's easy enough to go back and delete the obviously bad shots from the sequence.

Overall, though, there's no substitute for knowing your camera. Eventually, you'll get used to the lag time, and can start anticipating the action by clicking a little earlier than expected.

[LizardCop]

Dave pretty much hit the nail on the head. Most every digital camera I own or use has shutter lag, some worse than others.

Over the years, especially with water related shots, sports/sporting activities, and anything related to children, I have learned to set the camera to either shutter priority or aperture priority and pre-focus the shot. Sometimes I guess right and sometimes I don't. Manual pre-set focus can save a lot of time between pressing the button and having the picture taken, but you need to be in the "depth of field" range for it to be usable...

I have also learned to take pictures, lots and lots of pictures. I live near the water, and I see dolphins often. We also take friends and little ones out on dolphin cruises frequently, they are fun to watch and hard to photograph. I might get a couple of acceptable (not necessarily good) shots out of a couple of hundred. Even trying to "predict" where the dolphin will be doesn't always work out

Some cameras are worse then others about taking so much time. While they have gotten better, Olympus cameras used to be the worse about lag times. Even with everything set before hand, my Kodak Easy Share Z-1275 sometimes takes a small amout of time to actually take the picture and I miss the shot I really wanted On the other hand, my Canon Sure Shot A-640 is pretty fast on locking in. Jan has had great luck with her Fuji Finepix S5200, and is learning her new Olympus Stylus SW1030. Each camera is different, and both of us have to remember that when we grab one...

And lag time is such an issue, many of the camera manufacturers are now including this in their specifications...

Knowing your specific camera is the best cure. As with a new camera, the best thing to do is go out and take pictures, lots and lots. Pay attention to the conditions when you take the picture and get used to how the camera reacts. Once you learn the peculiarities of your camera, you will start automatically compensating for it's action and you will get more of wht you want instead of what the camera provides...

[Tigger71]

I am definately no expert but I do have an issue with one of our digital cameras when I use the large memory card. The fuller it is the longer it seems between clicking and actual photo being shot. So now I just download after each day out and all is good, back to fast speed. JMHO!

[RobDVC]

We use the photo-burst feature when we're trying to capture shots of moving figures. The only other recommendation I would have for your existing camera would be what others have mentioned: Predict the shot, and take lots of them.

[disneyfan2000]

If you want speed when taking pics, you have to pony up for a DSLR. They are alot faster than point and shoot cameras.
I just recently bought a $280 point and shoot (mainly for the 720p video capabilities) and the speed is nowhere near that of a DSLR.

[disneyfan2000]

keep in mind, alot of these point and shoots that have this burst mode that allows quick shooting, alot of them lower the resolution in that mode or make other sacrifices to the pic.

[disneygramma]

I have 2 digitals, a canon rebel slr that I use for really difficult shots (ex. fireworks or fast moving sports/animals), and use the point and shoot for general shots or when we really don't want to drag around 2 cameras as the slr is larger and with the lenses etc can weigh you down.

I am really partial to the slr. As has been stated prior.....practice makes you a better photographer with yourcamera, also buy several cards and take lots and lots of shots to try and get that one perfect one to keep, delete the rest....typically I take over 1,000 pics in 1 week at Disney!

[Pax]

Originally Posted by disneygramma

[...] also buy several cards and take lots and lots of shots to try and get that one perfect one to keep, delete the rest....typically I take over 1,000 pics in 1 week at Disney!

^_^ I bought two 2GB xD Picture Cards; on the standard 7Mp resolution and compression, each holds 1152 frames; on a better-quality 7Mp format, it drops to 581 frames. I honestly expect I may fill the first card up in 2-3 days. I half expect to need to buy another card or two. Oh noes, not that!

[lisamarie]

I bought a new Canon SD870 IS camera this year; it is awesome. The salesman had me buy a new kind of SD card. He says it "writes" faster, so you can take pictures faster. Being basically stupid about the whole process, I was not sure what to expect. However, the new camera IS faster and the pictures are amazing. Even my DD complimented me on my wonderful Shamu pictures. I bought both my digital cameras at Best Buy; I tell the sales person what I expect from the camera and what very specifically I use it for (vacations and DD dance recitals). I have been extremely happy with both cameras.

[Pax]

Well, a purportedly-faster write speed is why I went with xD Picture Cards for my Fuji S5700. And gosh, are they TINY wee little things ... I've used postage stamps that were bigger. Seriously, look:



Yes, that's a U.S. quarter-dollar coin. And the paper they're on is standard college-ruled. And I can fit over a thousand photos on that one card!

[bradk]

there's a lot of variables introduced in this thread, all of them legitimate, but none are single answers.

shutter lag isn't really related to AF. yes, AF adds time and being able to lock the focus if you can will help, but shutter lag persists. i spent years with it and you really had to learn to anticipate anything action related to get the shot.

the reason why AF isn't at fault is because most P&S won't let you completely press the trigger until the subject is in focus. the problem with shutter lag is you find that the image that's recorded is NOT what you saw when you were able to press the button.

the type of media does play into it somewhat as well, but overall, not too much. a decent camera will buffer images until they are able to be recorded. it's the burst mode that's mostly affected by this.

fortunately, since I did upgrade to dSLR, it's no longer a concern.

Shutter lag - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia