Fast Shutter on a point and SHoot

[bigswede]

My wife and I are in the market for a new camera and want somethign that is

1) Simple

2) Has a FAST shutter

We have had a couple of Cybershots and they are fine but we really dont like how slow the picutre is actually taken. With 2 little boys it can be sometimes seem like forever. Any inout would be greatly appreciated.

[DTro]

Are you sure it’s the shutter that you are having issues with. It could possibly be a couple of other things.

The auto focus or the memory card write speed.

Can you explain what you mean by “long”. Is there a delay after you push the button? Have you tried holding the button halfway to get a focus lock on until you are ready to take the picture then pushing it fully? It’s much faster that way.

Or is it taking a long time to reset after you have taken the picture? If so then it might be the memory card.

[bigswede]

It does both. If you lock it to focus it takes quite a while to "take teh picture."

[mmeyer]

What you're experiencing is "shutter lag". All digital cameras have it although it's most noticeable in point and shoots, such as your cybershot. A DSLR has it too but it's not really noticeable to anyone but the most experienced shooters. Shutter lag is why I now have a DSLR. Too many missed opportunities with my kids. They do something fun and by the time the shutter fires they are done. Some point and shoots are better than others, you just need to do some research to find the best for your needs.

Good luck.

[MN Shutterbug]

The reason I chose a Panasonic Lumix over a Canon 3 years ago was because the shutter lag on the Panny was half as long as on the Canon. Of course things may have changed since then. The specs for each camera should provide the info. If not, email the manufacturer and they'll provide it.

[bigswede]

Thanks for the info and help

[sanka]

I also chose a Panasonic over a Canon because of shutter lag. What you're really looking for is one with a good lithium-ion battery. Any camera that takes AAs will take twice as long to get set if a flash is used.