Digital cameras: Need Mother's Day Camera Help

by Ravialdo - 4/30/09 6:01 AM

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Post 1 of 7

Need Mother's Day Camera Help

by Ravialdo - 4/30/09 6:01 AM

Ok...my wife has been hinting at getting a new digital camera for her birthday, but I figure mother's day is sooner so why not a new mother's day camera?
I don't need alot of help. But what I do need clarification on is this: my wife's biggest complaint with our current Sony digital camera is how long it takes between when you press the button and when the shot actually occurs. This is crucial as our young children don't stay still for long and if there is a significant lag, you will miss the shot. THIS is the feature she wants the most - a near instanaeous photo after shooting. She tried my brother's digital STL (dunno model) and was extremely impressed....except she wants something much smaller and more compact, like a compact digital camera that can fit in a purse.
So...
1) what is the name of this feature or attribute that I'm referring to above?
2) I know asking for a specific model would be too much (esp when I didnt give budget, other considerations, etc.) but are there a general class of camera that would allow for a 'quick' photo but be compact enough to fit in a handbag?

Thanks in advance!

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Post 2 of 7

Shutter Lag

by snapshot2

- 4/30/09 6:59 AM In reply to: Need Mother's Day Camera Help by Ravialdo

The words you are looking for are "Shutter Lag".

The older digital cameras were cursed with long shutter lags, some as long as 2 seconds.

About 25% of the newer cameras have shutter lags of 0.3 seconds or less.
When using flash you encounter another slow down if taking several shots in a row (shot-to-shot time).
The flash is fired by high voltage, which means that a capacitor must be charged-up before it is ready to flash.
This can take 2 to 3 seconds.
There is no cure for that in a small camera.

Some cameras to look at:
Sony T77, T700, W170
Canon SD880, SD990, SD780
Casio Z150, Z250, Z300
..
.

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Post 3 of 7

"Shutter Lag" & Cannon

by axekick - 5/1/09 7:24 PM In reply to: Need Mother's Day Camera Help by Ravialdo

As already stated the time between shots is defined as shutter lag.
I would strongly encourage you to look into the Canon lineup. I have one myself, though it's an outdated model, SD750, the shutter lag is nearly non-existent.

Also the Canon lineups, in my opinion are the best value and among the lowest priced quality cameras. They are very compact, aesthetically appealing, superb optics and most if not all now have image stabilization.

Good luck with your choice and keeping "Mom" happy !

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Post 4 of 7

Shutter Lag, burst rates & auto-focus speed...

by j5shock - 5/9/09 12:21 PM In reply to: "Shutter Lag" & Cannon by axekick

Hi,

Yes, methinks Canon makes some fabulus (compact & DSLR) cameras too. Not all camera manufacturer make all of their products themselves (especially the compacts); it's called 'out-sourcing'. This is especially true when it comes to the lower priced ones but not Canon because their lower range have some quite unique looks; witness the A580, 590 IS range & you'll know what I mean. The others; if you blank out the logos, one looks almost like the others & they may well be made at the same factory!

The shutter Lag, burst rates & auto-focus speed of the Canons (regardless of models) are up there with some of the best in the business!

Of the models mentioned thus far, I'd go for the Elph SD880 because of its wider angle (28-112mm, 4X zoom) which is good for indoor shots where space may be limited, a wider angle helps in getting all your friends in the frame (or landscape shots)! The 112mm on the telephoto end is not too shabby either, should be good for head & shoulder shots. The close-up (or macro) mode (3cm) is pretty good as well. It is quite well constructed (made mostly of metals).

The other manufacturer you might like to consider is Panasonic because of the Leica lens used on their range of camera. Check out the Lumix DMC-FX37, 500, 48, 580 (all have 25-125mm zoom) & TS-1.

Good luck on your choice.
j5s

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Post 5 of 7

Shutter Lag, Burst Mode and Auto Focus

by ghicker - 5/4/09 9:01 AM In reply to: Need Mother's Day Camera Help by Ravialdo

Previous posts have talked about Shutter lag, which is one factor and an important factor to consider.

Additionally, Burst Mode is another term and feature on cameras that allow you to take multiple shots in a short time. Usually cameras with faster/larger burst mode specifications take pictures faster than cameras with slower/smaller burst specifications.

Third is the auto-focus speed of the camera. What I find to be equally if not more important than Shutter lag and Burst mode is how fast the camera can focus. Some cameras have better auto-focus abilities than others, but you rarely find these in specifications. If you want to know how well a camera focuses and how fast it focuses, you often have to read camera reviews.

I strongly recommend that you test any camera in the store. Pay attention to how fast it focuses on objects close versus far away. Most stores have bright lights to display their merchandise, which helps cameras focus. But in the real world, you often are taking pictures of children in conditions where you are not under bright lights, so the lower level of lighting slows down the autofocus. The SLR cameras have bigger lens that allow more light into the camera, so they can focus faster. If you are in a store, look for darker areas to take a picture to see how well the autofocus works.

I've noticed some of the newer compact cameras are starting to use a bigger lens, which should allow in more light and result in better pictures. I recommend checking out some of the bigger compact zoom cameras that have a slightly larger lens than the subcompact. The compact larger zoom cameras are still small enough to fit in a lady's handbag. As cameras get smaller they tend to sacrifice quality in certain areas (usually low light performance and other components that affect speed).

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Post 6 of 7

digital camera choice.

by jjuujj - 5/4/09 9:06 AM In reply to: Need Mother's Day Camera Help by Ravialdo

I am an older person now, but being an avid amateur photographer for many many years, I just got tired of shclepping all those cameras and lenses around while others were having all the fun....I mean I got some fabulous shots and all, and there they are just sitting in albums and on now on disk, with the world hardly noticing them at all...And, then it came to me, that I had become a very proficient "Snap-shooter" in the process.......So I began to think differently on this matter.

Now I am armed with the Canon SD1100......It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of my former glory system cameras, but what it does have, is the ability to shoot at a moments notice and gives me the quality I had always demanded with my expensive cameras and lenses....

8-megapixels is plenty enough, and this little puppy has Image-Stabilization as well (great for snapshooters in a hurry and careless at that)....Sure, there are some things and features that once in awhile I wish were there, but the trade is;, this is a very small and compact camera, simple enough for anyone to use....Trust me, I use it, and often....Recently, we were on an 11-day cruise of the carribean and the Panama Canal, and I will tell you that I was just as happy with the results of this little Gem, than mostly any other camera I have ever used......Get one......AT $149 it is a STEAL....You wont't be disappointed..

JJU

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