Mid Level Point and Shoot for my 13 yo avid photographer
Nov 19, 2013 08:32:05 #
Bugfan
Loc: Toronto, Canada
It is the nature of point and shoot cameras that they have delays. There are a few factors.
When you press the shutter button down half way the camera calculates focus and then exposure. If it needs the flash that's when it also charges the flash. Exposure is nothing, focus however can have a bit of a delay (a half second to seconds) and charging the flash can actually be as much as many seconds.
When you've taken the picture the camera has to process a fair bit of data that can also take time if it has a slow processor, and then it has to write the data to the card which also takes time.
So what to do ...
If you're trying to capture an image quickly, its useful to point the camera in advance of the need and then hold the shutter button down half way until you get to the instant when you want the picture taken. This avoids the set up delays. That's what I do with all three of my Nikon P&S cameras.
Most higher end P&S cameras have burst modes now when they'll take a series of pictures incredibly fast. This is another way to get fleeting expressions but the same advice applies ... point the camera and hold down the shutter button half way pressing it the rest of the way when you have the event you want. As mentioned, this is available often through a sports mode and sometimes it's a setting.
When pictures are done the biggest delay is writing to the card. Make sure that whatever card you use is the fastest available. If you get some $2.99 eight gigabyte card on sale you're going to have time to yawn as the camera writes to the card. On the other hand if you have a very fast one the write often happens in a second or two.
The cameras do have an internal memory to store images destined for the card, but that memory is not unlimited, so if you are shooting a lot of pictures with a slow card you're going to wait a very long time before the memory is finally cleared and the camera is ready for more.
Finally ... since you're looking at a budget of $450 you're really close to the price points for entry level DSLRs depending on where you live, whether you'll accept used versus new and where you shop.
It might be a good idea to consider a Nikon D3100 with a kit lens. Yes, I know she's just a kid but kids learn quickly and that level of camera will provide much more learning opportunities over a longer period of time. It's not a lot bigger than the P&S and it provides the benefits of fast performance and better images too. Think about it.
When you press the shutter button down half way the camera calculates focus and then exposure. If it needs the flash that's when it also charges the flash. Exposure is nothing, focus however can have a bit of a delay (a half second to seconds) and charging the flash can actually be as much as many seconds.
When you've taken the picture the camera has to process a fair bit of data that can also take time if it has a slow processor, and then it has to write the data to the card which also takes time.
So what to do ...
If you're trying to capture an image quickly, its useful to point the camera in advance of the need and then hold the shutter button down half way until you get to the instant when you want the picture taken. This avoids the set up delays. That's what I do with all three of my Nikon P&S cameras.
Most higher end P&S cameras have burst modes now when they'll take a series of pictures incredibly fast. This is another way to get fleeting expressions but the same advice applies ... point the camera and hold down the shutter button half way pressing it the rest of the way when you have the event you want. As mentioned, this is available often through a sports mode and sometimes it's a setting.
When pictures are done the biggest delay is writing to the card. Make sure that whatever card you use is the fastest available. If you get some $2.99 eight gigabyte card on sale you're going to have time to yawn as the camera writes to the card. On the other hand if you have a very fast one the write often happens in a second or two.
The cameras do have an internal memory to store images destined for the card, but that memory is not unlimited, so if you are shooting a lot of pictures with a slow card you're going to wait a very long time before the memory is finally cleared and the camera is ready for more.
Finally ... since you're looking at a budget of $450 you're really close to the price points for entry level DSLRs depending on where you live, whether you'll accept used versus new and where you shop.
It might be a good idea to consider a Nikon D3100 with a kit lens. Yes, I know she's just a kid but kids learn quickly and that level of camera will provide much more learning opportunities over a longer period of time. It's not a lot bigger than the P&S and it provides the benefits of fast performance and better images too. Think about it.
Nov 19, 2013 09:36:59 #
The problem you are experiencing is because you are using the single shot mode. Switch to the burst mode after reading your manual again. Nikon makes it easy, there is a button on the top to quickly switch to burst mode while in the P position. You have a good camera.
Nov 19, 2013 10:35:13 #
Nov 19, 2013 18:29:57 #
AZakphoto
Loc: Lewes, DE
fklong wrote:
I compared on a few sites but can't tell much difference. What do I look for when comparing how much delay each camera has? I'm an admitted photo enthusiast with little knowledge of how cameras work :) I just have 4 active kids and over 36,000 pictures on my Mac from the last 10 years!!
From experience - get those 36,000 pictures to a safe place. I had a MAC crash and lost quite a few images that I can never replace. Back up, Back up, Back up!
Nov 21, 2013 11:42:51 #
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