Camera that keeps up with Toddlers?

[Marshay]

My current camera (Olympus Camedia C-50 Zoom) just can't keep up with my active toddler. I'm tired of getting pics of the side of her face, or the back of her head!

Any recommendations for a simple-ish, small, moderate price ($500 or less preferred) digital camera with zoom that can snap a pic quickly and also repeatedly pretty fast?

I am NOT a photography guru and don't want to worry about exposure, lens, etc.

Many thanks!

 

[Amy]

Hi Marshay! If you want a camera that doesn't have a lag time between shots, you pretty much have to get a digital SLR, but that's more than $500. (And if you're talking about lag time using a flash, that's mostly due to the flash recycle time; there's not much you can do about that.)

But there IS another option. I have the Canon S3 IS (not an SLR, at Amazon.com for $325) and it has a "sports" mode that has a continuous shutter - you just hold down the shutter button, and it keeps taking picture after picture every 1.5 or 2 seconds; using this, it doesn't display each picture after it's taken, so it eliminates that lag time. When you're camera shopping, you might want to check to see what cameras have this feature. I used it a lot during my boys' marching band competitions.

I'm one of many on this board who have the S3, and it's a wonderful camera! It has quite a few automatic settings, but it also has manual settings for when you're ready to experiment.

 

[Marshay]

Hi Marshay! If you want a camera that doesn't have a lag time between shots, you pretty much have to get a digital SLR, but that's more than $500.

Just curious, how much over $500?? I guess my absolute upper limit would be <$1K

 

[Amy]

The folks who have the digital SLR's will be better able to answer, but I think the body costs $800-$900, but then you have to buy all the diff. lenses, etc. You're also talking about a larger camera to lug around with you, something to think about if you're also carrying a diaper bag and all the paraphernalia that comes with little ones.

 

[Groucho]

Nah, you can a DSLR for under $500. Heck, the cheapest is the Pentax K110D, which is a mere $402 after rebate - an absolute steal for a really, really nice camera. The Pentax K100D, with image stabilization, can be had for $499 after rebate and is superb. Both are prices with a lens, the body-only is even cheaper.

HOWEVER... I think a point-n-shoot would be a better choice based on your postings. Your Olympus came out around four years ago - there have been big advances in speed since then. Looking at a review of the C50, it takes 4.4 seconds to power on and .8-1.5 seconds to focus. A year-old Olympus (the SP-500UZ) takes 2.5 seconds to power on and .6 to focus. The Canon S3 takes 1.7 seconds to power on and .5 to focus. The Canon SD700IS takes 1.1 seconds to power on and .3 seconds to focus. Notice a trend here? Newer point-n-shoots should all feel much more responsive than your current camera.

You'd probably be best off deciding on other factors that you feel are important, like size, zoom, etc, then narrow down your choices that way, and you can use speed as a final determining factor - but they'll all be a big jump forward. You also shouldn't have to spend anywhere near $500 to get what you're looking for. Feel free to PayPal me the money that you save.

 

[Jeanne B]

Just curious, how much over $500?? I guess my absolute upper limit would be <$1K

Oh, you just opened a can of worms with the mention of a dSLR!!

I have the Pentax K100D dSLR with image stabilization in the body, between the camera body and my three lenses I have less than $1000 invested.

You mentioned small, dSLR's aren't small and I agree with Groucho, sounds like a p&s might be a better option for you but there are some very reasonably priced dSLR's out there these days that would certainly fit your upper limit budget if you decided to go that route. The Nikon D40 is an "entry level" dSLR (around $550 including an 18-55mm lens). I'm not familiar with it but it gets pretty good reviews and I think it's the smallest of the dSLR's along with the Rebel XT.

For a p&s I would recommend the Canon S3 or one of the Canon A6x0 series cameras if compact is important and zoom greater than 4x isn't important (the S3 isn't very compact but it has 12x zoom which is wonderful). You can get a very good p&s these days for $350 or less.

 

[Marshay]

Thank you everyone...yes, I think a p&s is the way to go and the ones newer now will ultimately be faster. Heading out to Best Buy and Penn Camera this w/e to test some out.

(DD's first easter egg hunt pictures of the back of her head did it for me. Time is now to buy!)

 

[photo_chick]

There are a lot of great point and shoot cameras out there now that don't have much of a lag problem. I was looking at them the other day at the store for my MIL. She is still shooting with a 1.3 mp camera. I need to get her an upgrade for her birthday!