Can I get a Digital camera without the delay?

[tony64]

Sometimes by the time my digatal camera has completed all of its metering the shot has changed and I'm left with a black sky ( Fireworks ) or an empty scene
( fast moving items Animals / racing cars etc).
Can I get a Digital camera that pre-meters for the shot with a part press of the shutter button?
If so will in break the bank??

Any other suggestions also gratefully received.

 

[micks]

Digital SLR's don't have the delay issues that most P&S cameras have. If there is a P&S w/o the delay, I'm not aware of it (but I'm far, far away from an expert). Unfortunately, most DSLR's are going to be more expensive.

 

[Geoff_M]

micks is essentially right. Usually there's an inverse relationship between camera cost and shutter lag time. Some P&S units are better than others. If you look at online camera reviews you should we them reference their tested shutter delays. When is comes to dSLRs, the entry price point for those is about $700 (without lens) or $800 with "kit" lens.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

The closest thing to P/S that has virtually no delay whatsoever is Fuji S9000. However, at ISO400 or higher, it's not useable due to digital noise. So you're limited to use ISO400 or much preferably, lower ISO.

It's around $600 and comes with built-in, non-interchangeable 28-300 f/4.9 lens.

The review can be read here:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/FujifilmS9000/

I personally don't like it (might as well get a factory refurb dRebel w/ Sigma 18-200 lens for a tad more but with useable ISO1600) but if you must use point and shoot, that's the fastest one of the bunch.

 

[Magix]

You can get point & shoot digitals that will pre-focus with a half-press of the shutter. You're still going to have a little lag time, but not like what it appears you're dealing with now. I have a Canon A80 that's terrific. I think it cost somewhere in the $200-300 range. I honestly don't remember.

I just recently used a friend's digital P&S at a concert and it was miserable! It didn't have the half-press focus and when I pressed the shutter it would literally take about 5 seconds for it to get around to taking the picture. Awful!!

Try a Canon - you'll have a much better time with it.

 

[safetymom]

I have an Olympus and a Nikon that I can prefocus and hold. Then when I want to take the shot it is pretty quick.

 

[Charade]

I have a Nikon D70 and I can turn it on and take a shot in less time than most P&S cameras take just to turn on.

 

[Alacrity]

Ricoh has couple cameras advertised as having minimal shutter lag. I have used the Calplio G3s and Caplio GX. Both are very quick.

 

[etblank]

The Kodak DX7590 has a .2 second shutter lag...it is one of the few camera's that you can even find out what the information is on shutter lag. I got this camera based on that. This is a point and shoot camera...has 16 settings, including fast action and fireworks. It also allows some manual settings too. The only time I notice a delay is when I use the red eye reduction flash. My previous camera is a Canon 35 mm Rebel...so I completely understand what you are talking about with the delay/shutter lag issue.

I am extremely pleased with the Kodak and it retails around $350.

 

[Dan Murphy]

If you are taking a picture of fireworks, or anything off in the distance (usually beyond 30 fet for most cameras), and the camera will have a tough time auto focusing, set the focus to infinity, and eliminate that time completely.

 

[LordAthens]

Any of the current model Casio Exilim's are top notch for shutter lag. From power on to image capture is only 1.8 seconds, not a whole lot slower than me snaping off a shot on my D100.

Additionally, autofocus to capture is 1\10 of a second and if you are prefocusing (half shutter press), there is basically 0 shutter lag.

Those specs are from a Casio Exilim EX-Z750, however most of the newer Exilims (S500, Z500, etc) sport the same specs.

 

[HarambeGuy]

I'm using a Canon A75, and have gotten the lag down to negligible (for my purposes anyway). On the main camera menue I have turned off the red-eye (which is pointless anyway but that's another story) and also what they call the autofocus assist beam. The AF beam was really lagging the shutter but by turning it off I am able to get the picture I see when I press the shutter.

Got some great pictures from the moving monorail while passing over the flower & garden festival. With my previous camera I would try to take pics from the monorail and would press the shutter but then get a bunch of trees instead of my shot because we were moving at a pretty good clip. Now I get the picture I intended to take.

If there are any other Canon users out there hopefully this will be useful info. BTW, I have not had any focus issues since turning off this feature.