Help! My camera can't keep up with my toddlers!

[Sandy22]

I have a 5 mp panasonic lumix, which I generally love, but it's not fast enough to take clear pictures of my active toddlers (even on sports mode). What kind of camera should I get? I want something that will capture all the moments - not just the ones when the girls are sitting still (which rarely happens!) What should I be looking for? Shutter speed?

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I take it you're taking the pictures indoor. If that's the case, there is nothing you can do because once you use flash, the camera shutter speed is locked to 1/60 second.

If you're outdoor, the sports mode will help because it will choose the fastest shutter speed possible.

Regardless, taking fast moving object(s) with a point and shoot is virtually impossible, especially indoors. Specially due to lower ISO speed (for indoors, action shot you'll need ISO 1600), fast flash sync (you'll need about 1/250 sec shutter speed w/ flash sync), and shutter lag (dSLR does not have any shutter lag).

 

[Sandy22]

Yes I'm taking mostly indoor shots but without a flash since I have a lot of natural light. So there is absolutely no shutter lag with a dSLR? Are there any with a digital screen viewfinder? (sorry I don't know the technical word for it). If I'm going to spend the money on an SLR I want to know that there will be a dramatic improvement in shutter speed, lag, and taking clear pictures when the kids are in motion. Can I still take pictures in automatic mode? Will I still be able to point and shoot?

 

[Kelly Grannell]

you'll definitely get a MAJOR upgrade in picture quality, zero shutter lag and faster shutter speed (due to the capability of ISO1600) from buying a dSLR.

The 1/250 flash sync only works if you use external flash.

There is no serious dSLR with LCD preview yet. Olympus evolt 330 (IIRC) have live preview) but the high ISO performance is abysmal, no better than a regular Canon point and shoot. So it's pointless to upgrade to that.

 

[Sandy22]

There is no serious dSLR with LCD preview yet.

Why not? Is there no market for it? My panasonic only has an LCD screen (no viewfinder) and I don't think I want to give up the screen.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

that what makes dSLR a dSLR.

1. That fast response (no lag time) can only be achieved if the sensor is in capture mode and the shutter does the on/off thing by swinging the shutter.
2. Serious close up, manual focus, checking depth of field, require optical viewfinder, there is no high-res preview technology that can compete with the accuracy of optical viewfinder. I tried the Olympus live-preview technology and for the life of me I can't take a single proper macro shot, can't do an accurate manual focus and...
3. Live LCD preview creates distance between you and the camera, which makes your camera handholding less steady, which in return creates shakes/wobbles while you're taking a picture.

I'm sure if the display technology have caught up with the accuracy of an optical view finder, there will be dSLR with live preview AND electronic view finder

Oh, that's another thing, there is not a single electronic view finder out there that's good enough to do any manual focusing/depth of field control work.

 

[left210]

I have been looking for a new camera for this same reason. I have read that the Fuji F10 is supposed to be really good for indoor shots but not sure how it will do capturing moving subjects. Also, they are coming out with the F30 in May that is supposed to be even better. I will keep watching this thread because I have high hopes that someone can lead us to the right camera.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

The F10 is quite good at ISO1600. The ISO1600 on a point and shoot I've ever seen so far in my life. Start up time, if I recall is still about 1 second with barely noticable shutter lag.

 

[boBQuincy]

Kelly is telling it like it is, for what you want to do a SLR is the answer.

Of course they do have shutter lag but it is on the order of 50-80 milliseconds, fast enough so no one but a Jedi would notice.

The LCD screen is not for serious photography, it is a low resolution version of the scene, it has delay, and it places the camera away from your body which adds shake and vibration. When you look through the lens you can see all the nuances of the scene, including reflections, polarizing effects, flare, etc.
A LCD will not show those and if you can't see them you can't correct for them.


boB

 

[Jen S]

I had the same problem with my 18 month old. I got a Sony DSC-H1 for Christmas last year. It took decent shots outside, but everything I took of my daughter inside was horrible. Lots of blur and just all around bad pictures. I knew everyone had said the dSLRs would be better for kids, but I didn't think it would be that much better. I stopped in a camera store one day and tried out their D50 and was instantly sold. This thing has next to no shutter delay. I went back and took one of my SD cards, let my daughter out of her stroller and took some test shots of her in the store. Needless to say, the H-1 has been sold and I am forever hooked on the D50. It really is that much better of a camera. Since I got it home, it has not taken a bad picture, even inside. I have mostly used it in auto mode, but I am now starting to play around with some of the other settings, since we are heading to Disney in a couple of weeks.

If you have the opportunity, take an SD card into a store like Ritz and ask them to let you take some test shots. They had no problem with letting me play around. You will be amazed when you download the results when you get home.

Hope you find something that works for you!

Jennifer

 

[PaulD]

Why not? Is there no market for it? My panasonic only has an LCD screen (no viewfinder) and I don't think I want to give up the screen.

These sensor has to switch from a preview/live view (for the LCD) to the image capture mode when you press the shutter release. This takes time and is the reason that there is shutter lag. Since there is no preview with a dSLR the sensor does not have to change modes and so there is virtually no lag.

If you use flash indoors then you can get a faster shutter speed and this will help to eliminate blur. But, since there is shutter lag you have to try to anticipate what the kids are doing rather than react to the moment. It's hard to do (duh). So, I agree with everyone else here. dSLR is the best equipment for the job. But it's a tradeoff.

 

[luvmyfam444]

but aren't all the DSLR camera big & bulky?
I have a Canon Power shot & LOVE the size & weight - can't imagine going back to a camera so big....

Anyonelike Canon's Dslr???

 

[grimgrinnin]

but aren't all the DSLR camera big & bulky?

The Rebel XT isn't that big and not bulky at all. Bigger than a P&S, but not unmanagable. The benefits far outway the larger size.

Anyonelike Canon's Dslr???

Lots of people do


grim

 

[boBQuincy]

A dSLR is big and bulky compared to the tiny P&S cameras but the Rebel XT with the 'kit' lens is a fairly small package. It's still larger than a P&S but the capabilities are *so* much more!
Horses for courses, ya' get what ya' pay for, etc., etc...

I still carry a P&S occasionally, even without using the LCD (which I don't) there is considerable shutter lag. Some newer P&S have gotten better but none can compare to a dSLR.


boB

 

[ThurlFan]

Does your point & shoot have an autofocus assist beam, and is there a way to turn it off? I turned off the redeye (although it makes no nevermind to you since you're not using flash), and the autofocus assist beam, on my Canon A75 and I never have trouble with subjects leaving the frame after I press the shutter release. I haven't ever put a timer on it obviously, but I've also not missed pictures due to noticable lag. Read through your manual and see if there are settings that you can adjust.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Anyonelike Canon's Dslr???

not too many, only about 57% of world dSLR users use Canon, followed by Nikon.

 

[handicap18]

The reason for not being able to have a preview screen on a dSLR like on p&s digitals is basically because when you look though the view finder on any SLR you are looking directly through the lens. On a p&s the view finder and preview screen are not exactly what the lens see's. This is where SLR comes from: Single Lens Reflex. There are a series of mirrors that reflect the image from the lens to the view finder. When you actually take the picture one of these mirrors flips up to expose the light to the shutter/sensor.

SLR cameras are bigger and heavier than P&S cameras. This is part of what makes them better. They are built more solid to help last longer. One way to look at it is, silverwear or plasticwear. Which would you rather cut a steak with?

With a dSLR you can turn on the camera and take a picture (maybe even 2 or 3) in less time than it takes a P&S to turn on. Most dSLR's will take 2 or 3 pictures in about the same time as most P&S cameras take 1 picture.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

handicap18 is absolutely correct.

During the time you power on a P&S, focus and take 1 picture, I can easily take 5 pictures on my dSLR.

 

[fitzperry]

Just thought I'd throw my $.02 in here. Shutter lag was among the top two or three reasons I made the jump to a dSLR, and I'll never go back. I think there have been some improvements in that area since I bought my D70 about a year and a half ago, but as others have mentioned, you still can't buy a point and shoot camera that is as fast as a dSLR.

When my 6.5yo was a baby, my fil bought one of the first digital cameras aimed at the consumer market (if I remember correctly, it was $500 or $600 and 1.5 megapixels). That thing was so slow, I don't think they got a single picture of my dd where she hadn't turned around or crawled out of the frame.

Having used a digital point and shoot (not that 1.5 mp one) for several years before moving up to a dSLR, I thought that I'd have a hard time using a viewfinder again, but I found that I actually prefer it--mostly for the reasons that a couple of other posters have mentioned--less camera shake and greater accuracy.

 

[matthew_hull]

I bought a Canon 1D DSLR a few years back specifically for the purpose of photographing the kids. If sharp good pictures are important to you, then you will be willing to suffer the weight, bulk, and cost. Or not; your mileage may vary ;-) All I can say is that I would never go back to a P&S. The difference is like night and day.