Tired of time lag between shots

[TwingleMum]

I currently have a HP 5MP digital camera that was a gift. I am really not happy with it. It takes a long time to recover between shots it frustrates the Heck out of me. Also the zoom broke so I'm looking to replace it. I'm looking for a good point & shoot for our Disney trips and the Boys ( I have 3 under 6 yrs old) various sports , Christmas morning, birthdays,and school events. I was thinking of a Canon Powershot S3. Can anyone tell me if it has a quick recovery time between shots?? And if you would recommend this camera for someone who isn't a shutterbug Pro?? Thank you for the help I appreciate it.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

I have a Canon XT and I also have a Sony W55 p&s. The little Sony is really good, I was really impressed with the timing between shots. Just thought I'd let you know so you could look into it too... in case you were interested. Wait and see what the others say about the S3 too, it may be just what you need.

 

[TwingleMum]

Thanks there are so many choices its hard to narrow it down.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

The S3 is very fast between shots (unless you're using the flash) ... with a high-speed SD card (like a SanDisk UltraII) you can take continuous pics at about 2.3fps until the card fills up.

Some other camera models have "burst" modes which take a couple of pics at a high speed (usually 3-5) and then stop. The Canon doesn't have a burst, it just keeps taking pics until you let the shutter button up.

You can check how fast it is (and compare it to other models) at DPreview: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canons3is/page4.asp

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I also had the same camera which came free with a printer. (Prior to that I'd been happy with my older, 3MP HP.) I got really frustrated too between the lag time and even worse, the battery life. I still keep it in my purse for quick shots but it's not even worth it, batteries are usually dead.

Anyway, last fall I bought an S3 and liked it so much that a few weeks ago I picked up an S2 as well for DH and DS to use on our upcoming trip (I don't part with mine, LOL). It took me a while to learn to use it, but now I'm really enjoying it. You could look at the S5 as well - there might be some features you like better like the larger LCD and ability to shoot longer videos (which, BTW, is a really nice feature of these cameras).

Good luck with your decision!

 

[TwingleMum]

Is the S3 very cumbersome?? The one thing I really liked about the HP 5MP was I just threw it in my jean pocket.TIA.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I wouldn't go as far as to call it really cumbersome. But it's definitely bigger and heavier than the HP. In fact I have them both right here and it looks as if the S3 is exactly twice the size of the HP as well as a little taller.

It took me a while (and a few different purchases) to figure out how best to carry the S3 around, but I think I finally found a good solution which will allow me to carry it with me most of the time. I'm sure for most people a regular camera bag will suffice. I just like to keep a camera with me and at this point, it feels kind of silly to buy another camera just to keep in my purse.

If you buy it, I'm sure you'll find a way to carry it that works for you, too.