To replace my current P&S camera, I need one that....

[PennyInPink]

....will take a photo instantly. When i push the button, not hesitate! I have tried every setting and played for 2 years with Kodak Easy Shares. Fed up. Miss too many shots. Also, when I am in the sun, the screens wash right out so I can't see a thing. I end up just aiming and hoping for the best. Any success stories?

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

IMHO, the ability to recommend a specific P & S camera is near an impossibility. Canon, alone, from January 2011 til now, has introduced 28 new P & S cameras. That's not including Fuji, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, et al. So you can see the task involved. My recommendation is to find the price range you are comfortable with then start researching that price range on websites such as dpreview.com (there may be other websites that some can recommend). Then find a store that carries what you are looking for and go handle them. Point & Shoot cameras have come a long ways with the reduction of shutter lag, focusing and lowlight capabilities. There are techniques such as pre-focusing by half-pressing the shutter button that can help with shutter lag. There is a trade-off to the size and convenience of the P & S camera and that is the ability to obtain images in all situations. I do not know your expertise level, so my next recommendation is learn more about photography, specifically the photographic triangle of shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. That is the basic concept of digital photography. A good source for learning more about this, is a book by Bryan Peterson, Understanding Exposure. Its about $16 at Amazon. Its about 160-170 pages, large print and photos with explanations, which does an excellent job of explaining the basics of photograph and is an easy read. I'm sure others can make further recommendations.

 

[Shutterbug]

Lets start with whats your price range? How much are you willing to spend?