Delay with digital cameras
Discussion
Apologies if this an old topic and my technical ignorance, standard excuse of a rare lurker.
Questions: Do all digital cameras have this spectacular delay between the instance of pressing the button to take the shot and the actual time when the image is recorded.
If not, what are the quicker or quickest models please?
Questions: Do all digital cameras have this spectacular delay between the instance of pressing the button to take the shot and the actual time when the image is recorded.
If not, what are the quicker or quickest models please?
Common problem on compact digitals, unfortunately. 
The problem can be reduced by turning off auto-focus and relying on fixed-focus as some of the delay is due to that.
A decent digital SLR (ie. a "proper" camera rather than a compact "happy snappy" camera) will go a very long way towards eliminating the problem, but it obviously more expensive and bulky than a compact.
The problem can be reduced by turning off auto-focus and relying on fixed-focus as some of the delay is due to that.
A decent digital SLR (ie. a "proper" camera rather than a compact "happy snappy" camera) will go a very long way towards eliminating the problem, but it obviously more expensive and bulky than a compact.
I can also depend on how you shoot. I always 1/2 hold the shutter button down, which causes most compacts to sort out the focusing / metering then. At full press it's quite quick then. If you're just pressing the button it will take time.
I can confirm it's nothing to do with the CF / SD memory speed. All digital cameras have memory enough for at least one shot internally and this is the limiting factor + processing speed on most.
I can confirm it's nothing to do with the CF / SD memory speed. All digital cameras have memory enough for at least one shot internally and this is the limiting factor + processing speed on most.
Yes, it is not memory cards here I think you are talking about, but the delay from when you press the button to when it takes the picture. A standard problem with compacts.
Certainly decent digital SLRs do not have this problem (delays in the regions of milliseconds on those) - Certainly the Canons do not - apparently there is someone else who makes cameras called Nike or something and they may be as quick
If youreally want the details of how slow, the reviews at www.dpreview.com and www.steves-digicams.com will tell you how slow each camera is.
As has been previously mentioned, half-holding the shutter to get the focussing complete can reduce this time, but it is still significant on most compacts.
Certainly decent digital SLRs do not have this problem (delays in the regions of milliseconds on those) - Certainly the Canons do not - apparently there is someone else who makes cameras called Nike or something and they may be as quick
If youreally want the details of how slow, the reviews at www.dpreview.com and www.steves-digicams.com will tell you how slow each camera is.
As has been previously mentioned, half-holding the shutter to get the focussing complete can reduce this time, but it is still significant on most compacts.
Podie said:
Sounds like a cheap and slow memory card to me…
I have several OEM memory sticks, including biggish ones, 256's and 512's, I think.
JonRB said:
Common problem on compact digitals, unfortunately.
The problem can be reduced by turning off auto-focus and relying on fixed-focus as some of the delay is due to that.
I feel that you may have identified at least part of the cause of the delay right there, if not all.
pdV6 said:
Could it also be the time it takes to get the flash up to full power?
That I could believe except that I first noticed this 2 or 3 years ago when taking the first shots of non static objects in bright daylight, where? Le Mans, where else!
In summary, is there no such thing as a digital camera that will record an image instantly upon (or almost) "pressing the button"?
I think it just depends on the camera, my compact is very quick at taking shots. It takes just 0.3 seconds to lock focus at wide-angle, and maybe 0.5 second at telephoto. If I hold the button at half the shot is instantaeous after that. If I want to take a snap shot without allowing for autofocus or have set the focal length already it will take it as soon as the shutter is pressed, no delay.
pdV6 said:
Sounds like a cheap and slow memory card to me…
Surely, that would involve a delay after taking the picture, unless its going to guess what data to store in advance?
er.. the question was;
Do all digital cameras have this spectacular delay between the instance of pressing the button to take the shot and the actual time when the image is recorded.
My answer still stands. The write time is affected by the speed of writing to the card.
Fair enough!
I think you're being overly precise in your interpretation of the exact wording used, though!
I guess that the CCD "takes" an instantaneous shot of what it sees through the lens and then the delay in writing that off to non-volatile storage is what you're talking about, but the sprit of the original question was really "why is there a delay between pressing the button and the CCD recording an image?"
I think you're being overly precise in your interpretation of the exact wording used, though!
I guess that the CCD "takes" an instantaneous shot of what it sees through the lens and then the delay in writing that off to non-volatile storage is what you're talking about, but the sprit of the original question was really "why is there a delay between pressing the button and the CCD recording an image?"
pdV6 said:
Fair enough!
I think you're being overly precise in your interpretation of the exact wording used, though!
I guess that the CCD "takes" an instantaneous shot of what it sees through the lens and then the delay in writing that off to non-volatile storage is what you're talking about, but the sprit of the original question was really "why is there a delay between pressing the button and the CCD recording an image?"
OK, I see your point…
Like CD writers, non-volatile storage is now being marked in terms of read / write speed. I've certainly noticed a difference over the cheap OEM freebie jobs and the more expensive faster rated (eg 60x or 66x) storage.
The question is either "how come when I take a photo of the front of a passing car at a motorsport event, do I end up getting a photo of its arse end?" or "why does it take so long before I can shoot another shot?"
If the latter question then Podie's point about storage medium write time is quite valid, although I would submit that if it was the former then it is not so relevant.
If the latter question then Podie's point about storage medium write time is quite valid, although I would submit that if it was the former then it is not so relevant.
I can confirm it was the former case.
I would have liked to get just one shot, before getting several.
The camera in question, which has seen later models of the same theme since I bought mine, was the Sony Cybershot with big phuck off Carl Zweiss (sp?) lens on the left side of the case, not exactly a compact in that sense.
Looks as though I'm going have to go down the digital SLR route, can anyone recommend the gooder/betterer one or is the Canon pretty the dog's danglers?
I would have liked to get just one shot, before getting several.
The camera in question, which has seen later models of the same theme since I bought mine, was the Sony Cybershot with big phuck off Carl Zweiss (sp?) lens on the left side of the case, not exactly a compact in that sense.
Looks as though I'm going have to go down the digital SLR route, can anyone recommend the gooder/betterer one or is the Canon pretty the dog's danglers?
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