BetterPhoto Q&A
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BetterPhoto Member

Why digital cameras are delayed

When I take a picture w/my digital camera, the image that appears on the screen is never the image I intended to take. For example I think I'm getting a cute baby smile and I end up with a tongue out. Is there any way to increase the "shutter speed" on a digital?

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April 22, 2005

Chris J. Browne

Jessica,

Digital cameras have a delay in taking pictures. Many things need to be accomplished between the time you push the button and it takes the image. Thus a better camera will have a better processor (CPU)and better program for doing the work. This adds up to time. For my wife and I, digital is too slow compared to film cameras; thus we use film cameras and scan the images. The best of both worlds. Digital cameras also take a finite amout of time to "write" the data to the memory card. Fast compact flash cards paired with a camera that can write fast will give near film camera speed. But you will pay a premium. As for the camera that you have. . .think of it as a computer. After a period of time you can't upgrade it anymore: you need to get a new model. Too bad Apple didn't make digital cameras!

Chris Browne

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April 23, 2005

Terry R. Hatfield

Most Inexpensive Digital Cameras Suffer From Shutter Lag Jessica
Not Knowing What Kind Of Camera You Own I Cant Tell You What To Try!
Chris Your Quiet Mistaken On Digital Cameras They Are Actually As Fast As A Film Camera And Will Hold More In The Buffer Than You Have Film On The Roll:-)Im Glad Apple Never Made A Camera I Would Have To Learn To Shoot Lefthanded!LOL!!

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April 23, 2005

Andrew Laverghetta

Not THAT many cameras will be able to hold more in a buffer than on the roll unless you pay close to $1000. If you are looking into buying a new digital camera, before you do, check out dpreview.com. Since shutter lag seems to be a priority, check out cameras that have the shortest shutter lag. My Canon 20D can keep shooting till the card is full on lower qualities, but at full res JPEG it can only hold about 21 in a full burst. I have a $100 Kodak Easyshare that I might carry around when I don't have my SLR. I leave it in my bookbag. I can only hold 3 images in the buffer so...yeah. Yeah, I'm along with the Apple thing. I don't think they would be up to making a digital camera. Well, the could make one, but they would never be up to par with the mainstream cameras like Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Konica-Minolta, and Kodak. That and I'm a PC person :)

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April 23, 2005

Chris J. Browne

I have never seen a digital camera out perform a film camera in the shutter lag time and write time. With the more expensive digitals it is becoming closer and will pass the speed of film very soon. But the quality is not there yet. I work at a photo lab and can seen the results on a daily basis. Weddings are the killer. The digitals keep sampling and take time to do this. They also fail at color rendition. You can empty a film camera without blinking, rewind and reload the camera before the digital has finished writing the last image. The processors and memory cards are improving in the speed department though. I give it two years. Until then, I just purchased another Canon body and will shoot film until then. I will live with the grain, but I can't survive with the shutter lag and write speed.

P.S. I see three or more memory cards from digital camera a week come in for data recovery. The data is still being written and the user pulls the card because they think they can.

Apple would have made a great camera, just a sony has by using good lenses. But it all comes down to the feel. If you don't like something. . .don't use it. I'm very excited about buying my first digital camera (up to now I've just rented).

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April 24, 2005

Terry R. Hatfield

You Need To Read Some Reviews And Actually Use A Good Digital Camera Chris:-)The Speed,Quality,and Color Rendition Has Surpassed 35mm Film Already And Working On Catching The 4x5 Soon!I Have Been Shooting Digital For Awhile And Have Never Had To Run Data Recovery!LOL!!Thats Operator Error! The Big Advantage To Digital; I Dont Have Someone Else Messing My Images Up In The Developing Stage.
I Cant Believe You Would Mention Apple And Sony In The Same Sentence!LOL!!
Have A Great Day!!

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April 24, 2005

Kerry L. Walker

Jessica, to get back to your original question, the less expensive digital cameras have a very slow write time, like an old computer. The only way to improve this is to upgrade your camera to either a more expensive digital camera or a film camera. Digital cameras are more expensive to buy and less expensive to shoot with while film cameras can be purchased at a lower price but are more expensive to use. I, myself, prefer film but the coice is up to you.

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April 24, 2005

Christopher A. Vedros

Jessica,
Yes, shutter lag can be very frustrating. I remember one day (when I was still using a compact digital) my son wanted me to take a picture of him in midair as he jumped into the pool. Over an over, I'd either get a splash after he was in the water, or I'd get him still standing on the side. He's as stubborn as I am, so we kept at it til he was water-logged.

Now I have a digital SLR and I can get 3 or 4 shots before he hits the water.

I've heard some newer compact digitals have much less shutter lag, but I haven't seen it first-hand.

Chris Browne -- when you go digital, be sure to go with a Canon digital SLR - you'll still be able to use your lenses and such.

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April 24, 2005

Chris J. Browne

Sorry for getting off the subject.

First: Some high end digital cameras
do operate at film speed.

Second: I rented the 20D from Canon. A very nice piece of equipment. But I felt it didn't have the "Feel" of my other film backs. But it is getting very close. It is all about personal feel. I think in two years the digital cameras will "Feel" like film as far as function.

Third: I like the grain-less images of digital.

Fourth: I don't like the over-exposed whites of digital. Film, being analog, rolls off into over-exposure, while digital seems to clip, just like digital audio clipping.

Fifth: I love my Canon backs and lenses, I will buy a Canon Digital camera since I have seveal Canon lenses (and will be buying more).

Sixth: I'm sorry if I came off harsh or critical. Especially Terry H. Some digial cameras do lag, some lag less, some film cameras lag!

Seventh: Jessica! Good luck shooting. I think in the future, I will still keep a film camera as backup to the digital camera (I'm not an early technology adopter). Film is a known. Every digital camera is like a different film type: response characteristics, noise, speed, shape, etc.

Thank-you all who responed.

Very Sincerely,

Chris Browne

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April 25, 2005

John C. Schwentner

Hi, everyone is right about inherent shuter lag, HOWEVER...I know Im prejudiced on my Minolta dimage z-2, but I bought it for the reason that it is one of the fastest starup and anti shutter lag digitals on the market. I really get the exact shot every time. One good tip on that though, is as with all of them if you can lock the focus then push on down at the right moment it cuts focus time which is still fast with this one. I have found that the shutter is just as fast in regards to lag as my 35mm Konica slr. With AF you will notice though always is slower in lower light because of the time taken to focus