Aren't standards wonderful? There are so many to choose from.

[vakkotaur]

Yesterday afternoon I wound up taking a few pictures with an unfamiliar digital camera. I forget the make, which is a bit unfortunate as it's probably one I best avoid. The digital cameras with which I am somewhat familiar, which are jmaynard's, have a certain shutter button behavior that I've gotten used to.

To take a picture with the cameras I'm used to using one presses the shutter button partway and the camera beeps or beep-beeps to let you know that it is taking or has taken measurements such as light level and range or focus adjustment. Then the button is pressed the rest of the way and the picture is taken, complete with the playing of an audible shutter sound to let you know you've taken the picture.

The camera I used yesterday was not set up like that. I'm not sure if it was configured different or designed different, but it was different enough to cause me trouble. When the shutter was pressed, there was a soft beep-beep and the picture was taken. I kept trying to push the button the rest of the way to take the picture and wondering why the camera wasn't working. I suspect that whoever owns that camera has two or three pictures of each shot I tried to take as I simply didn't believe the camera was working.

I suspect the opposite is what happened when wendyzski was using the camera I had at ACRF. I guess she heard the beep-beep when the button was pushed partway and figured a picture had been taken. But that camera was only getting itself set up to take the picture then.

Comments

[bronxelf-ag001.livejournal.com]

The better the camera, the shorter the lag time.

Shorter shutterlag is the sign of a higher quality camera, as it's designed to more closely mimic an SLR. if you want a longer lag, you can go for a less expensive camera.

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

A shorter time between setup and capture is good, and while the elimination of setup time is ideal, the different behavior and in feedback sounds caused me trouble. "Ready" and "Done" have the same sound on two different cameras. I think the camera I used yesterday was simpler than what I am used to, but I am not convinced that it was better.

[bronxelf-ag001.livejournal.com]

Better as in "higher quality"/closer to a digital slr not better as in "better for you". The shutter lag thing is a BIG deal to those who are used to working with film cameras or need the speed between shots (any kind of action photography.)

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

I'll agree that speed is important and can be critical. But having held and used that camera, even compensating for how I expected things, I can't say it impressed me. I'd like to find out the make and model now so I have something to point to.

[jmaynard.livejournal.com]

It's not a shutter lag issue. He's used four of my digital cameras, including a DSLR (an Olympus D400Z, an Olympus E10, a Canon S410, and a Canon SD700 IS), and they've all had the bit about press halfway to lock exposure and perform and lock focus; the second half of the press (which requires a fair amount more pressure) fires the shutter. What he was having trouble with was a camera that didn't have the press halfway bit.

None of the cameras he's used has had significant shutter lag if pressed from the halfway stop.

[bronxelf-ag001.livejournal.com]

Oh okay- thanks for the clarification. I don't think I understood the real issue correctly.

Sorry about that.

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

that's my guess as well, I don;t remember exactly, but I thought I had taken pictures.

[yakko.livejournal.com]

Both my Olympus D510 and the Canon PowerShot A620 have it the right (as in "it's what I'm used to") way. On the Canon, you'll definitely know when you've got the shutter pressed halfway, as the feedback from the button is positive. I have yet to meet a digicam which doesn't work in this basic way, but now I know better.