Digital Delay

[fashionablylate]

Greetings!
I would like to get an underwater camera. I have tried some digital cameras (Nikon and Canon) but am annoyed by the delay between the time I depress the button, and the time when the picture is actually snapped. This delay has resulted in many "half a fish" pictures, because the subject has swam partly out of frame, even though it was perfectly framed when I depressed the button. Needless to say, it has been a source of irritation for me which I do not experience with a regular 35mm camera.
Do all digital cameras exhibit this same behavior? Any recommendations on cameras that do NOT have this delay?
-Andrew

 

[alcina]

Yes and no. Get away from the lag with a dslr - spend big time money in this instance.

Check out the newer Canons and Fujis - they have addressed this problem. I think the new Oly has, too. They all have a little lag, but it's getting much better!

Write time of file to card is also an issue, so have a look around and the information on that.

I still use my old Canon A75 and my trusty Oly 5050. Both have, from others' reports, considerable issues with fish butt syndrome. However, I don't have a similar problem. My hypothesis is that I have learned how to use each camera to maximise each one's strengths and minimize each one's weaknesses.

I have also learned HOW to take photos underwater (more or less!) and this includes (but is not limited to) figuring out how to work a fish/creature to anticipate its location in my frame before it gets there. Rather than being some cool gift, I think it's a matter of practice! There are times when even with my no lag dslr I get fish butts...it's just a fact of life. But no matter which system I am using I don't get so many as to be painful

 

[Warren_L]

Additionally, there are other factors that might also contribute to a perceived shutter lag. If you are using autofocus, that can result in some lag, both in point and shoot and digital SLRs. Of course, if you are using manual or fixed focus, that isn't going to be an issue. On both my Oly 5050 and Nikon dSLR I've experienced lag while waiting for focus lock. The other thing that can make a difference is the size of the write buffer and the image mode you are shooting in - in particular RAW mode or modes with large file sizes. On my Oly 5050, there is about a 5 second delay between shots in RAW mode as the data is written to the card, but on my dSLR, I can shoot about 3 frames per second (in RAW mode) in continuous mode with up to about 6 or 7 frames shot before the buffer fills and any lag is noticeable, but that never really happens.

 

[verona]

Alcina and Warren are both right in what they say. You do tend to start accommodating any lag with experience but it can be very frustrating. However, if you weigh up the benefits of digital against the disadvantages (which can be overcome), on balance a lot of us feel digital is worth any trouble it brings. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[oly5050user]

Greetings!
I would like to get an underwater camera. I have tried some digital cameras (Nikon and Canon) but am annoyed by the delay between the time I depress the button, and the time when the picture is actually snapped. This delay has resulted in many "half a fish" pictures, because the subject has swam partly out of frame, even though it was perfectly framed when I depressed the button. Needless to say, it has been a source of irritation for me which I do not experience with a regular 35mm camera.
Do all digital cameras exhibit this same behavior? Any recommendations on cameras that do NOT have this delay?
-Andrew

you may be able to preset the camera on manual focus and cut down the shutter lag a bit that way..With a oly 5050 you can press shutter half way and pre focus on something at the distance your subject will be at ,keep it depressed and when subject is framed depress all the way..This methods will shorten lag a bit but not as much as a dslr will..

 

[Monkey Knife-fight]

I only have experience with the Fuji F810 digi cam but can say that it doesn't have any shutter lag between getting focus lock and taking the picture. I think the newer E900 is the same way. Maybe the newer generations of camera will solve your problems.

There are many reasons to go DSLR but it doesn't seem like shutter lag is one of them anymore.

Chris