This is what I not-so-affectionately call the “digital wait”. It is mainly a problem with “point and shoot” (aka “compact”) cameras. It is dreadfully annoying and, more often than not, makes us miss the shot we really wanted to take.
The explanation is quite simple, but what to do about it is not. Basically, the problem is that the camera is thinking. And evidentally, not fast enough, eh. So, what do we do about it?
While the camera is trying to focus, set exposure, and take care of all the other nifty chores compact cameras do for the users, your precious photo op comes and goes. When it finally does take the shot, we end up with a perfect shot of Uncle Bill’s bald spot, Little Bobby’s finger up his nose, or Betty and Suzy turning to say something to each other, because they think the shot has long since been taken.
One option to fix the problem, I guess, is to buy a different camera. But seeing as that probably is not going to be the preferred option for most of you, we will just move on.
There are several ways to try to work around the problem, but the best and most normal, in my view, but my name is Strange, has to do with how you focus the camera. Most folks see what they want and push the shutter to try to capture it. Yes, that is simple, and we might think the most simple approach would work best…but there is a better way.
Every camera I know of, that is, of the auto focus, auto exposure type, works best when we add one step into that process. When pressing the shutter, first press it down half way, at which point it will focus, but not take a picture.
Basically, you have just told the camera, “I am about to shoot this scene, could you get ready please?”. And it obliges. The focus and exposure are “locked” in. You hold the button right there and wait for that perfect photo. When you see it, press the shutter button the rest of the way down, and you will find the camera takes the photo much faster.
At least, that is what I would do.
The compacts being slow annoyed me so much it prompted me to look into buying a new camera. What is funny though is that I never reallized the half press worked on compacts too! And when I found DSLRs I found a whole lot more than just a faster camera!
Well, I would not go so far as to say that the half-press trick (locking the focus) makes compact cameras fast, but it often helps. There are many other reasons compacts are not so fast, but I think this is the one trick that would help folks get the most out of them.