You could quite easily 'pre-load' the volume button before taking the photo by holding it down partially without actually engaging it. This would make the amoun

You could quite easily 'pre-load' the volume button before taking the photo by holding it down partially without actually engaging it. This would make the amount of remaining force necessary to actually snap the shot roughly comparable to that required for engaging a touch screen button. Sure, maybe your average user may not do this, but it would make the hardware shutter button a useful feature for the rest of us.