4 ms·

I'd like to see a shutter-speed race. My last 2 (inexpensive) cameras were slow on the draw and I frequently missed good shots of my kids. If I tried to take an

by ericb 15y ago

I'd like to see a shutter-speed race. My last 2 (inexpensive) cameras were slow on the draw and I frequently missed good shots of my kids. If I tried to take an action shot, it was nothing but blur.

fr0sty 15y ago
that is a 'sensitivity' race, actually... Shutter speed, ISO, and Aperture in photography are related in much the same way as Voltage, Current, and Resistance. To change any of those three (in your case shutter speed) you have to compensate in one or both of the others. Lens aperture is limited mainly by form-factor (can't have a large aperture in a tiny zoom lens) and is therefore rather constant across Point-and-Shoot cameras. but Sensitivity can be improved by having higher-quality sensors and supporting circuitry. My first P&S camera had a maximum ISO of 400 and was very noisy at that level. my first DSLR did 1600 (4x as sensitive) and the current bleeding edge is 128000 (8x more sensitive again). Even in inexpensive point and shoot maximum ISO seems to be around 1600 (or more).
- deleted 15y ago
  [deleted]
  - fr0sty 15y ago
    He mentioned "blur" specifically which is a function of shutter speed, not shutter lag, the latter being the time between the press of the butten and the photo being taken. This too has improved over the years. The largest source of lag is the time needed to focus. Most, if not all cameras will focus with a half-press of the shutter release and will take the photo when you press down fully. This helps in some, but not all cases.
    - ericb 15y ago
      I had both problems--blur, and a noticeable lag between pressing the button and taking the picture. As a layman, I am confused on the focus issue. Can't it just keep the image it is showing me on the display at the second I press the shutter? Doesn't it keep things in focus continually? When I went to buy a new camera, I couldn't find a single inexpensive digital camera that advertised itself as solving these problems. While I certainly don't even know enough to know what I'm looking for, it seems like a marketing lapse that no inexpensive cameras sell on speed as a feature.
      - Dylan16807 15y ago
        I would imagine that the currently displayed image is rather lax in focus, and that you can't get a great focus unless you can sweep over a range, too far to too short.
ja27 15y ago
I'd like to see a quieter shutter (and mirror). There are a number of situations where I have to put away the DSLR and shoot with a good point-and-shoot just to avoid disturbing other audience members. I guess I need to try a mirrorless micro 4/3rds. I'm excited about a possible future of curved sensors, transparent sensors, full-resolution stills from video (especially shooting kids and sports), etc. But a lot of times all I really want added to my DSLR is more software options. I love how my old Canon S3 IS has a "Custom" setting that I can configure. I want about 5 "Custom" settings on my DSLR so I can quickly flip to my own set of preferences - ISO, metering mode, resolution, etc. - depending on the situation.
- roc 15y ago
  > "But a lot of times all I really want added to my DSLR is more software options" I'll second that. A set of user-definable presets, tap to focus, auto-HDR capture ... that would be so great. It's frankly frustrating that Canon, Nikon, et al can be so far behind $1 software on consumer smartphones.
  - kevindication 15y ago
    Canon, Nikon, et al are making those cameras for photographers, not smartphone users. The interfaces may be alien to a newcomer but are really just power tools for working photographers.
    - roc 15y ago
      I'm pretty sure even a "real" photographer would appreciate being able to change the focal point mode in less than 5 button presses through a 80s-era menu interface.
      - sbalea 15y ago
        I'm not a "real" photographer but I do appreciate being able to change the focal point mode via a button and a wheel. Fortunately my (serious amateur level) DSLR camera provides this feature via programmable buttons.

by ericb 15y ago

I'd like to see a shutter-speed race. My last 2 (inexpensive) cameras were slow on the draw and I frequently missed good shots of my kids. If I tried to take an action shot, it was nothing but blur.

fr0sty 15y ago

that is a 'sensitivity' race, actually... Shutter speed, ISO, and Aperture in photography are related in much the same way as Voltage, Current, and Resistance. To change any of those three (in your case shutter speed) you have to compensate in one or both of the others. Lens aperture is limited mainly by form-factor (can't have a large aperture in a tiny zoom lens) and is therefore rather constant across Point-and-Shoot cameras. but Sensitivity can be improved by having higher-quality sensors and supporting circuitry. My first P&S camera had a maximum ISO of 400 and was very noisy at that level. my first DSLR did 1600 (4x as sensitive) and the current bleeding edge is 128000 (8x more sensitive again). Even in inexpensive point and shoot maximum ISO seems to be around 1600 (or more).

deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
- fr0sty 15y ago
  He mentioned "blur" specifically which is a function of shutter speed, not shutter lag, the latter being the time between the press of the butten and the photo being taken. This too has improved over the years. The largest source of lag is the time needed to focus. Most, if not all cameras will focus with a half-press of the shutter release and will take the photo when you press down fully. This helps in some, but not all cases.
  - ericb 15y ago
    I had both problems--blur, and a noticeable lag between pressing the button and taking the picture. As a layman, I am confused on the focus issue. Can't it just keep the image it is showing me on the display at the second I press the shutter? Doesn't it keep things in focus continually? When I went to buy a new camera, I couldn't find a single inexpensive digital camera that advertised itself as solving these problems. While I certainly don't even know enough to know what I'm looking for, it seems like a marketing lapse that no inexpensive cameras sell on speed as a feature.
    - Dylan16807 15y ago
      I would imagine that the currently displayed image is rather lax in focus, and that you can't get a great focus unless you can sweep over a range, too far to too short.

ja27 15y ago

I'd like to see a quieter shutter (and mirror). There are a number of situations where I have to put away the DSLR and shoot with a good point-and-shoot just to avoid disturbing other audience members. I guess I need to try a mirrorless micro 4/3rds. I'm excited about a possible future of curved sensors, transparent sensors, full-resolution stills from video (especially shooting kids and sports), etc. But a lot of times all I really want added to my DSLR is more software options. I love how my old Canon S3 IS has a "Custom" setting that I can configure. I want about 5 "Custom" settings on my DSLR so I can quickly flip to my own set of preferences - ISO, metering mode, resolution, etc. - depending on the situation.

roc 15y ago
> "But a lot of times all I really want added to my DSLR is more software options" I'll second that. A set of user-definable presets, tap to focus, auto-HDR capture ... that would be so great. It's frankly frustrating that Canon, Nikon, et al can be so far behind $1 software on consumer smartphones.
- kevindication 15y ago
  Canon, Nikon, et al are making those cameras for photographers, not smartphone users. The interfaces may be alien to a newcomer but are really just power tools for working photographers.
  - roc 15y ago
    I'm pretty sure even a "real" photographer would appreciate being able to change the focal point mode in less than 5 button presses through a 80s-era menu interface.
    - sbalea 15y ago
      I'm not a "real" photographer but I do appreciate being able to change the focal point mode via a button and a wheel. Fortunately my (serious amateur level) DSLR camera provides this feature via programmable buttons.