What camera for action shots?

[Tandem]

My wife sent me the following e-mail (about a co-worker)...

"Marie is thinking about getting a new camera, especially to be able to catch action shots, like Graysen playing T-ball, etc. What kind of camera would enable her to get action shots? She's real disgusted with her $300 Canon because there's too much of a delay."

How would you respond? I own a 300D and I'm not well versed on small cameras.

...or is it a matter of technique?

Bill

[etaf]

i would find out what her problem is - what her current camera is - how much she wants to spend - what type of action shots in what type of environment, although this may be enough like Graysen playing T-ball, etc. from the UK I'm sorry to say I have no idea what this means :) :)

chances are she may need a DSLR with a fast lens

could be technique but may be equipement, compacts have shutter lag and some will have slow shutter speeds in low light conditions causing shake and also hard to focus -

[Tandem]

T-ball is a form of baseball played by young children in which the ball is not pitched but hit from a stationary position on top of a tee. I haven't seen it played in person.

I'll ask her what camera she is using. Do most small cameras let you press the shutter half-way down and hold?

Bill

[RossW]

Sounds like she's complaining of shutter lag -- push the shutter, and a second may go by before it actually takes the picture. Lots of missed opportunities unless you learn to anticipate the moment. Newer point 'n' shoots are better than older ones in this regard, and technique can help. For example, press and hold the shutter button half-way to get the focus and exposure, then push it all the way at the moment you want to capture. I suppose with a camera that lets you manually set focus and/or exposure the lag would be much less, since it isn't trying to make adjustments. I also found I could reduce shutter lag in my G5 by closing up the LCD screen and just use the optical viewfinder. One thing I like about the S2 is the relatively short lag.

[etaf]

http://www.steves-digicams.com/

often you will find in steves conclusion he shows shutter lag for two options - full focus and take - or pre-focus and take.

may be worth looking there when you know the model of camera - see just how bad it is.

Is this played outside in bright daylight - or would it be indoors or in poor eveneing light conditions

[Tandem]

Thanks for the help!

All I have to go on is the quote in the original post. T-ball is definitely an outdoor, summer sport for kids. I googled "shutter lag" and sent some of the websites to my wife to pass on to her friend.

I'll try to find out what camera she is using and report back.

Bill

[jbkalla]

I'll bet she isn't holding down the shutter button halfway to wait for the focus. Either that or the red-eye setting is on and causing the delay, maybe?

[Tandem]

I found out from my wife today that her friend is using a Canon Powershot A85. I'm not familiar with that camera. Is it a particularly slow model?

Bill

[etaf]

have a read here
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/a85.html
also in the summary/conclusion you have lag times etc http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/a85_pg7.html
The all-important shutter lag (delay from pressing shutter until picture is actually captured) is approx. 1/10 of a second when pre-focused and 6/10 of a second including autofocus. Shot-to-shot delay averaged 1.5 seconds without using the flash and 3 seconds with the flash.

so thats over half a second with focus

a good test would be to get someone standing in front of her and moving there arm up and then down at the side - when the arm is straight out sideways take a shot and see where the arm is when the picture has been taken,

[Tandem]

It sounds like she is just pointing and shooting. My wife said she mentioned trying to take a photo of the kid jumping around in a "ball pit" and by the time the camera took the shot the kid was out of frame.

I sent her the link for the review on the PowerShot 85 and also links for the 300D and 350D in case she wants to upgrade. I'm thinking a DSLR camera would be better for all around sports and action shots.

Thanks!