A hard one to answer but

[Aaron]

Hi Dave,

This may be hard to answer because it is more eqiupment orientated.I've got a Nikon CoolPix 4100 and when I am trying to take photos of my kids in Auto mode (point & shoot) and with the flash on auto,the time between pushing the button and the photo taken is too long and normally the kids have moved.

Is there a simple fix or do I have to go to a manual setting.On my film SLR I would use a higher speed film (400 ASA).The digital camera world is fairly new to me, so I dont have too much of an idea.

Any suggestions,I also should read the manual one day.

Cheers Aaron

[henryhyde]

Hi Aaron,

What you're describing is shutter lag and gettting a higher ISO won't help it. Higher ISO will let you use a fast shutter speed, but won't help with the lag.

Since I don't own a coolpix, this is only a guess, but I would say that the camera has some kind of pre-flash/red-eye reductions thing that it's doing before the actual shutter release which creates the lag.

Even if it doesn't actually flash, it may be doing additional metering calculations.

Try disabling the pre-flash or red-eye reduction and see what happens. I have mine disabled and I rarely get red eye. Plus it's easy enough to fix.

Another reason I disable mine is that people sometimes see the pre-flash and instinctively move. Plus it's impossible to photograph animals with the pre-flash enabled.

Hope this helps. I'll ask a friend who has a coolpix and see if he has any other ideas.

Cheers,
Henry

[henryhyde]

Hi Aaron,

Is the lag you are referring to lag on the initial shot or shot to shot lag ?

If the lag is between shots, the flash re-charge time also has to be added in since a full power flash discharge can typically take 3-5 seconds to recharge the flash before the next shot can be taken.

Also included in shot to shot lag would be emptying the internal buffer to the card etc., so this lag can be as long as 8-10 seconds on some cameras.

Cheers,
Henry

[DavidHernandez]

Howdy,

You are describing "Shutter Lag", probably the most frustrating thing about digital cameras.

Here is a link that describes what you can do to beat this:
www.acdsystems.com/English/Community/ColumnsArticles/DigitalCamera/camera-2003-07-12.htm

...and here is the body of the article (just in case that site goes dead in the future...):

Reducing Shutter Lag
Kris Butler
07-12-03
What Is Shutter Lag?
Shutter lag is the delay on digital cameras from when you press the shutter-release button to when the photo is taken. When you first make the switch to digital, it can throw you off a bit and lead to blurred photos and people looking away. However, both newbies and more seasoned digital shooters can overcome it with a bit of practice and knowledge and soon you'll be shooting as comfortably as you used to with your film camera.

With a film camera the shutter-release process is mechanical, so there is no lag beyond any auto-focusing that may happen. But with digital, your commands have to be processed by a tiny onboard computer. First the camera has to focus, then the onboard computer wipes the CCD clean of the information from the previous photo before your photo is taken. (The CCD is the digital equivalent of film.)

Shutter Lag and Camera Type
Typically, the pricier a digital camera, the quicker the onboard computer and the shorter the shutter lag. High-end digital cameras for professionals and major enthusiasts may not have a noticeable shutter lag at all, but for most digital camera users it helps to know and remember what the shutter lag is so you can compensate effectively.

Also keep in mind that many high-end digital cameras use the same CCDs and onboard computers as mid-range models and only add other features, so more expensive doesn't necessarily mean faster. Test each camera to be sure before buying.

With rapid improvements in digital camera technology, you should be able to find a camera fairly easily that has an average shutter lag of a half second or less and definitely under a second. Time was that many entry-level cameras had lags of up to 2 seconds and some even more.

After using the method outlined below to determine average shutter lag, consider carefully if you are willing to wait any longer than one half to three quarters of a second to capture special moments before you buy the camera.

How to Reduce Shutter Lag
You can judge how much shutter lag your camera or prospective camera has by doing the following. Turn on your camera and wait until it's ready to take pictures. Ensure it is set to highest quality. Take an initial photo to put something on the CCD. Then, press the shutter-release button completely down from the fully open position and count "one-thousand-and-one, etc" until the photo is actually taken. A stopwatch will help here.

Do this a few times to get an average result. Then remember that this is how long it will always take to get a quick snapshot if you do not make adjustments to your shooting method. Here's what to do to make things faster.

First off, shutter lag can be significantly reduced using the pre-focus method. Pre-focus by pointing directly at your subject and pressing the shutter release button down halfway. This in itself takes time, but when you press your shutter release button the rest of the way, you'll get your photo faster.

Another method is to reduce the photo quality settings before shooting. The larger the image file, the longer it will take to wipe it from the CCD before recording the next picture. Ask yourself if you really need photos for a particular event in TIFF format (an uncompressed format available in many mid-range cameras) or the highest quality proprietary format that may come with your camera. These are great for landscapes and portraits when you can take your time, but not necessarily the best for capturing candid moments at a family BBQ.

Other things to consider, especially for getting candid shots, include pre-focusing while pointing the camera in another direction then turning to shoot the photo. Try to pre-focus on something that is about the same distance away as your subject(s). As well, turning your flash off can make shooting quicker, as the flash takes time to warm up and perform additional functions like reducing red-eye. Happy snapping!


Keep a steady hand, press the shutter halfway down to lock your focus, and press to completion firmly.

With a lot of practice you can actually learn to take photos while subjects are moving...even with shutter lag. Since it's a digital camera, I strongly suggest that you take some time to practice practice practice shooting at moving targets. You will improve. Shutter lag can be overcome to a great extent.

Outside of these techniques, you really need to "move up" to a digital SLR to beat the lag. Some of the newer digitals may have better lag times than others.

Dave.

[Aaron]

Thanks Guys,

I see it is a common problem and not something I am doing.(Thank Goodness)

Its a case of you learn something each day and I will put some of the tips into good use.

Thanks Dave

Cheers Aaron

BTW. Henry it wasn't the lag between shots,it was the actual photo shot. Thanks mate