Digital Cameras for Teachers
Introduction to Digital Cameras
H. Do you plan to take high-speed action shots?
_____ 1. Landscapes and posed photos are all I need
_____ 2. I can learn to compensate for “shutter lag”
_____ 3. I want to take high-speed action shots in rapid succession
Camera Responsiveness
When you take your first pictures with your new digital camera, you may notice a delay after your press the shutter release button and before the picture is taken. This is a result of your camera configuring the shot digitally, and is known as "shutter lag." Newer and more expensive cameras may have better response times, so try several cameras out if this is important to you. To compensate for shutter lag, you can learn to frame or focus the shot in advance so that it is configured before you take it, but this is not always possible. Burst modes , when the camera will take 4-16 shots in rapid succession, can help compensate, although Burst Mode may not be available with flash or high resolution.
You may also notice that your camera isn't ready to take another shot until the last one has finished saving to your memory card. This “click-to-click processing” time can depend on the resolution you choose, whether you use flash, and whether that flash is built in or not.
Choosing a higher resolution for a higher quality photo means that your image size is much larger and can take up to several seconds to save. This is especially true of RAW and Tiff file formats. Built-in flashes must recharge themselves, which also takes up energy. This is in addition to the battery being used for the camera's LCD screen and especially to review pictures in memory. All of these things will slow down the camera's response time and drain battery life.
Digital Cameras for Teachers
EOU Malheur County Center (541) 889-7468 or (541) 889-6222
