A "fast" P&S?

[mohdya]

Donna,

If you are talking about start-up speed, time to focus, easeness of
focus during dim situations, zooming speeds and shot-to-shot times
with mounted ext flash, then nothing will come close to the S3/S5,
IMO.

I've handled the G7/G9 (at the shops), the Ixus series (many models
over 3 years) and Panasonic FZ-18 (at the shops), and the closest I
will ever get to the performance of my 350D is the S5/ FZ18.

The S3/S5 are fast, but nor super fast compared to today's digicams.
Check the numbers as measured by Imaging Resources for the S5:

You are right here, but for a superzoom camera, it's right there among the fastest.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/S5IS/S5ISA6.HTM

With freshly charged batteries (Powerex 2700 mhA), I get a less than
a second shot to shot times with internal flash on my S5.

It's more of a function of how much charged you used in the previous
flash shot than the charge or capacity of the batteries. Check the
Imaging Resources measurements cited above and you will see if you
deplete fully the charge it's longer than 1 second.

But if you compare this to a G9/G7 or even other Canon models eg. Ixus, A series, under the same situations, you'll know what I mean. It also depends on the overall power storage capabilities, and for the S5, it's a set of 4x AA batts.

The zooming speed is absolutely fantastic by my standards.

I still don't understand why the slightly longer shutter lag on the
G7/G9 series as compared to the S3/S5, and worse, with the ext flash
unit

For some reason the G7/G9 takes a long time to measure the exposure
after the pre-flash. That caused the extra shutter lag. It's a
mystery as to why Canon programmed it that way when, as you say, it
not that way on the S3/S5.

--mamallama

--
Yus.

'Photography is the Art or Process of Producing Images,
The Art of Photography is Another Story.'

 

[Rob Bernhard]

Prefocusing will allow you to shoot with very little shutter lag. That and turning off the flash.

 

[deputc26]

Prefocusing will allow you to shoot with very little shutter lag. That and turning > off the flash.

Agreed but if you don't want to prefocus your in the wrong forum, I'm a canon fan but the panny's focus faster sans prefocus with their highspeed 3 point mode, and I'd take the FZ7/8 over the FZ18
--
-Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.

 

[Rob Bernhard]

My point is that many people do not realize there are options for their existing equipment to make it function more to their needs. Rather than blaming technology and looking for something new, I see value in truly exploring what a tool has to offer.

 

[DestructivePraise]

Canon G9 with the hyperfocal setting saved to C1 or C2.

More here - http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1010&message=25051265

 

[mamallama]

Canon G9 with the hyperfocal setting saved to C1 or C2.

More here -
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1010&message=25051265

But really what's the point of manually focusing to the hyperfocal distance when the shutter lag is much longer than if you prefocus with a half-press to the approximate hyperfocal distance? See here for the G9:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/G9/G9A6.HTM

The shutter lag with manual focus is 0.58 sec vs. only 0.088 sec with a half-press prefocus. That's about 7 times longer. Read what Imaging-Resources say about manual focus shutter lag in the table.

It's a common misconception that manual focus gives faster shutter lag, but the half-press process achieves autofocus AND exposure determination. With manual focus the camera still has to determine exposure after you press the shutter; thus the longer lag.

--mamallama

 

[DonnaDB]

After reading all your replies and reading the forums over and over, I find myself a bit more confused.....but more educated! If I'm really honest with myself, I know that I grabbed my S30 75% more often than my Canon DSLR. I'm mostly taking pictures of my grandkids, with a new baby coming on Monday. The kids are in constant motion and often in low light during our long winter. Although I love capturing a wonderful shot with sharp focus and good exposure, I don't like lugging the bigger camera/equipment with me. So...what's the compromise? Will I really use all the bells and whistles on the G9 or would I be content with a less expensive P&S? After much thought, the most important qualities I want in a P&S are fast focus, sharp image, "fastish" FPS, good flash. I've decided against the S5 because of size and weight. What are your thoughts?

 

[Robby Villabona]

Hi,

Like you I've been looking for something similar for a long time now to replace my A80. I've been holding off on the Fuji f30/f31d because of the lack of wide angle. I've always been a Canon user (back to when I started SLR film photography) but I've given up on waiting for an A-series with wide angle lens (the Ixus cameras are too small for me to hold comfortably).

Now comes the Fuji f100fd, which makes me hold off some more. But it looks promising. But seriously, if the A650is had wide angle I'd have bought it a long time ago.

 

[sorinx]

The shutter lag with manual focus is 0.58 sec vs. only 0.088 sec with
a half-press prefocus. That's about 7 times longer. Read what
Imaging-Resources say about manual focus shutter lag in the table.

It's a common misconception that manual focus gives faster shutter
lag, but the half-press process achieves autofocus AND exposure
determination. With manual focus the camera still has to determine
exposure after you press the shutter; thus the longer lag.

simple: you HAVE to prefocus at each shot; so you will have focus lag + shutter lag

In manual mode (and I mean full M with shutter and aperture set) the camera does NOT have to determine the exposure. And if lightning does not change full M is OK.
I don't know exactly for G9, but most camera are quite fast in M mode.

 

[mamallama]

The shutter lag with manual focus is 0.58 sec vs. only 0.088 sec with
a half-press prefocus. That's about 7 times longer. Read what
Imaging-Resources say about manual focus shutter lag in the table.

It's a common misconception that manual focus gives faster shutter
lag, but the half-press process achieves autofocus AND exposure
determination. With manual focus the camera still has to determine
exposure after you press the shutter; thus the longer lag.

simple: you HAVE to prefocus at each shot; so you will have focus lag
+ shutter lag

In manual mode (and I mean full M with shutter and aperture set) the
camera does NOT have to determine the exposure. And if lightning does
not change full M is OK.
I don't know exactly for G9, but most camera are quite fast in M mode.

I know, but don't you think it's faster to prefocus in the scene direction to the approximate hyperfocal point (the tolerance is wide) set at aperture priority, let the camera set the shutter than to fiddle with manual settings in the M mode? I do and it's less mental thought involved.

--mamallama