Reviewers of digital cameras tend to place them in one of three categories:

1) Consumer models
2) "Prosumer" models (more complex/capable than #1, but non-SLR camera bodies)
3) Professional models (emulate 35mm SLRs)

Cameras in the first two categories continue to suffer from three
kinds of delay in shooting:

1) Shutter release delay.
2) Auto-focus delay.
3) Next shot delay.

It's next shot delay (DSD) that concerns me most and which will be the
subject of my question here.

I have been using a 4-MP Olympus Camedia Z-40 Zoom camera for the last
two and a half years. It has an NSD of about 2 seconds. When using
flash, that delay increases to 3-4 seconds. Although I can live with
the delay associated with the recharging of the flash, the NSD that
results from the time required for the camera to first store the last
pic before it can take the next one is annoying indeed. My question
has three parts:

1) Are there any "prosumer" cameras currently on the market that have
reduced NSD to 0?

2) Why is it that my camera can take a series of pix in "sequential"
mode with no NSD? Why can't the same technology afford zero-NSD for
individually shot pix?

3) What is there about the technology used in professional digicams
that provides for zero-NSD that couldn't be duplicated in "prosumer"
models?

A satisfactory answer will be one in which all three of those
questions are answered directly.

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Clarification of Question by nautico-ga on 10 Aug 2004 05:17 PDT

Next shot delay = NSD (not DSD) -- a typo!

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Clarification of Question by nautico-ga on 10 Aug 2004 14:59 PDT

Are there no digicam experts out there in that highly erudite universe
of GA researchers? Would it help if I increased my bid?

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Request for Question Clarification by mother911-ga on 10 Aug 2004 15:33 PDT

Hi Nautico, 

I don't think there is anything wrong with the bid you have put in,
and I know for a fact several researchers have taken a shot at looking
into the delay on cameras. I think it is just a time issue. I am
currently just finishing another question and have a question about
digital cameras in the queue. If you don't mind the wait, I will
definitely get back to you with at least a comment explaining why I
can't answer the question, or a request for more clarification of I
feel there is more information needed.

Any of the other researchers who have a chance will also jump in and
comment, or answer the question. I just think the information needs a
little more digging.

Mother911-ga

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Clarification of Question by nautico-ga on 10 Aug 2004 16:16 PDT

OK, Mother. I shall await your return!

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Clarification of Question by nautico-ga on 15 Aug 2004 10:57 PDT

Robertlee:

Thanks for the suggestions, but what I seek is a camera that fits
comfortably in my shirt pocket and has a NSD of less than one second,
which leaves out the high speed SLR models you mention.

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Request for Question Clarification by mother911-ga on 15 Aug 2004 20:31 PDT

Hi Nautico, 

I have started to look into this situation and unfortunately I will
need to be away from home for the next few days. I will return on
Saturday and if the question has not been worked on I will jump right
back on it. I am sorry for the inconvenience, and I have mentioned to
my fellow researchers that this question is open to everyone.

Mother911-ga

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Clarification of Question by nautico-ga on 16 Aug 2004 12:24 PDT

Thanks, Mother. No urgency.

A better breakdown would be by price.  The following are very quick
cameras.  For about $1000, look at the Nikon D70, Canon Digital Rebel,
Minolta A2, or the Olympus 8080.  Try the Nikon first.

In general, you get what you pay for.

If you want to spend less money, look for a used Olympus E20 or E10.

How is .003 seconds?

http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/caplio/rz1/

Regards

Ed

.003 secs would be great if it referred to Next Shot Delay, but in
this case it's the shutter release time.

True - the .003 sec is shutter delay... but it also has a continuous mode.

I shoot Nikon in continuous mode and that reduces the time lag between
shots to a minimum by buffering the shots in memory before saving - by
far the greatest impact is the speed of the Compact Flash Card.

IMHO I reckon this camera may be as good as my D100 if you add a
Sandisk Ultra or Extreme card.

Ed

I, too, have a continuous mode, which is called "sequential" for my
Olympus Camedia Z40 Zoom, but it's useful only when taking several
rapid shots of the same subject. If you want to point at several
target scenes, one right after the other, it doesn't work very well.
It would be like using a machine gun to shoot successively at widely
separated discrete targets. What one needs is a semi-automatic rifle,
not a machine gun!