What causes shutter lag?

Question

What is the main cause of shutter lag in cheap digital cameras?

1. Auto-focus?

2. Writing to memory?

3. Something else I'm missing?

If it's auto-focus, why not have a fixed focus setting? Most cameras only need to be focused when things are less than 3 feet away anyway.

I've tried my camera with faster memory and it had no effect on shutter lag but, if it is the speed at which it writes, why not have internal flash-RAID 0 memory. Just enough to hold maybe 4 pictures. Then, while you're taking pictures 2, 3, and, 4, it can be slowly writing picture 1 to the removable memory.

Just a thought.

So if the delay is the time it takes to charge the CCD, why can't they use the same circuitry that they use in the flash? Years ago I bought an external flash for my 35mm camera that could blast off about 10 flashes without needing to recharge.

Answer 1

Auto-focus is part of it, but some cameras are slower than others to go through their setups, set exposures, calculate white balance etc. It doesn't seem to be just a price thing, though - I bought a cheap Kodak a few months ago and the lag's minimal in all conditions. The more expensive Nikons I was looking at were dreadful!

Answer 2

Shutter lag according to wikipedia.

"When a photographer presses "the button," there is a delay before a photograph is actually recorded. This is called shutter lag. This is a common problem in the photography of fast-moving objects, and is usually solved by pressing the button with forethought.

In film cameras, the delay is caused by the mechanism inside the camera that opens the shutter, exposing the film. Because the process is mechanical, however, and relatively brief, shutter lag in film cameras is often only noticeable (and of any concern) to professionals.

Shutter lag is much more of a problem with digital cameras. In digital cameras, the delay results from the charging of the CCD and relatively slow transmission of its capture data to the circuitry of the camera for processing and storage. Recent improvements in technology, however, such as the speed, bandwidth and power consumption of processor chips and memory, as well as CCD technology, have made shutter lag less of a problem. As of the writing of this article in 2006, however, these advancements have been limited mostly to professional, "prosumer," and high-end consumer-grade digital cameras. Inexpensive (most "point-and-shoot") and early-model digital cameras, however, are still prone to pronounced shutter lag of one second or more, making these cameras useful mostly for posed or intentionally styled photography."

Answer 3

in view that I dont understand which rebellion your speaking approximately i'll be a touch imprecise yet you would be waiting to determine it out. you're able to do a 2 2nd shutter delay. delay is intentional, lag isn't and is stressful as all heck. discover the custom purposes menu. discover the custom function referred to as 'mirror Lockup' and activate it (set to a million). Now placed the digital camera in timed mode. the emblem looks like a circle with a line coming from the middle to the side (it is meant to look as though a minute hand on a clock yet I dont think of the artwork artwork fits that image). Now, you could have a 2 2nd delay rather of a 10 2nd one. the only one i'm no longer particular that this works on is the unique 6mp digital rebellion (300D). the different Rebels this could artwork on.

Answer 4

That lag in digital cameras is a pain,isn't it? Mine has a fast 1.8 lens yet still has a bit of lag no matter the settings or the ambient lighting conditions. I don't know of any digitals that don't have that lag! Best of luck! :-)=

Answer 5

try different megapixels maybe! it takes alot more to create a picture that is extreme on mega pixels!