Shutter Lag

This is the most irritating thing about digital cameras but most people know nothing about it until after they've bought their first camera. This is the delay from when you press the picture-taking button (the "shutter release") and when the picture is actually taken.

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, the tiny onboard computer has to process your command, and then clean the image sensor from the previous photo, and prepare the memory card to be written on. This entire process used to take up to 2 seconds, but current lag times are an average of half a second or less. Still, unless you are prepared, it often results in blurred photos and people looking away in your photos. How do you prepare?

First, try to find out what the shutter lag time is before you buy a digital camera. Unfortunately, this information is not usually published by the retailer. As is usual, you can expect that pricier cameras will have faster onboard computers and shorter shutter lags, but that is not always true. The best way is to test the camera before you buy it so, bear with me, you might have to visit a - gasp - local BestBuy store.

Technology is advancing to the point where even low-end digital cameras have acceptable shutter lags, but the lag time may ruin so many of your photos that this could easily become the most frustrating thing about a camera, especially for first-time digital camera users.

How to Reduce Shutter Lag

1. Try to figure out what the average shutter lag of your camera is before you take a picture so you can anticipate this.

2. When getting ready to take a picture, use the "pre-focus" method. Point directly at your subject and press the shutter release button only halfway to focus your image. Keep the button half pressed until you are ready to take the picture and then press it all the way. Prefocusing will help a lot.

3. Use the fastest memory card your camera can support. For example, not all CompactFlash cards are the same - some are faster than others. MemoryStick Pro is faster than regular MemoryStick. This only works if the camera supports faster media.

4. If you don't anticipate enlarging a picture to 8x10 inches, then try reducing the photo quality setting. The higher the quality, the larger the file, and the longer it takes to write the image to the memory card. If you have a 5MP camera, you may want to lower the setting so your pictures are 3MP.

And there you have it. Armed with what you need to know about digital cameras you can now make an informed decision.

You can usually find great deals online. But digital camera retailers have acquired the reputation of used car salesmen. Dishonest abounds and some sites will attract you with low prices and then have a $50 shipping charge. Or after you make the purchase (and give them your credit card number), you get an email saying they are out of stock of that particular model, but "if you upgrade we can get you a better camera right away". Another tactic is that some will deliberately send you the wrong model thinking it would be too much of a hassle for you to send it back.

However, there are reputable dealers. We particularly like Amazon, Buy.com, and OneCall.com. They consistently offer low prices and are honest. There are a number of other good places that sometimes offer good deals as well. In our Tech Deals section, which is updated daily, we list camera deals as they come out - and only from reputable dealers. DELL, for example, sells digital cameras and with one or two of their codes, the price can be unbeatable. Check back daily, or join our DELL Newsletter.

Next we will look at our favorite 5 megapixel cameras.