Fastest Point and Shoot Camera
If someone is willing to go ahead and buy a point and shoot digital camera, then one of the main considerations that they need to keep in mind is the shutter speed of the device. The point and shoot camera will allow you to take pictures of fast-moving subjects, combined with the simplicity of a camera with which you do not have to worry about any of the settings. All you need to do is point, and shoot.
There are two factors that determine how fast a digital camera will take a picture. The first factor is the time that it takes to lock focus on the subject (also known as the shutter lag). This can be known by studying the number of seconds it takes to press the shoot button and to see the green focus box erupt on the screen. The second factor is the processing and write speeds which determine how soon you can click the next picture (also known as shot to shot time).
It is good to go through many reviews and see these factors for the devices. It is well and good to buy a camera where all the settings are automatically adjusted, but this should not come at the expense of long shutter lags and slow shot to shot times. Unfortunately, there are very few digital cameras out there that fulfill both these factors satisfactorily.
Which is the Fastest Point and Shoot Camera?
Here are some of the best ones that offer fast pictures and fast focusing features. These will enable you to click a good picture without wasting any time in letting the camera focus and then shift on to the next picture.
Sony CyberShot DSC-HX5V
This compact camera by Sony will cost you around $300, and it is totally worth the investment. The design is compact and light, and the speedy shooting performance will leave you very satisfied indeed. Low light photography is also very good with this phenomenal camera. The typical shutter lag in this case is around 0.4 seconds which is very good, and shot to shot time is around 1.5 seconds. With numbers like that, this is as close to perfection as you can get. Other suitable models from Sony are the Sony CyberShot DSC-TX7 and the Sony CyberShot DSC-TX1.
Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR
This camera from Fujifilm will cost you a good $100 less, and at $200 it is a very sound buy for someone looking for the fastest point and shoot at an affordable price. There are a ton of additional features, and the high-ISO performance of the camera will help you get some really high quality images. Unfortunately, there is no HD recording in this camera. Shot to shot time is an impressive 1.5 seconds, and typical shutter lag is about 0.5 seconds. This time duration will not be detectable by the naked eye, but it can make all the difference when you need to click a fast-moving picture.
Kodak EasyShare Z915
This camera from Kodak is also easy on the pocket, coming in at around $200, and for this price it has a very impressive feature-to-price ratio. The typical shutter lag is 0.4 seconds which is very good, but the shot to shot time is slightly higher at 1.8 seconds. For that price though, no one can complain because this camera also brings a variety of other features to the table that make it an excellent purchase for quick point and shoot photography.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1
Another recommendation is this camera by Panasonic which is the fastest compact camera with viewfinder. It will cost you around $250 but it is completely worth the investment. You get some good optical zoom features and some pretty impressive images to match as well. The typical shutter lag is 0.9 seconds and the shot to shot time is a rather large 2.5 seconds, but you cannot expect to get everything, now, can you.
You should carefully read about the performance and the features of your shortlisted options before you go ahead and buy the fastest camera. Knowing what your camera is capable of, will also help you recognize what moments can be captured better, and this information can be priceless when a good opportunity arises.
