That annoying delay arises because the camera uses the CCD to focus, and the
frame rate from the CCD is slow.

One solution would be the Canon 350D. However, be careful to only use lenses
with fast-focusing built-in motors, such as the Canon USM lenses. (I have
the Tamron 28-75/2.8, which is fine optically, but focusing is slow).

The 350D is a bit larger than the low-end P&S cameras, but it's really tiny
for a dSLR.

The Nikon D50 (or D70) is probably good as well. For the long term (since
lenses are expensive and you will want to continue using them when you buy a
new body three years from now) there's a raging angels-on-the-heads-of-pins
argument as to whether Nikon's insistence on packing insanely too many
pixels into a 1.5x sensor approach or Canon's far more expensive full-frame
sensor approach is the right way to go, but the bottom line is that both
mfrs will be offering upgrade paths to higher resolution sensors in the
future, so your lens investment won't be wasted (but if you get the Canon,
only buy one EF-S lens!).

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

I had this same issue--only a digital SLR will solve the problem.  I
thus went from the Canon Pro90 IS (with slight shutter lag) to the
Digital Rebel to the Digital Rebel XT (350D).  I can't imagine that I
will ever need more capabilitiy than it affords!   (But I said that
about my Apple IIgs in 1982, and was wrong!)

Paul B.
http://www.scienceteacher.biz

You will require very expensive camera with easy manual focus or very cheap
one with the fixed focus. When you press the shutter button the camera tries
to focus and adjust time and exposure. If the conditions are right, with
enough light and distinctive and simple edges of the subject, this lag will
be short.

Fixed focus camera does not have any moving parts related to the optics.
There is practically no delay.

Try to avoid the camera without the optical viewfinder, which is becoming a
trend now. You could follow the moving object (children, animals) when
looking through the optical viewfinder. You cannot do this with a display.
It will freeze when the button is pressed, but picture taking will happen
later on. The object will be gone from the frame. This is case with my
"expensive" camera Diamage A1, which has a special focusing feature, which
follows the moving object. But because it has only an electronic viewfinder,
you cannot see the moving object. The bottom line is that it is impossible
to take an action picture. All the other cheaper cameras (5) have optical
viewfinder resulting much better action photos.

Jan

The cheaper answer is not necessarily a DSLR, but to educate the user
about the half shutter press!  The Nikon 8400 and Panasonic FZ5 I have are
amongst the faster focusing point-and-shoot cameras, but perhaps it would
be helpful to know what style of photography and what subjects interest
your wife before recommending further.

David

Read the post folks.... KM is looking for a quick small point an
shoot... "She is used to a pocket 35....)  Yes the DSLR's are quick.  My D70
is a fraction of a second from OFF to picture.   Not what KM wants.
I am not sure I can give specific advice, but I suspect some of th
better p&s cameras are getting faster.  If you live near a decent camer
store, (even a Ritz or Wolf), go in, talk to the guys and try a few and se
if they fit your bill.   You are correct, don't trust any mail orde
salesmen... even at favorite mailorder B&H.    Many of the newer camera
are much faster than those of a year ago.   Evaluate Pixels and option
against performance.  If you are making 5x7 or less or email sharing, 4
Pixels is plenty.  But evaluate carefully, the lower Megapixel camer
may be a "lesser" model and actually be slower than the a current 5
Pixel.     Google for   "point and shoot digital camera shutter lag" and yo
will come up with all kinds of reviews etc.
Good luck

--
Ji

...

...

The problem is that the when the digital camera shutter release is pressed,
the camera needs to determine focus, metering, and white ballance before
taking the picture.  For many P&S digitals, this takes time.

What to do:
1. Learn to do the "half press" pre-focus and then snap the shot.
2. Use manual focus.  If you set this to whatever focus the pocket
35mm uses, the results will be comparable.
3. Spend a little more for one of the new generation of digital point and
shoots.  Some of them are becoming down right speedy.  Check the
reviews at www.dpreview.com or one of the competitors.
4. Engage the "full time auto-focus" mode.  It will eat more batteries,
but will shorten the focus time tremendously.

Those things are fixed focus; that's why they are quicker.
...