Hi,

I've got a Canon Powershot A40, that I've had for a little over a year, and
it takes pretty good pictures, but it's got one really annoying quality...
the time that elapses between pushing on the button to shoot the picture and
the camera actually taking the picture.  With dogs and kids, it's a real
pain when they're cute for a second, and I try to click off a quick shot,
and the camera finally snaps it like three seconds later.  I suppose this
has to do with the auto focus mechanism, because I purchased a high-speed CF
card and it didn't make any difference.

So now I'm looking for recommendations for a mid-range priced (under $500)
digital camera that has a fast auto focus, or at least takes pictures within
a few milliseconds of pushing the button.  Does such a beast exist, or am I
going to have to reach deeper into my pockets?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Mike