Express Action Sports

Looking for a good digital camera. What is important to me is to be able to take pictures fast (sports etc) and not have blurry shots. Not looking to spend to much but I was thinking around $300 for a good one. The other area of a camera I like to have is the zoom option. Can you help me recommend a good one? Thanks for the help.

For freezing the action for sports (especially indoor sports) you will need a DSLR camera. Point and shoot cameras have a very small image sensor, which means they do not work well in indoor lighting without a flash, and have shutter lag between the time you press the shutter button and the photo is taken (this means you will miss most of your actions shots).

In addition, you will need a fast lens for the DSLR camera to get enough light to the camera’s sensor to allow for a fast shutter speed.

Total cost of a new DSLR body and a fast lens will be anywhere from $700-$2000. Even at the $700 range, that camera will only shoot about 3 frames per second, which is pretty slow for sports action.

First of all I am a PHD user of cameras (Push Here Dummy) (I don’t want to deal with changing of lenses, focusing, backlighting, etc.) I have 2 kids in sports (soccer, gymnastics, basketball & football). They are often far away in the middle or on the other side of the field and of course in action! I want to be able to take quality CLOSE UP pictures with PHD function – good, fast, self-focusing zoom function an absolute must, and multiple fast repeating shots. So what are the best ones out there – I am not made of money so I would like to stay well under $1,000 while maintaining quality of picture and product performance. Anyone who has the experience to advise on what the aspects are to consider with regard to zoom capabilities/multi-frame shots and/or pinpoint a couple of selections would be greatly appreciated. (We have 7.0 mega pixel purse size camera, but its zoom while O.K. for nearby photos is O.K. just won’t cut it for the sports!)

Unfortunately, the only cameras that can truly catch any action shots are exactly what you said you do not want. A DSLR camera with interchangeable lenses is really the only cameras that don’t have perceptible shutter lag. I know of no point and shoot camera that does not have shutter lag from a half second or worse.

DSLR cameras are really modified film cameras so all the digital image related maters are dealt with after the sensor is exposed. Point and shoot cameras do a whole list of things after you press the shutter release and before the exposure is actually made.

I need a good camera for my kid’s sports games. Just a small point and shoot. But it needs to be great at action shots, to capture that right moment. I know most point and shoots take a few seconds after you press, to actually capture the image.
Any brand works.
I really just need a good zoom, and good for indoor/outdoor action shots.

Got any ideas/have any preferences? Thanks!

And please, not a dslr! I used to have one, and it was big, clunky, very complicated, and I spent a fortune on lenses, filters, and cards!

This tip is going to sound stupid up front but nearly ALL point and shoot cameras can take decent action shots if you compose your shot.

1) Set whatever you’ve got in whatever it has in way of sports mode (for exposure reasons, has nothing to do with how long it takes to take the picture).
2) Press the shutter down halfway until focus locks in. The camera might beep to tell you it has locked in. LEAVE THE BUTTON PRESSED HALFWAY.
3) Watch your action through your viewfinder or on the screen.
4) When you’re ready to shoot, depress the shutter the rest of the way.

You’re going to be surprised. Yes, it took 10 seconds, but you did 9.8 of that before you wanted to take the picture.

If you don’t have a point and shoot at all, get whatever is on sale that you have memory cards for. Get one that looks pretty. Costco and Sam’s usually have decent prices.

The Olympus Stylus 1030 SW Camera has been touted as the toughest point-and-shoot camera in the world. This incredibly waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, crushproof, and dustproof model out performs all the previous Olympus SW series’ digital cameras. It produces even more amazing images (still or action photos) and is more durable under the most rigorous of conditions. Take a look at a the top 10 features of the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW:

1 – Waterproof up to 33-ft.- You can take this camera with you scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, swimming, fishing, or even just out in the rain. Whatever your favorite water activity is, this camera can go with you. And with its waterproof seals and gaskets you can take incredible photos and videos actually underwater to a depth of 33-ft.

2 – Shockproof up to 6.6-ft. and Crushproof up to 220-lbs.- Have you ever lost a camera by dropping it on the ground or on the deck of a boat? You no longer have to worry about that with this camera. You can drop this Olympus Stylus 1030 SW over and over again from up to 6.6-ft. and it can also withstand up to 220-lbs. of crushing pressure. Even under these rigorous conditions it just keeps on taking photos.

3 – Freezeproof down to 14F – Most point-and-shoot cameras will freeze up in frosty weather. Not the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW. This camera still performs when the temperature dips well below freezing (14 degrees Fahrenheit-10 degrees Celsius), so it is ready to ski those slopes, snowboard or even ice fishing, whatever your cold weather favorite is.

4 – Dust and Dirt Proof – The rugged Stylus 1030 SW is an ideal companion for an expedition in the Sahara, or take it to the beach. With its airtight construction it is impervious to dust, dirt and other particles. And when the camera gets dirty, just rinse it off with water.

5 – Digital Image Stabilization – This feature allows you to take perfect photos of fast moving subjects. So take it with you to your favorite sporting event or birdwatching.

6 – 10-megapixel – The 10MP image sensor captures enough detail for photo-quality up to 18 x 24-inch prints.

7 – 3.6x optical wide-angle zoom The 3.6x wide-angel optical zoom allows even more of your subject to make it into each shot — perfect for underwater photography. The lens does not protrude from its body, so it is further protected from harsh conditions.

8 – Face Detection – Face Detection tracks the face within the frame and automatically focuses and optimizes exposure for sharp, brilliant portrait pictures.

9 – In-camera panorama – The Olympus 1030SW camera panorama mode captures three images and stitches them together to create one amazing panoramic picture. 10- 2.7-inch HyperCrystal II LCD This camera is perfect for people with an active lifestyle. Whatever your choice of sports or activities are, no matter what climate you may be in, you will not be disappointed with this camera.

The Olympus Stylus 1030SW was designed with your lifestyle in mind! It is designed for active people who want a tough camera that can keep up with their on-the-go lifestyles. Need more information on the Olympus Stylus 1030SW, check out this site:

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Carole Rowland