Express Action Sports

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.