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Something I just figured out about camera

A

angel71rs

Newbie
Maybe everybody already knows this... if you press and hold the camera button, it sets the focus and exposure. That way it takes a pic instantly when you lift your finger.

Taking better pics now. Risking looking like a dummy by posting this up for anyone else that didn't know about it. :D
 
I don't see any difference vs just tapping the camera button (since it autofocus when you do that anyway), and holding the button and releasing. Maybe in low light it will help? But I snapped some pics close up and far and see no difference.
 
(G) said:
You don't look like a dummy -- I didn't realize that at all!
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Whew, relief!

surf1 said:
Maybe in low light it will help?
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Maybe as I have only done it indoors. Definitely helped taking pics of nephews and nieces opening Christmas presents. This way the pic would snap the instant I released the button.

Before when I was just tapping the camera button, there was a delay and I'd catch the kid turning their head or something. Since there was a flash when I would touch the camera button, I thought that was when the pic was being taken. It wasn't till I noticed the "shutter" sound wasn't happening during the 1st flash did I realize the pic wasn't being taken then, but on the 2nd flash. By holding the button, 2nd flash would happen when I released. I think the 1st flash is to assist setting focus/exposure.
 
Great tip. As a semi pro photographer, I should have known that. On most point and shoot cameras, one should always press shutter half way down and allow camera to figure focus and exposure, and when ready to get the shot, press all the way down. It's amazing how few people know that.

Surf1 is right though. Tapping where you want the focus and exposure to be does the same thing, but when following kids/action, it's a little easier to just hold the shutter button until ready for the shot, and then just let go.
 
I use a modified stock camera app that lets you use the volume buttons as the shutter button. If you hold the volume button, it will also focus.
 
Av8r said:
Surf1 is right though. Tapping where you want the focus and exposure to be does the same thing, but when following kids/action, it's a little easier to just hold the shutter button until ready for the shot, and then just let go.
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Yeh I tried it out with the dogs, and that's where it's handy, anything still you don't see a difference... but with movement it helps snap a pic fast and clean.
 
Awesome tip. Most of my phone shots tend to be of my daughter moving at the speed of light, so this tip should help immensely after just a quick test - I see less blur in my test shots. Would have never thought to try this but it makes it intuitively act more like a point and shoot. Cool!
 
surf1 said:
Yeh I tried it out with the dogs, and that's where it's handy, anything still you don't see a difference... but with movement it helps snap a pic fast and clean.
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Yay!! Good to know! One of my dogs is a total squirrel and it's hard to get a good pic of him before he turns his head or leaps 10 feet in the air!
 
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