I can't explain why your new camera seems slower compared to your old camera. According to test results I've seen, the HP tested slower at autofocus than the Canon. As for other issues, your HP had a bigger imaging sensor and fewer pixels. That alone is a benefit that current cameras can't match. I don't really have a recommendation. The differences between similarly priced cameras is not that large, so getting another similar to the SD1400 won't necessarily solve anything. MAYBE a camera like the SX120 IS or SX130 IS would have been a better choice for you... but maybe not.
We recently purchased the Canon PowerShot SD1400 IS. Our main use for the camera is to take pictures and video at family events, particularly photos of our 2 and 4 year old boys in both indoor and outdoor settings. We are not particularly tech savvy or aspiring photographers, just want a decent camera to take good photos and videos of our children. Our previous camera was purchased about 10 years ago (HP Photosmart 935, 5.3 MP, 21x zoom). We were quite happy with our old camera, but wanted to replace it because the LCD screen is very small, video quality was not great and we've gone through several sets of rechargeable batteries and were spending a fortune on disposable ones.
We've had the canon for about 3 weeks now and here is what I'm having difficulty with:
- the shutter lag using auto focus seems really really really long. Much longer than our decade old camera which did not require that you push the button down half way before taking the photo - we always used the old camera on autofocus. As a result I am having a hard time getting good shots of the kids (posing, candid, motion shots). This is my number one complaint.
- I can't seem to figure out the burst option(taking lots of photos in quick succession) and it takes so long to take a picture you can't take several in a row in quick succession.
-we've taken over 300 photos and lots of them are out of focus (rarely a problem with our old camera)
- video we've taken seems grainy
- zoom quality is not as good as our old camera
- not particularly fond of the ultra-compact size. Makes the camera hard to handle and the zoom button in particular is ridiculously small.
So, do you think I bought the wrong camera or just haven't figured out how to use it right? What would you recommend in the under $350 range for my needs (preferrably under $250 if possible).
Any advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated! Also, I only have a few days left to return the camera for a full refund, so I need a quick response please! Thanks!
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