Action Photography

Thrilling photos are rarely the result of someone standing still in front of a camera and saying "Cheese." Instead, they come when the photographer managed to stop the perfect moment in time. The crack of the bat. The child racing across the lawn. The clumsy friend falling off a stepstool. And while you can point and click at moving objects with any camera, some are far more likely to get you a sharply focused, well composed image of precisely the split-second you're after.

One key to successful action photography is taking advantage of the no-cost-per-shot advantage of digital photography over film and taking a lot of photos – shoot first, ask questions later. And  the right camera will let you take lots of photos very quickly. This capability is measured as the burst rate – the number of shots a camera can grab per second. For SLRs, this rate starts at roughly three shots per second for low-cost cameras, while higher-end SLRs can double that. In addition to the basic shots-per-second stat, we also look at how many photos a camera can take in a row before slowing down.

Some compact cameras are particularly geared toward fast-action photography. Casio has made this a brand trademark, offering a remarkable 60 shots per second at a respectable 6 megapixel resolution with the flagship EX-F1 (priced at $1000), and 30 shots per second from the more recent EX-FC100, available for well under $300.

Another important feature when shooting fast action is the feel of the camera in your hands. Ideally, there should be a substantial right hand grip, preferably well textured, along with a comfortable spot for your thumb on the back, so the camera won't slip as you pivot quickly to catch a shot. The control layout also matters: buttons dedicated to accessing frequently changed settings are much quicker to use than working your way through an on-screen menu system.

A fast lens will also help here. When we say "fast" when referring to a lens we're talking about the amount of light that makes it through to the image sensor, which is measured by the maximum aperture setting. The faster the lens, the higher the shutter speed you can use, which increases the odds of capturing movement without blur. It may seem counterintuitive, but a smaller number for the maximum aperture setting indicates a faster, more desirable lens. An f/2.8 lens is relatively fast, an f/3.5 means shutter speed trade-offs.

Finally, an autofocus system that's fast and accurate can make or break your action photography. The number of autofocus points is not a reliable indicator of actual performance, unfortunately. You'll find our evaluation of each camera's autofocus system in our reviews, but it's not a bad idea to get hands-on with a camera you're considering, alternating between near and far objects and half-pressing the shutter button to get an actual feel for what to expect in the field.