Fuji finepix S304 too slow

[freddyuk]

I have just been on a trip using my Fuji for outdoor shots.
Whilst this has been a good camera its limitations were obvious when i tried to catch action shots of Eagles and Killer Whales. Lots of empty sky and water!
Having checked the forums i see shutter lag is an issue with this camera so should i revert to my old 35mm SLR for these type of shots or is there a digital camera that will come close to the SLR.
I also have the 1.5x zoom lens which does not really "get there" in my view.
I am not an expert so would appreciate some advice.

I did use the video option but this uses up memory.

Many thanks

Freddy

[wildone]

I totally sympathise - my S304 (out on loan at he mo - bought a Nikon D70 kit about five weeks ago) was hopeless. Took it to a cricket match a couple of years ago with the intention of shooting closeups from the boundary. The 6x zoom took me in far enough but most of the time, all I got was "after" shots (ie. after the shot). Eventually I had to try and anticipate, and press the shutter button before a shot was played - most annoying.
If you're after a decent budget DSLR, look at the D70 and Canon EOS350D for starters. Nikon have recently announced the D50 and D70s - others more experienced in these matters will offer more detailed advice.

[martynk]

I agree. DSLRs pretty much eliminate the problem - at a price - but I believe some of the newer P & S models are a lot better than the older ones, and less expensive. Sorry I can't suggest any particular cameras, because I've decided to buy a DSLR when I can afford it, and I'm not really current with P & S development, but I'm sure someone will give you a recommendation. The DSLR is the only realistic option if you're serious about wildlife though, and prices are coming down.