What camera to replace S2 IS, G7 or A710is or A570is

[nboerner]

I love my S2 Is except for two issues, the small LCD and the absurd flash recharge time. I would like to get a new camera and have looked at the G7, 710IS and 570IS. Does anyone have experience with these and know if the flash recycle time is substantially less than the S2. Seriously, it takes 8 to 12 seconds between shots to recharge (yes, with fresh batteries). It is so embarrassing to ask a group of people to stand there that long to take multiple shots. I love the features and picture quality of the S2 but would really like to improve on this prob and the Lcd screen size. Thanks for any opinions.

[nboerner]

After doing a lot of reading other reviews it looks like the flash recycle time is about as long for the A series as my S2, does anyone know if they have improved this with the S3 or S5

[Serafin]

For my G7 I can get the flash to work everytime as fast as I can get the camera to refocus on a subject. And im pretty happy with the flashes capabilities.

[reppans]

From my understanding, flash reccycle time tends to be a function of voltage. I think Li-ions are 5V, 4AAs tends to be near 5V (1.2x4) and 2AAs tends to be 2.4ish (1.2x2). As a result the 710 and 570, with 2 AA, have the longest recycle times where 4AA cameras and Li-ions tend to have the fastest. I'm very surprised your S2, with 4AAs, takes that long to recycle... perhaps its the aged technology? Certainly the S3 or S5 will have faster recycle times than the S2, 710 or 570. (the A640 has 4 batts as well).

[JimC]

Read the reviews here. Steve discusses camera performance (including flash recycle times) in the review conclusion sections (last page before the sample images in each camera's review here).

Just keep in mind that your range to subject will impact recycle times (because a longer flash burst is needed to illuminate a subject that is further away).

Here's what he had to say about the S2 IS:

The S2's shooting performance is very good, noticeably improved from the S1. From power-on until the first shot was captured measured just under two seconds, while waking the camera from its Display Off power-saving mode took only 1.5 seconds. Shutter lag, the elapsed time between depressing the shutter and capturing an image, measured 2/10 second when pre-focused and 8/10 second including autofocus time; about 1/10 second of that is attributable to the delay in the live image presented on either of the S2's viewfinders. In Single shot mode, the S2 IS captured 5-megapixel Superfine images at the rate of one every 1.5 seconds without flash; with flash, the shot-to-shot rate was one every 2.5 to 8.5 seconds, depending on the distance to the subject.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_.../s2is_pg6.html

[nboerner]

From reading the reviews, it appears that the S3 and S5 are equally as slow to recycle as the S2, up to 10 seconds. It looks like the G7 might be the best choice.

[Michi]

I have the A700 which has a painfully long flash recharge time, and I have seen reviews where they state the A710 IS is the same... (It's a shame really!)