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Comment by arrrg | Hacker News Reader

Slow startup times really shouldn’t be an issue in this decade. This is something that was an issue maybe in the early 2000s.

You will generally be able to turn on the camera more quickly than you can navigate to the camera app. (Physical switch plus sub one second time to turn on).

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On Android phones (maybe iphones too? no clue on that) you can set a double-press of the power button to launch any app you want, so if you turn it to open the camera then you can launch directly into the camera without even needing to unlock the phone.

The great thing about this is that it works even when you're wearing gloves.

Doesn’t matter. That‘s just equivalent to the physical switch in time needed (maybe even slower, a double press does require more dexterity) and startup times on phone cameras certainly aren’t faster than dedicated cameras. My iPhone 12 Pro takes about a half second to a second until it‘s ready to take a shot.

iphones have it as a button on the lockscreen. Double tap opens apple pay and long hold opens siri. Wish I could swap out siri for camera tbh.

My mirrorless camera isn't new, but not early 2000s either (GX1, released 2012). It takes about 10 seconds to first photo from off. My Android phone can take pictures without unlocking it, and I've repurposed the PTT button to open the camera app. I can take my phone out of my pocket, take a picture, and put it back in my pocket faster than my camera can turn on.

Camera apps are accessible from the home screen though, right?

Navigate to the camera app? The camera button is on the home screen. I can be taking a picture or a video just about as fast as I can raise the phone.

Yeah, navigating to the camera app doesn’t take long. But flipping a physical switch also doesn’t and startup times of both after the switch is flipped / app is started are about equal.

So: with my EVIL camera I also can be taking a photo about as fast as I can raise the camera.

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