Press the button, the camera takes the picture.
The time between those two events is called "shutter lag".
An old-fashioned film camera used mechanical linkages from that button to the actual shutter. But for the past 25 years, nearly all SLRs have had electronic linkages, film or digital.
[...]
Except that every 36th frame (or less), there's a 1+ minute delay before a film camera can take the next shot.
![smile smile](/images/graemlins/default_dark/smile.gif)
Yes, and that "+" can be very long, I suppose, if you're in a harry and drop your camera, or the film, or you mess it all up somehow.
![laugh laugh](/images/graemlins/default_dark/laugh.gif)
Thank you all, guys, this all makes very much sense and answered my questions.