Is technology taking us backwards?

[Paul Chapman]

Although I've taken photographs all my life, using manual cameras and black & white film and mastered developing and printing with no trouble, I struggle with digital cameras.

First there is the delay between pressing the button and the camera shutter firing. It guarantees you don't get the picture you wanted. I'm sure the manufacturers build in the feature just to have a laugh :?

Then there's the press this button, then that button, then another button. Blimey, it's worse that telephoning a call centre :evil:

Then there's all those "self-explanatory" symbols - can you work 'em out :? :? :?

Well, a couple of weeks ago the wife walked in with our daughter - they'd been shopping (always fatal ). The wife announced she had bought a digital camera :shock: "A real bargain - it was going half-price" :shock:

We opened the box and took it out. "Where's the viewfinder?" I asked :?

"Oh, you don't need one of those - that's what the LCD screen is for" replied my daughter :roll:

"But I prefer a viewfinder" I said.

"Oh, get with it" replied the wife.

So I shut up and read the instruction book.

Anyway, yesterday evening we all went out to a nice restaurant to celebrate our son's 31st birthday. "Don't forget the camera" said the wife.

"No dear" I replied.

At an appropriate time I got out the camera, switched it on, pressed the button to activate the flash, pointed the camera and looked into the LCD screen. What did I see? Nothing :shock: Black as your hat :shock:

"But I can't see anything" I said. "Oh, you're hopeless" :roll: said the daughter, "give it to me". "Oh, nor can I" :? said the daughter. Then the wife had a go. Then the son.

All we could manage was to pick up a bit of a glimmer from two candles that were on the table.

Anyway, concluding that what we had was an electronic version of a pinhole camera, we pointed it in the general direction and took some pictures. They came out OK and it was quite exciting, really, not quite knowing what we were going to get. Took me back to the old days when you took your film to the chemist and the results were always a bit of a surprise.

Good this technology, init :roll: :roll:

Paul (who has read the instruction book again but found nothing about how to view the scene in dim light)

 

[andrewm]

Although I've taken photographs all my life, using manual cameras and black & white film and mastered developing and printing with no trouble, I struggle with digital cameras.

First there is the delay between pressing the button and the camera shutter firing. It guarantees you don't get the picture you wanted. I'm sure the manufacturers build in the feature just to have a laugh :?

Paul,

I agree - to an extent. I have always had two cameras. A simple point and shoot for carrying around with me and a more serious SLR (in my case a Nikon F801 which has been around the world with me)

When digital started to emerge I had two levels of technology that I required before I joined the digital revolution. The first was a point and shoot camera that would handle at least 1024 x 768 resolution. That passed a while ago and I treated myself to a digital point and shoot camera. I agree about the shutter lag and it absolutely ate batteries but the ability to review pictures and just take them as the need arose meant that it got used a lot more than my little Olympus X1.

By that point I was shooting slide film in my SLR and scanning at 6M-pixel with a film scanner to do digital editing. I promised myself that when I could get that resolution on a digital SLR that would take my existing lenses for a 'reasonable price' then would I switch and abandon film altogether. But only then.

A year or so ago Nikon launched the D70 and that was it. It is like chalk and cheese compared to the point and shoot. There is no shutter lag, I have stopped worrying about battery life and all the controls are familiar to anyone used to a film SLR. It even has a fully manual mode. It can shoot at 3fps without having to worry about using too much film. In high resolution fine mode I get about 250 frames to a 1Gb compact flash card. I'm suitably impressed.

So, if you are seriously into photography and want to go digital look at the currently available digital SLRs. I don't think any of your complaints apply to them

Andrew

 

[NickWelford]

I used to have a Canon EOS film SLR system with a number of lenses. Unfortunately, during a nasty divorce, she took custody of that whilst I kept the Nikon Digital non-SLR (which cost £750 and is only 2 megapixels!). In the course of things, I eventually purchased a Canon digital SLR plus some lenses, which I like very much (but was superseded very quickly - it's only 6 megapixels or something - plenty).
Anyway, this week I was browsing on ebay, as you do, and decided to go for a 10 year old Canon film SLR, with a nice lens, bag, filters etc, much better than my old one, which I got for under £70. Now I have the best of both worls, with a system that is compatible across both bodies.

Needless to say I also have a small 5 megapixel point and shoot which fits in a small pocket.........

 

[ByronBlack]

I Agree, I hate digital camera's.

I used to quite the photographic nut a few years back, my fav camera at the time was Nikon FM2 - loved it to bits, also I loved my RB67 - amazing quality, you just can't get the same sort of quality from digital IMO

I wish someone would get on an invent some decent digital film, so I could still use the FM2

 

[Paul Chapman]

Thanks, Andrew :wink: You are right, of course, the top-of-the-range digital stuff is now pretty good. I just had to chuckle at the irony of the situation, where they had put so many features into this camera my wife bought but removed the one thing (the viewfinder) that you really need :roll:

By the way, do the Nikon manual focus lenses work on the D70? I have no real desire to go down the digital road in a serious way because I like conventional film-based photography so much, but if I ever wanted a good digital SLR it would be nice not to have to buy another load of lenses :wink:

Paul

 

[andrewm]

By the way, do the Nikon manual focus lenses work on the D70? I have no real desire to go down the digital road in a serious way because I like conventional film-based photography so much, but if I ever wanted a good digital SLR it would be nice not to have to buy another load of lenses :wink:

Paul

As far as I am aware any Nikon lens will fit their digital bodies with the possible exception of some of the very early ones. The opposite is not true. There are some lenses designed for digital (the 18-55 that comes as the kit lens is one) that because the digital sensor in these cameras is smaller than 35mm film these have been designed with a smaller field of view and will thus result in vignetting on 35mm.

Oh, and Nikon have just launched the D200 if you want to really drool. (the photographic equivalent of a Felder)

Andrew

 

[Paul Chapman]

Nikon FM2 - loved it to bits(

Hang on to it Byron - they don't make 'em like that any more :wink:

Paul

 

[andrewm]

Nikon FM2 - loved it to bits(

Hang on to it Byron - they don't make 'em like that any more :wink:

Paul

Oh yes they do - right here

 

[ike]

I've just treated my Canon A1 to a service (£40) and it's as good as new agian. Not bad for a piece of cutting edge digital technology from 1980!.

Ike

 

[wizer]

.....get with it! :roll:

 

[Colin C]

I have just got a new digital camera Here
and I am very happy with it.

It also has no veiw finder but if you change the settings to night, the picture is better on the screen.
It also all take 300 shot per charge and has a 7.1 optical lens , plus it is very quick.
The problem with buying cameras that are half price is that most of the time it is old stock that they are getting rid of.
I newer cameras are much quick.
My old Canon A70 is like a snall compared to the new one .
I like them my self

 

[Paul Chapman]

The problem with buying cameras that are half price is that most of the time it is old stock that they are getting rid of.

You know that, and I know that, Colin, but try explaining it to the wife and daughter when they are in the shopping mall on a retail therapy roll :roll:

Paul

 

[Colin C]

Likey for me my dauther is only 8 an the moment but I guess it will not be long before I am saying the same thing :roll:

 

[chiba]

I also have a couple of 35mm Canon SLRs, and an amusing Russian SLR system too. Err, and some 6x6 medium format gear, Rolleiflex, that kind of thing. And the 4x5 large format that takes a trolley to haul around. Oh, and there's the 3x2 wooden field camera. Oh yeah! Mustn't forget the rangefinders! And... oh, never mind. You get the idea.

It's all been in the closet for two years while I've shot a couple of digital Canon SLRs.

I feel dirty.

Just thought I'd share.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I also have a couple of 35mm Canon SLRs, and an amusing Russian SLR system too. Err, and some 6x6 medium format gear, Rolleiflex, that kind of thing. And the 4x5 large format that takes a trolley to haul around. Oh, and there's the 3x2 wooden field camera. Oh yeah! Mustn't forget the rangefinders! And... oh, never mind. You get the idea.

It's all been in the closet for two years while I've shot a couple of digital Canon SLRs.

Well look after them Chiba. Like hand tools, 'proper' photography will be re-discovered one day 8) 8) Just take them out and exercise the shutters now and then :wink:

Paul

 

[Anonymous]

Paul,

the problem seems to be that you haven't got a large enough digital camera. I think you need one of these:

http://www.roundshot.ch/xml_1/internet/de/application/d438/d925/f934.cfm

Dave

 

[Paul Chapman]

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Paul

 

[Nick W]

Looks like you need a very long index finger to get at the shutter release. :shock:

 

[woodbloke]

Be a bit tricky to clip that onto the belt of your bum bag on your hols.... :roll: :roll: - Rob