Technobabble
Tuesday, 9. December 2008, 18:02:34
Since working in a well known photographic retailer, I've had the delight of describing the various minutiae workings and features of cameras to customers. Over the time I've been there I've hardly laid a finger on my own camera simply through lack of time.
What has become clear to me though is the particular attention to the details of the cameras. Since we only sell digital cameras now, each customer asks 'how many megapixels?' or 'that must be better because it has more megapixels'. If you don't have at least 8MP in your camera, it won't sell. Nor will it if it lacks face detection, a whacking great zoom and a massive rear LCD screen. Seriously. It doesn't matter to most people if the lens is fast, like the very nice Panasonic Lumix LX3 because all they want is a really long zoom.
Digital cameras are creating new types of photographers too. Nearly everyday I demonstrate DSLRs to people who've never handled one before. Instinctively they hold the camera at arms length and look for the image on the LCD, but only in recent times has live view (as it is called these days) been available to new digital SLRs. It's not that the customers expect it to have live view; they just don't know any other way of using the camera. That goes with the zoom on SLRs too. Often I get perplexed questions of 'where's the zoom button?', to which I point out the large rubberised grip on the lens, which is is simply twisted to zoom in.
My main train of thought has been the expectation of people today. No longer is a camera sufficient in simply making a photograph. It must do more than that; much more. It must correct red eye in camera, allow you to retouch and edit the photograph, record HD video, have a massive screen, a long zoom, more megapixels than you can count and a reasonable price tag. It seems people are less interested in the art of photography and more the technicality of it all. As if having more of everything makes better photographs.
The camera manufacturers know this of course and it is why they promote megapixels and screen size over more useful developments. From my point of view, it matters not one jot which camera you use, just that you know how to use it. Learn some basic rules of photography and skip the automatic mode. Letting the camera do the thinking produces a slew of identical photographs with no originality.
EDIT: Watch this amusing video about Nikon's new and somewhat overpriced D3X:
What has become clear to me though is the particular attention to the details of the cameras. Since we only sell digital cameras now, each customer asks 'how many megapixels?' or 'that must be better because it has more megapixels'. If you don't have at least 8MP in your camera, it won't sell. Nor will it if it lacks face detection, a whacking great zoom and a massive rear LCD screen. Seriously. It doesn't matter to most people if the lens is fast, like the very nice Panasonic Lumix LX3 because all they want is a really long zoom.
Digital cameras are creating new types of photographers too. Nearly everyday I demonstrate DSLRs to people who've never handled one before. Instinctively they hold the camera at arms length and look for the image on the LCD, but only in recent times has live view (as it is called these days) been available to new digital SLRs. It's not that the customers expect it to have live view; they just don't know any other way of using the camera. That goes with the zoom on SLRs too. Often I get perplexed questions of 'where's the zoom button?', to which I point out the large rubberised grip on the lens, which is is simply twisted to zoom in.
My main train of thought has been the expectation of people today. No longer is a camera sufficient in simply making a photograph. It must do more than that; much more. It must correct red eye in camera, allow you to retouch and edit the photograph, record HD video, have a massive screen, a long zoom, more megapixels than you can count and a reasonable price tag. It seems people are less interested in the art of photography and more the technicality of it all. As if having more of everything makes better photographs.
The camera manufacturers know this of course and it is why they promote megapixels and screen size over more useful developments. From my point of view, it matters not one jot which camera you use, just that you know how to use it. Learn some basic rules of photography and skip the automatic mode. Letting the camera do the thinking produces a slew of identical photographs with no originality.
EDIT: Watch this amusing video about Nikon's new and somewhat overpriced D3X:
(17%)
WIDGETIZE
sanshan # 9. December 2008, 18:07
ricewood # 9. December 2008, 20:14
- When you press the button, you release the shutter. Not half a second later.
- Enough good optics to let in sufficient light.
That video was really amusing.
Dudley # 9. December 2008, 20:57
During the film days it was the Kodak Instamatic and SLR. Different type of photo shooters.
It depends on what kind of photographer you are.
~Point & Shoot
~Enthusiast
~Pro
WoAi # 22. December 2008, 07:40
I had a friend who was using his very expensive top of the line Canon camera and I told him to set the exposure for 1/200 sec at f/11. His response was "how do I do that?".
Duplo # 23. December 2008, 23:10
I really only need a fast lens and a way to set shutterspeed and Aperture to be happy
My one question is if the D3x really is overpriced?
- I am not so sure, but I will know once I have had a chance to test it thoroughly.
I know a few guys to whom a switch would make the D3x look like an absolute bargain...
Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you and your loved ones