OldSchool-WI Loc: Brandon, Wisconsin 53919

If a serious pro photographer checks his/her exposure with white and gray cards, incident and reflected meters, color temp and flash meters, and measures distances. Why pay for a camera with those point and shoot features? Where is there a real pro-camera without those?

Grahame Loc: Fiji

No doubt you are going to tell everyone, along with how many of them you have and the chances are that you will manage to include the word 'foveon' in there somewhere.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

I use the internal meter in my camera and the camera's exposure aids to set a more accurate exposure than is possible using cards and hand light meters (I do shoot a WB reference card). I'm a pro-photographer who lives and works in the 21st century.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I just focus on and meter with what method what I want to in a shot and click.
No cards, hand held meters, or tape measure.
I may review the shot. If It's not what I want I'll adjust and shoot again or just adjust in post.
I don't do birds or take 50 shots of something.

OldSchool-WI Loc: Brandon, Wisconsin 53919

No wiseacre. I was not and am not going that route-----I just wanted to hear from you folks who love the gadgets and defend them. My cameras have all the auto features, also. In fact probably more than yours? So----old snarky----keep it to yourself.

As far as the fun auto features---they have a point and shoot place. Here is one I took ten minutes ago with a 20 year old Sony DSC point and shoot to send on the internet.-----But this isn't pro-photography!---example--------------------ew

20yr old Sony DSC PAS--example why some cams should be auto.

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Bill_de Loc: US

Like your user name, what you are describing is "Old School".

Many folks enjoy the advances that have been made in the 21st century.

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robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Since when do all serious pro photographers check all those things all the time. The ones I know may do so in a studio but seldom/never in the field, esp wildlife, birds and for sport/action shots. The exception would be shitty light and even many can just go on experience and skill even then. And most photographers I know have learned to use those features in their camera and do so instead of carrying all the gear to do so manually. Or is lugging that stuff part of your cardio/strength workout routine?

And since once a camera has the working guts all it takes to do many of those things is software, which weighs nothing and takes up no space. It is also fairly cheap for the camera company to include it.

If you think it is not necessary for a REAL pro camera for serious people (I am going with you think you are the perfect example of one of those.) either hunt until you find one, pay some tech to build you a custom one or just ignore the built in functions, carry the gear and do it all for your self.

And yes I remember when anyone wanting to do all that had to lug the gear around and I did it with 35mm, 2 1/4 and 4x5 but after a while I stopped and started only carrying a light meter - 1° variety. Then when I got cameras with built in meters I only carried the spot meter if the camera didn't have an internal spot meter. My Miranda Sensorex I bought in Tokyo on R&R had a 1° meter, it died years later here in the states and I had to have it replaced - turns out the 1° was an "in Japan only" thing and my replacement was a 5°, when I bought a second body so I could use B&W and Color without having to shoot the whole roll before I changed the US import body had the 5° meter also.

Enough experience and you can learn to eyeball and do all that stuff in your brain close enough to get by and be able to correct any mistakes in PP. And I met some who could do it well with film and today with digital it is easier.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

That's determined by the photographer, not the tools.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Grahame Loc: Fiji

You talk of "fun auto features" and say "they have a point and shoot place, but do not mention what you consider are those actual fun auto features.

Looks again as if you really are not sure what you are talking about, just making assumptions that a 'pro' would not be using them, possibly because you have no idea of some of the advantages.

OldSchool-WI Loc: Brandon, Wisconsin 53919

Anybody receiving money for photos is a pro. But then there are experts as opposed to mere--pros. They set lights, composition, and colors. For instance in shooting a corporate annual report with the board members--grouped or as portraits. Or the photogs hired for industrial one of a kind shots of processes in action. And last the true architectural photographers carefully judging all the attributes of a perfect representation. They aren't just clicking away and choosing in post---none of the above?----ew

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

It IS the case that when making multiple (dozens to thousands) of exposures of the same type of subject, it is advantageous to set up controlled lighting, meter it, tweak it, custom white balance it, expose a ColorChecker Passport in it, then "rip the knobs off and fire away." The same is true for product photography, where precision counts. Gotta have Corvette Red when photographing a Corvette, and CocaCola Red when photographing the can or bottle.

It is also the case that when photographing events, reliance on raw capture and the "pretty good" accuracy of the camera's metering system is a reasonable strategy.

Sometimes a "wet finger in the wind" strategy is enough. Sometimes, a tenth of a stop matters.

I'm happy my equipment gives me all sorts of choices. Reading the 500+ page manual was WELL worth it.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Different for a business, eh?
Some people don't realize that and think it applies to ALL photography.

Bill_de Loc: US

Your original post started with, "If a serious pro photographer ...".

Now you are narrowing it down to experts vs mere pros. Before you fall off your high horse, why don't you tell us just what you are trying to get at. It seems you are trying to instigate controversy, with no other goal in mind.

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