abstractist72

Feel free to add to this GRIPE, if you feel the same way I do.

I started taking photographs 57 years ago with a Zeiss Ikon rangefinder 35 mm film camera.

I developed my own film and printed black and white photos for around 15 years, having moved to a few better cameras in the process.

1st upgrade was a Honeywell Pentax SLR with 35 mm, 55 mm and 135 mm lenses.

Later to a Nikon FM2 with 28 mm, 55 mm, 135 mm, and 200 mm.

Using every conceivable type of film possible.

I did portraiture, weddings, anniversary parties, Nature, you name it I just about photographed it.

This was all a hobby for me, I was only a professionally employed photographer for about 2 months, long story (won't go into that).

My GRIPE is what the camera companies did and did not do, and there missed opportunities when they developed DSLR cameras.

Now I would like to say, my camera bag had many varieties of film always ready for any occasion.

And when I would compose and shoot the image, I stopped using a light meter many years ago, as I was as accurate as my Lunapro would say for a certain scene.

Retired, I was given a DSLR 35 mm size Nikon for a Christmas present, with 2 lenses. It was a bundle.

So here are some GRIPES:

1: After so many years of shooting film, I knew which film to grab for what occasion, and what ASA would work the best for that situation. DSLR camera makers should have given the owners of these cameras, a set of film types, to choose from, and the camera would mimic the results of those types of film. So If I wanted to use a Fuj1 400, I could choose that in a menu, and the camera would act as if I had Fuji 400 in the camera.

2: I have a lot of very good camera equipment, that is now like the old toys in Toy Story, that FM2 is a wonderful camera, and Nikon should have made it possible for owners of their cameras, to send them in to be retrofitted with DSLR innards.

3: Feeling stupid, because the instruction are printed for someone that can read and follow instructions. I cannot, I am a visual learner, I learn by watching, and by doing. My camera has charts and graphs and histograms??????
I would just like to not feel so stupid, and be able to create those great pictures that I did with my film cameras.

4: Using this Nikon DSLR it almost like a chore, the ASA is off the wall, and I try to think what can this camera do for me, I know there are great possibilities, but 1/2 the time, I cannot find the right setting is in in Wrenches, or the Camera body?

5: I believe if a camera company, made the adjustments, that I have stated, being able to mimic film, by choosing the type of film in a menu, VPS, Tri-X, Kodacolor, Fuji 200, etc. I think that would go a long way to help older film camera users be able to accomplish getting the most out of their cameras.

Jwshelton Loc: Denver,CO

Feel better?

One Rude Dawg Loc: Athol, ID

So, shoot film with your old camera.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Point-N-Shoot digital.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Should the car manufactures have left the engine cranks on the front of cars?
Should the internet providers still provide a squawk whenever you connect to a website so it sounds like dial-up?
Should you be forced to visit physical stores to buy your MP3 music?
Should you be forced to open your front door each morning to see if UHH has been delivered yet?
Should a large multinational company design their products to the limited understanding of a single customer?

If you want to shoot film, nothing is stopping you. Buy it. Load it. Shoot it. Develop it. Hope maybe 1 of 36 is anything worth keeping after the $20 investment. You may not be able to buy film at the gas station / everywhere like not too long ago and getting it developed also takes some effort based on where you live. But, high-quality film and places to get it developed and scanned are plenty if you don't do it yourself.

DSLRs have been widely available since 2001. You seem to be coming to the game a bit late with ideas about how they should be designed ... Maybe some training and practice is needed to see the wonders and opportunities they provide.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Some Fujifilm digital cameras have a film simulation mode, the pictures you take look like they were shot with film. I agree, more camera makers should be doing that. But, you have to go with the flow, I still play 45 rpm records I bought in the 60's, nothing is stopping people from shooting film.

jbmauser Loc: Roanoke, VA

I am not a lawyer (thank God) but I think if Nikon was to put film type software adjustments into their camera they would have to pay royalties to Kodak, Fugi, Agfa etc. just to use the product names which are trademarks. There is post processing software out there that does do just what you want. Also, we who know what film actually is and did are not their market much longer.

The histogram is a great tool if you take the time to learn what it does and then use it. I use it a lot when shooting with old Manual Ais Nikon lenses. It is a better meter than the old match needle internal light meter.

JFCoupe Loc: Kent, Washington

Since you are a visual learner, log into You Tube and search for instructional videos developed for your specific camera model. Also, many Nikon features are probably similar among multiple models so you can also view an expanded range of videos to learn from.

It would be nice if DSLR or mirrorless cameras had settings that mimic various film brands and types. I do think there are software applications where you can make these selections in post processing.

Best wishes for your learning curve and use of digital cameras.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

I have no major gripes, I just use my Nikons like I did my old film cameras, full manual. But the auto focus works well for some of my work.
What I do like is I don't have to mess with all the different films, the hours in the darkroom and the odor. There are many more "film" speeds just a button push away and you can change anytime you wish.
I too am a visual learner but the switch to DSLR was easy.
I have some initial settings I use when I get a new camera (Nikon) darned if I can remember what they are right now. I shoot RAW only. and process in CS6.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

I am missing the point of your gripes. With DSLR’s you can certainly change the ISO/ASA to mimic film. I generally set my Nikon D800 to 200 ISO and leave it there for much of my shooting needs

After I bought the camera I went through the menu, set it where I wanted it and haven’t changed it since. Again, for my photography needs it works for me. The good thing about DSLR’s is you have the ability to make many changes if you want to. ISO is generally easy to change without going into the menu.

Dennis

tomad Loc: North Carolina

1. As later generations of photographers have probably never used film, this would be confusing to them and camera companies are not going to cater to us baby boomers. They want customers that will continue to spend money in the coming decades when us film dogs are gone.

2. There have been many discussions about this here on the hog. It just isn't practical as it would be expensive and an engineering nightmare. Besides, again, they want to sell new models, not retrofit older ones.

3. I'm a visual learner also and I've found that the only way to learn is get out there and shoot, try every setting and see what you get. Do refer to online help (documentation, reviews, youtube videos) when something stumps you for help on that particular setting or problem.

4. It just takes time and experience with the camera. I started in Program mode that allows you to modify a few settings at a time and played with one setting until I understood it, then moved on to another.

5. It would, but us "one-foot-in-the-gravers" is not their main target audience, so why would they bother?

Brent Rowlett Loc: Atlanta, GA

Sign of the times. Sad that hot shots at Kodak developed the digital camera and ruined the film industry driving their company into bankruptcy. Talk about shooting both feet off...

Used to be that experience counted for something; not any more. One can jump into today’s technology and pass all the old timers from the outset. It’s pay to play today, constant manipulation and upgrades until you decide to jump off the merry go round. Buy a good meter and your troubles will be over. Everyone is a photographer today.

dml Loc: Texas

try pottery or sewing or sky diving.
be happy.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

I'm guessing, you have the Nikon D3400 with kit lenses AF-P 18-55mm and 70-300mm. I borrowed my father's Minolta SRT-101 film camera, decades back, when he didn't use it. It was a fabulous camera. He sold that camera. And our firsts digital cameras were compacts. Me, DSLR now. The biggest thrill we got from digital, was that you could view your shot, shortly after you took it. Something, you can't do with film SLRs. And you could take more than 36 exposures. Give your new camera a chance.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Yeah, sewing would be good.