nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

I was in an old-time camera shop run by an old-timer who didn't really move past the film era. A lady came in with a higher-end Canon DSLR...5D-6D-7D family. She was asking for help with the camera not autofocusing consistently. The owner was at a loss. I nicely stuck my nose into the conversation, to the relief of the owner. I'm a Canon owner (60D) and tried to figure out her problem.

After puzzling over it a while, I finally noticed it was set for just one of the AF points way-off the center. Of course, the center was where she expected to see good focus. I set it to use all the AF points, and VOILA!! Problem solved, for the immediate term. I explained what was going on and showed her how you change AF points, and why. She had no idea about this functionality or how it got set the way it was.

I should have offered to swap my camera for hers, but I didn't have mine with me. A good example of a beginner buying what someone "recommended" to her with no concern over whether she had any comprehension of its capabilities, and would have been far better off spending a lot less money on a lower-end model to learn with.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

She might have been fine if she'd only read the manual, bought a book or two about the camera and read those, and/or viewed some of the videos online about the Canon focus system.

BTW, it's super easy to "bump buttons" and change the focus point that way. On the models with a "joystick" (5D-series, 7D-series) there's the option of setting the joystick to directly access AF point selection (no need to press another button first.... which is faster but more prone to accidentally changing AF point selection) AND it's possible to set the joystick so that "clicking" it like a mouse button causes the AF point to immediately return to the center point.

I've haven't used 60D, 6D etc. with their slightly different AF control often enough to know what's possible with them. But I almost NEVER use my cameras set to All Points/Auto Selection (the way you set up hers). That leaves it completely up to the camera to decide where to focus and more often than not it chooses something other than what I want.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

I'm with amphoto on this and recommend meticulously reading the manual...more than once.
--Bob

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

Funny no one told her that she could have looked at the focusing screen and seen what was in focus.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

There are many, many folks out there buying things, that others recommend, that they have no idea about. It is not just limited to camera's.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

How true! Sometimes they don't even know why they bought it...…..

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

I mentored an artist who wanted to use her new DSLR to take photos of scenes she wanted to paint. So I downloaded the manual and studied a bit. She and her husband were delighted when I pressed the button that allowed the LCD screen to pop out. It was an "aha" moment for them. They weren't "manual" people but finally agreed that they better crack it open.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Wow, I don't think that an outing with my Fujifilm X-T20 has gone by that the palm of my right hand while holding the camera has not brushed up against the buttons on the back causing all kinds of menus to popup or settings to change.

The only thing that drives me more crazy is when my dog steps on my remote control..!

loosecanon Loc: Central Texas

The "Autodog" setting should solve your problem.

bpulv Loc: Buena Park, CA

The problem is that we as professionals and advanced amateurs do not comprehend that beginners who by a camera that is over their heads can read the manual, but have no idea of what is being talked about. They buy a camera thinking it is automatic and, therefore do not need to concern themselves with the myriad of controls and menus or learn anything about them. That is why you should always be careful when you recommend a camera purchase to someone to look at what they need given their abilities and needs and not project yours into your recommendations.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

That is typical the case. Many people buy more than they need usually because someone else made the recommendation or because they want to have the best and the latest. From your explanations I am sure you understand what I am saying.
For a beginner an advanced amateur camera could be overkill. So many settings and parameters in the camera that besides being confusing it is overwhelming. Without good basic photography knowledge the camera could be a glorious point and shoot instead of the tool it is.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

Since I started this thread, I will take the liberty of waxing-on.....

Cameras now have so many buttons, modes, features, technical capabilities that they have surpassed the ability of, I dare say, MANY PEOPLE to comprehend them. This includes the ability to determine what button or joystick or option you may have unknowingly manipulated. The 200+ page manuals can be absolutely intimidating!

Call me a dinosaur if it satisfies your ego. I'm 68 years old, been a photographer for 60 of those years. I've taught photography to kids and adults. I collect Canon and Nikon film cameras. I'm a certified computer technician. I don't fear computers , Windows, Linux, Macs etc. I do have a phobia against smartphones. I want a cell phone to make phone calls with. Everything else is more than I have a desire to use. I don't text, and tell people not to text me. Seems like Smart phones don't even get used to make/receive phone calls anymore.

The other thing that disturbs me is the complication of today's DSLRs. Please don't start a discussion on this camera's good and bad, but when Nikon introduced the Df SLR, I thought, "Ahhh-Nikon gets it! Looks like a film camera. You can set aperture-shutter-ISO and TAKE PICTURES." The price was way out of my reach though.

My first digital camera was a Canon Powershot G5, because SLRs were too costly. More features and functions than I needed. I missed lens interchangeability too much so graduated to a Canon 60D, bought only because a smaller-and-$500.00 cheaper-Rebel did not fit my hands well. Between the manual and "Canon EOS 60D for Dummies" book I have managed to learn about how much it can be manipulated, though I will still will never have a need or desire to utilize many of its capabilities.

I am guilty of saying "Read the Manual!", but that is not how some people learn, including my wife. Technical manuals can be imposing and scary and complicated. I did not say "READ THE MANUAL!" to the lady in the camera store. I did wish that I could have spent time SHOWING her more about her camera to make her a more knowledgeable user.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

This is why there's usually a Quick Start Guide. That's as far as some folks want to go.

nadelewitz Loc: Ithaca NY

The Quick Start Guide is about what a film camera would need. Doesn't begin to touch on the vast features/controls/settings.