Nickaroo

You nailed it Gene51. I was thinking of a response similar to the one that you gave. Every time that I have read one of your replies it seems to get my BrainBox going.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

There are a few things that are worth remembering when considering topics like this. The first and most important is that AI is almost completely a marketing term. As such, essentially none of the capability imbedded in our cameras and processing software is, on fact, artificial intelligence. It does not learn, and its capability does not grow as we use it. Both of those capabilities are fundamental to AI, and they are completely missing from the products that we buy. (The same is true of current self-driving cars. The only way they develop additional capability is through loading of new software.

Instead, what is currently available in the marketplace is just quite capable standard algoritic software, made possible by lots of cheap memory and faster processors. It looks like intelligence, but it's not.

Second...AI is promoted as something new, but it's really not. I took my first classes in AI and associated programming languages about 45 years ago, and it wasn't new then, either.

Will AI finally come? Maybe. Kids today trust machines more than other people. But it's really not worth burning a lot of energy over. Take a deep breath and life will be OK.

Robg

Speaking as a long-term worker in AI, having done my PhD dissertation in AI in 1975, I disagree strongly. AI is a broad topic and includes many capabilities in addition to learning. Learning may or may not be part of an AI project.

Here are some other capabilities that AI developers strive for: problem solving, vision, speech, locomotion. We can have AI applications in any of these areas that may or may not involve learning, but would be considered AI in either case.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Exactly the case!

Good photography involves many skills and perceptions. I don't understand what so many folks always interpret these questions with extremes. I can operate a camera, apply artistry to my work and operate a computer or a computer-driven camera and still remain in control. I don't believe any of these aspects preclude or negate each other. I believe most folks are like that. Technology does not have to turn us all into a pack of automatons. Robots with cameras will not replace real photographers any time soon.

Personally, I love technology and the latest innovations. Personally, I like technology and many of the newfangled gadgets. If I see something that can help me improve my photograher or facilitate better and fast production, I may buy into it. If I feel that some things may become more of an incumbrance than an asset, I pass it up we all have that option.

Come on some of y'all, instead of scoffing at all that is new and different, many try something new and different, you may even like it.

After all, it's artificial intelligence, not artificial CREATIVITY!

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

So true.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I was asked by the yearbook sponsor yesterday to take some photographs in a class that I was helping with. Since I didn't have my camera, I decided to use my cell phone, which has a fairly capable camera employing what many like to call AI. It does a good job, and one of the three camera options produces high resolution 4:3 images with really great color rendition and stunning sharpness.

The situation was a mock trial. In order to avoid disrupting the proceedings, I shot from a location in the room that admittedly was less than ideal, placing me near the end of one "lawyer's" table and the end od the jury box.

About half of my shots were unusable as the result of the artificially intelligent processor decided that my selected focus spot couldn't possibly be correct and refocused on the closest person in the frame instead of the one who was speaking. With my old-fashioned camera (a DSLR, by the way), that would never have happened.

So far, I have not found a way to "retrain" my fancy phone camera to behave any differently. That capability may exist, of course, but if it does, it remains a mystery right now.

This is a big disappointment, because the shots that worked are beautiful. So yes...while guardedly hopeful, I'm not yet excited about many of the claims being made. They seem OK for simple cases, but break down in many real-world situations.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Which phone is it.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Samsung S21+. And I'm sure that there is a solution. I've just not found it. Samsung didn't think to ship a manual with the phone.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

I'll bet you could download a manual online.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

I'll bet you are correct.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I have the same phone. I find if I touch the screen while composing a shot, where I want the camera to focus and read as to exposure. it works well. I can also, by touching the screen alter the brightness. In the menu, there is a "PRO" setting that enables many manual controls. There is also a PORTRAIT setting that provides selective focus and blurs backgrounds. I use a collapsed "selfie stick" as a grip- that makes it easier to hold the device and access the touchscreen when shooting.

I use my cellphone camera on certain family occasions lie whi I am invited to my grandchildren's high school and college events and they don't want "overzealous grandpa'" showing up like the Paparazzi!

Since all the pandemic restrictions and shutdowns, much of my commercial work has been for the construction and heavy equipment industry. Oftentimes the client is not in my city so they send me instructions as to shoot a particular piece of equipment or a phase of the construction in progress. When I am on-site things tend to move quickly so I may shoot a few images on the cell phone and immediately send them to the client to verify that I am shooting what they need. Once that phase of construction is complete, I can't go back for a re-shoot as certain details will no longer be visible. Sometimes I am amazed at the results from that device. It is very close to what I get on some of my high-end equipment.

Check out the menu and play with some of the features and override the automation- let me know what you get.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

A fabulous job 🏆💞🏆💞🏆

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Thanks, Ed. I've discovered the Pro mode and the capability it brings, as well as the ability to select any spit on the screen as my focus point. The issue yesterday was having the camera refocus on the nearest face after I had asked it to focus on a different person and watched it do so. I don’t believe in being the victim of any camera (or phone), but haven't yet figured out how to avoid it with this new one.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

The trick is being able to steady the device, compose, and touch the screen. On the manual mode, a small circle appears on the screen whereby you can lock in focus on any particular person or element. In one of the auto modes, little boxes appear and the device does what it wants to do- kind of an annoyance! Well as long as there is not a map of the world on the device that triggers the nuclear code and an algorithm that decides where to send the missiles, I'll be able to sleep at night.

Whenever I hear or write the word "missile", I remember my 8th-grade scenic teacher Mr. Silverman, who told us on the first day of class that the "launching of "moisture missiles" (AKA spit-balls) was prohibited in the lab. He did, however, make the mistake of demonstrating chemical reactions and oxidation by mixing potassium permanganate and glycerin to make smoke for our paper mache volcano science fair display. Not a great idea for a bunch of boys going through their pyromania/prank stage. Many delayed-action "stink-bombs" were to follow! Well- Mr. Silverman also inspired me to hook up my camera to the school microscope and photograph blood cells. Getting the blood was also kinda problematic. In the end, both projects scored well at the science fair!

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

As a former science teacher and engineer I can attest that the learning from any experiment or demonstration makes more of an impression and remains more persistently if accompanied by a little bit of fire or explosion.