Are Cameras Becoming Too Complicated? (Page 2): Granted, some of the cameras have very complex focusing capabilities, and there are as many as a hundred pages devoted to that alone. If...

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Granted, some of the cameras have very complex focusing capabilities, and there are as many as a hundred pages devoted to that alone. If the focusing is not your gig, then it's probably more camera than you need.
Of what's left, probably half is about raw and half on jpeg. There again, most of us use one or the other and have no use for the one we don't use with video taking up a portion as well.
But probably the average shooter has more camera than they need!! ;-)
SS

RichardQ Loc: Colorado

joer wrote:

The manual of my new camera has over 500 pages (all English). I'm not about to read it cover to cover.

Watched an Art Wolf video where he admitted that he only uses about 4% of his camera's features.

Are we paying for things we'll never use?

I know I am.

I am surrounded by things that are capable of far more than the tasks for which I use them, especially the computer with which I'm posting this. My car has a lot more horsepower than I need, my hi-fi can play much louder than I want it to, my dictionary has a lot more words than I'll ever use. Thank God for the surplus.

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

joer wrote:

The manual of my new camera has over 500 pages (all English). I'm not about to read it cover to cover.

Watched an Art Wolf video where he admitted that he only uses about 4% of his camera's features.

Are we paying for things we'll never use?

I know I am.

Too complicated?
YES

Are we paying for things we never use?
YES.

My dream camera:

A rangefinder body with NOTHING but ISO, SS controls. LCD and no "modes" no "movies" no anything.

Heck...I'd LOVE it if you had to "cock the rewind knob" ala the Epson RD-1 of several years ago before taking the next image.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

joer wrote:

The manual of my new camera has over 500 pages (all English). I'm not about to read it cover to cover.

Watched an Art Wolf video where he admitted that he only uses about 4% of his camera's features.

Are we paying for things we'll never use?

I know I am.

You don't have to read the manual cover to cover - just read the parts that cover what you want to do, and then when you have a need to do something new, you could look that up. I have been using Photoshop since the first version, and there are whole areas of the program I've never used. But every once in a while I want to do something I haven't done before, so I just look that up. It is nice to know that whatever I want to do, there is probably a way to do it.

Erik_H Loc: Denham Springs, Louisiana

When I decided to go full frame, I was choosing between the D800/800e (the D810 hadn't been announced yet) and the DF. I chose the DF because it didn't have auto and scene modes (my D7000 has 19 scene modes), didn't have a built-in flash - I've never used one except as a commander for off camera flashes, and I have triggers for that. And no movie mode - If I wanted to shoot videos, I'd buy a video camera. I sometimes think that I paid the high price more for the things that I didn't want than the things that I did :). But, it is a beautiful camera that takes great pictures and I find it's very easy to use because it's a lot like the old slr's that I started out on.

hlmichel Loc: New Hope, Minnesota

Racmanaz wrote:

Wouldn't having a camera that does not exceed your capabilities make you a better photographer because it will force you to be more creative and over come those camera in-capabilities? Just asking is all :)

I am all for learning on a lesser camera. Learning to make beautiful images by working within the limitations of underpowered gear can make you better--or turn you into a frustration driven serial killer.

When I first knew that I could afford to buy my first dslr, I spent some time seeking out a model with no scenes or special effects--or even auto mode. Never found it.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Never used video or scene modes.

Rarely use jpg so I don't need all the adjustments that go with it.

Don't use in camera editing. Only look at the manual when I'm stumped.

None of it adds to my skill as a photographer.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

joer wrote:

Never used video or scene modes.

Rarely use jpg so I don't need all the adjustments that go with it.

Don't use in camera editing. Only look at the manual when I'm stumped.

None of it adds to my skill as a photographer.

Yep, set the bells for how you want to shoot, and ignore the whistles.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

rpavich wrote:

SS controls.

Hey, hey, I refuse to be controlled! :lol:
Well, maybe just a teenie bit by my wife, but that's IT!
SS

blackest Loc: Ireland

Rongnongno wrote:

But... but... but...

Manual does everything the camera does in auto mode and better and so does the off camera PP so why wanting all these options???

Shall we not be learning photography's evil triumvirate instead of a camera???

I know I am going the grain but honestly if we are into photography knowing what to do manually is more important than letting some corporate engineer decide for us.

Results? Shoot raw and shoot in (or semi-)manual.

i shoot in manual but for example there is a little ring round the shutter which i can twist to take a preview shot it can display a histogram and it also can blink in over and under exposed area's, two colours, found that feature a few weeks ago. after reading a book about my camera. there are simpler things like image stabilization on for handheld off for tripod work and lots of other little tit bits.

There is a lot to learn about your camera, if you want to control it, some things are useful to know that they exist and some are essential. If you don't want to know just put it in P mode and point and press the shutter button. you will get some nice photo's anyway.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

joer wrote:

The manual of my new camera has over 500 pages (all English). I'm not about to read it cover to cover.

Watched an Art Wolf video where he admitted that he only uses about 4% of his camera's features.

Are we paying for things we'll never use?

I know I am.

What camera has a 500 page manual? In any case, I want to know EVERYTHING about my cameras. There are plenty of features I use that I would never had known about if I hadn't read about them.

amehta Loc: Boston

joer wrote:

The manual of my new camera has over 500 pages (all English). I'm not about to read it cover to cover.

Watched an Art Wolf video where he admitted that he only uses about 4% of his camera's features.

Are we paying for things we'll never use?

I know I am.

I think we often overestimate the "cost" of a lot of features. The main things which cost money in a camera like the D810 are the sensor, the precision of the body and mechanical parts, the metering module, the AF system, and the processor. A lot of the other stuff like picture controls, HDR, etc, cost relatively little.

amehta Loc: Boston

mwsilvers wrote:

What camera has a 500 page manual? In any case, I want to know EVERYTHING about my cameras. There are plenty of features I use that I would never had known about if I hadn't read about them.

The D810.

christofras Loc: Gold Coast Australia

Racmanaz wrote:

Wouldn't having a camera that does not exceed your capabilities make you a better photographer because it will force you to be more creative and over come those camera in-capabilities? Just asking is all :)

OH! really?

avemal Loc: BALTIMORE

It is part of the fun of a new camera & keeps the interest up.
Have had the D7100 for 10 months & still comes up with new & interesting features. Love learning.