Retired fat guy with a camera wrote:
I would like to do a informal survey.
How many of us, use all the bells and whistles our cameras have to offer?
If your camera has video, do you use it often?
Do you really use a 64,954,846 ISO?
What other features did you have to have, only to find you really didn't need them.
If you could be so kind, would you please state your age.
I am trying to learn if younger photographer's use their cameras differently than me, an old, very un-hip, kinda guy.
I am 63. I have two main cameras. A Canon 1D Mark lll and a 1Ds Mark lll. I have 2 more bodies that are gathering dust, the original Canon 1Ds and a 1D Mark III that has issues. I had a shutter replaced and it only makes images, if the shutter is less than 300th of a second. I was told it was a firmware issue. Oh well. You might have deduced, I like 1D bodies.
I have owned a 10D, a 50D, and a 5D. They were all good cameras, and I got great images out of them all. But, I was never totally satisfied with them. I researched, and read and then read some more [I did not ask this forum, which one to buy] and finally decided on the Mark lll's. I have not regretted that choice for a second. Plus, I got them all for $1,680.37 [including shipping on two of them]. 4 pro cameras, that had low shutter counts, for less than anyone of them new.
I shoot anything that catches my eye, birds, barns, people, landscapes, it doesn't matter. I have 4, L lenses, ranging from a 24mm - to a 300 mm L prime lens. I also have a 1.4 extender that I am not wild about.
My camera and lenses fit my needs. Although, I do want a 100mm L and a 17-40 mm L, but who doesn't want more glass?
So, to make a long story longer.
I take pictures, I have no desire to make movies, one bell gone.
My idea of a late, wild, night, is staying up and watching 2 movies, instead of just one, eating popcorn at home.
I am not in the clubs, or out past dark very often, So I do not need a camera, that has a 64,000 Iso, unless I am in a dark room, I rarely shoot anything over a 400 Iso. One whistle gone.
My prints are mostly 8x10's, both my cameras have enough mega pixels to take care of that size.
Do I need a 50 mega pixel camera? Nope. More bells and whistle I don't need.
How about you?
Inquiring mind want to know!
I would like to do a informal survey. br How many ... (
show quote)
I'll be 63 in August. I guess I can answer your question in general by saying I have not discovered all the Bell & Whistles my cameras may have. You can read my tag line below to see what cameras I am using. I do have a lot of lenses. Mostly vintage.
> I don't shoot video (though some of my cameras are capable of it).
> I'll use the modes M, Av, Tv, and X; I never use Full Green Auto, P, Sv, TAv. (Nikon uses very different terms, Pentax and Canon share some terminology, and Pentax has some odd "Auto-ISO" modes)
> I find AWB works fine much of the time, but if I know the light balance I'll switch to Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Flash, Quartz, etc. But it really does not matter as I shoot RAW normally. One click in ACR and I can set to any Color Balance / White Balance I want.
> I use Photoshop CS6 (from one of the last DVD-ROM copies sold).
> I really have not gotten into the BBF habit yet. I tried it once and found it confusing. Too many years using my index finger atop the camera I guess.
> I sometimes use AF, but since many of my lenses are vintage and not AF, I often manually focus. Though with my Pentax cameras you still get an "in-focus" beep and flash.
> I've used the self timer in my camera(s).
> I've even done interval timed exposures.
> I've never tried automated in-camera panoramas or HDRs. But I've done DHR and Panos manually from many exposures.
> I have done manual focus stacking.
> I have set the shutter to open timed before exposure for macro shots, but it is a lot of confusing effort.
> I have customized or changed both front and back dials on my cameras.
> As stated I shoot in RAW.
> I've rarely gone above ISO 1,600. Mostly shoot at 100, 200, 400.
> Even though I have a lot of glass I find I mainly use the same few lenses with my APS-C DSLRs and a slightly different selection with my film SLRs.
DSLR
**smc-Pentax-DA 35mm f/2.8 Macro Limited lens,
**smc-Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4 Lens,
**smc-Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8 Lens,
**smc-Pentax-A 135mm f/2.8 Lens,
**Vivitar (Pentax-KA mount) 19mm f/3.8 Lens,
**smc-Pentax-DA* 16-50mm f/2.8 Zoom Lens,
**Tamron (Pentax-KFA mount) 18-200mm f/"variable"? Zoom Lens.
SLR
**smc-Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4 Lens,
**smc-Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8 Lens,
**smc-Pentax-A 135mm f/2.8 Lens,
**smc-Pentax-M 100mm f/4 Macro Lens
**Vivitar (Pentax-KA mount) 19mm f/3.8 Lens,