> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Jay D.
> Washington
> Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2001 7:55 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: RE: EOS Bright white bothersome AF assist light of Elan 7
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > Oh, good grief again! I feel the new cameras are already too
> cluttered
> > with controls and gizmos. The left hand is supposed to focus and
> > steady the
> > camera for the shot. Even if your not using it to touch up focus,
> > getting a
> > steady camera when hand holding is a left hand thing.
> > Besides, how can one focus one's mind on the shot (which
> after all is
> > the most important thing), if one's playing with both hands?
> > Seriously, you
> > should try and concentrate on the shot, keep your hands steady.
> > That's what
> > EOS is all about freeing up your hands and using your mind for
> the image.
> > And that's why I feel enough is enough, or that already we
> > got too much
> > going on, on the cameras. Makes too many fiddlers, not enough real
> > photographers left. The controls you need should be there, but
> > they're there
> > for setting up the camera. Once setup, you should hot have to
> > take your eyes
> > off the finder, nor fiddle your fingers.
> > Jim Davis (in Japan)
> > webpage: http://www.kjsl.com/~jbdavis/
> > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > 1985/86 K100RS "Rocket Sled"
> >
>
>
> Here Here, You've got it exactly right. Compose (both hands and tripod),
> focus (45 or whatever point auto with full time manual over ride--Left
> hand), and exposure (with quick dial adjustment as necessary--Right hand).
> Simple, with EOS making focusing and exposure more accurate for us idiots.
>
> Now, the bad composition... I guess that's my fault.
OK, now help me with this. I am walking around taking people pictures at a
function. The light is dim and I either want to take flash pictures or, with
high speed film, available light pictures, without buzzing that a/f assist
light in their faces. I need the autofocus because I am taking them quickly
and moving about. No time or space for a tripod. If I had a Leica or other
non-a/f camera, presumably the viewfinder and split or superimposed-image
rangefinder would be bright enough for me to focus manually, but with my
Elan it is too dim. So I have to rely on a/f. Of course I can guess, but I
chose a/f because it is a/f. With my Elan II I can focus down to reasonably
low light levels, using the infrared, and no one is annoyed. But with the
Elan 7, I can't.
When I complain about this, I hear some seconding voices, but also a number
of replies from Superior Photographers about how I am too concerned about
gadgets and controls and that Real Photographers don't need them. It is as
if the whole idea of autofocus was a mistake to begin with and now that I
have it, I shouldn't complain, but rather, when it doesn't work the way I
would like it to work, turn it off, switch over to semi-automatic exposure
and manual focus override and be more Manly about it.
By the way, I haven't tried the Maxxum 7 yet, but it seems that they have at
least included a red or infrared a/f assist light. I do know that my old
7000i was a much better focuser and less annoying (it did have the red
light, but more or less dim). So also the A2 has something similar. It is
only a matter of when, if ever, Canon will issue an upgrade to it, but it
would be nice if they would carry over the II's infrared assist light to the
next upgrade of the 7.
As for the kinds of quick, positive manual controls I would like to see, I
suppose their basic policy ist to have fewer and fewer of them and bury them
deep inside the custom functions. Next thing you know they will include
Microsoft Windows and a little mouse and mouse pad to set the controls. Or,
for the Macho Photographers they may make it Unix with CDE.
----------------------------------------------
Gerry Palo
Denver, Colorado
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