Two things are needed to make good photograps: 1) The ability to imagine, visualise, locate, create and frame a suitable subject for a good photograph. 2) The ability to master the photographic techniques necsary.
Smart cameras helps a lot with number 2), less with number 1) - e.i. situations, when time is a scrutial factor. Smart cameras doesn't make dumb Photogs. But they make it possible for more people to create photegraphs, that would otherwise be impossible. Smart cameras makes it possible for people without any photographis knowledge, to create useable, even excellent photographs. That's the reason cameras get smarter all the time - the manufacturers can increase the market (number of potential buyers) for cameras. I frequently watch local photographic forums (Web sites). They seem to be crowded with quite nice, but not really good, photograhs made by people, who don't know the first thing about photographic techniques, using digital P&S cameras. These people wouldn't be able to make a decent photograph using af manual camera. I guess the average amateur phograph is much better today, than it was 30 years ago. Thanks to the photoindusty, who makes smart cameras. Today I can make excellent photographs using totally manual cameras made in the 1960'ies. I guess cameras like the semiautomatic cameras like my Yashica TL Electro X and the Pentax MX, helped me getting started. I learned from my errors and started to read up on photography. As of now, I don't really need a smart camera anymore. But guess autofocus, multi segment metering, DOF controls, TTL-flash etc. etc. setaintly make my life easier once in a while. For some cameras (like PZ1) it's sometimes very annoying having to outsmart the sofisticated automatics, in cases where this is not quite sufficent for what I want. Ometimes it's actually more difficult tying to outsmart the camera, than to just shoot manually. Best Regards Jens -----Oprindelig meddelelse----- Fra: Paul Stenquist [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sendt: 15. februar 2004 13:26 Til: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Emne: Re: Do Smarter Cameras make Dumber Photogs? I think what John means is that using a manual camera requires some knowledge of exposure and the relationship between shutter speed and stop. Some would be photogs who learn on fully automated beasties never learn that. They just set it to the green dot and fire away. Now and then they get lucky and get a decent shot, so they're happy and count themselves among the talented. Paul On Feb 15, 2004, at 12:24 AM, Shel Belinkoff wrote: > John, > > Why do you so often insist that learning to use a manual > camera is "the hard way?" > > What can be simpler to operate than a camera ... perhaps a > toaster? Nah, they're getting pretty complicated these days > as well <LOL> > > John Francis wrote: > >> The only question is whether there is, among that number, >> a photographer who would bother to go through the effort >> of learning how to do things "the hard way", and who would >> then be able to produce better photographs. >
