I just remembered.
I've got a Leica C1 I'm not all that fond of. It's virtually brand new with only two rolls of film thru it. I wonder if she'd like it...Hmmm.
A little too sophiticated, at the moment, perhaps, but she'd get used to it very quickly!
I'll give it some thought. If *I* am not all that fond of it, I'll have to give it some real thought. Maybe she wouldn't be either.
I've got to say, the ergonomics are terrible with this camera. I think designed by an engineer, not a user.
I've always thought that's just me...but it's entirely possible they just ARE crappy!
John Francis wrote:
Cotty mused:
On 20/11/04, Keith Whaley, discombobulated, unleashed:
In the meanwhile, who has an idea of a simple, 35mm film version, fully auto P&S Pentax, with perhaps a 3X zoom lens.
Assuming all the Pentax lenses are of equal capability in that camera line, does it all boil down to price?
You're giving her a film camera?
I'd go for digital. The film camera will get used on and off for a couple of years until she gets a cameraphone, then will never be picked up again.
Add another voice to the list. While there are still some situations where film is vastly superior to digital (I've just run a roll of Royal Gold 25 through the MZ-S), casual photography with a point-zoom-and-shoot isn't one. It doesn't play enough to the strengths of film, so the drawbacks (lack of instant review, no way to get images until the roll is complete, etc., etc.) become more apparent.
That's because you know both film and digital. She only knows film.
She's used a lot of Kodak prepackaged film cameras up to now, that she turns in to the drug store to get her photos back. Now she says she's old enough, and she wants a REAL camera!
She's never had a chance to get used to digital, or enjoy the unique characteristics of that media, so...right now there ARE no drawbacks to film whatsoever!
Buy her a digital (or a Leica, if she's channeling HCB :-)
There will be other Christmases for that. <g>
Thanks to everyone for the great ideas. I'll report back when it happens...
keith whaley
