ann sanfedele wrote:
You have to remember, P&S cameras are not made to appeal to advanced
photographers like us. They're made for lowest-common-denominator
users, and as such have to be as simple and user friendly as possible.
Alas, they are not in any way "simple and user friendly"
Hear, hear!
A true point and shoot is a throw away camera that has a fixed focal
length and speed and DOF....
Precisely. Like the old Kodak Brownie. The only moving parts were s shutter
release and a film rewind knob!
The w60,for instance, comes with a book that has over 100 pages!
My Pentax Optio S5i has 147 pages! Hardly a point and shoot.
In fact, most "features" consume only 1 or 2 pages of instruction. That will
tell you how many 'features' the camera offers!
More in the Pentax mind-set of trying to be all things to all people.
While this camera IS quite small, and concealable, it is NOT a P&S camera, by
ANY sort of definition!
They want you to read the whole book first!
Exactly so! Says that on the front cover of my manual! "...before using the
camera."
You and I don't really have to, but someone who just wants
to take some snaps is never going to do that.
I have several friends who thought they would like digital for the
obvious reasons -- no film charges, ease
of getting prints, fits in your pocket, SIMPLE TO USE....
the Z10 and the W60 both have tons of confusing choices aimed at
us, actually - they want to put it all in one.
My point exactly.
Pentax and other companies have to assume that someone taking snapshots
is going to want the camera to perform exactly the same way every time
they use it, so they make the camera reset itself unless someone like
you tells it not to.
It may not make a lot of sense to you, but I'm sure there are a lot of
people who appreciate it.
John
No one over 30, does, I guarantee..... these cameras are designed for
people who grew up with computers and like cutsey pie little icons...
they may know nothing about lighting, timing, composing, but they do
seem to like to have lots of little buttons to push...
Pentax tried to make a camera especially to appeal to EVERYONE... and
that is what is screwed up.
THe z10 and w60 DOESN'T do it all for you -- the choices are part of
there selling schtick -
The very worst element , which is one that has nothing to do with
photography at all is simply that
the on-off switch is VERY close to the shutter release... and the
buttons feel very much alike...
shooting quickly I hit the wrong one a number of times... that has
nothing to do with my skills as a photographer.
That's a common complaint. As time goes on, some makers have done what they
could to modify that, and make it more distinctive. But, you're right again.
[...]
sigh - sorry for the digression -- but it is part of the same fabric of
our hyper-techno world... and it's a damn shame.
ann
keith whaley
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