I've shot 7135 frames with the W60 as of about an hour
ago (processing 416 shots as I type). I've had the
camera since Aug or Sept.
It is too small, but that's the point ('n shoot?). The
on/off IS too close to the shutter. They moved the
MENU button to the worst place they could near the
four way controller instead of by itself on the bottom
(like on my venerable W10). In fact, every control on
the camera is TERRIBLE; too small, too close to other
controls. Worse yet, too many functions require going
into the menus. However, I use the camera for a number
of hours every week and even though it's not "easy" to
use (especially with white gloves on - don't even get
me started), I've fallen in love with this ridiculous
thing.
It has a great lens and it focuses extremely close.
The resolution is not bad at all and it has the best
dynamic range of any of the Optios I've seen. It also
has a much better LCD which allows for quicker and
more accurate viewing which is VERY important for me
since I rarely shoot any multiple frames of any angle
if I can help it (I can't waste much time shooting
watches before it becomes upside-down financially).
Plus, during the summer's I take the camera to the
pool and shoot video with it...under water.
So, while I agree that the camera is not "easy" to use
and I can only get really good stuff with it under
only very controlled conditions, I like it. But man,
would I love to tell Pentax how to design the next
one!
-Brendan
--- John Celio <n...@neovenator.com> wrote:
> >>You only have to do it once.
> >
> > not actually true... but never mind right now....
>
> In all the more-recent Optios I used to sell, you
> only had to set the Memory
> options once and they'd stick. Whatever it was that
> allowed the camera to
> keep time when you changed the battery also held
> those memory functions.
>
> >>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"
> >
> > A true point and shoot is a throw away camera
> that has a fixed focal
> > length and speed and DOF....
>
> True P&S? That's BS. What you describe is a
> single-use P&S camera, a
> bare-bones snapshot-producing piece of plastic.
> Point-and-shoot cameras are
> any cameras that are primarily fully automatic,
> small, cheap, and lacking
> interchangeable lenses. There is no rule that says
> they have to be simple,
> so anything from a single-use camera to a Leica CM
> to your former W60 can
> fall into this category.
>
> > The w60,for instance, comes with a book that has
> over 100 pages! They
> > want you to read the whole
> > book first!
>
> I don't think any manufacturer truly expects anyone
> to actually read a
> user's manual. This is why every camera you will
> buy these days is set to
> be usable right out of the box. This is also why
> the cameras will reset to
> these default settings when you shut them off. They
> tell you to read the
> manual so they don't get sued when someone tries to
> cram a AA battery in the
> SD slot.
>
> > 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.
>
> For better or worse there has been a camera feature
> arms race going on ever
> since digital cameras became affordable, and this
> arms race causes more
> features to be crammed into smaller and smaller
> packages. The nice thing,
> though, is that:
>
> You Don't Have To Understand All The Features To Use
> The Camera!
>
> Forget taking movies, who cares about digital zoom
> settings or silly color
> filters. Point and shoot and look at the photo
> you've just taken. Nice and
> easy, because the camera is set to automatic.
>
> >>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.
> >
> > 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...
>
> This is so not true. I used to sell cameras to
> people from the local
> retirement community as well as the local high
> schools and everyone in
> between. Every customer had their preferences, of
> course, but there was no
> indication that older customers had issues with
> "cutsey pie little icons",
> nor was there any indication that younger customers
> knew nothing about the
> skills you mentioned. Matter of fact, younger users
> were more likely to
> know photography than their parents and
> grandparents, in my experience.
>
> > Pentax tried to make a camera especially to appeal
> to EVERYONE... and
> > that is what is screwed up.
>
> Perhaps you should try a camera from the Optio E
> series. They're the
> simplest cameras Pentax makes. They take AA
> batteries, the power button is
> miles from the shutter button, and it has the
> SUPER-user-friendly "Green
> Mode" button. Sounds like it would be right up your
> alley, except it
> doesn't have a viewfinder. I think you're SOL in
> that regard.
>
> > The whole world of technology today is a disaster
> in terms of user
> > friendliness - ironic at a time when
> > there are more and more baby boomers or old
> folk....
>
> The "old folk" demographic is not a major one for
> tech manufacturers,
> despite the perception of your age group being large
> and influential. The
> people buying stuff are much younger than you, thus
> there is little
> incentive for products to conform to your needs.
> Your age group doesn't
> have nearly as much influence as the 18-35
> demographic. Besides, the Kodak
> EasyShare system is already targeted at "old folks"
> and technophobes, so
> that niche is probably as filled as it's going to
> get.
>
> > no one I know, regardless of age,
> > consider the Tv Controls of today are
> > better , for instance
>
> *shrug* Idunno, I can always figure them out.
> Trial-and error works for me,
> but then I don't have cable anymore and only use my
> TV for DVDs and the Wii.
>
> See, this is why I tell everyone I know to buy
> potentially-complicated
> things in a specialty store. That way you AT LEAST
> have a salesperson that
> can teach you how to use the item when you buy it,
> and help you out later
> when you get stuck.
>
> Also, it keeps good people in business. A few of my
> former camera shop
> coworkers just got laid off today from ANOTHER
> camera store that's likely
> closing soon, this time in San Francisco.
>
> John
>
> --
> http://www.neovenator.com
> http://www.cafepress.com/calemp
> http://www.cafepress.com/neovenatorphoto
>
>
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