In general, I find I rather hate digital photography.
Oh, sure, yes, it's very convenient. But photography's not supposed to be about convenience: having a limited number of available shots forces you to pay attention much more closely, to plan what you're trying to capture through the viewfinder more carefully. Almost unlimited camera memory encourages a scattergun approach where you just click & hope. That's not the way to make great photographs.
And what's so bloody "convenient" about disabling your computer by tying up all the hard drive memory in next-to-no-time??
So, yeah, digital photography pretty much sucks (and, while I'm in rant-mode, I hate Photoshop too - especially on my computer, where it crashes every 5 minutes).
But I'm rather afraid that my digital camera sucks in particular. I went with Nikon because I've always used their film cameras, and their lenses are second-to-none. Alas, it seems that in the digital sphere they have been completely blown away by Canon. I cannot believe how utterly CRAP my D-50 is.
Oh, sure, yes, it's very convenient. But photography's not supposed to be about convenience: having a limited number of available shots forces you to pay attention much more closely, to plan what you're trying to capture through the viewfinder more carefully. Almost unlimited camera memory encourages a scattergun approach where you just click & hope. That's not the way to make great photographs.
And what's so bloody "convenient" about disabling your computer by tying up all the hard drive memory in next-to-no-time??
So, yeah, digital photography pretty much sucks (and, while I'm in rant-mode, I hate Photoshop too - especially on my computer, where it crashes every 5 minutes).
But I'm rather afraid that my digital camera sucks in particular. I went with Nikon because I've always used their film cameras, and their lenses are second-to-none. Alas, it seems that in the digital sphere they have been completely blown away by Canon. I cannot believe how utterly CRAP my D-50 is.
It's not possible to get a continuous live display on the LCD screen so you can use it as a viewfinder. Why not? How difficult would it be to arrange that?
When the LCD screen is on, all other functions are frozen - you can't change any of your settings. How infuriating is that?! Picture opportunity comes up suddenly while you're checking through the shots you've just taken? Well, sorry, you're screwed - if you raise the camera to your eye and try to snap away, you find it paralysed. Another absolutely fucking brilliant idea!
After more than 2 years of ownership, I still haven't managed to work out how most of the features work - it is the most horrendously non-intuitive interface I've ever encountered.
The only way to engage the built-in flash appears to be to hold your hand over the lens to persuade the onboard lightmeter that it really is dark enough to justify using the flash (simply being dark enough doesn't seem to work!).
The 'Manual' setting - where you should be able to dictate both the aperture and the exposure for a shot - appears to be completely dysfunctional. But I guess it's too late for me to try and get it 'repaired' under warranty now; and I rather suspect that there's just some really stupid 'trick' to it that I haven't yet managed to wade far enough through the turgid user's manual to find.
Above all, it seems to have exactly the same failing as all the crappy little happy snapper digitals I've tried over the years (I wonder, are all brands really this bad? All the ones I've had have also been Nikons.): the auto-focus at times just completely breaks down...... AND IT WILL NOT LET YOU TAKE A PICTURE UNTIL THE AUTO-FOCUS IS READY.
Aaaaargh!! There really needs to be a simple override for that.
In photography, timing is everything. When I press the shutter button I want the picture to be taken exactly at that moment. I don't care if the light's too low. I don't care if I'm not quite in focus. I don't care if there's going to be a bit of camera shake. I just want the effing camera to record what I see in the viewfinder RIGHT NOW. I do not want to wait around for 2, 3, or 5 seconds while the camera's electronic 'brain' dithers over whether to take a picture or not (the combination of tyranny and ineptitude with which this sodding microchip poisons my life puts me in mind of HAL 9000 in '2001').
Is that really so much to ask? Well, with a Nikon Digital, it seems that it is.
It's amazing, really, that I ever manage to take any decent shots with the confounded thing at all. I did, for example, manage to get a few OK pictures from this gig I went to last week - but it was such a laborious and frustrating process, I nearly threw the goddamn camera on the ground and beat it with a stick.
I think I want a Canon. Santa, are you listening? I want a Canon!
4 comments:
I have a Canon [smug grin].
My first digital camera was a Kodak and was OK, but my Canon IXUS 800IS is soooo much better. Think, if you'd beaten your Nikon with a stick you'd have had to buy a new camera. And why would that be bad?
Money.
I don't enjoy the kind of affluence where writing off a 6,000 RMB investment - and then spending twice as much again on a replacement - can be done lightly.
Thanks for the gloat.
Fair point. Can't you identify that you Need a camera for work and then offset it against tax or something clever?
I too was a confirmed Nikon fan, having had every other variety of camera literally disintegrate during my travels. My trusty old Nikon FM got run over by a lorry in Malawi with no apparent ill-effects save a small scratch on the top.
It was tempting to continue being faithful to my beloved Nikons when 'upgrading' to digital. However, I had a good read of the relevant literature and played around extensively with various models in the shop before buying....a Canon. Much as it pains me, I have to agree with you Froog - if you have to abandon emulsion, digital Canons beat the crap out of Nikons on every count.
I have a Canon Power Shot A710 and I am extremely happy with it. I gather that it is the top end of the amateur range blending into the professional range and as I have sold quite a few photographs in my time without going mad over it, that's about where I aim to be.
It is not THE most slimline of digital cameras as it has a large 'power bulge' on the right which houses the batteries (and happily also gives my increasingly arthritic hands a better grip). The batteries are standard AAs, which was a deliberate choice - how often have my partner's batteries run short at a critical moment and she has lost the shot through lack of mains power, whereas no matter where you are in the bush you can always buy AAs from some little shop? I gather that this model was 'unpopular' with the punters for this reason, but for me it was a big 'plus'. You can always buy a small AA mains charger, as I have done, and - Bingo - you have the best of both worlds.
The A710 is small enough to pop into the top pocket of my photographer's jacket, which I wear at all times when out and about (it's my 'handbag' - I just pop it on and I have everything, including the requisite 'Indiana Jones' look) and it has a sufficiently large number of manual over-rides to give me the flexibility I need and to enable me to dispense with what the manufacturer seem to think I want (which is my own pet gripe).
Another great feature of the A710, being 'semi-pro' is that you can buy a lot of add-on kit such as extra lenses (notably, wide-angle) which gives it an even greater degree of flexibility.
If I had to get another camera I'd go on e-bay and get another A710. I'd strongly advise that, Froog - tread the second-hand route for now. The new Canons seem to have inherited Nikon's 'indestructibility' mantle so I doubt that you would get a dog if you bought used.
My Power Shot A710(IS) cost close to £300 over a year ago, but I suspect that you could get one (or its successor in the series - these things move so fast nowadays) for a fraction of that now. The only thing that I don't like about it is the silver-effect finish. I have always preferred black as I kid myself that silver might cause reflections that would cause my ultra-rare animal prey to run away. Yeah, right...
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