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[OM] Re: Point and shoot

Subject: [OM] Re: Point and shoot
From: Steve Dropkin <steve@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 05:44:25 -0500
Moose wrote:

> Mike does say. " Good photographers can actually learn to use 
> point-and-shoots reasonably effectively, and you can, too. But only if 
> you try."
> 
> And I simply disagree with his lengthy rant about how there isn't any 
> difference between them and that any time spent picking one is simply 
> wasted. I have spent the time and effort to choose carefully and feel 
> amply rewarded with the results.

I think the key to Mike's rant is that most people -- not the ones 
who continue to use 20- and 30-year-old cameras; or the ones who 
subscribe to photography-related mailing lists; or the ones who read 
photography blogs (uh-ohhh...) -- don't recognize or care about the 
differences between a technically-decent photo and a 
technically-excellent one.

The folks who are happy to have the shot without their thumb or the 
camera strap in view; the ones who are satisfied if Jennifer or 
Jason doesn't have her/his eyes closed -- they won't notice if the 
digital noise creeps in at ISO 400 or 800. They probably aren't 
looking at the pictures critically enough (or blown up enough) to 
notice much CA. Their criteria for camera purchases are much 
different than those of serious photographers.

And, from that perspective, I think Mike is right. Most people spend 
far too much time "agonizing" over the selection of a digital P&S 
when they likely won't take advantage of some (most?) of the fancier 
features and won't be anywhere near pushing the envelope of its 
imaging abilities or their picture-taking abilities. Most of them 
don't want to learn more, either. Take the shot, commit it to 
history, done.

Why Mike chose to issue that rant in a photography blog is beyond 
me, unless he really was after the humor. It's kind of like 
pontificating about microfinancing in the movie theater while 
/Spiderman/ is on.

> I actually advise the reverse for anyone with some digital camera 
> experience. I don't even crack the manual until I've taken quite a few 
> images. I prefer to learn by trying and seeing the result. I find that I 
> learn more and retain it better that way.

To each their own! I would much rather read the manual first, try 
some shots, and read the manual again to see what I forgot or what I 
did wrong. If it works, by no means change it, but people have their 
preferred ways to learn, especially when the subject is far afield 
for them.

Steve

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