As I did nothing but 4x5 B&W for the last 25 years, I would like to have a manual digital camera that is high quality.
Please comment briefly on your reaction to these “smart” cameras.
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Some people blindly rely on whatever automation they can get and have no desire to learn beyond that point. The rest of us could use better technology in an emergency. I don't think it will change the way people work. I'm keeping my incident meter.
I can see different responses to this is you are asking about a consumer camera vs. a pro or prosumer. I think that higher-end cameras should always allow more control, but I with think that consumers would welcme all the help they can get.
I've been a photographer for over 61 year. I never turned "pro" although I have made money out of it. I consider myself a ver advanced, semi-pro, ameteur. If the camera has all of the bells and whistles, and still lets me choose exposure and apiture, sure, I'll buy it. I have never bought a point-and-shoot camera for myself.
If the new technology allows more people to experience the pleasure of photography thaen it's a great thing. A camera will never take the place of good composition, lighting, framing etc. What constitutes a "good" image will always be the result of how the photographer uses their own vision of the moment.
I love technology; I consider myself an 'early adopter' beginning the the early PCs (think 'floppy disks') as well as digital cameras. However, there has been a tendency to use techno-fads as a marketing tool and not necessarily as either a) productivity, or b) qualitative enhancements. Techno features need to be evaluated, as everything else, against the intended use of the camera ... and not to forget, the equipment already at hand. Can't go out buying new 'gitzmos' just because the ads sound attractive. One man's opinion.
I wouldn't base a decision on just one aspect of the questionaire; while it is true that some enthusiasts may prefer ' smart ' to 'craft', it is good to have ALL the options available. I personally normally shoot in man' mode, however there are times, when there is not ample time to set up, and in these situations smart features are good to have.Image quality, which is based on "smart" technology, in my opinion is far more important.
It's not uncommon to be in an "it's now or never-no re-shoots situation". Therefore, I find occasions to use my knowledge, past experience, as well as, backup shots determined by the smarts of the camera. Beats crying over the losses.
I'm a die hard of my old minolta, everything is manual, thats how i learned alot of techniques, but I also love the new technology, I think it better helps photographers capture the image they truly want, without having to hope it came out right and being disappointed when it didn't, the craft is still very much in the hand of the photographers, if someone isn't taking good photos, it's them not the camera, even if you give them a thousand dollar camera, their pictures still won't look right.
Smart is great. Especially when it provides me with information and options to execute my vision and get the picture. Smart is even better when I can opt out, because I'm smarter than the computer, its just quicker and has better arithmetic.