nathanp
Established
Why don't any compact digitals have manual modes any more?
I know there are a few nice models like the Micro 4/3rds system etc but I'm looking for an affordable (£150-200), pocketable snapshot camera to replace an aging Canon A70. The A70 gets used a lot by my wife as a family snapshot camera but it's showing it's age (tiny screen, noisy above ISO 200, not very responsive). I'd quite like to find something similar with the manual controls for when I get to play around with it. A colleague just showed my his Lumix LX-2 which is a couple of years old and has Tv/Av modes - the newer equivalents lack this.
Did all the camera manufacturers decide that no-one uses manual modes and unanimously decide to make all compacts Auto-everything?
The Ricoh R10 looks like the best match so far - £150, sample images seem to have a nicer look than a lot of competitors, no proper manual controls but some tweaks like min shutter speed, min aperture. Reviews suggest that it's not great at ISO 400+ but it has to be better than the A70.. Anyone tried one?
I know there are a few nice models like the Micro 4/3rds system etc but I'm looking for an affordable (£150-200), pocketable snapshot camera to replace an aging Canon A70. The A70 gets used a lot by my wife as a family snapshot camera but it's showing it's age (tiny screen, noisy above ISO 200, not very responsive). I'd quite like to find something similar with the manual controls for when I get to play around with it. A colleague just showed my his Lumix LX-2 which is a couple of years old and has Tv/Av modes - the newer equivalents lack this.
Did all the camera manufacturers decide that no-one uses manual modes and unanimously decide to make all compacts Auto-everything?
The Ricoh R10 looks like the best match so far - £150, sample images seem to have a nicer look than a lot of competitors, no proper manual controls but some tweaks like min shutter speed, min aperture. Reviews suggest that it's not great at ISO 400+ but it has to be better than the A70.. Anyone tried one?
sevo
Fokutorendaburando
Sort of... Manual modes were already dropped on the first P&S wave in the eighties. They really make no sense there from a manufacturer perspective - there is little doubt that the average consumer does expose and focus much worse than any post seventies automation. If he stumbles into a manual mode the only consequence will be him badmouthing the camera and its brand among friends and relations, or sending in the camera for a unnecessary warranty repair. Only a few p&s cameras aimed at very conscious and educated user groups had or have manual modes.