Rant: In the land of the Digicams

[Flinor]

This past weekend my wife and I enjoyed exploring Monument Valley, both on the ground, and in a hot air balloon. Our party consisted of 8 tourists, our pilot, a Navajo guide and 2 ground crew. Our cumulative equipment list included 10 point and shoot digicams, one Canon digital video camera and my CLE and Fuji GS645 folder.

I briefly got my hopes up at the start of our day when one of the other couples produced a Pelican case. I figured that he was protecting a high end film camera and some lenses but when he opened it I saw foam carefully cut out to hold two HP digicams, accessory lenses, four batteries and, believe it or not, his memory cards.

The only comments that my cameras got was when I put on my CV 15 and viewfinder, the guy with the Pelican case asked what the little thing on top was for. When I explained it, he said, "What a pain. Why don't you just get a zoom lens?"

On a better note, our guide asked me if the Fuji was a roll film camera. I said yes and he said that I was going to get the best pictures of the day. I found out later that he was a retired criminal investigator who was in charge of all photography for the Tribal Police.

I don't know whether to be depressed over the attitude of the guy with the Pelican case, or feel sorry for those who will wonder why their photos don't look as good as their memories.

End of rant, but I'm really starting to feel as old as I look.

 

[back alley]

there will always be ignorant people. (ignorant as in not knowing)

i was shooting on the weekend, on whyte avenue of course, standing still for a moment just looking around.
this one younger guy approached me and looking at the camera (canon iv sb) asked, 'digital?'
i shook my head no.
'celluloid' he responded, 'cool'.

joe

joe

 

[cp_ste.croix]

meh...some people don't care about good photographs but rather, only about convienence. It's the same reasoning as to why some people go to McD's instead of learning to cook something with some quality or visit a proper restaurant...

As long as enough of us keep our photography pallette refined enough to want film and quality glass, companies will still make it.

chris

 

[DougK]

The fact that he was using HP cameras already tells me something about the guy's photography skills/knowledge.

DSLRs can and do produce outstanding results... an HP digicam ain't in that league.

 

[BJ Bignell]

Let's not forget that many people are just not interested in the technical aspects of photography. For most people, a camera should just take the picture, so that they can enjoy whatever else it is they are doing. Most people are interested only in the results, not the craft.

The next time you encounter someone with a digital (or film) p&s camera, or someone who doesn't understand why you don't 'just get a zoom', don't look down upon them or feel sorry for them, and one certainly shouldn't take their disinterest as an affront (unless, of course, it is intended as such). Take the opportunity to start a conversation with that person, and engage their interest. Tell them about your passion for photography, and how the equipment you use helps you acheive your goals. Ask them about their camera and how they use it, and maybe you'll find an opportunity to teach them, and help them achieve their goals. Share some tips that may improve their results without requiring technical knowledge. Something simple like the rule of thirds might be a good start.

Through this type of behaviour, we may encourage a sense of well-being and community among photographers of all types. And just maybe, your actions will encourage someone to take the first step in becoming an interested and passionate photographer. Maybe we'll even meet them here one day.

 

[stet]

Good point, BJ. Spread the word.

Flinor, I would just shrug it off. Most times that this has happened to me I just smile, nod like they gave me good advice or somethign.

But I have taken advantage of the silver lining to this, going through sketchier areas. Then it's just an 'old hand-me-down' that people think is a hunk of junk, and that's totally fine by me.

 

[wblanchard]

You should see the reactions I get at fashion shoots when i pull out my contax g2 with 90mm lens. everyone else has expensive canon 20d's with zoom "L" lenses...or better yet, when i pull out the hexar af for full body shots.

they also have to make comments when i pull out a box of film....but then again, these are the same people who hate any grain in their images and like the sterile and cold look to their pictures.

 

[bmattock]

Failing that, smack them upside the head with your camera. Then toss them out of the balloon gondola.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[DougK]

Good points, BJ. I think I was too busy being stunned by someone carrying around two HPs in a Pelican case to comment on that aspect 🙂. From the tale as written, though, I picked up a bit of an attitude on the HP user's part which may or may not have been there at the time.

At least the guy knows how to protect his gear 🙂

 

[wlewisiii]

The flip side to that kind of thing is that I've gotten comments from pros that they'd rather be shooting film when they see my Kiev in hand. I had an entertaining conversation with a gentleman at a Garbage concert last month about fast longer lenses; he was rather wishing he had something like my Jupiter 9 as everything he had was too long (200 & 300mm) to get the whole band in at a single shot in that building.

I also had a bar tender practically drool on my Iskra over the weekend - I ended up giving him Fedka's web address 😀

As BJ notes, different people have differing needs and expectation. I don't talk ill of digital - I think it has it's place and I think that cell phone cams are the best thing to happen to photography since the original Brownie. Not everyone needs a rangefinder or even an interchangable lens (D or not)SLR.

William

 

[BJ Bignell]

Failing that, smack them upside the head with your camera. Then toss them out of the balloon gondola.

You're absolutely right. There's always 'Plan B', I just didn't think it needed repeating. 😉

 

[RML]

BJ, though I agree with you on the educational part I don't agree with that it is "us film users" who need to do the educating of the unwashed masses. We film users can often use some education as well. Arrogance exists on both sides of the analog/digital frontline. I found that many digital camera users are often more careful with their equipment and take better care of it (at least compared to my throwing my CL in my bag and schlepp it everywhere almost unprotected).

And though many digital P&S shooters don't create much more than snapshots, they're most likely to enjoy the event they're attending and participating in instead of just observing it all from behind a VF.

Until my R-D1 finally comes in (yes, it's still at Customs) I won't be much enjoying digital shooting (my 300D is too big and cumbersome for me, and I've never been able to master a digital P&S properly) but my father and my siblings really enjoy their digital cameras. It's that joy that many dedicated film users have lost more or less.

Let's not forget that many people are just not interested in the technical aspects of photography. For most people, a camera should just take the picture, so that they can enjoy whatever else it is they are doing. Most people are interested only in the results, not the craft.

The next time you encounter someone with a digital (or film) p&s camera, or someone who doesn't understand why you don't 'just get a zoom', don't look down upon them or feel sorry for them, and one certainly shouldn't take their disinterest as an affront (unless, of course, it is intended as such). Take the opportunity to start a conversation with that person, and engage their interest. Tell them about your passion for photography, and how the equipment you use helps you acheive your goals. Ask them about their camera and how they use it, and maybe you'll find an opportunity to teach them, and help them achieve their goals. Share some tips that may improve their results without requiring technical knowledge. Something simple like the rule of thirds might be a good start.

Through this type of behaviour, we may encourage a sense of well-being and community among photographers of all types. And just maybe, your actions will encourage someone to take the first step in becoming an interested and passionate photographer. Maybe we'll even meet them here one day.

 

[RObert Budding]

I've found that many digicams users are curious about my cameras. Particularly my TLR. I even let some of them hold the camera and view through the finder. And I let an 8 year old take a shot with my Contax IIIa. He loved it!

Robert

 

[Pherdinand]

William, you've been at a Garbage concert? :drool:

 

[RObert Budding]

A what concert? Garbage? I thought he was describing how the band sounded.

Robert

 

[Solinar]

There's a lot of them out there. Many of them are former film users. I usually ask them, "What shutter speed are you using?" to strike up a conversation. If they bite, then I'll compare notes. Someone using a lens hood or a polarizer is always a good sign.

If you want to see an aprehensive look, wipping out a 6x9 folder will do everytime.

 

[Pherdinand]

I guess they were thinking IF something goes wrong with the balloon, at least the cameras will survive serving with photographic evidence.

Garbage is a very cool band.

 

[taffer]

Well, today reading the newspaper I found a small text where they talked about the new digicams that will recognize a portrait-type photograph and will take X consecutive shots of the scene when you press the shutter.

Then, AI will take care of selecting the one where nobody has his/her eyes closed.

"Just turn it on, we'll take care of the rest" 😉

 

[Pherdinand]

🙂) what a crap! But i guess it will sell. Sounds fancy enough.

 

[taffer]

But forget about taking pictures of somebody while sleeping...

"ERR-9 cannot compute. Kernel panic. Going to obsolete mode" 😛