Would you buy a simple digital camera?

[Bob Michaels]

I have bought a number of simple digital cameras, all waterproof point & shoots. I always have one close by, always in my suitcase when traveling. As simple as it can be: programmed exposure, auto focus, no iso choice, only JPGs, zoom lens instead of changing lenses. Typically only real choice is still or video images.

Is the IQ up to par with a normal camera? No. Does that make a difference most of the time? No. What does count is that I can bring back good images, such as in the water, when the only other choice is no images at all. And if I lose or destroy one, it does not break my heart as I pay $125-250 for them.

They are like a dirt cheap waterproof i-phone that won't make phone calls.

 

[dave lackey]

Another thread about the complexity of functions and menus of many digital cameras on the market brought me to ask myself if all these functions are really necessary for the not specialized photographers.

Old-timer as myself were used to consider only four basic commands in our cameras: iso, aperture. shutter speed and focus. Then it was up to us to make the best use of the tool.

When I look at the pictures here on RFF, on Flickr or even the one my friends show me I rarely see pictures which require "special "settings to be taken.
Therefore my question is: would you buy a simple DSLR or mirrorless?

A camera with interchangeable lens, only one foucs mode (focus and recompose), maybe manual iso selector, no continuous frame shooting, large jpg and raw, LCD swith on or off, no wi-fi connections, no ...

Something similar to an M Leica (but without the expensive rangefinder mechanism) and in a more accessible price range.

Please feel free to comment !

Leica X1!🙂🙂🙂

 

[JeffS7444]

They are like a dirt cheap waterproof i-phone that won't make phone calls.

Else use an actual iPhone? It seems that much of the world's population is loathe to be more than an arm's length away from theirs.

FWIW, I just watched the product launch of the new iPhone 12s: Faster optics, Dolby Vision high dynamic range video and upcoming Deep Fusion + Raw for all cameras, at least on the Pro models, but the Pros still only come in two sizes: Too Large and Even Bigger. 🙄

 

[Bolo Kukus]

I have a mental block with camera instruction manuals - I would rather wade through an entire set of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica than try to make sense of the multitude of (mostly useless to me) data and information in the manuals for my Nikon DSLRs (D700 and D800).

As an architect I had similar problems doing the fine maths for the design work we did - fortunately I was an interior design specialist so none of my buildings fell down - I had to assign a junior designer who was a maths wiz to check and fine-tune all my calculations so walls, workstations, service and utilities areas etc etc etc all fitted where they should. After 20 years of this it was a geat relief to me to sell out and retire in 2012, and no longer having to spend hours poring over calculations.

A thought that has long sustained me in my digital photography, is anyone who can learn to use a Leica Barnack or an M and a Rolleiflex can somehow get by with the complex and complicated contraptions DSLRs are. I keep my Nikons set for the basics and this deals with 90% of the photography I do. The other 10% I ignore, or overshoot and hope one or a few images will suffice.

Recently the offer to buy a Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 with two lenses at a bargain came my way. This kit is as new, and I bought it initially as a walkabout street shooter to force me out of my staid ways and open up new visual dimensions.

This 2009 relic with its 12.something MP resolution, has been a wonder to me - there was a learning curve and the online manual made as little sense to me as they all do, but I enjoy its simplicity and even its limitations and it gives me the results I want with a minimum of fuss and bother. My latest fiddling with it has been to adjust the aspect ratio to 1:1, which lets me make images like my Rolleis. Thinking 'square' is a challenge that stimulates me and lets me frame and compose in entirely different ways from the 4:3 format (which I can easily change to in seconds if I want 35mm compositions). The GF1 also has 3:2 and 16:9 aspects which I've not yet used but intend to on when our lockdown eases and I can again travel by train to interesting Victoria (Australia) country areas to admire and photograph colonial and art deco buildings.

Old dogs and new tricks. My Nikons aren't being neglected, but my Rolleiflex T is overdue for a country walk soon. For now my new toy does everything I want and need and doesn't weigh like a brick to cart about in my backpack.

Simplicity and convenience are good for me. I dislike the annoying Lumix GF live view finder, but like so much in life, it's a new challenge, a learning curve, and I'll get beyond it.

 

[Franko]

I have the same issues with digital cameras that I have with pcs, that is, I don't want to spend an hour working on it so that I can spend ten minutes working with it. My last new digital was a Fuji X10. I used the manual just long enough to put settings into the presets to mimic my film cameras and never again. I don't need or want all the HDR, multi mode stuff in a walk-around essentially point and shoot camera.

 

[Dogman]

The Nikon D300 was released in 2007/2008. It's a fairly simple camera compared to many other models and brands released in the last 12-13 years. The instruction book is over 400 pages. I've never read it yet I've muddled through with the camera somehow.

I can't imagine a photographer reading one of these manuals. They're for occasional reference, IMO.

 

[Out to Lunch]

Would you buy a simple digital camera?

No. I have too many complex cameras as it is. Cheers, OtL

 

[benlees]

Else use an actual iPhone? It seems that much of the world's population is loathe to be more than an arm's length away from theirs.

FWIW, I just watched the product launch of the new iPhone 12s: Faster optics, Dolby Vision high dynamic range video and upcoming Deep Fusion + Raw for all cameras, at least on the Pro models, but the Pros still only come in two sizes: Too Large and Even Bigger. 🙄

The irony is that they are easy to use and don't come with a manual!😱

 

[joe bosak]

BTW, please, please could our simple camera not be designed with yet another battery that fits nothing else and which will be withdrawn by the makers after a year or so?

+1 so nice when a camera takes a set of AAs...

 

[oftheherd]

It's true that most cameras with complex menus can be set up to work as "simple cameras" by infesting 🙂p) some time at the beginning to configure the machine to one's liking.

However, for my taste, it is also true that most newer cameras are not a pleasure to use in those configurations for lack of good dials and ergonomics.

I only have experience with a Sony RX-100, first gen. Menus are abysmal, but can be configured for manual exposure mode and even manual focus operation. However, once set up for use in that configuration, the user experience is severely lacking. You are essentially forcing the camera to behave in a way it was not it's primary design focus.

Therefore, I think Robert has a point, while many cameras can be configured to operate without much automation, few are a pleasure to use in that configuration. I count the Epson R-d1, many Leica Ms, among those. The Nikon Df and the Fuji X can work OK if one is willing to primarily use them as the AF cameras, which they were designed to be.

It's a small, niche market, but I'd be interested in something like an M-D at more affordable prices, or an updated Rd1.

Sorry, I couldn't resist as that is how I think of too many controls. I know how to use selective focus, or not; faster or slower than recommended shutter speeds, or not; changes in aperture against shutter speeds, or not; and how to set film speed myself for any specific reason, or not.

I even know how to select characteristics of a film type, assuming it is still in production.

But, if I do get a digital, and considering all I have read, I think it would be nice to have raw files. My thought is that I could achieve most of its advantages with film, but that it would make things a lot easier.

I guess you could say that about many of the other features of digital with multiple settings.

 

[David Hughes]

Wouldn't it be nice if we could have just one electronic flash and it would work with all our cameras? This used to happen in the days of film but not any more.


The result is that we spend a fortune of the things because we are trapped into buying special ones for our make of camera and sometimes for the model too.


We need Vivitar badly.


Regards, David

 

[Godfrey]

Wouldn't it be nice if we could have just one electronic flash and it would work with all our cameras? This used to happen in the days of film but not any more.

Hmm. While I have more than one flash unit, all the ones I have but one I got in the late 1990s/early 2000s (the outlier is an Olympus FL360 that I bought in 2008..). And they all work beautifully with every camera I've owned since 1996, including the FL360, regardless of make and model of camera.

???

G

 

[Axel]

Wouldn't it be nice if we could have just one electronic flash and it would work with all our cameras? This used to happen in the days of film but not any more...

All my electronic flashes are useable on every camera I own. From the oldest mechanic to the last digital.
Can you explain further?

 

[Bingley]

Thinking about Robert's original questions, I've set up my Olympus Pen F digital to be pretty simple. I programmed the buttons so that basic shooting functions are readily accessible and easy to change. I also flip the back around so the LCD screen isn't visible.

Of course, I'd love Vince's M-D, but that's out of my price range right now...

 

[robert blu]

Thinking about Robert's original questions, I've set up my Olympus Pen F digital to be pretty simple. I programmed the buttons so that basic shooting functions are readily accessible and easy to change. I also flip the back around so the LCD screen isn't visible.

Of course, I'd love Vince's M-D, but that's out of my price range right now...

That’s a good idea !

 

[David Hughes]

All my electronic flashes are useable on every camera I own. From the oldest mechanic to the last digital.
Can you explain further?

Well, um, looking quickly at the digital cameras they all seem to have the contacts in different positions apart from the centre contact and mostly, two of the others.

So is there some standard that I don't know? Or what?

Up to now I'd assumed the Leica one only worked properly with the Leicas and the Olympus, Panasonic etc, etc with their makes respective only but I'd be happy if they all would respond correctly to the Leica one. Not that I'd put it on the compacts because it would unbalance the things.


Regards, David

 

[Axel]

Ah - I guess you are talking about system flashes. There is no standard.
And never was. Not even brand-specific.

But standard sync, by hot shoe or cable, works from oldest to youngest across
all brands.

 

[Godfrey]

Well, um, looking quickly at the digital cameras they all seem to have the contacts in different positions apart from the centre contact and mostly, two of the others.

So is there some standard that I don't know? Or what?

Up to now I'd assumed the Leica one only worked properly with the Leicas and the Olympus, Panasonic etc, etc with their makes respective only but I'd be happy if they all would respond correctly to the Leica one. Not that I'd put it on the compacts because it would unbalance the things.

Ah - I guess you are talking about system flashes. There is no standard. And never was. Not even brand-specific.

But standard sync, by hot shoe or cable, works from oldest to youngest across
all brands.

Yes, X sync flash units all work on all bodies with nothing but the center terminal contact and the side (flash shoe bracket) connection.

It's the dedicated protocols and their wiring that is different between brands and even between models in the same brand. Those are the sorts of things that give TTL flash metering, long flash durations for daylight fill, etc.

I don't use any of those features. A simple flash that I can control the power output on along with a flash meter does everything I need.

G

 

[al1966]

For the original question, I would but the complexity of loads of menu items is not a hindrance, set the camera to raw turn off beeps and a few bits then the only time I ever go in is to format the card. Maybe its lazy and I should do more things but it works fine in aperture priority and the results are near what I want. But a camera with a small amount of still things on the menu would be great and virtually never shoot video, so it would be nice but no biggie.

 

[Ambro51]

......if only they could build a telephone in ;-)