On Jul 21, 2005, at 12:13 PM, Graywolf wrote:
A. Focus screen optimized for brightness rather than accuracy.
That's true of the Canon 10D screen, but not of the Pentax *ist DS
screen.
B. Focus on the lens loose so the AF motor does not have to be too
big, rather than optimized for smoothness and accuracy by hand.
Some makers lenses, and even some lenses in a given line, do this
better than others. Pentax lenses are somewhat uneven in this regard.
There are some that work very nicely, and others that are just kinda
loose feeling.
C. Viewfinder image of low magnification.
And yes, I know that the newer cameras are a lot better than the
older ones. It is now a little annoyance rather than a lot of
annoyance, but it is still an annoyance.
I want an image that I can see, in its entirety, without having to
move my eye around. The Pentax MX viewfinder has too much
magnification for this. The *ist DS viewfinder is nearly perfect,
just like my old favorite Nikon F3/T HP was.
... Exposure is the same way. "I select aperture priority, or
shutter priority instead of worrying about exposure". ...
Only a fool says that. The way you say this posits that everyone in
the world except those that agree with you are fools. That's kinda rude.
It becomes one of those things where you fiddle with the camera
instead of taking the picture. ...
Nonsense.
The thing is, as Shel and others are trying to say, that once you
have those skills the camera insisting that you prove you want to
do what you want is an annoyance not a convenience.
I have all the skills you seem to say are exclusive to those who will
only use simple cameras. Yet I find that the automation features on
my cameras actually help me take better pictures, more fluidly. They
do not annoy me, if the features are implemented in an ergonomic and
useful way, which they are on the *ist DS and the Konica Minolta A2.
(The Oly C8080WZ *was* a pain in the ass to work with, that's why I
sold it.) And they don't get in the way when they are inappropriate
to the circumstances either ... I just override what is no longer
useful and do things the somewhat older, slower way.
Godfrey
