From: "T Rittenhouse" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Well, first off, Bill, most of the cameras us "old farts" like are almost as old as the kids who are complaining about us using them. If the new auto everything wonder cameras they insist is the only thing that works actually took better quality photographs, there might me something to their argument, but in fact they do not, and in many cases they do not do as well as the older cameras mostly due to the need to make things light enough not to overload the focusing motors.
Yes, but as an (also) old software developer (programmer) remember I can recall
the day when the Vector Graphic, PDP-8 or -11, Archive, or Altos running Oasis were
the creme of the crop. Multi-user. "Fast". Lots of DRAM. Wow.
Now they're antiques. Nobody would use them in business. Not realistically.
Though one might argue that word processing is word processing no matter
the platform.
The fact that most of the whippersnappers can not believe that you can make photos of action, or do flash without TTL, much less using guide numbers, shows that their cameras are better photographers than they are. As you well know, all you need are aperture, shutter speed, and focus controls and a little knowledge. However, on many current cameras you are not a photographer you are a camera programmer. Yes on the better cameras you can override everything but since it is designed not for human interface but for computer interface, that is never as satisfactory as a camera designed for human interface.
"you are a camera programmer" -- Exactly.
Simply put, most of the improvements in each new generation of cameras is better interface with, and more capability for, the built in autopilot. If you prefer to drive it yourself the new cameras really offer no improvement. Unlike the automobiles you mention which tend to be faster, safer, and more comfortable than 20 year old ones. In fact, cameras are in some ways more like airplanes than cars as there are still a lot of 20, 30, or 50 year old ones still in service.
But while an old car will run well and do many good things the same as newer cars,
the addition of (of course) computers, the latching torque converter, and efficient fuel
injection have made the car much nicer to drive and more efficient to own.
Anyway, it is hard for a 22 year old computer programmer to figure why anyone would use a camera that is older than he is other than cheapness.
Good question. It's usually a matter of familiarity.
The common rule of thumb is to not introduce new technologies to persons over 50.
That seems mean, but the thinking paradigms have changed so much that
many have a difficult time adjusting to the new ways. Old habits and
learned preferences are hard to break.
But some old, inexpensive things are difficult to beat. We (Steven that is) picked up
a nice JBL speaker set (built as a kit from late 1960s) @ a thrift shop yesterday for $30.
Sound great. Makes his NAD receiver sound like the audio bottleneck in the system!
Surround sound may be nice, but without spending a small fortune some of these
old things present some surprising high quality. Sometimes old character is easy
to underestimate.
Ciao, Graywolf http://pages.prodigy.net/graywolfphoto
CRB
