I was talking to a friend the other day and his car has more stuff. The lights turn on when needed. When backing up there's a beeper which increases speeds the closer you get and a continuous beep when you are a foot away. The friend rented a car at an airport. He soon came to a 10 km long tunnel. He wondered why he had no lights. It took a sec before he realized that in the car he rented, you had to turn on the lights yourself. Then he had fun finding a light switch.
So if that wasn't enough I bought a new camera and discovered it can do almost everything but talk. I did my homework in choosing a camera. I wanted some zoom and pixels. I wanted a camera with a handle as I find the little guys hard to hang on to. So I chose a nikon l 830 for about $200.00. I give you this information so that you can get some idea of what cameras do. My old camera was a photo smart M447 put out by Hewlett Packard.
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| The silver oldie |
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| My challenge |
Now one thing I didn't check was the camera manual. I downloaded all 204 pages. I wish I'd looked at the manual before buying. I might have had a more exact idea of what I was buying. The little manual that comes with the camera is 43 pages. For both of them the diagrams are far too small and sometimes interfere with understanding.
Now as I got reading and finding out how the camera works , I found more and more that it does many things automatically. Here comes the smart stuff again. There are various modes for shooting. Point the camera at something and it automatically changes to that mode. Point to a person and portrait is seen. Point to a outdoor scene and landscape comes up. Now it took me a little while to discover this feature. All this information comes up on your screen. You can set this camera to do things manually. I'll probably use easy auto most of the time.
It's amazing what technology has devised. It's certainly a lot smarter than I am.
I've had fun playing with this camera even though I haven't saved one picture. I want to know a few things before I get many miles away from the 204 page manual when I run into a problem..
i drive a 10 yr old car and i've had my nikon camera for 3 yrs and don't know hardly anything about what it can do. yup, i'm right there with you! :)
ReplyDeleteI would like to know what the camera can do so that at least I know what I'm missing.
DeleteEnjoy your new camera! Nothing comes with a manual anymore you have to download it. I am hoping to get a new camera this year. Can not wait to see some pictures!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that the old camera on a good day can equal the new one on a bad day.
DeleteNew camera can be confusing, but still a lot of fun to explore. That new one of yours seems to have a very high IQ. :-)
ReplyDeleteExploration is the word. I'm just trying to learn a bit so I can explore.
DeleteI suspect that 98% or more of people with a modern camera don't use (or even know about) it's full capabilities.
ReplyDeleteI suspect you're a 100% right.
DeleteI just found my manual for a 3 year old camers I use. Just like with a computer practice will make it perfect. Looks nice, I have an old Nikon film camera with 4 lens I inherited from a friend.
ReplyDeleteIt's rally sad that the old cameras have become obsolete as some of them were very high quality. I know I still have a 35 mm.
DeleteYou're right Red - all these new toys are computer smarter than us. Nice camera. I can never read those booklets they include with whatever you buy today, unless I had a 1000 x 1000 magnifying glass and its not my eyesight. Remember the olde days when you got the manual with whatever you bought and then someone thought.....Lets not include the manual with the product and then you can pay more to buy it or use all your ink printing it.??I'm sure you will have it figured out in no time at all. Trial n Error, Eh.
ReplyDeleteThe old manuals were small because the product was simple. I know enough to get to work with this puppy.
DeleteI am looking forward to see some pictures you made with the new camera. Ambitious project to get used to the new one, can be frustrating sometimes...
ReplyDeleteIt's too cold to go out with this new baby. One has to put them in a plastic bag when you bring them back in to prevent condensation.
DeleteTechnology has certainly come a very long way. And cameras these days are fabulous! Have fun with your new one.
ReplyDeleteThey've come a long way but I have a 35 mm that takes excellent photos.
DeleteI've been thinking of getting a new camera, too, but that one sure looks intimidating to me! My present camera is almost always set at automatic and it works just fine. :-)
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DeleteShopping on line for cameras is a major project even if you have things narrowed down. I didn't want wi fi or GPS. There were hundreds of cameras in this class. I really wanted the grip as it's easier to hang on to.
I know what you're going through. Our son gave us a smart TV for Christmas that converts into a computer and I doubt I'll live long enough to master all the bells and whistles.
ReplyDeleteBut you will live long enough for this TV to become obsolete and then you get a smarter smart TV.
DeleteI've got a new camera myself... still trying to play around with it, figure things out. I should really sit down with the manual!
ReplyDeleteYes, use the manual. It's not like the old camera where I just went out and started. There are too many added features.
DeleteWhere's the challenge in using the manual? ;) Nah, they're useful for some things but mostly just getting out there and using it will teach you a lot. Don't underestimate the SmartGuy aspect. :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your purchase.
I realize I will learn a lot by using it but there are things I wish to be careful about so I don't wreck something.
DeleteI got a new Point and Shoot Canon that has a bunch of auto filter features...rarely I will use, but perhaps my readers might be interested if I posted photos with the filters?
ReplyDeleteNo filters on this one!
DeleteRed...you must be the only fella I know that reads instructions! Bravo!
ReplyDeleteI'm quite sure you're right because guys are notorious for not reading directions.
DeleteEverything nowadays is smart this, smart that..but are they really? Just more stuff to go wrong. We went to get a new tv. Everything is smart tv. I told the sales guy, I just want a dumb tv! Lol! I don't play video games, watch netflix, or 3d stuff. I just wanna watch tv..is that to much to ask? Haha! He got a chuckle outta that. :)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your new camera!
Cheri
He got a chuckle but he still didn't have anything to sell you.
DeleteThat looks like a camera I should have gotten. My daughter and son-in-law did surprised me (us) with a camera and I still haven't gotten the manual read. I'd better follow your example.
ReplyDeleteYour new camera sounds great. I am always amazed when I replace anything major, how many bells and whistles there are, like going from a bi-plane to a jet, sort of :)
ReplyDeleteI've had my "new" camera for a couple of years and I'm still learning how to use it. Surely I should have made more progress by now. I suspect I've learnt some things and then forgotten them again, Not to worry, I'm still enjoying having it.
ReplyDeleteI'm back from my little break, and Happy New Year to you! I have found that all these new "techie" toys, including cameras, are way smarter than I am! Good luck with your new camera.
ReplyDeleteI really resent having to download a manual! I bought a trail cam for myself, just to see what is in our forest! Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteHiya Red, I had an old Hp Camera too...I loved it! Your new one may be a learning curve but the great thing about digital is that they are easy to delete. I carry my manual in my camera bag, and I don't take mine out when it is real cold...I have a point and shoot for that. Remember practice makes perfect and if it does some automatic modes for you I think that is a good thing:)
ReplyDeleteI still haven't managed to get through my Nikon manual. For two decades, I used my trusty Pentax K1000 manual (film) camera. Now I've got an digital SLR with more features than I know what to do with, and I'm just old enough now that learning this stuff isn't as easy as it used to be! :) Just experiment with your camera and have fun!
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