Complexity of DSLRs

[matthew_bensley]

Just for fun, I was wondering, in a walking around setting (hiking, party, sight

seeing, etc..) how long you spend from the time you decide you want to take a

picture until you actually take the shot.

 

Do you save time by setting custom settings for conditions you think you will

encounter?

Does your first shot take considerably longer to set up than your second and so on?

Also, as your experience with your camera has grown, has your time to ready your

camera decreased?

 

Or, do you not use your DSLR when you know you only have a couple of seconds

between wanting to shoot to taking the shot.

 

Best,

Matthew

[lovcom_photo]

Matt, what makes you think that using a DSLR over a Point&Shoot camera is more complex? More time consuming?

 

Using a DSLR is not more complex, although it is more capable, and flexible.

 

Using a DSLR is not more time consuming if you learn to anticipate.

 

For example when I'm at the zoom, I set my body to Av, ISO400, auto-white bal, RAW, then start shooting...the only adjustment I might make between shoots is a change to the aperture stop...but that takes 1 second or 2.

 

Once you master the controls of a DSLR and learn to anticipate, you will find that using one can be very easy, and very quick.

[enrique sf]

Digital or not, I've gotten well accustomed to the controls on my Canon SLRs. Like Dan above,

I usually shoot on AV priority, and dial in what I want as I go. Considering the buried sub-

menus and limited visible info, point and shoot cameras are a pain to work with when

compared to the ease of an SLR.

[godfrey]

My cameras, any of them, are always pre-configured to meet any expected photo opportunity

while I'm carrying them. I know them all well, none of them take much time to change the

settings on.

 

It's all a matter of understanding what is needed and the particular camera in your hand.

DSLRs are not view cameras which require laborious setup...

 

Godfrey

[matthew_bensley]

What makes me pose this question is that I have dealt with many, many people who are far too slow with adjusting their camera settings in preparation of taking a shot. I am sure that it is inexperience with fairly advanced equiptment that is at fault. Some of my family members, who enjoy playing with high priced cameras, just don't take a lot of photographs except when the rest of us are around. I always try to keep my prep time to the absulte minimum because of how annoyed I often feel as the subject of these other photographers :)

 

Best, Matthew

[Ed_Ingold]

How complicated can it be? I set the ISO in advance, based on the situation. The default value is 100 for landscapes (tripod) and 400 for hand-held with or without flash. For shooting, I select a mode (usually aperture-priority) and the aperture and/or shutter speed. Then I point, focus and shoot at will.

 

I usually use a Sto-Fens (or Nikon) diffusion cap on an SB-800. The most fiddling I do in front of the subject is to turn the flash head for horizontal or vertical shots.

 

The only thing "digital" in this process is setting the ISO. With film cameras that's a problem, so I carry two bodies - one with NPH400 and the other with Reala or NPZ800 - depending. Believe me, it's faster to turn a dial than switch cameras.

 

With a P&S camera, would I select "Portrait", "Sports", "Landscape", "Macro"....whatever? How can I remember what those terms mean - I think in terms of aperture and shutter speed?

 

Professional cameras are like getting pickles from a jar - the first one is hard, but it gets easier from that point.

[Ed_Ingold]

I almost forgot. I carry a notebook for names. It is a godsend to reference a unique image number rather than a roll and frame number. I've never found a lab that could keep roll numbers straight, and I might take (the equivalent of) 4 to 10 rolls at an event.

[geoffm]

For me, it's not setting the camera that takes the time (and irritates the family,) it's the playing around with the composition of the shot. That and the fact that I'll take a dozen where everyone else only takes one!

[Jochen_S]

I was primitive camera and handheld meter trained. I guess ISO and probably proper lens in advance, leave the camera on auto-WB + RAW and dial in a reasonable shutter speed. Sometimes I have to select AF spots but I also do zone focussing depending on the focal length used. Only time wasted is when the buffer flushes. I shoot film then.

[g._armour_van_horn]

Speed was my biggest reason for getting a DSLR in the first place. Most of the stuff you need while shooting is on the knobs and switches on the body of the camera so you aren't digging through various menus trying to find things all the time.

 

Not to mention that with the DSLR you probably can shoot a lot faster than with a P&S digicam. With my current camera I can shoot 24 frames at 3.5/second without waiting to write to the storage card, a huge difference from my previous cameras (Coolpix, mostly). So not only can I get the first shot off faster, but when a better shot presents itself a few seconds later I can get it as well.

 

Not all DSLRs are as capable as the high-end models, but I think all of them are faster and easier to shoot than the P&S models. Most have significantly less shutter-lag than P&Ss. And if all you want is a P&S, most DSLRs allow you to set everything to automatic anyway.

 

Van

[basscheffers]

A DSLR allows you to shoot a half dozen images before a point-and-shoot compact decides

to finally turn on, extend its lens, you have found the button to take the flash off auto and

focus...

 

In my opinion, you have your logic all backward!

[matthew_bensley]

I feel excited that I seem to be totally backwards in my logic. I'm 'in the market' and the time to take a photo being (in my estimation) longer than a point and shoot camera has kept me from taking the plunge quite so quickly. I suppose I'll have to find another excuse now, until I buy my camera.

 

Best, Matthew

[mars c]

Don"t decide just yet, In the next few months, manufacturers will unveil new and better models than today's.

 

The timing is perfect for you. You're about to buy, and the manufacturers are about to unveil new models.

 

Lucky you.

[phule]

<<I'm 'in the market' and the time to take a photo being (in my estimation) longer than a point and shoot camera has kept me from taking the plunge quite so quickly.>>

 

The easiest way to become frustrated and to frustrate others with a tool is to not understand how it behaves or functions. This frustration can lead to one not using the tool as often which further exacerbates the problem.

 

The key to using any tool is experience. If you use your camera enough, you can change settings without looking at a menu or a button. It'll become instinctual.