Which camera for you?

As you may have guessed, there are two type cameras available (as there always has been)
While Li-ion batteries are the state of the art battery for the digital camera world, the idea of being able to pop into a local store and buy a handful of AA batteries when you need them, in reality it is more of a dream … except for a few digital cameras, most are optimized to use rechargeable batteries, whether the AA NiMH battery or the advanced Li-ion. In either case, a battery charger has to be carried into the field and choosing a Li-ion powered camera is always the choice of the pro. I travel all over the world and there is no place I have visited that I did not have access to power that would allow me to charge my batteries overnight, once or twice a week. That said I can understand wanting to have the features of a Li-ion battery, but able to use AA’s as backups. There are a very few cameras that can do this … Most of them require a “battery grip”, which means a DSLR and the battery grip, must have an adapter that replaces the Li-ion batteries with AA’s I have three such cameras … two D200’s and a D300.

More on cameras:

The first are called point and shoot.
They are designed for those who want good quality image without having to learn all the intricacies of using an adjustable camera (f/stops, shutter speeds, selective focus, ISO, lens selection and manual control over all the above ... just the tip of the iceberg). These P&S (usually quite compact, easy to carry around in your pocket, briefcase or purse) cameras have a lot of automatic features, which will autofocus, auto expose and usually give the user some kind of optical zoom facility. These cameras perform consistently, doing what they are designed to do, but rarely much more. They are a convenience and are easy to use anywhere, anytime.

The second are called adjustable cameras. They are what professional photographers have used since photography became a tool of communication; whether it is used in documentation, news, information dissemination, advertising and that list goes on. Over the years, cameras have become easier and faster to use (built-in meters, auto-focus, zoom lenses, motor drives and now digital bodies are available for the top pro systems), so the photographer can spend more time concentrating the images content, rather than the intricacies of using the cameras controls. While these cameras typically were designed for the pros, there have always been many advanced amateurs who, while not making a career of photography, want to be able to control their “artistic” efforts with all the aplomb of the professional. This was the genesis of completely adjustable cameras, which could use all the accessories of the professional line but at an affordable price. These cameras were called consumer or entry level 35mm SLR’s or DSLR’s. Many of those who started out using these inexpensive cameras later became pros, but most do not. They are completely satisfied with their existing careers, but love to use their cameras to explore their world and produce wonderful images that they can hang on their walls, enter into contests and give to friends. These cameras have to be supported with supplies that sometimes cannot be found at any chemists or variety store.

So, one is easy to use and the other requires some effort to learn many advanced photo skills to keep from becoming frustrated with the whole "camera" deal ... Call it what you want, but we usually call it school.

Yahoo Answers ... Lose of Top Contributer

Today, Yahoo Answers lost their top contributor in both Photography and Cameras.

There has been much speculation by members, old and new how such a resource could be summarily suspended and soon thereafter exiled from any further connection with Yahoo Answers.

Statistics after seventeen months of participation on what was the premier answer resource on the Internet:

Fhotoace 100850 points
Cameras -- 3,786 best answers
Photography -- 2,302 best answers
40% best answers

There has been speculation that there are some members of Yahoo Answers that are targeting many of the top contributors. Since Yahoo is a private enterprise, there is no way to know for sure, but there have been enough of the top contributors removed in the past months to at least warrant some kind of internal investigation by Yahoo Answers, perhaps even Yahoo corporate. A root cause analysis should reveal some of the ways this has been allowed to happen, whether from automated removal criteria or policies that are more arbitrary, than fluid, being modified as the service matured.

Join me for conversations about photographic techniques, both digital and traditional and share your ideas on hardware, software and ideas.

I look forward to a new string of conversations.

David