[CR]Re: digi cams

(Example: Racing:Jacques Boyer)

In-Reply-To: <MONKEYFOODbqxJeLkkt000049f0@monkeyfood.nt.phred.org>
References:
From: "Ben Kamenjas" <bici_pimp@mac.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2006 13:13:33 +1100
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Re: digi cams

On 25/03/2006 Mark Poore wrote:

<snipped>
> This topic came up in the past and one of the best photographers on
> the list has a webpage ......

True ... Ray Dobbins does a top job with limited resources.

I know a thing or two about cameras and the the best I can advise is that most any camera is good enough to do the job but often a combination of lighting and the user get in the way of pleasing results. Seriously, if it's just for the web and emailing a $50 ebay job will be fine - old, cheap and plenty of resolution in a 1.25mp camera. My favorite is the 1st gen Leica digital 'coz it looks cool and also 'coz it looks cool .... but is also a fixed focal length lens and to my eyes a little better for it. Stuff that people throw out is what you want.

Camera's is just tools. Let's be honest spending more money is wasted unless you learn to use 'em. Heck, it's digital so all it costs you is time. Master your camera, the more manual setting options the better, where possible always use natural light as it's more pleasing, and always compliment the girls ... er .... I mean bikes. A camera doesn't know what your taking pictures of (sometimes thats good) all it's trying to do is read the amount of light and average contrast and it's also trying to find something to focus on. This is about as blundering a recipe for disaster as the ride home from your Prom night. Switch everything over to what you want it to do/be/see and learn to use them buttons and options. With time you get used to it and then you'll be fast and comfortable taking good pics of anything and anytime. If you expect to pick up a camera and press the button and get great results then you a marketers dream.

And so all you Cats know. experience, ability and knowledge with camera's counts for nothing. I get paid to take pictures yet when shooting bikes I get so bored and my mind wanders, proof is .... http://homepage.mac.com/bici_pimp/.Pictures/speedwell/track12.jpg

ciao,

Ben Kamenjas
Sydney, Oz