What percent of SLR users do you guys see using their camera like a point and shoot?

I saw something today that tops my prior experience. Today, I was taking some shots at the Japanese Garden at the Huntington Library. It's a beautiful garden full of people taking shots.

I saw this lady with a Canon 7D and a 28-135mm kit lens. She held the camera with arms extended half out like she is composing with the LCD, while holding the camera with both hands by the body only.

She had the zoom all the way out which I'm sure didn't help her holding the camera. She seemed confused by the LCD that was dark and tried to take a picture. A pop up flash came up in mid day but the shutter would not release.

I walked over to see if I can help and noticed that the lens cap was on the lens. I helped her take the lens cap off (she tried to just pull the thing off instead of pinching the buttons on the cap). Then I closed the flash for her and noted that she is in a Bulb mode, hand holding the thing.

I mentioned that she's in the bulb mode and she say, this is my husbands camera and promptly put in into the green box mode.

I left after that.

Kendoway wrote in post #9103523
I think Jay, just hit the nail right on the head.

I don't usually care what people are shooting with, or the settings they use. When I see other people doing photography, these are the things that I notice - and if they are doing them right, then my respect level goes up:

• They have a camera bag.
  
• They are carrying a tripod/monopod.
  
• They kneel when shooting kids/pets.
  
• They shoot in portrait mode (camera tuned 90 degrees) instead of landscape.
  
• They look at the settings on top first (or on the LCD) then compose & shoot.
  
• They've got either the info screen or histogram on their LCD.
  
• They shoot the same picture twice, instead of once.
  
• They are shooting something closer than 3 feet away.

And so forth...

Oooh I do those things. I must be your idol or some such thing. Sorry for making you break the second commandment there.

Now, listen to my wise speaking type thing.

1. People who use DSLR like P&S rock! They make our photos look good (though they do bring the image of photographer down some what).

2. People who have heaps of expensive gear and look down on us mere mortal photographers are much worse than beginners. How many photography clubs/organizations have people like this. Those guys are definitely compensating for something (but can't afford a muscle car after spending all their money on that 1200mm).

3. "Pros" who are too "pro" to help a "noob" are probably insecure and cry themselves to sleep every night as they compare themselves to Ken Rockwell (their hero).

4. Hong Kong is the native home of the GWC. Please don't try and compare to our awesomeness.

gkarris wrote in post #9099390
Really, how many pics do you need of you kid waiting for the ball?

When it's your kid? There is no number high enough.

Defies logic, I know.

photoguy6405 wrote in post #9105712
When it's your kid? There is no number high enough.

Defies logic, I know.

Sign of a beginner. After a while, even your own kids only get a shot or two. Too many photos to sort though later.

Question is, how many photos of your kid eating do you need?!

Stealthy Ninja wrote in post #9105726
Sign of a beginner. After a while, even your own kids only get a shot or two. Too many photos to sort though later.

Question is, how many photos of your kid eating do you need?!

I guess it depends on how much you like your own kid(s).

Stealthy Ninja wrote in post #9105726
Sign of a beginner. After a while, even your own kids only get a shot or two. Too many photos to sort though later.

Question is, how many photos of your kid eating do you need?!

Yes, probably a sign of a beginner. But a beginner that takes a couple of thousand shots of his/her kid will learn. And when developing a better eye for good pictures, he/she will probably be able to rescue a couple of accidentally good images from the early mass-production.

With experience, that parent-with-a-camera will start to get pictures where the son/daughter is interacting with the ball or the team members or whatever the sport happens to be. Early on, the higher FPS of the DSLR may save the day. With a bit more training, the reduced lag will probably become more important.

In the end, good tools will not make someone a good carpenter. But bad tools can destroy the day for a carpenter.

I think the biggest problem is probably to try to get new DSLR owners to realize that they can gain a lot by joining an active photo forum. There is a huge difference between the average DSLR owner and the average photo forum member. Even a lurker will quickly pick up a lot of directly applicable ideas and knowledge.

I saw a girl who had a web cam image of herself where the face was almost black against the background windows. She did take one picture and noticed that her face was dark. The obvious solution to her was to get more light from the windows behind her, further increasing the contrast between face and backgrouund. Without feedback - how will people really learn? Out in the field, we might be able to help someone 5 minutes with a problem. Getting them to sign up to a forum, they may get themselves days and days of excellent help. Not only from professionals, but from people who have recently been at the same level and remembers the hidden trapdoors.

It COULD be that taking 100 shots will help you learn, but not always. Like you said, without some guidance they pretty much stay the same IMHO.

As for the 1000's of photos themselves. It's the "new camera syndrome" they take photos because they can and it's fun. I have about 50 photos of my son sitting at a table that my mum took when she first got her camera. 1 or 2 would have done fine.

Same thing for video cameras. People get them and video everything. You end up with hours of crap (go on admit it, you've done that too).

Later people get more selective. It's a natural thing.

Stealthy Ninja wrote in post #9105726
Question is, how many photos of your kid eating do you need?!

Depends how much they eat.

neil_r wrote in post #9106124
Depends how much they eat.

Jimmy, come back from rugby training. It's...

LUNCH TIME!

DocMike wrote in post #9100033
I'm curious to how one would even know that another shooter is using green-box mode?

On safari this summer it was easy. They were the ones shooting a hippo 50m away with the flash automatically popping up - then wondering why the picture was so dark.

why does most of you get so hung up when you see other people with dslr...regardless if they know how to use it or not, why do you care? it's not your money and definitely they are not asking you to set the camera up so why get so irritated. To me you guys are just one stuck up arse that needs to get off your high horses.

Hey, whatever makes them happy. I had a guy in Boston ask me to take a picture of him and his family, and handed me a 5D - I thanked him afterward for letting me use his camera!

Owning a dSLR to combat shutter lag is reason enough to own one. Yes, in controlled conditions, a P&S can produce a similar quality image as a dSLR, but one thing this ignores is the shots that the P&S simply won't get, because:

• The P&S did not take the exposure at the moment the photographer knew was the right moment
  
• The "right" moment could only be captured by a series of multiple exposures with intelligent AF, and you couldn't burst fire
  
• You can't zoom - instantly - the way you can on a dSLR with a good or even crappy zoom/tele lens
  
• High/Auto ISO performance is so crappy auto mode would rather drive the shutter speed down to unacceptable levels rather than bump up the ISO past 400 and let you get your shot

jeppoy wrote in post #9106219
why does most of you get so hung up when you see other people with dslr...regardless if they know how to use it or not, why do you care? it's not your money and definitely they are not asking you to set the camera up so why get so irritated. To me you guys are just one stuck up arse that needs to get off your high horses.

Don't let ROY see this post. He'll go crazy.

Algorithm wrote in post #9106222
You can't zoom - instantly - the way you can on a dSLR with a good or even crappy zoom/tele lens

My Dimage 7 is currently acting up. Maybe because of heavy use. Maybe because I so often leave it at home and take a 40D or 5D2.

Anyway - Are there any decent P&S with manual zoom and filter thread out there for times when the full set is too large/overkill but a breast-pocket camera feels too toyish?

pwm2 wrote in post #9106330
Anyway - Are there any decent P&S with manual zoom and filter thread out there for times when the full set is too large/overkill but a breast-pocket camera feels too toyish?

Panasonic GF-1