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July 11, 2006
Dear CNET members, A couple of years ago, I bought my mom the most basic digital camera I could get, in hopes that she would find it much more convenient and easier to use than her point-and-shoot film camera. Sadly, today the digital camera still sits in her drawer. My mom isn't very tech savvy (operating a VCR is somewhat of a chore), and she told me she was deathly afraid of the camera. Why? Because she thinks she might accidentally push a button or do something that might make it become inoperable. Well, she was right; one day she accidentally did hit a button and made the LCD screen disappear, so she was at a loss, missing many photo opportunities. She says her old point-and-shoot film camera was easy to use, and 95 percent of the time the pictures were perfect. Even with the simplest digital camera and with my numerous lessons, she still simply won't use it. I wish they made a digital camera with absolutely no bells and whistles that she could just point and shoot and enjoy the digital aspect of the camera. But enough about that; now it's your turn to tell us why you think digital cameras are hard to learn. Do you think that in order to use a digital camera you must be tech savvy? Whether you are an avid digital photographer or just a beginner, share with us some of the things you think make digital cameras a challenge to use. Maybe once this discussion fills up, I will share your opinions with my mom, just to let her know she isn't alone out there.
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This week's hot topic:
Digital camera difficultiesWe keep hearing (and seeing) that people are still having trouble figuring out how to work a digital camera--the same people who can drive cars and read, both of which are pretty complex tasks. What exactly is it about digital cameras that's so difficult? In the latest Point and Shout discussion, some of our members chimed in to tell us why digital cameras are difficult to use. Hundreds of settings and more! CNET member dkniskern says that before digital cameras, most people used basic point-and-shoot cameras. And using those, the general public did not know about shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and so on. Now, even a basic digital camera is capable of hundreds of settings, making them not only difficult to master, but you also have to learn a whole new vocabulary and gain a clear understanding of all the things it is capable of. Read dkniskern's full post in Point & Shout Welcome to photography, folks Photography is a special field, says CNET member Razzl. And it's only because the film industry over the years had perfected a type of easy-to-use camera for the general public; it made photography very popular. Now that things have gone digital, suddenly the general public is finding itself with complicated little computers attached to their cameras, causing amateurs to bemoan the good old days of film. Read Razzl's full post in Point & Shout Not difficult, just read the manual CNET member mkoehne disagrees; digital cameras aren't difficult. He says any reputable company that puts out a digital camera should also make decent documentation for it. In short, he basically says that before doing anything with the camera, do your homework! Do you agree with this member? Read mkoehne's full post in Point & Shout Speak Up! Some agree that digital cameras are difficult to use, yet some beg to differ. Do you personally think digital cameras are hard to learn? Where do you stand when it comes to using your digital cameras? Easy or difficult? • Create a Scrapbook with Your Digital Photos From CNET How-To • Digital photography software downloads From CNET Download.com • 15 picture pitfalls and how to avoid them From CNET Reviews • Digital camera reviews From CNET Reviews • Digital cameras forum From CNET forums  Here are some interesting comments you've recently submitted
on CNET. Read up on it and talk about it.
• Net neutrality: bring it on Executive CNET editor Molly Wood writes: I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this, but I'm actually rooting for Net neutrality legislation. No, I don't really want to have to regulate the Internet, but we can't afford to leave it in the hands of the telcos and the cable companies. They're blinded by greed, and lately, they've started lying to you about tiered Internet. Big time. What do you think? Can the market work it out, or do we need legislative help? Let me know! • DirecTV or Dish Network, and why? If you're a satellite TV subscriber, take a sec to tell us which of the two services you use and why you chose one over the other. • Is Blu-ray DOA? Sony's Blu-ray disc format has officially debuted, and not-so-rave reviews say the picture quality of HD-DVD wins. Is lower quality and higher price enough to kill Blu-ray? |
Weigh in on this week's hot topic:
 Definitely! Film is dead. (please explain) Maybe, but film still has its place.(please explain) Probably not. There are many uses forfilm cameras. (please explain) Absolutely not! Film is superior to digital.(please explain) I don't really care if film stays or not.(please explain)
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Are digital cameras hard to learn?
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