[DigiCam] Re: are all low end digital cameras like this?

[Steve Kane]

On Monday, April 7, 2003, at 12:52  AM, Steve Kane wrote:

> My first digital camera: I brought a Canon PowerShot A60 home from the 
> store.... I notice that a bit of an accidental tap on the buttons, 
> especially those 4 buttons in a circle on the back of the camera, can 
> change the settings and there does not seem to be a way of _locking_ 
> the settings or locking out the buttons....
> I used the Nikon F, F2, F3, and n90, as well as 120 and 4x5 during 15 
> years of professional photography (I've been out of the business about 
> 10 years now). I've made every mistake a photographer can make but 
> I've never had a camera that could be so easily inadvertently mis-set 
> as this A60, but then this is my first digital camera. Are they all 
> like this at this price?...

On Monday, April 7, 2003, at 01:27  AM, George Reis wrote:

> First, there is quite a difference between the professional cameras you
> list, and a consumer digital camera - as you well know.
>
> That said, I agree with you about the poor design of some of these. A 
> police
> agency I do some work for got some Epson digital cameras on a grant. 
> On the
> top of the camera, next to the shutter button is the button to change 
> from
> color to grayscale mode. Officers press that button by mistake, wonder 
> why
> they camera didn't take a picture, then take a series of black and 
> white
> photos!
>
> I've used a handful of different digital cameras, and don't remember 
> which
> are easiest to set and forget for fill-flash, so I can't help you with 
> that
> one. But, if that is an important feature, then take the A60 back and 
> get
> something else, or you will continually be frustrated.

On Monday, April 7, 2003, at 02:09  AM, Bobbo wrote in part:

> Have a close look at the Nikon 2500 (2MP) and 3500 (3MP). I've used the
> 2500 extensively and love it. The viewfinder is difficult in daylight 
> but
> still usable.

On Monday, April 7, 2003, at 08:12  PM, ShirleyK wrote in part:

> I set up the camera to not use flash. She took a picture and the flash 
> went off, with the expected repercussions from the guard. She had 
> accidentally touched the button that cycled between various options.

Thank you all for your replies. You really helped me with my decision. 
I tried out the Canon PowerShot A60 for several days. Though the A60 is 
a fine little point and shoot picture taker I traded it in. The A60 
sold me on the delight of digital still cameras but I missed 
professional slr style controls. More than that, I missed wide angle 
zoom. The wide angle zoom requirement (28mm equiv) narrowed my choices 
to about 4 cameras and almost quadrupled the price. I bought the 
Minolta Dimage 7i (the 7Hi was tempting but a $100 instant rebate on 
the 7i made the 7Hi $400 more and it just doesn't have $400 worth of 
additional features--not sure it has $300 worth of additional 
features--now that I've bought the 7i the price on the 7Hi will drop 
real soon). I like the 28-200 range, the slr style controls. Pop the 
flash up and its on, pop it down and its off. And of course, the Dimage 
is higher resolution. I don't know how its image quality compares with 
other cameras in its class.

I'm still twitching from spending so much money but I'll keep the 
camera a long time and get good use out of it.