Originally posted by PPPPPP42 as the DSLR's automated features get better and better, you literally can just hand any idiot a camera, give them 5 minutes of pointers on composition and they will be able to produce a frustratingly large number of fairly good shots...
Mmmmm... no. I know
a lot of folks who if you gave them a camera that only had one button on it, and focused and exposed every shot absolutely perfect every time, they'd still get blurry photos from camera shake, photos of chopped off heads, poorly composed photos, etc etc...
Originally posted by PPPPPP42 ...especially standard shots like recording a family event.
Personally, I think it's awesome that people can take decent looking pictures of their families and kids. I can't imagine why anyone would be frustrated at someone else of being able to adequately preserve memories of their loved ones.
Sure there are more automatic features on new cameras... but photography shouldn't be an elitist pursuit. There's absolutely no reason to be cranked out of shape that others with a lesser technical knowledge are enjoying photography or anything else. Do what you do, let others do what they do and don't worry about it. It's like being ticked off because since the advent of the automatic transmission, any "idiot" can drive a car.
And you're only assuming those who use auto modes are less knowledgeable. Sure, some are... (but again, why would you care?) As for me, I started out on a 35mm camera without so much as a meter. I learned how to guess exposure, and I got fairly good at it. I know how to set a camera manually, because for about 20-some years manual cameras are all I had. Nowadays I use either Av or Tv modes the majority of the time, because it doesn't stop me from thinking about what I'm doing, it only stops me from having to tweak the shutter speed or aperture ring which if I'm to trust the meter in the camera, would be adjusted to the same place anyway. And when I don't want to trust the meter, I can easily override it.
All the auto modes are to me is a bit of a time saver, and I'm glad they're there. I suspect that is the case for a lot of us. There are some shots I might have missed if I would've had to take the extra time to twist an extra setting. It's called progress & it's a good thing.
And you know, if a soccer mom wants to buy a big fat pro DSLR, glue the knob to the "auto pict" setting and click away and have fun feeling like a pro... that's great. Glad she enjoys it. She can do her thing, I'll do mine, and everybody's happy... well... 'cept maybe you.