Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Idiot Proof

"Idiot-proof," she said. The assistant manager of the camera store described the green mode setting of the Pentax K20D this way.
Good. That's what I need. I can take my time and learn about the shutter and aperture priorty settings later. I can set the ISO if I want. I can set it to manual focus it if I like.
I can pretend it's a fully manual SLR. That's going to be fun someday. For now I like the fully automatic idiot-proof setting. It lets me take adequate pictures while getting used to the feel of the new camera.
I bought a lens for it that is so sharp and clear I swear I can get the expression on the faces of the insects in the flowers I've shot.
It'll be great, I thought. I can't go wrong.
Oh, how wrong I was.



Camera


Idiot



Proof

If you're curious, that's a brown-headed cowbird along the shore Water Fowl Lake in Banff National Park. It was the point of the picture

12 comments:

Hilary said...

But aren't they beautiful pine needles?

You'll get the hang of the focus.. and then look out!

I love that self-portrait. :)

Leah J. Utas said...

Well, okay the pine needles are beautiful.

I don't know what distracted me when I took that.

Crabby McSlacker said...

Too funny!

You're way ahead of me... our camera has all these automatic settings with little icons, but I don't use it often enough to remember what they stand for. I just have to hope that when the Lobster used it last it was for a similar kind of picture. I just point and shoot and hope for the best.

Pathetic, I know.

Leah J. Utas said...

Crabby, I'm used to the Nikon FM I've had for 28 years. I understand it. This fully automatic digital thingy is too much for my poor bwain to deal with, but it's fun. I'll be practising.

Missicat said...

Nice needles! I am impressed,I have trouble with the "point and shoot"...

Leah J. Utas said...

Thanks so much, Missicat.

the Bag Lady said...

Ah, the idiot-proof camera.... I can totally relate. I keep forgetting to check what my little video camera is set on. I do the "quick, get the camera" thing, then end up with a photo so fuzzy, it's pathetic. Sigh.

Leah J. Utas said...

Eventually I'll learn to check things properly before I shoot. And I'll be sensible and delete the mistakes.

Reb said...

I agree with Hilary, the needles are so clear and the colour seems to be really accurate. (Spruce isn't it?)

I still have trouble with the automatic wanting to focus somewhere I don't want it too - pfhht!

Love the new camera though and the self-portrait is wonderful!

Leah J. Utas said...

On the whole it is a really good photo of the branches.

I have to practice more with autofocus.
The self-portrait was fun. I can use autofocus on a point and shoot.

Thomma Lyn said...

You'll get the hang of it! Sounds like a super-cool new camera. :)

And I love your self-portrait, too! :)

My internet has been down all day. Been up and down a lot lately. Hopefully a change we made today will make things better.

Leah J. Utas said...

TL, it is. I looked at Nikons for sentimental reasons, but my husband was quite taken with this one and thought it ought to be the one we get.
There's a lot to learn, especially for someone used to a fully manual 35mm.
Sorry to hear about your internet service. Hope it's all sorted out now.

To all who liked the self-portrait, thanks. It really was fun.