too many bells and whistles ?

[blackadder]

Having recently up dated my kit I was struck by the number of "features" I don't use or need.
Having used Canon 1 Ds series for many years my ideal would be the 1Ds Mk 3 with the 5d Mk4 sensor, digi 6 engine and Dx 11 focusing . I don't need all the GPS, wi fi, video, and all the rest the marketing people say we need.
My oldest camera (that still works) was bought from Woolies in 1961 for 2/6d
(that's 15p to you youngsters) it is a half frame fixed lens plastic camera, no batteries no metering and it still takes images.
Will my 5d Mk4 still be going after the same time?
Or the lenses for it, ( I have had 2 Canon 24 /70 2.8 L lenses loose the ability to auto focus over the years)

[Arthur53]

Quote Blackadder..."I don't need all the GPS, wi fi, video, and all the rest the marketing people say we need."

Agree, all I want is a simple camera.

[Birdsnapper]

"I don't need all the GPS, wi fi, video, and all the rest the marketing people say we need."

You may not use them, but other people do. I'd imagine that it's easier for the manufacturers to include all the features they can rather than disable some of them that they think people don't want (and thus back to square one) and thus create a vast range of basically the same camera but with a plethora of names.

[Rachael Alice]

Didn't get what is the exact question?

[blackadder]

Rachael, I was asking if we need all the features on our cameras.

[Rachael Alice]

Originally Posted by blackadder

Rachael, I was asking if we need all the features on our cameras.

Ohh Okay!

I would say that it's not that we would need all the features but making requirements clear is important.

[sassan]

Originally Posted by blackadder

Rachael, I was asking if we need all the features on our cameras.

The fact of matter is we in general have a hard time to learn all the new features offered, in the correct way and in the right context and how to obtain them, when needed, through extensive menus. That is the main challenge. But then the fact is also that, every new camera these days, comes with numerous features, a lot more than what one can ever try each, say once! So the learning curve is important to be fair in answering the question. I am a sucker of technology and love to see all the new features. Let me give you a few egs:

Not sure if you have tried it or not but with many free to use Google products, if your camera has a GPS and left on to tag it to every image, when come back from a journey (And it doesn't have to be an around the world travel), you will be so surprise as to how your pictures will automatically get organized in the best possible shape, in a geographical, artistic album, even without any input from your side. Now talk of where did I see that... and voila!, you have it exactly to the pin point position on the map, with a simple mouse click! So goes the importance of GPS if you ever try it right. BTW recently many camera manufactures do not offer the GPS any more (Seems it was actually an extra piece of expenditure on their part and a good source of depleting the battery, therefore many complaining costumers of short battery life).

The WiFi is by no means a luxury these days and I firmly believe it is an essential part of any camera. I need it all the time to use remote features of picture taking. Then to have immediate access to critical focusing as I do most of my focusing in manual mode. I may not care about immediate upload to facebook or web page but then I really don't want to have a camera that doesn't support WiFi.

List goes on.

Then another important thing, not to forget, is that many of these new features, say video feature in a still camera, HDR, filters, panorama, virtual images, comes free for the manufacturer. Its only software improvement. So why not to add a few more features to the list of machine?

In reality and as we clearly see in recent years, despite added all these new features, the price continue to drop! In short, and as long as the added new "Additional" technology doesn't add to price of the product, I see no reason why not to receive it. I can't argue with bigger, better and free, after all.

[blackadder]

It shows the different needs of each of us Sassan, I do not need 80% of all the features on my camera. To me the sensor, dynamic range , viewfinder , focus tracking and colour reproduction are the most important.
I remember when the first camera came out that could also take video the government raised the tax on cameras that are thus enabled, this means that 75% of todays cameras have extra tax on them.
To take videos I have a video camera, I go back to the "super 8" film days with my "movie" making.
On another subject I saw a T.V. program last night from New Zealand and they showed BMW 5 series with doors like your sons (Lambo).
All the best Charles.

[galebars]

Different strokes I guess. I am enjoying coming back to photography and a D850 but finding much to learn (last had D800) ,sometimes going out with the F1 is a delight.

[blackadder]

Have fun with the new camera, look forwards to seeing the results.