Why do all digital cameras basically suck?

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xtknight

Elite Member
Oct 15, 2004
12,974
0
71
Affordable digital cameras do suck (compared to affordable film ones), but DSLRs are good.

I just wish they let you have more flexibility on the value digital cameras. What do they really gain by eliminating RAW mode on the low-end ones? I bet you can't turn off automatic noise reduction on some of them either, which is quite annoying.

The main problems I notice are blotchiness (I think that's noise reduction, it doesn't look like JPEG compression) and chromatic aberration.
 
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Lonyo

Lifer
Aug 10, 2002
21,938
6
81
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
Originally posted by: SoftwareEng
Excessive noise, red-eye, not weather-resistant, pathetic battery life, slow flash precharge, low-res LCDs, image stabilization only on some models, ugly-looking, to name a few.

Why can't someone just make a good digicam already?!

Canon A710 IS, Powershot A640, SD800 and many others suffer from at least a few of these problems.
Click to expand...

"WTFs" are italicized, knocks against my camera are bolded (hint, there are none).

not weather resistant: That's why waterproof enclosures exist. A very, very small percentage of people with cameras actually take them freakin rafting or something.
low-res LCDs: I'm sure Sony and Canon will include UXGA LCDs on their next cameras. The little LCD is for getting a preview of your picture; if your skillz are so 1337 that they surpass what the camera can do, then you shouldn't need a huge detailed preview for your perfect pictures.
ugly-looking: Sorry, but looks would be the last thing on my mind as far as the body of the camera is concerned. How the pictures look, however, is very important.
Click to expand...
One hilariously amusing thing is that, according to my lecturer (in underwater archaeology), underwater photography was basically atrocious before digital cameras came along, since you couldn't see anything. Digital cameras give much better results because you can use the LCD to see what you are taking a photo of. Film cameras you just have to hope that you have the subject visible underwater.
Sure, weather resistant and waterproof aren't exactly the same, but digital cameras are often more useful than their film equivelants, and this is especially true in some extreme situations.
 
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Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
You clearly don't know what you're talking about.

My ancient by today's standards A60 does not suffer from noise.

All cameras are prone to red-eye, the difference being a digital camera can work around it.

Only SLRs are weather resistant in general, digital or film.

I get over 250 shots out of charge with my Powerex 2200mAh AA's.

I have never had to wait for the flash to precharge, unlike my most film cameras I've had the displeasure of using.

Film cameras don't even have LCDs, so quit yer bitchin'.

Image stabilization only on some models? What film cameras have IS?

Ugly? They don't really look much different than their film counterparts...

 
E

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: secretanchitman
my nikon coolpix E7900 7.1MP does the job fine. i lowered it from 7.1MP to 3MP because i dont need that high of resolution (monitor limited obviously) and i dont usually print out pictures that big.
Click to expand...

Ugh.

Always take pictures in the highest resolution the camera can. You can always make them smaller later, but you can't improve the quality later.

A larger, higher quality pic will also result in a higher quality reduced size pic.
 
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SampSon

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2006
7,160
1
0
What exactly do you expect?
Do you want this magic device that can capture images perfectly with only pushing a button while standing on your head on a unicycle in a 9.1 magnitude earthquake?

The ability of current digital cameras is generally fantastic.
Photography is a fine art of understanding light and utilizing equipment to manipulate that light onto a medium.
It's more than just point and shoot.

Contemporary digital cameras do so much for the user. The user doesn't even need a lick of understanding to use one.
 
C

clickynext

Platinum Member
Dec 24, 2004
2,583
0
0
Originally posted by: Eli
You clearly don't know what you're talking about.

My ancient by today's standards A60 does not suffer from noise.

All cameras are prone to red-eye, the difference being a digital camera can work around it.

Only SLRs are weather resistant in general, digital or film.

I get over 250 shots out of charge with my Powerex 2200mAh AA's.

I have never had to wait for the flash to precharge, unlike my most film cameras I've had the displeasure of using.

Film cameras don't even have LCDs, so quit yer bitchin'.

Image stabilization only on some models? What film cameras have IS?

Ugly? They don't really look much different than their film counterparts...
Click to expand...

Werd... A60... Though mine is showing weird artifacting sometimes, I think I dropped it too many times.
 
JulesMaximus

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,586
985
126
Originally posted by: Eli
You clearly don't know what you're talking about.

My ancient by today's standards A60 does not suffer from noise.

All cameras are prone to red-eye, the difference being a digital camera can work around it.

Only SLRs are weather resistant in general, digital or film.

I get over 250 shots out of charge with my Powerex 2200mAh AA's.

I have never had to wait for the flash to precharge, unlike my most film cameras I've had the displeasure of using.

Film cameras don't even have LCDs, so quit yer bitchin'.

Image stabilization only on some models? What film cameras have IS?

Ugly? They don't really look much different than their film counterparts...
Click to expand...

I can get over 1000 shots out of my 30D on one battery charge. The thing is amazing for battery life. It will also shoot about 5fps and has a start up time of 0.2 seconds.

Of all the things the OP bitched about I'm actually surprised he didn't mention slow shutter response, small buffers, long write times, and the long delay during wake up from sleep/start up. Those are probably the things that bug me the most about P&S digital cameras.
 
E

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Originally posted by: Eli
You clearly don't know what you're talking about.

My ancient by today's standards A60 does not suffer from noise.

All cameras are prone to red-eye, the difference being a digital camera can work around it.

Only SLRs are weather resistant in general, digital or film.

I get over 250 shots out of charge with my Powerex 2200mAh AA's.

I have never had to wait for the flash to precharge, unlike my most film cameras I've had the displeasure of using.

Film cameras don't even have LCDs, so quit yer bitchin'.

Image stabilization only on some models? What film cameras have IS?

Ugly? They don't really look much different than their film counterparts...
Click to expand...

I can get over 1000 shots out of my 30D on one battery charge. The thing is amazing for battery life. It will also shoot about 5fps and has a start up time of 0.2 seconds.

Of all the things the OP bitched about I'm actually surprised he didn't mention slow shutter response, small buffers, long write times, and the long delay during wake up from sleep/start up. Those are probably the things that bug me the most about P&S digital cameras.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's actually a typo. My CF card only holds 250 pics, but I can fill it up twice on a charge.. so more like over 500 pics.

My point was actually that my camera is old, so it "only" does that ammount.. Newer cameras are much more battery friendly.
 
V

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
9
0
I just got a Kodak C875

Can be had for $220, is 8mp(but 7.1 is best for 4x6), small and light, etc... I went from a 2.1Mp to this so I keep my cameras a long time so this was the one that was the best fit for my needs and long term use.

Find the camera that fits your needs, not someone else's. Then you would not complain. Of course it could be user error that causes YOUR problems OP.
 
MrChad

MrChad

Lifer
Aug 22, 2001
13,507
3
81
Originally posted by: SoftwareEng
Excessive noise, red-eye, not weather-resistant, pathetic battery life, slow flash precharge, low-res LCDs, image stabilization only on some models, ugly-looking, to name a few.

Why can't someone just make a good digicam already?!

Canon A710 IS, Powershot A640, SD800 and many others suffer from at least a few of these problems.
Click to expand...

As opposed to film cameras, which are all waterproof and have high-resolution LCDs. :p
 
K

Kalvin00

Lifer
Jan 11, 2003
12,705
5
81
My A75 kinda sucks. I think its been abused too much, it doesn't focus well anymore.

I'm saving for a Digital Rebel XT! woohoo :D
 
ed21x

ed21x

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 2001
5,411
8
81
digital cameras suck because the trend of making them smaller and smaller forces cameras to have smaller lenses, which means that shutters have to be held open longer in order to get the same amount of exposure, except most people don't have the skill to hold their hand that still, and anti-shake technology can only do so much. As long as you stay away from the sub-compact genre, you'll be fine.
 
Sphexi

Sphexi

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2005
7,280
0
0
I've got a Canon A95, I've replaced the batteries ONCE since I bought it (Energizer E3 Lithiums), and I've taken hundreds of pictures easy, plus video. Great quality, I've used it in the cold, in the heat, dropped it, gotten it wet, no issues at all.
 
9

91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
14,374
1
0
Originally posted by: waggy
My A80 is great. i love it. a little old but it does exactly what i need it to do.

thouhgh been thinking of a digital SLR. not that i really need one but want one hehe
Click to expand...


I am in the same exact boat as you. I, too, have a A80 and I'm also looking for a DSLR. My A80 works so well, and has served me so well all this time, that I do not want to replace it.

Instead I'll complement it with a much different camera which will offer exactly what I think the little A80 is missing.
 
Muse

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,920
10,229
136
I have a Samsung Digimax V3, it's 3.2 mp. Nothing special and it has its quirks, but it's still alot more convenient for me than a 35 mm or my 2.25 Rolliflex. No film, no development of film, no enlarger, no printing, no bringing film to a drugstore, etc. I usually don't want a print. If I needed prints, I'd buy a photo printer. I print the occasional B&W print with my laser printer. Mostly, I save JPG's to my HD, and organize them in folders with appropriate names. I can view them in beautiful color on my LCD. I can upload JPG's, edited to my satisfaction to a free hosting site and share them with people all over the world, all entirely free.

The battery life I get is fantastic. The camera uses 2 AA's (there are other power options, but I almost always use AA's instead of the AC adaptor I got or the Lithium battery I got with it, that's still alive AFAIK), and I use 2300 mah Powerex NiMH that seem to last forever if they have a good charge on them. I think I can get over 100 photos on one set, and I have several sets, so power is no issue.

The camera has point and shoot capability and is also extremely customizable.

The camera takes 7 seconds to reset between shots, which is pretty slow for a guy who used to shoot thousands of 35 mm B&W shots, but it's still preferable for me. If I want to get serious about photography again, I'll get a better camera, one that resets in a second or two and has virtually instant shutter.

 
9

91TTZ

Lifer
Jan 31, 2005
14,374
1
0
Originally posted by: Literati
Here's a small Canon A620 gallery.

Total suckage.

http://www.photo.net/photodb/presentation?presentation_id=317651
Click to expand...

You take awesome pictures with your cams. It shows that the photographer is really what holds most people back.

I also like your A80 pic of the critter from Mount St. Helens. I also have an A80 and have pics from Mount St. Helens, including pics from the top.


climbing it
top
pan view


PS- Do you have a larger version of the picture of you feeding the chimpmunk? I like how its hand is stretched out. Cute little ah heck.
 
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