I truly hate digital cameras

May 21, 2011 13 Replies

I cannot take a picture with one to save my freaking life! Even with a tripod they come out all fuzzy and out of focus. I have two 35mm slr cameras that I can take perfectly fine pictures with, but film and developing is almost impossible to find anymore, at least decently done at an affordable price.



I wanted to take a picture of a quilt for bragging points. >:( After a dozen tries I just want to fling the stupid camera through the window.



It is a baby quilt. Mama tried and tried and did not manage to catch until she was forty. So she has Opinions and Preferences.(G) She wants everything in brights, neons where possible. No trad baby pastels for this munchkin! I got a peek at some of what she already had, and after wrapping my eyeballs in damp teabags and letting them rest overnight, I set out to suss out a plan for the baby quilt that would not make my brain swell. Usually I tend to all over patterns, blocks that when put together make a whole. This time I went to independent blocks, a star sampler with the stars in every color of the rainbow. That way I managed to squeeze in the astonishing assortment of colors that she has come up with, plus a few, while avoiding some of the eyewatering combinations that can result from it. I had very pretty indigo with gold lines spaced through it from a thrift shop kicking around, somebody had bought it, cut it up into 12 inch squares, and then never done anything with it. I used that for backing, so the stars really pop. I threw a sort of mariners compass looking star in the middle, put feathered star variations in the corners, and just scattered every star pattern I know and a couple I looked up throughout the rest of it.



It came out a little larger than baby quilts usually are, around 66x57, but it will just last her a little longer that way.



NightMist


Kudos on design and determination, girlfriend!

Karen, Queen of Squishies

My idiot digital camera only does w-i-d-e. Don't know why. However. It did come in handy. We bought a new car back in January and wondered why it looked so cloudy. Finally - expecting to have to have it clear-coated or re-painted or something expensive and painful, Mr. Esther scrubbed it down severely with who-knows-what. The scrub removed all of the cheap/fast wash and shine filth that the dealer had coated it with to keep it 'for show' pretty. Long story short: New car is gorgeous now and DH asked me to take its picture. Miss Mimosa is blooming now in a glorious manner, I knelt down at the back bumper and took new car's picture. Ah. Finally. Just one time, looking wide on a digital photo is Fine. Anyone want to ride in a parade? I've got the car. Want to take a picture looking long and wide? My camera can do it. Polly

Well I asked about being made thinner and was told that is software not the actual shooting. I suppose the wrinkle tweaking would be too.

We are able to take so many shots with our digital cameras compared to the expense of shooting with film it is amazing. There is a definite art to the taking and processing of real art compared with my snapshots though.

In addition to the manual there are usually whole books written for using cameras. DH mentioned that if you read reviews on Amazon for your particular camera lots of complaints are followed by more responses of fixes. Usually user error not the camera itself.

I don't think I want a shot of me from Polly's wide shooting camera. Few of us need that! Taria

I thought it might be the camera the first time. We have gone through a few of them now though, and I don't get anything but fuzz out of any of them. For the life of me I don't know what I could possibly be doing. I never have been able to get anything much out of any sort of camera that is seriously automatic though, so I imagine that has something to do with it. I cannot begin to guess what, but there it is.

I wonder if they make manual focus digital cameras?

NightMist

That reminds me of the senior year picture from high school. The only local guy doing the photos "corrected" out my distinguishing moles [one on chin, one on right side of nose] with a big blob, so the photo doesn't look anything like me except for the hair and eyes.

sigh.... G> DD went to our local photographer to have a really nice portrait done,

Hi,

Just a suggestion, what setting do you have your camera on. If you have it on the close up [flower image] and try to take a distance [mountain] shot that may be the problem.

Hope that helped.

Sandi in New Westminster, dropping in for a a quick visit.

I thought it might be the camera the first time. We have gone through a few of them now though, and I don't get anything but fuzz out of any of them. For the life of me I don't know what I could possibly be doing. I never have been able to get anything much out of any sort of camera that is seriously automatic though, so I imagine that has something to do with it. I cannot begin to guess what, but there it is.

I wonder if they make manual focus digital cameras?

NightMist

The digital cameras I've had recently require you to push the shutter button halfway down for a split second, so the camera can focus on whatever the little box in the viewfinder is fixed on. Then push it the rest of the way to snap the picture. I often forget to do this. often! See if you have a "halfway" focus setting.....maybe that will help clear up your photos. Good luck!

Actually, according to my sister, who is seriously into cameras - yes they do make manual-focus digitals. They just cost an arm and a leg :(

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