Downside to having a DSLR?

[Groucho]

- you can't just hand your camera over to another family member so that your own photo can be taken (they get confused and your photo ends up headless)

On the other hand, from my experience, the Disney Photopass photographers are always relieved when you hand them your DSLR to take a picture with. They are much more consistent and predictable than digital PnSs!

 

[Pugrpooh]

Trying to shoot in RAW format, only to find out that I have no clue as to what to do next. I have this Olympus software to make things easier( what a joke!) that came with the camera. I downloaded my photos but it doesn't go into my Olympus software it goes in the Windows Photo Gallery. Now I,m stuck! Back to JPEG for me!

I have the E520 and shot in RAW for the first time on Sunday. When I hook up the camera to the computer a little window from Oly Master pops up and asks if you want to use it.

Now, after having my camera for less than a month, I know my downside to a DSLR. I need a new computer!! Or maybe an external hard drive, or a new video card. I have a lot of free memory on my laptop, but when I downloaded those first RAW pics I took the other day, it was sooooo slow. Then when I tried to edit a couple of them, each thing I changed took at least 10 seconds for it to appear on the monitor. It's not that way with JPEG. I thought I needed a hard drive, but someone told me I probably need a new video card. Any opinions here?

 

[shafke]

I have the E520 and shot in RAW for the first time on Sunday. When I hook up the camera to the computer a little window from Oly Master pops up and asks if you want to use it.

Now, after having my camera for less than a month, I know my downside to a DSLR. I need a new computer!! Or maybe an external hard drive, or a new video card. I have a lot of free memory on my laptop, but when I downloaded those first RAW pics I took the other day, it was sooooo slow. Then when I tried to edit a couple of them, each thing I changed took at least 10 seconds for it to appear on the monitor. It's not that way with JPEG. I thought I needed a hard drive, but someone told me I probably need a new video card. Any opinions here?

I would think RAM and processor speed would affect this more than the HD unless you are running out of room on your HD and it is highly fragmented.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

I have the E520 and shot in RAW for the first time on Sunday. When I hook up the camera to the computer a little window from Oly Master pops up and asks if you want to use it.

Now, after having my camera for less than a month, I know my downside to a DSLR. I need a new computer!! Or maybe an external hard drive, or a new video card. I have a lot of free memory on my laptop, but when I downloaded those first RAW pics I took the other day, it was sooooo slow. Then when I tried to edit a couple of them, each thing I changed took at least 10 seconds for it to appear on the monitor. It's not that way with JPEG. I thought I needed a hard drive, but someone told me I probably need a new video card. Any opinions here?

A new video card probably won't help. Pretty much any card with 32MB of RAM will suffice. Video cards are mainly for 3-D graphics rendering, not 2-D image manipulation. Also, if you're using a laptop, you may not be able to upgrade the video card anyway. Most are integrated into the laptop's motherboard. What you need is a fast processer, lots of RAM, and a fast hard drive.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

oogieboogieman and Pugrpooh, I've had problems with the Oly software being slow and freezing - and I have a brand new computer. It's also limited in what it can do. If you're going to shoot in RAW, you're probably best off getting a different editing software. I think I'm going to try Lightroom, I'm just dreading it because this all seems so complicated if you're not a "techie".

Post processing, for me, is another downside to having a dSLR.

 

[oogieboogieman]

oogieboogieman and Pugrpooh, I've had problems with the Oly software being slow and freezing - and I have a brand new computer. It's also limited in what it can do. If you're going to shoot in RAW, you're probably best off getting a different editing software. I think I'm going to try Lightroom, I'm just dreading it because this all seems so complicated if you're not a "techie".

Post processing, for me, is another downside to having a dSLR.

You're right about the need for different software. My first experience with RAW is leaving me questioning alot of things. For example, does your colors look more richer and natural than when shooting in JPEG? When shooting in JPEG does the camera have filters and kinda tries to think to much for you? ( if any of that makes sense) Right now I have more questions than I know what to do with.

 

[drcandon]

Funny, just saw this thread, there is another almost duplicate thread on comparing a cheaper P&S with a medium format Hasle..and the resulting pictures, excuse me, photographs that resulted...

Check out that thread...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1994728

But to add a twist I propose Drcandon's law

Weight vrs heat of the day - for every degree of rising heat and resulting humidity the perceived weight of a DLSR and lens increases by 50%...

and the corollory

for every perceived increase in weight of a DSLR and accesories caused by heat and humdity results in decreased desire to lug and the increase in Disney profits for locker rentals...

 

[DebºoºS]

But to add a twist I propose Drcandon's law

Weight vrs heat of the day - for every degree of rising heat and resulting humidity the perceived weight of a DLSR and lens increases by 50%...

and the corollory

for every perceived increase in weight of a DSLR and accesories caused by heat and humdity results in decreased desire to lug and the increase in Disney profits for locker rentals...

and table service lunches to cool off in the AC!

 

[Pugrpooh]

oogieboogieman and Pugrpooh, I've had problems with the Oly software being slow and freezing - and I have a brand new computer. It's also limited in what it can do. If you're going to shoot in RAW, you're probably best off getting a different editing software. I think I'm going to try Lightroom, I'm just dreading it because this all seems so complicated if you're not a "techie".

Post processing, for me, is another downside to having a dSLR.

I'm with you, Pea-n-Me, with the post processing. I have Paintshop Pro X, but I've never had the drive to sit down and figure it out. I think sometimes I should get Photoshop because there seem to be a lot more tutorials and books about it than Paintshop Pro, but I just don't really want to invest the time in it.

The other day, I purposely took a photo in the wrong WB in both JPEG and RAW and then tried to correct them in Oly Master. I was real happy with the RAW pic afterwards, and the JPEG I got looking a lot better, but not what I would consider a keeper. So I think I will continue to use the RAW+JPEG option but now I'll need more memory, but at least maybe not a new computer.

We leave two weeks from today for WDW and I may want to pp a few of the pictures, but I'm doing good to just organize and label them. Next year when we go to Alaska, I'll shoot everything in RAW because of what I've read about snow coming out gray in a lot of pics.

Lynn

 

[InsertWittyNameHere]

I'm with you, Pea-n-Me, with the post processing. I have Paintshop Pro X, but I've never had the drive to sit down and figure it out. I think sometimes I should get Photoshop because there seem to be a lot more tutorials and books about it than Paintshop Pro, but I just don't really want to invest the time in it.

The other day, I purposely took a photo in the wrong WB in both JPEG and RAW and then tried to correct them in Oly Master. I was real happy with the RAW pic afterwards, and the JPEG I got looking a lot better, but not what I would consider a keeper. So I think I will continue to use the RAW+JPEG option but now I'll need more memory, but at least maybe not a new computer.

We leave two weeks from today for WDW and I may want to pp a few of the pictures, but I'm doing good to just organize and label them. Next year when we go to Alaska, I'll shoot everything in RAW because of what I've read about snow coming out gray in a lot of pics.

Lynn

I've got Paintshop pro X2 but unfortunately it doesn't support the Olympus RAW files. I'll need to upgrade to X2 ultimate for that. I'm not sure if I will or not. It is good at processing Tiff and Jpeg files but I may switch over to Lightroom or Photoshop. For now I process my RAW files with Raw Therepee. It does an effective job for a free program.


I read that setting the camera exposure compensation from +.3 to +1 is a good way to deal with the gray snow issue. Of course you will need to watch for blowing out other highlights in your photo.

 

[pxlbarrel]

On the other hand, from my experience, the Disney Photopass photographers are always relieved when you hand them your DSLR to take a picture with. They are much more consistent and predictable than digital PnSs!

Yeah, except if they're same quality of photographer as the ones that took my most recent Photopass photos, then being beheaded by a family member is more desirable. Some of my Photopass photos were terrible and unsalvagable.

 

[RustManFan]

I never used live view either. My most recent P&S camera didn't have a viewfinder and I had to just guess what was in the picture in bright sunlight. My DSLR prevents that. With P&S I was always struggling with using my reading glasses and then taking them off. Not to mention when I also needed sunglasses. DSLR totally eliminated my need to use my reading glasses on recent trip to Zion National Park!

 

[Enkil]

My main downsides to my D200 are...

NAS
size / weight

Mirror sound !!! In quiet situations my baby sounds like a m16a1 on three round burst mode. No real way to make it quiet and stealthy like p&s.


That said my dslr is rarely far from my hand, and will certainly be with me on my visit to WDW in December.

Bryant Lucas
D200, 18-200, 50mm 1.8, 30mm 1.4, 80-400.

 

[DebºoºS]

My main downsides to my D200 are...

NAS
size / weight

Mirror sound !!! In quiet situations my baby sounds like a m16a1 on three round burst mode. No real way to make it quiet and stealthy like p&s.


That said my dslr is rarely far from my hand, and will certainly be with me on my visit to WDW in December.

Bryant Lucas
D200, 18-200, 50mm 1.8, 30mm 1.4, 80-400.

I hear ya! I switch to single shot mode and slink down in my seat.

 

[jann1033]

imo dslrs aren't for everyone. they are overkill for someone who is happy with taking snapshots, someone who just wants to point and shoot basically in normal conditions. they are big, bulky, costly and imo unless you are into photography as a hobby or profession, the caliber of point and shoots today don't make them necessary for the average "picture taker"..now i'll go back and read the other posts and see why everyone totally disagrees with me

edited to add
the live preview comments make me smile however, having never had a digital p&s( went from film to dslr) the sight of so many people walking around with camera's at arm's length looking through the lcd taking photos drives me nuts they seem to be even more oblivious to their surroundings than someone with a dslr ,maybe cause i always stop and look up if i need to back up etc ( maybe everyone doesn't do that though even with a dslr)

one i didn't see listed is as soon as you start to take a photo with a dslr someone with a p&s seems to materialize and figure they need to take that shot as well and sometimes they stand right in front of you to do it. i assume dslrs give you superpowers and you become invisible once you half-depress the shutter so they don't realize you are still there nor how annoying it is to set up a shot and end up with their head in it right at the crucial moment.

 

[jann1033]

Actually I think the DLSR are a lot easier to use than the old SLR film cameras.

Try the learning curve for an SLR.
Dialing in your ISO
Manual focus - try manually focusing in low light conditions
Manually setting f-stop
Through the lens meter with either LEDs or a needle
Waiting for a roll to be developed
Getting the developed film back to find over/under exposed/out of focus pictures with no chance of retaking the picture

Yeah, you kids have it easy now.

i do agree with this although my dslr threw me a curve as well, i had to think of different things than with my slr

 

[mhaddon]

I don't know if this is mentioned, but I don't have very many pictures of myself or me and my family b/c I am the one taking all the pictures. My DH doens't know how to use it and I don't trust it with too many other people so I get left out a lot

 

[frugal_mar]

I don't know if this is mentioned, but I don't have very many pictures of myself or me and my family b/c I am the one taking all the pictures. My DH doens't know how to use it and I don't trust it with too many other people so I get left out a lot

Point well taken....

When I want to be in a photograph, I'll put the camera in auto-mode and have my wife shoot it. She isn't too camera savvy. Remember back in the days of the 110 instamatics - she shot a whole roll of her eye At least with a DSLR, she can't shoot it backwards and generally gets an OK shot, but I mostly have to crop, because she doesn't zoom in enough.

Of the hundreds of photos that I may shoot, I generally get in in a few, but that's OK with me, since I hate having my picture taken.

Here is another downside, by the end of the day, the family is generally fed-up with me and my photography.

As a side note, after the 110 issue (BTW, we were in HS and dating and I wasn't with her on the infamous trip), when she went to college I got her a 35 mm point and shoot - we called it the moron camera - and she did better. As I said earlier, if i set it up for her she can now at least make a very good attempt with my DSLR.