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A cry for help....

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Stephen Todd

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Canal Winchester, OH, US
I need help with a small problem. My wife hates my E-1, both of them as a matter of fact. Uh, both E-1's not both wives, I only have 1 wife. The reason is, in her words, "its too hard!" In her defense she has never really been a photographer, and has no real interest in photography except to take pictures of our son when I am not around. To see what I am talking about visit:

http://www.toddnet.net/TheBoys/index.html

They were all done by her. I posted pretty much every picture she took, just because I thought it was so funny. For everyday use I usually use my E-1 set on Aperture Priority, for use with my multiple Sunpaks or my Alien Bees I have it set on Manual. I NEVER think to set it to Program before putting it away. So here is my question.

Should I designate 1 E-1 to be set on P for her to use with our son and/or the nephews, knowing full well she will still get horrible pictures indoors without flash? Should I sell 1 E-1 and buy an E-410 or E-510 so she has a built-in pop-up flash? Or is there some other possibility I am missing?

thanks,

Stephen Todd
http://www.toddnet.net/
 
Stephen -

If she's going to be using the pop-up flash (and there's nothing wrong with that if you know what your doing - but that's a topic for another post), Get an E-500 kit for her. You don't need to spend the extra on IS if she's going to go for flash at 1/60 or below. Tell here put it on AUTO if she thinks she needs flash, and "P" for outdoors and she'll be plenty happy.

Now if you want an E-510 then that's also another story altogether :)

--
  • Adam
Equipment in plan
 
acwalbur said:
Stephen -

If she's going to be using the pop-up flash (and there's nothing
wrong with that if you know what your doing - but that's a topic for
another post), Get an E-500 kit for her. You don't need to spend the
extra on IS if she's going to go for flash at 1/60 or below. Tell
here put it on AUTO if she thinks she needs flash, and "P" for
outdoors and she'll be plenty happy.

Now if you want an E-510 then that's also another story altogether :)

--
  • Adam
Equipment in plan
Click to expand...
E-500 huh? They should be fairly cheap right now...I could keep both E-1's if its cheap enough. Good idea Adam, Thanks!

Stephen Todd
http://www.toddnet.net/
 
Unless you have some use for another, smaller DSLR yourself, I'd probably go even cheaper than a 410 and get her some slim profile point-and-shoot thing she can put in her purse or pocket. I'm actually a little less pleased with the "auto" shots from my 410 than I was from my old Fuji e550. The metering is not always good, and the onboard flash is a little weak. I am considering getting a smaller and cheaper camera for my wife to use for those "kids around the house" type of photos. I don't want to spend a lot of time in PP with those, or taking up a lot of space on the computer with huge files. They're "good enough" to put on the website we have the grandparents visiting. Also it would be nice to have something water-proof for the times when I'm afraid to expose my 410 to the elements (I'm not getting an E1 and $2000 worth of lenses any time soon), and shock-proof so my 6-year-old son could use it without my worrying about durability. I'll teach him to handle it carefully, of course, but accidents happen. Just my two cents.
--

Andrew
Fort Worth, Texas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahightower
 
charliedid said:
Hmmmmm

Why not teach her how to use it?

Just a thought
--
Charlie
http://www.63images.com
Click to expand...
Charlie,

I can't say that I didn't try. She wants to be able to pick it up and take a good picture while not having to worry about settings. I thought about a P&S for her, but she is of the mind that its the camera that makes the image, not the person behind the viewfinder. She literally has no interest in learning it. Adam may have touched on an idea that will allow me to keep both E-1s.

Thanks,
Stephen Todd
http://www.toddnet.net/
 
Get her an inexpensive point and shoot and it let it do everything.
--
Make it a Great day!
 
AHightower said:
Unless you have some use for another, smaller DSLR yourself, I'd
probably go even cheaper than a 410 and get her some slim profile
point-and-shoot thing she can put in her purse or pocket. I'm
actually a little less pleased with the "auto" shots from my 410 than
I was from my old Fuji e550. The metering is not always good, and
the onboard flash is a little weak. I am considering getting a
smaller and cheaper camera for my wife to use for those "kids around
the house" type of photos. I don't want to spend a lot of time in PP
with those, or taking up a lot of space on the computer with huge
files. They're "good enough" to put on the website we have the
grandparents visiting. Also it would be nice to have something
water-proof for the times when I'm afraid to expose my 410 to the
elements (I'm not getting an E1 and $2000 worth of lenses any time
soon), and shock-proof so my 6-year-old son could use it without my
worrying about durability. I'll teach him to handle it carefully, of
course, but accidents happen. Just my two cents.
--

Andrew
Fort Worth, Texas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahightower
Click to expand...
Andrew,

I thought about the P&S thing, but like I told Charlie, she thinks its the camera. Even after seeing her own pictures with my E-1. I would like a smaller carry around camera like the 410 for myself, but that leaves her again with only my E-1s. I may steal my mother's Oly C-5000 for bit and see if she can use it...but ultimately, I think an E-410 or E-5x0 would be better. Its times like this I wonder what I was thinking when I sold my E-20n. That she could use though she complained about the weight.

If the E-410 really has metering issues, it may not be the way to go, and will drop off my list. ihave not held much interest int he 410 in the past so I will have to do a forum search and see what everyone thinks so far.

Thanks,

Stephen Todd
http://www.toddnet.net/
 
Yeah ok.......

Maybe BIG point and shoot? ;-)

Pany (Leica) FZ 50 er whatever. Big flash and "looks" like it takes good pics...

My brother and his wife use a Sony video cam and take stills with it. Works pretty good and they just plug it into the TV!!!

Best of luck Stephen.
Stephen Todd said:
charliedid said:
Hmmmmm

Why not teach her how to use it?

Just a thought
--
Charlie
http://www.63images.com
Click to expand...
Charlie,

I can't say that I didn't try. She wants to be able to pick it up
and take a good picture while not having to worry about settings. I
thought about a P&S for her, but she is of the mind that its the
camera that makes the image, not the person behind the viewfinder.
She literally has no interest in learning it. Adam may have touched
on an idea that will allow me to keep both E-1s.

Thanks,
Stephen Todd
http://www.toddnet.net/
Click to expand...
--
Charlie
http://www.63images.com
 
AHightower said:
charliedid said:
Hmmmmm

Why not teach her how to use it?

Just a thought
--
Charlie
http://www.63images.com
Click to expand...
Charlie must be single...
Click to expand...
Ah haaaaaa!!!

Not single Andrew (nor married either) I give my cam to Karen and she just snaps away. Great compositions since she is a painter. Now exposure is another thing! ;-)
AHightower said:
--

Andrew
Fort Worth, Texas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahightower
Click to expand...
--
Charlie
http://www.63images.com
 
charliedid said:
Maybe BIG point and shoot? ;-)

Pany (Leica) FZ 50 er whatever. Big flash and "looks" like it takes
good pics...

My brother and his wife use a Sony video cam and take stills with it.
Works pretty good and they just plug it into the TV!!!

Best of luck Stephen.
Stephen Todd said:
charliedid said:
Hmmmmm

Why not teach her how to use it?

Just a thought
--
Charlie
http://www.63images.com
Click to expand...
Charlie,

I can't say that I didn't try. She wants to be able to pick it up
and take a good picture while not having to worry about settings. I
thought about a P&S for her, but she is of the mind that its the
camera that makes the image, not the person behind the viewfinder.
She literally has no interest in learning it. Adam may have touched
on an idea that will allow me to keep both E-1s.

Thanks,
Stephen Todd
http://www.toddnet.net/
Click to expand...
--
Charlie
http://www.63images.com
Click to expand...
yeah, see this is where my old E-20n would fill the hole nicely...but I was dimwit and sold the thing when I got my first E-1.

Yeah I am an idiot sometimes too.

Stephen Todd
http://www.toddnet.net/
 
We just returned from a week at Bryce and Zion canyons. My wife started with her p&s and ridiculed my 510 as too complex and unnecessary. Then she saw my photos when I downloaded. Unbeknowest to me she grabbed my camera when I was indesposed and ran out to shoot the bison near our cabin. Now I can't get the damn thing out of her hands. She has learned to switch lenses. She picked up on live view immediately. She has yet to master the flashgun, but how hard is that? I keep it on P and it works for her. She took fabulous pictures of big horn sheep on a ledge at 300mm without a tripod. She has steady hands and an absurd way of resting her elbows on her knees in a crouch. Her pictured were very sharp. I now have the excuse I needed to buy the e-3, but she may claim that too!
 
Yup

Big and simple! Would be perfect. EBAY?
Stephen Todd said:
charliedid said:
Maybe BIG point and shoot? ;-)

Pany (Leica) FZ 50 er whatever. Big flash and "looks" like it takes
good pics...

My brother and his wife use a Sony video cam and take stills with it.
Works pretty good and they just plug it into the TV!!!

Best of luck Stephen.
Stephen Todd said:
charliedid said:
Hmmmmm

Why not teach her how to use it?

Just a thought
--
Charlie
http://www.63images.com
Click to expand...
Charlie,

I can't say that I didn't try. She wants to be able to pick it up
and take a good picture while not having to worry about settings. I
thought about a P&S for her, but she is of the mind that its the
camera that makes the image, not the person behind the viewfinder.
She literally has no interest in learning it. Adam may have touched
on an idea that will allow me to keep both E-1s.

Thanks,
Stephen Todd
http://www.toddnet.net/
Click to expand...
--
Charlie
http://www.63images.com
Click to expand...
yeah, see this is where my old E-20n would fill the hole nicely...but
I was dimwit and sold the thing when I got my first E-1.

Yeah I am an idiot sometimes too.

Stephen Todd
http://www.toddnet.net/
Click to expand...
--
Charlie
http://www.63images.com
 
You know Steve, with a little practice and patience, the pictures can come out clearer. But I love them. Candid shots are best and natural. I find several of them funny.

--
Famous Last Words: 'HOLD MY BEER....AND WATCH THIS'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/plucknbach/
 
Great camera for the price. Plus it has the Live View which she can use as a P&S. Just have her set it to P or one of the Scene modes. For the price they're going for now w/2 lenses that are pretty descent. I think she'll love it.
--
Famous Last Words: 'HOLD MY BEER....AND WATCH THIS'

http://www.flickr.com/photos/plucknbach/
 
charliedid said:
Maybe BIG point and shoot? ;-)

Pany (Leica) FZ 50 er whatever. Big flash and "looks" like it takes
good pics...
Click to expand...
I immediately thought of my Pana FZ15. Decent quality through ISO200. Strong on-camera flash (leave it on/open?). Start up time (3-4 sec?) could be an issue for kid shots though.
 
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