The following is only my 2cents, read at your own risk!
Okay, question:
At what point does the camera get in the way of itself?
I think it has gotten to that point now, even more now that Android is being shoved into almost EVERYTHING!
Think about it. How much messing around do you need before you take a shot? How many options, filters and so on do you need to do? Shooting a sunset? Dig out the camera, slap the lens on, load up your camera, select your mode / scene select other stuff, miss the shot because you where playing around with things.
The other day, I tried a new camera app for my note 2, it had WAY too many options, scene modes, filters, other stuff. For a staged shot, I guess it would be okay, but by the time I got done messing around with things, I could have burned a roll of film (24 shots) with my 5DmkII. With a mid range point and shoot like a g12 (g15) or my RX100, I probably could have gotten off at least 15 shots, since bracketing is not available.
How!?
I bracket most of my shots with the 5DmkII, usually at 2 stops. I blow one out, or underexpose, or get one near where I wanted. Or, if I nail things really good, I can make an HDR.
Granted, I need a computer for the most part to finish the image.
Now, I can see where the allure of these photo modes and filters come into. I can, but it seems like you may miss the shot you want while you are tinkering around with the cameras settings trying to get that look.
In most cases, when you use those photo modes and filters, when you get the shot, you better like it, because its cooked right into the jpeg that the camera spits out. The image is processed right there in the camera. You can do minor things to jpegs after the fact, but you have limited latitude to do so.
You shoot the "Raw frame first" then you have that raw frame you can do what ever the heck you want to it, AFTER you get the shot.
I have personally reprocessed images to see what they would look like in a different light (pun slightly intended). Most never see the light of day, but at least I have that option.
I guess I am the type that likes to shoot first and ask questions later. I think this is better then standing there trying to preprocess an image before its shot.
In many cases, light changes fast, like at sunset or sunrise. Or even stormy weather.
I guess there is a target market for these new cameras. Not everyone can swing an expensive DSLR and computer to process things
Here is a shot I did with the g12 a while back, a nice semi pocketable camera I picked up for I think 450 or something like that?
Colorful Cloudscape by
slitherjef, on Flickr
