OAP and DSLR issues

Pixbarmy

Pixbarmy

Suspended / Banned
Messages
922
Name
Mike
Edit My Images
No
I have a very low used Nikon D5000 and AFS 18-55 plus an AFS 55-300 lens kit which I bought to retire with, as I had used 35mm SLR film cameras for years. I know that the digital has much better pic taking and ranges etc than my old 35mm film setup (given away to an enthusiast years ago) but in my 70's and with poorer eyesight, the menus, sub-menus etc., are just a pain in the rear to me. I really just feel like going back to a decent SLR 35mm camera (which should now be plentiful). Has anyone else had similar issues and how did you resolve them? I'm no professional but have always enjoyed photography.
 
I am a similar age to you and I cannot cope with all these menus and particularly touch screens, I can't see them without changing glasses.
I hark back to the old 35mm Pentax ME Super , long gone now.
I settled on a Fuji XT-1 is has knobs to set Shutter and ISO and I use where possible prime lenses with an aperture ring so everything is visible and easy to change.
I stick it at auto ISO , auto shutter and alter the aperture as needed , the only exception is when I am indoors using flash and then it's all manual
 
From memory it's the Nikon D7xxx series and above where the majority of the controls are available on buttons and dials, negating the need to navigate the menu system for most things (and IMO as a consequence they're much easier to use)
 
Last edited:
You can do it like Al1944 said. Avoid full manual setting and adjust the aperture/shutter speed on A and S modes using the dial. Adjust the exposure with the exposure button plus the dial. I'd stick it on auto-iso and set up back button focus to.

That gives you P, A and S modes plus the scene and auto modes.

If you want full control using switches and buttons then a D200 or D300 would be better. They are a lot bigger/heavier but have controls for everything. The 200 is not so good in low light. The 7xxx series which superseded them are similar but lighter.

Whatever you do, it will take a while to get used to the controls. The 5xxx series are great as a light camera to carry about as long as you avoid fully manual mode.
 
@Pixbarmy quite a few of us here are OAP's of various levels of maturity (or immaturity) and experience. The advice above is good, but if you need more there may be someone not far from where you live who could find time to help you set up the camera to suit you so that you can then go your merry way without getting into the menus thereafter.
 
90% (or more) of the time I don't use the menus on my digital cameras, the knobs on top mainly do what I need.

BTW I've still got my ME Super, great camera, and I still use it.
 
sirch said:
90% (or more) of the time I don't use the menus on my digital cameras, the knobs on top mainly do what I need.

BTW I've still got my ME Super, great camera, and I still use it.
Click to expand...
I think that I shall have to look for one and see how it goes! ;)
 
Us "old gits" (me 79yrs old) with eye issues and shaky hands to persue or hobby have to adapt. My solution is going from FF camera to four thirds with the Panasonic G9. the camera has built in image stablisation and so does the 23-60mm leica lens. this makes holding a cameera still so much easier.
 
I use a Sony a7r2 with manual focus lenses - so I avoid all the autofocus options. It's always on aperture priority auto, and normally auto ISO as well. As it's an electronic viewfinder, I can easily adjust the exposure compensation without swapping modes. So a very simple camera to use, and the menu is only used to format the card, operate sensor cleaning and occasionally switching to silent shutter.

By the way, as my profile shows, I'm 75 and for me digital is just a point and shoot snapshot camera, my main interest being large format.
 
Relative youth here of just 63. I have no interest in menus and 'clever' stuff outside of eye tracking autofocus for portraits. As suggested, you should be able to set the camera up so you can treat it like a 35mm SLR, but without the limited number of shots per roll.
 
sirch said:
90% (or more) of the time I don't use the menus on my digital cameras, the knobs on top mainly do what I need.

BTW I've still got my ME Super, great camera, and I still use it.
Click to expand...

Same here, also big plus with the G9 is that nearly all the buttons are programmable, so combined with the custom modes, hardly ever need to use the menus.
Though the Panasonic menus are very easy and intuitive if you need to use them, and for setting up.
 
Thank you so much for all the helpful hints and advice. I will get the manual out again and see if I can get a few more bits of it into my noggin! Old dog and new tricks eh? :)
 
I'm younger than Tony, but Victor Meldrew at heart, so I'm not sure how much my opinion counts :)

Menus get more and more complicated with more and more functions that only a few people need. I'm not convinced it's an age thing as I had a lot of students who couldn't work their cameras and when they saw a Fuji X digital it was similar to what @troutfisher said. "Why aren't all cameras made like this?" Shutter, Aperture and ISO all on dials. Even things like metering and focus type were on dials so pretty much everything you need is on the camera rather than in a menu. Absolutely nothing wrong with going back to film, but there are some digital options out there that are easier to use than others.
 
The only problem I had with old SLR film cameras is that I'm now long sighted, so have fitted +2 diopters to the viewfinders on quite a few of my cameras esp Canon (which are more common than say Nikon).....Of course still need glasses for adjusting settings or whatever which is a PITA.
 
Last edited:
the main problem with the d5000 is it has no lcd so difficult to check what shutter speed is set - i mainly use 1/125 but like to go longer when light levels drop so an lcd is a godsend - luckily my lens has an aperture ring so no fiddling with the camera controls to adjust this
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top