would you let a stranger take a pic off you?

I wouldn't let a stranger use my camera. partly because I HATE being in photos, I can't afford to replace it and partly because I don't trust anyone. On the off chance I have to get someone to hold my camera (we're talking family members or very close friends) while I try and scramble up or down something they look just as petrified as me because they know they'll be in for it if they drop it or any fingerprints appear. And that's just with a D60 - I'd be terrible with a more expensive camera!

I do obviously look fairly trustworthy though. It seems every other time I wander down by the bridges in Newcastle (especially the Millennium bridge) I get approached by tourists wanting photos taking. I've also been handed a person I barely knows D90 to take a photos of her and a few of her friends and ended up with about 8 other cameras shoved in my hands, around my wrists and around my neck and in charge of an impromptu photo shoot with around 40 people.
 
Never asked anyone to take a shot with mine, probably because there is a reason I stay behind the camera. Gorillapod was handy when the missus wanted a few couple shots. At Pima I just put the camera on timer and put it on a flat surface - plenty of those nearby!

The other day at the zoo though I was asked 4 times to take peoples photos. First couple of times with point and shoots, 3rd time with a Nikon Dsomething(washed my hands afterwards) and the last time with a 5D MkII. Odd thing was I didn't have my SLR with me for the 5D guy as I was on my way back from the loo. It must have been a combination of my pro hat and trusting face!
 
I don't even let Mrs OutLore use mine. Took her 10 minutes to work out how to get it to focus.

I love it when friends/family try and use her D40 though - they hold it up at arms length expecting the screen to light up, when it doesn't they ask "is it switched on?" lol
 
No I wouldn't, that's what my self timer is for
 
OutLore said:
I love it when friends/family try and use her D40 though - they hold it up at arms length expecting the screen to light up, when it doesn't they ask "is it switched on?" lol
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You want to see the confusion you can create with my gripped EOS-3, it looks like an early 1d but is 35mm film (apart from the fact with 8XAA batteries in the grip you struggle to hold it at arms length :))
 
I wouldn't either. It's also embarrassing for the stranger if they can't figure out how to use it!
 
For my smaller cameras yes but not for the larger ones simply because I'd be concerned about the person dropping the likes of the D700 + 24-70mm plus I find people are fine with small cameras but clearly not comfortable with the big ones.

I'm amused at seeing this topic as I was out a walk today in the countryside and wanted a picture of myself (usually limit this to about four a year!) and resorted to trying to balance the D700 and 28-300mm on a rock. Combined with an erratic spaniel, the picture didn't come out too well...would have probably chanced someone to take a portrait if they had an SLR with them although didn't see a single person the entire walk.

John
 
I have visions of gollum like photographers hunched over their 'precious'!

It's just a camera, it's for taking pictures. As much as the Daily Mail would like you to believe that every stanger is a paedophile-gypsy-thief-immigrant, they aren't! Mine regularly gets passed around friends, and strangers to get shots.

Sad state of affairs if you ask me......
 
Cheng said:
Pick the chinese/japanese tourist with two D700's round their neck (as I saw many a time in Edinburgh castle this weekend).

Handed the camera to a 'local' - a ****ed off look and my head chopped off the photo.
Handed it to a chinese tourist - lovely photo, checked it was100% OK, was surprised he wasn't going to deploy some strobes and umbrellas...
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In Hong Kong it is a common courtesy to take two photos, one in portrait and one in landscape. And it is not uncommon for stranger to be given half a dozen cameras when helping a group take photos.
I've even had someone use my girlfriend's point n shoot to photo us, then suggest we use their 5D mk2 and emailed the pictures to us later.
 
I've done it once before, when on holiday with the wife in New York. A Chinese tourist asked me to take a picture of him while on Liberty Island, and after doing it, asked if I wanted him to do the same for me and the missus. I didn't have an SLR then so I didn't mind him using it. I wouldn't hand over my SLR, but I'll likely always keep a PnS in my bag just in case I fancy a shot as a couple. I'd definitely be picky who I gave it to though, someone who couldn't outrun me would definitely be my first choice! :)
 
I wouldnt if it was my slr but would think about it if it was the compact. The mrs has an old tz3, would say yes to that :)
 
In My experience - no, in most cases. Firstly, it is unlikely they will take a satisfactory photograph. I have tried several times, even at conferences. People normally fail to compose decently (ie. far too much sky, rubbish containers in the background, cut out bodies, etc), fail to focus and even fail to hold that 3kg toy steadily enough. If you are lucky enough they wont drop it or run away with it - never happened so far.

It may be OK asking decent fellow photographers with heavier kit, they are likely to get something positive done - if they can be asked.
 
Yeah I gave someone my 450D when I was on the Rockerfella Centre in New York, I didn't really give it a second thought because they asked me to take a picture of them so I thought I'd get them to take a picture of me and my dad up there! When I was shot a gig a few months ago this lady who was also shooting said I could use her 70-200 2.8! I was astounded but it was all fine, I was a bit funny at first with my lens not being on my camera but like I said, it was fine.
 
When out in California I asked for a few to be taken, but only by other toggers with an SLR round their neck.

The one photo which was blurred and at an angle was taken by one with what looked like a 1D................ Sigh
 
Trig's said:
That must have been the "MacDonald clan" they're quite famous as their on that ad on the TV :lol::coat::exit:
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This made me laugh, it never occured to me you guys seen out tourist add.... which is a pretty stupid thing to think.

I would head round our NI coast quite a bit for some hiking and landscape pics and I have been handed a D3 (awful thing to use ;)), a number of 5DIIs and a 1DsIII which was just class as Id never used one before. It was mostly tourists from UK and America but I guess us Northern Irish are more trustworthy than most :lol:.
 
I've done it a few times on Holiday just pick an obvious Tourist put it on green square mode and ask them to fire off two or three shots, I'm only after prove I really was there memory type shots not formal portraits.

I'm never particularly fussy about handing my camera over to people it's worth less than my sofa and I don't get prissy about people sitting on that. Totally understand the back button focus issue drives me mad everytime I use a friends dslr that is configured that way!
 
What seems to get other people excited is when you give them a nice SLR and just say 'Fire off a few'.

Suddenly they change into a crazed japanese tourist, firing away, portrait, landscape, 45 degrees :D

Future converts if they don't already have an SLR!
 
-Ad- said:
What seems to get other people excited is when you give them a nice SLR and just say 'Fire off a few'.

Suddenly they change into a crazed japanese tourist, firing away, portrait, landscape, 45 degrees :D

Future converts if they don't already have an SLR!
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So much this.
Especially if you then go 'and this dial set here makes it shoot continuously'.

I've never had problems with the back button focus - when i hand the camera over I say 'this button focuses before you shoot', works every time. They're cameras not voodoo boxes :)
 
a1ex2001 said:
I'm never particularly fussy about handing my camera over to people it's worth less than my sofa and I don't get prissy about people sitting on that.
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Nobody's likely to run off with your sofa though ;)

puggie said:
tried numerous times with my 20D on my last holiday (always stuck it in auto mode first), 95% of people didn't understand because there is no live view option, I don't think a single person instinctively looked through the viewfinder, all asking 'how do you get it to show you what your looking at?'
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I had the opposite problem recently, when someone asked me to take their picture near the Tower of London and handed me a Samsung bridge camera of some description. I've been using an SLR so much recently that I forgot completely about live view and tried to look through the viewfinder - which was blank :thinking: (deactivated EVF, I suppose).
 
I have handed mine over a couple of times, Always neck strap first :) but even then, only to people who know what they are doing. Not as fussy with my p&s, even got a nice one of me on the Statton Island Ferry. A lady took pity on me trying to take a photo of myself at arms length (myspace style) and offered to help.
Have been asked to help a few times but only one DSLR (Canon 350D) while very drunk in a bar :cuckoo: It was in auto but I was so tempted to change it :D
I was in a pub last week and a group of girls at the next table asked if I could get a shot of them. Only a p&s, but I framed it, stepped back to get their feet in, moved a chair, recomposed and *click*. I was pleased with the comment 'Wow, he's a real photographer' :)
 
puggie said:
tried numerous times with my 20D on my last holiday (always stuck it in auto mode first), 95% of people didn't understand because there is no live view option, I don't think a single person instinctively looked through the viewfinder, all asking 'how do you get it to show you what your looking at?'
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That reminds me of something I did but the opposite way, my mum handed me her p&s and asked me to take a photo, I instinctively brought the it up to my eye and thought why can't I see anything.:D
 
I've given up handing mine over. My university tutor took five minutes to figure out that the flash popping up was not it taking a photograph, despite the entire class shouting from the group and telling him!
Also I went to a car show recently and a friend and I were doing silly poses next to the nicest cars. All shots I took had the car in the frame as well as the silly pose.. hers just focused on me, cutting the cars out completely! I was pretty miffed when I went back over them and realised I didn't have photographs of most of the nice cars at that show.
 
I have not but would have no problem in giving it to a starnger, just choose wisely.
 
Sorry meant I wouldn't mine giving my 7D to a 1D owner
 
This thread is so funny. I *might* let family have a few shots with it, but still unlikely for a few reasons:

1 - They think it's no different or better than a P&S and a waste of money :wacky:

2 - They have enough trouble using a P&S

3 - We couldn't afford to replace anything if anything happened.
 
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I only given mine to a complete stranger once, but he had d90 hanging on a strap around his neck, so I was comfortable with it... I have no problems with my friends trying to use it if they wanna play around; it shows them quick difference between DSLR and p&s, especially in MF mode :)
 
Never given to a complete stranger but have been asked frequently to take pics for others
 
No way would I give a 7D to a stranger but then I don't have my photo taken anyway.
 
I've let strangers take a picture of me on my p'n's when they've seemed reasonable people,or that I could catch them up in a chase, or we were in a constrained location (on a boat) but generally the photos have been so bad (me with the golden gate bridge growing out my head being a highlight) that I tend not to do it often.

Even when I hand my DSLR to my husband I have to do most of the setup as he doesn't enjoy the faffing aspect to photography.
 
Thought I'd revive this thread with an episode from today. Had a few minutes between meetings in Barnet so nipped into the RAF Museum and conveniantly had my camera. Just as I was walking back to the car a couple asked if I could take a shot of them with "their sons camera", a Nikon D300s thingy with 28-something f2.8 lens. Sure, no problem. It was on auto so I took a couple of shots, then went the whole hog, portrait orientation, flicked it into M, and composed what I think is the best portrait I have ever taken, composed nicely, a bit of fill flash off the pop up flash, focus bang on the eyes and the background behind the Spitfire and Hurricane (which were defined but soft) nicely and bokehry, I was well impressed I must say.

I suggested he quickly reviewed it and I'd take another one if it wasn't to his liking (although I felt a bit smug because it was one of those perfect images), he was all like, oh can you take one normally please, with all the background in, lengthways.

Honestly, there is no pleasing some people.
 
only got a compact, i have asked loads of strangers to take photos of me and missus, the way i look at it is it could be a shot in a life time with no other chance to get it, or an ordinary shot,
 
Nice to see people back home are still as trusting as I remember. :|

I've given my cameras (400D, 5D, 1D mkIV) to strangers lots of times. Tell them push this button to focus before you shoot (back button focus) never had anyone struggle with that, nor have I thought that they would. Probably because pushing a button is really easy and I don't think I'm so much better than Joe Public for being able to do it. :D

Quite often I've given a camera to people to have a play if they ask about it. Normally it's if I've got a 70-200 on it or something 'big' because they're interested in how far it can zoom in.

I find most people are perfectly nice if you don't treat them like a thief or condescend to them.
 
Gave it to a friend yesterday who's brothers wedding I'm shooting this weekend, he says 'how do you get the display working'

Wouldnt have a problem giving it but unless they had an SLR i'd be more worried about the focus, composition, viewfinder etc. Even my mrs only gets to use it on special occasions and that on green box and even then focus is all over the place :(
 
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