Most over rated feature

[brainsalad]

DX code sensing.

Amen, especially when it can't be overridden.

And, I find cluttered "heads-up display" viewfinders to be more of a distraction than a help. I just want a good big view of the composition I'm working on, and don't want every possible bit of camera information wedged in there with it.

 

[darkosaric]

Zoom
and flash

 

[Steve Roberts]

The self-timer/delayed action shutter release, though perhaps I'm unusual in not wanting to be in more than one of my own photos per year!
Also, anything that makes a camera unusable with a dead battery.

Steve

 

[Laurent]

DX coding. I turned it off on my EOS3 so that I do not have to change the ISO each time I load a new roll. Now I have to do it only if I change film type.

High frame rates (a winder is nice, but 5fps is nonsense, at least for me)

Any mode other Tv, Av and manual.

 

[munz6869]

I've ordered a split-field diopter finder for my "new" EOS1V so I can use manual lenses. AF is good for hasty situations, but most of my photography isn't like that, and I tend to use small format for things like theatre, where "tracking movement" with the focus ring in crappy light is much easier (for my brain) to do... I find the excellent AF on this camera makes my brain go lazy(er), and I tend to shoot (more) mush...

Marc!

 

[bsdunek]

Most over-rated feature? The "nikon" logo or the "canon" logo on the front.

Sacrilege!!!

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I do have a couple of motordrives for my Canon FD system. Looking back I realize that they could be overrated for my purposes.

Jeff

 

[Jeff Searust]

Most over rated feature? --- Batteries.

 

[Existing Light]

Most over rated feature? --- Batteries.

When I bought my Pentax K1000, there was no lens cap, so the battery died in like a week. I finally bought a cap ad then got a battery for it. I've rarely used the built-in light meter since getting the battery, though. The few times I did use it, I also had my hand held meter with me. Most of the time with 35mm, I use the sunny 16 rule outside and a tripod and meter inside. Now if only light meters didnt need batteries

 

[lxdude]

Now if only light meters didnt need batteries

Selenium cells!

 

[Existing Light]

Selenium cells!

that's right. I forgot. It's too early to think. MAybe I should go back to bed

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Auto exposure override on 35mm slr cameras. It biases the meter.Might as well use manual exposure.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

2nd vote for the photograper.

I seem to be in a terrific minority - I can't think of a feature on a camera that is 'overrated'. There are many that I don't use every day; but they aren't ones I bought the camera for, only to realize later the feature was worthless. If you get enough people together there will be at least one who will declare any feature of the camera to be worthless.

I design products with more features than most anyone would use. But for every feature there are people who do use it. And even after I have added every feature I can think of the phone will ring and someone will say 'It would be really great if it could also ...."

If you were to make a camera that only has features that everyone uses I think it would have to be a box camera, lacking even a 'B' setting. Well, there are lots of people using Holgas - there is a market for minimalism.

There are people who are perfectly happy counting elephants, or looking at their watch, to time exposures. And I still do it now and then, I think everyone resorts to the bare basics when needed.

Rather than overrated features I would vote for 'really annoying features'. For me, that is any feature that can't be turned off.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

AF is great for us older (past 40) photographers whose eyes do not focus well at the 30-36" apparent reading distance that the focusing screen is made to appear to be in the SLR!

Use a +1 diopter (called a '0' diopter lens in Nikon speak) in the finder. That moves the virtual distance of the focusing screen from 1 meter away (-1 diopters) to infinity (0 diopters).

 

[Jesper]

Visoflex
What´s the point of turning a first rate RF camera into a second (at best) rate SLR.

Also, another vote for data backs.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Visoflex

Very popular in microscopy. I owned one and I think I only took 1 picture with it, which does qualify it as being 'worth nothing' (to me).

 

[Jeff Kubach]

My girlfriend thinks I overrated!

Jeff

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Well, for me, I don't like having things chosen for me. I like to determine exposure and focus on my own, particularly since I like to photograph with most of my lenses wide open or close to it. Where the focus lies becomes an incredibly important aspect of taking the picture. Exposure is another. Usually I will work in lighting conditions where I shoot into the light, or make a portrait in a shaded environment with a daylight back drop.
And, the auto exposure is heavily tied into the focus and depth of field issue described above. So whenever I use a more modern camera I just turn all auto features off.
I have to say I like a camera that automatically winds the film for me. One of the nicest cameras I've ever had the pleasure of using was the Canon Elan 7e. It feels so good in the hand, and once you disable the auto focus and auto exposure and rely on manual settings and focus, it's a dream to use.

But I don't worry so much about the camera, honestly as long as the lenses are good, they're reliable, and they feel nice to use, I will use any camera.

 

[Philippe-Georges]

Most over-rated feature? The "nikon" logo or the "canon" logo on the front.

The red dot on leicas too...

 

[Existing Light]

My girlfriend thinks I overrated!

Jeff

Our girlfriends think alike

she also thinks I'm a bit of an arrogant purist when I tell her the advantages that film has over digital. I can live with that, though. I've pretty much got the whole reversal processing black and white negatives figured out, and seeing FP4+ projected has strengthened the love for film that I was begining to lose at the end of last semester (long story about darkroom problems and an incompetent instructor)

 

[Pumal]

If the shoe fits; wear it

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I do have a couple of motordrives for my Canon FD system. Looking back I realize that they could be overrated for my purposes.

Jeff

I've owned the Motor Drive FN for the New F-1 I think since I got the camera around 1983, and since I rarely use 5 fps, I bought a slower, smaller, lighter, less battery consumptive Autowinder FN for a while, but I found that in single frame mode, the lag time was longer with the Autowinder, and the slow wheezy winding of the film to the next frame was annoying, so I went back to the 12-AA cell Motor Drive (I originally had the Ni-Cd pack, but when it wore out, I sold it for parts and bought the AA pack brand new, cash over the counter from Cambridge Camera circa 1993, figuring it was a better long-term solution) and sold off the Autowinder.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Same experience

I've owned the Motor Drive FN for the New F-1 I think since I got the camera around 1983, and since I rarely use 5 fps, I bought a slower, smaller, lighter, less battery consumptive Autowinder FN for a while, but I found that in single frame mode, the lag time was longer than the Autowinder, and the slow wheezy winding of the film to the next frame was annoying, so I went back to the 12-AA cell Motor Drive (I originally had the Ni-Cd pack, but when it wore out, I sold it for parts and bought the AA pack brand new, cash over the counter from Cambridge Camera circa 1993, figuring it was a better long-term solution) and sold off the Autowinder.

I been using a Canon F1N for over 20 years. It's a great work horse. Bought one new with an AE motor drive FM with a hi power pack. I used it very little when I was younger. Both motor drive and camera was like a lead brick around my neck .Being wiser and older, I haven't used the drive for a long, long time now. Tried to ebay it, but didn't have any takers. However, it was the only way to get shutter priority on the camera though.

 

[lxdude]

I agree with David, autofocus is overrated. I have a little digital bridge camera and it's autofocus kinda bothers me! I geuss I'm just an oddball.

Jeff

Oh, we know that, and it has nothing to do with autofocus!

 

[lxdude]

My girlfriend thinks I overrated!

Jeff

You overrated what? Her?