come on people!!!

[Dani24]

As a newbie myself ops: , I thought I'd chime in.

I decided to buy a new camera after my POS film camera decided to start seriously malfunctioning. Originally I was going to buy a moderately priced film, and a moderately priced digital. After a little research I decided to buy a nicer digital instead of having both.

I too felt tempted to ask people "what should I buy?" The choices are absolutely overwhelming. Also, for someone who knows very little about cameras, and how they work, I found myself feeling very confused and lost in regards to some of the lingo and technical stuff.

Fortunately for me, I'm very good at researching things on my own (I hate looking stupid, so if I can find it myself, I will). All of my research led me to buy the Canon G5 (originally I was going to get the G3, but the G5 wasn't much more, and it was easier to find). But, I read a lot of review websites, a lot of posts on message boards (that's how I found this one), and even then still worried that maybe I was making the wrong choice.

But many people aren't so good at being able to research -- especially if their knowledge about cameras is limited. People don't like to spend a lot of money on an item that isn't going to be very good quality. For many people, spending hundreds of dollars on a digital camera, only to find that it's a hunk of junk is a very scary (and likely) possibility. So, what do they do? They turn to people who they see as knowledgable and who they believe have some level of expertise in the subject (aka, many of the people on this board). And they hope someone will give them a suggestion that they can jump on, hopefully saving them from disappointment.

As for myself, while I originally knew nothing about cameras (except how to point and shoot), I decided that if I bought the G5 that I would learn. And that's precisely what I'm doing. Lurking around this message board has been helpful, though sometimes I still have questions. When I can't find answers through other sources, I would like to be able to ask here. However, because some people complain so loudly about "newbies" and their "stupid questions" I sometimes worry about asking. I know there are probably others who would benefit from the answers to my questions, but I don't feel like being flamed because I want to learn.

Perhaps my best advice would be to try to understand where these newbies are coming from. Try putting yourself in their shoes. And if you absolutely cannot stand people asking for advice on which camera to buy, just skip that topic. Nobody says you have to read it. And if you can find it in your heart to help a newbie learn, I can promise you it will be greatly appreciated (at least, I know I will appreciate it).

[mkoso]

Dani,

Ask away.

There are plenty of people here that are eager and, more than willing to share thier knowledge and experiences with you.

Mark

[BillDrew]

Originally Posted by Dani24

... People don't like to spend a lot of money on an item that isn't going to be very good quality. For many people, spending hundreds of dollars on a digital camera, only to find that it's a hunk of junk is a very scary (and likely) possibility. ...

One thing that seems to be missed in almost all the responses to the WSIB question is that there are very few really dud cameras out there. The reviews (rightly) point out the flaws in the cameras they look at, and everything real has flaws. Some of those are trade-offs: if it is compact, it is very unlikely to be good in low light. Not having an external flash is a serious flaw if you are going to be using a flash a great deal, but doesn't really matter to someone who shoots landscapes.

The camera has to suit how it is going to be used and how it fits the user's pocketbook.

If someone has no idea of how they are going to use the camera, no one can advise them on what camera will suit them. Asking the WSIB question is a simple waste of bandwidth. Once they figure out how they are going to use the camera, they can consult the real experts who have hands on experience with the cameras like Steve by looking at http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html

[Dani24]

Thank you, mkoso. I didn't doubt that there were people here that were more than willing to help someone learn. I was just hoping that maybe some of the more cantankerous bunch would read my post and be persuaded to be at least a little more understanding of newbies.

If someone has no idea of how they are going to use the camera, no one can advise them on what camera will suit them.

BillDrew, I completely agree with you. It is difficult to give suggestions when the question itself is so vague. Though, I'd guess that some newbies may be a little overzealous at first, and ask before thinking it through. Perhaps a gentle "What would you like your camera to do for you?" would help make things clearer.

[bcoultry]

If someone has no idea of how they are going to use the camera, no one can advise them on what camera will suit them.

That's obvious to us because we already know how much the cameras differ, how they differ, why they differ, and what those differences mean to a user, but it's not at all obvious to a newbie.

I was one of those annoying kids in school who harassed teachers with questions, picking at them until I understood a subject. If questions had been discouraged, if they'd been answered with impatience, I would have been made to feel stupid and I'd have stopped asking... Of course, there was that one high-school geometry teacher who died of a heart attack in the middle of the year and on the very day I plagued him for an hour over a single theorem. Be that as it may, I doubt newcomers' questions will be the death of us.

[blinblue]

I find it slightly annoying when they ask "What should I buy" and listing only one or two things they need (3x zoom or whatever). But I see no problem in them asking for advice between two+ cameras that they are considering, and if they mention what they will be using it for.
While they should be able to decide for themselves, it is always nice to hear someone else confirm that you made a good choice.
Or getting advice from people that own the camera and use it on a regular basis.

[RyanH]

As stated earlier, a WSIB section in the forum might suffice. It does get a little annoying when there are so many posts about WSIB.

People need to do some research. Obviously if they know the specs they want and/or a few models of camera's, they know what they want. They need to search sites, such as Steve's, for reviews and pictures taken with that camera.

Even though a forum is a wealth of information, and we are all willing to help out, it gets a little old for many of us seeing the WSIB posts all over the place.

Just my two cents.....

[djb]

maybe someone may have thought of this but, why not have a questionaire for newbies to fill out and post. this would include questions on needs, wants, features, functions, price, use, etc., etc., etc. then, maybe, there may be more responses to the newbies and maybe there will be fewer WSIB questions with no info included. just my nickel's worth.

dennis

[ImKayd1]

Someone who used to post here had in their signature 'The only stupid question is the unasked one'. I've asked more than my share of 'dumb' ones and thank goodness for those who responded. If a person doesn't want to read or respond...go to the next thread.

My penny in. . .Kayd

[RyanH]

I think the WSIB question is just a tough one. It is like buying a car. You need to test drive it first to see if you like it. You need to see if the digicam feels good in your hands and is going to be a better fit to carrying it around on shoots.

I would say if at all possible, head down to your local camera retailer (Best Buy, CompUSA, etc...) and play with the camera a little. This will definitely help people narrow down their choices as opposed to asking WSIB.