Consumers Union on Digital Cameras

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Consumers Union is preparing an article on digital cameras for their June 2008 issue of Consumer Reports. For background information, they are asking for input from photographers. Here’s your chance to voice your comments, complaints and wish list.

Here’s what I submitted:
1. Shutter lag is a huge complaint. Unbelievably, shutter lag is a problem even on cameras that can be set to full manual mode!
2. Noise at high ISO sensitivity, especially above about ISO 200 to 400. Many users voice a pseudo-technical explanation and wish for fewer pixels as a compromise to reduce noise.
3. Wide angle lens. Most digicams have a 35mm equivalent focal length as the widest angle on the zoom. A 28mme would be far better for many scenes, especially indoor family snapshots. Some people even want 24mme.
4. Accurate optical viewfinder. The LCD display is difficult to see in bright sunlight. Existing optical viewfinders (many digicams don't even have one) suffer badly from parallax and reduced field of view.
5. On-camera flash, low power and red-eye are common complaints. Personally, I'd like a simple way to add an external flash but placed off-camera.
6. Faster shot-to-shot cycle times.
7. I personally prefer shooting in raw mode but many digicam users do not.
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