Optical Viewfinders availability almost extinct
in [Digital Cameras]
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From: SMS on 29 May 2010 19:39 On 29/05/10 4:31 PM, Frank ess wrote: > > > Robert Coe wrote: >> On Sat, 29 May 2010 08:34:54 -0700, SMS <scharf.steven(a)geemail.com> >> wrote: >>> On 29/05/10 8:08 AM, aaronep(a)pacbell.net wrote: >>>> Can someone tell me why digital camera makers are no longer >>>> offering optical viewfinders on their cameras? >>>> >>>> One salesman in retail shop claimed they are not necessary >>>> because LCD screens are now brighter than in previous years and >>>> obviate the need for optical viewfinders. >>> >>> LOL, no, that's not the reason. The reason is cost. An optical >>> viewfinder that adjusts as the lens zooms adds too much cost. >>> >>>> My own experience has been that Cameras with only LCD screens are >>>> extremely difficult to use in bright sunlight. >>> >>> That's your experience and the experience of everyone else on the >>> planet. Unfortunately, most people don't even realize the problem >>> until after they've purchased a camera without an optical >>> viewfinder. >>> >>> The best advice is to find a camera you like with a viewfinder and >>> buy a lifetime supply. >>> >>> "If you find something you really, really like, buy a lifetime >>> supply; because it'll either be changed for the worse or go out >>> of production." Quote from Rivendell Bicycle's Web Site >> >> That's why I have a lifetime supply of those fine old heavy-duty >> keyboards that IBM made for their PCs. The one I'm typing on at >> this moment was made in 1986. >> >> Bob > > I bought two Microsoft Trackball Explorers when they were still on the > shelves at Fry's. One of them failed, and when I went to look for > another (two computers at the time) there was one left. When another > failed, there were none. I looked on the Internet and found some for a > very good price, and bought a case of five. I've had two fail since > then, the last very recently. I looked them up again, and found that > even inoperative ones are valuable, there is at least one specialist who > buys and refurbishes them, and used-but-operable ones go for anything > from ninety to two hundred dollars. Sealed new ones were listed on > Amazon at five hundred ninety-nine dollars. Just four ninety-nine, > today. Serendipity. > > I foolishly threw one "broken" one away, gave away a new one. My > inventory will probably last me for the rest of my life, and pay for > Neptune services. > > I still prefer the Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite - original arrow-key > configuration, but there doesn't seem to be the same kind of market as > for the Trackball Explorer. Microsoft had a big trackball for toddlers which was great. Ours went back and forth to several families as kids grew and new kids came along, and now I have it back. It's serial port only so not all computers these days can use it unless you get a serial/USB adapter. I need to see if my next door neighbor wants it for his kids.
From: SMS on 29 May 2010 19:41 On 29/05/10 10:48 AM, Ray Fischer wrote: > Heh. A few days ago I was with a bunch of school kids in a cave and > took some pictures. The only illumination was their flashlights, and > the only way I could take pictures was to set the camera on a rock and > do a five second exposure. Since it was so dark viewfinders (both > kinds) were next to useless, but since it was an SLR I could see where > the lens was pointed. Was this at the Pinnacles? That's a field trip I would always volunteer for. Last time we saw a bunch of California condors down there.
From: Frank ess on 29 May 2010 19:54 Frank ess wrote: .... > > I still prefer the Microsoft Natural Keyboard Elite - original > arrow-key configuration, but there doesn't seem to be the same kind > of market as for the Trackball Explorer. Pardon me. That should be "Pro", rather than "Elite".
From: Robert Coe on 29 May 2010 19:56 On Sat, 29 May 2010 16:39:05 -0700, SMS <scharf.steven(a)geemail.com> wrote: : Microsoft had a big trackball for toddlers which was great. Ours went : back and forth to several families as kids grew and new kids came along, : and now I have it back. It's serial port only so not all computers these : days can use it unless you get a serial/USB adapter. I need to see if my : next door neighbor wants it for his kids. You may find that today's kids have no need for such a device. My youngest grandchild, for example, was perfectly comfortable with a conventional mouse by the time he was three. Bob
From: SMS on 29 May 2010 20:05
On 29/05/10 4:56 PM, Robert Coe wrote: > On Sat, 29 May 2010 16:39:05 -0700, SMS<scharf.steven(a)geemail.com> wrote: > : Microsoft had a big trackball for toddlers which was great. Ours went > : back and forth to several families as kids grew and new kids came along, > : and now I have it back. It's serial port only so not all computers these > : days can use it unless you get a serial/USB adapter. I need to see if my > : next door neighbor wants it for his kids. > > You may find that today's kids have no need for such a device. My youngest > grandchild, for example, was perfectly comfortable with a conventional mouse > by the time he was three. Yeah, the big trackball was really for 1-2 year olds, by three they can handle a mouse, though I got my kids small mice that were more suitable for small hands. |