As I do not think I am ever likely to get to grips with my current Canon1100D with it's choice of lenses on anything other than auto. I wonder if I should sell up and go for something like the Canon Powershot G16 or similar. And what would be an alternative to the G16? What say you?
The main advantage of the Canon G series is that they afford the user a DSLR like experience on a point and shoot, with Raw shooting and full manual controls, so you'd be in the same boat but with crappier pictures due to the sensor size. Stick with the 1100D, it's really not that hard. Just get an old manual focus lens and you'll learn in no time. It's easier to understand aperture when you can physically see what is happening and how it affects things like shutter speed and image sharpness. Photography is just a matter of balancing 3 settings, shutter speed, aperture and ISO. each one affects the other. There is even a real time representation of what each setting does to the exposure on screen in the form of an ever moving dot above a scale bar. Keep the dot in the middle of that line and you know the image will be good. Even if you struggle to keep your hands still, a DSLR will compensate in ways that a PAS cannot.
I have decided to stay with the 1100D as better the devil you sort of know etc. And I know that photography is a matter of balancing 3 settings but unfortunately my Fibromyalgia makes remembering how to adjust such settings on the fly almost impossible. But to be honest I tend,where possible, to take lots of photos in the hope that at least one will be okay. And that pretty much works for me. This ever moving dot on the screen above a scale, where do I find that?
the "ever moving dot on the screen above the scale" or exposure scale is bottom center of the screen. You should see something like | -2--1--0--1--2 In theory you want the large dash or dot above the numbers to be over the zero, except that isn't always true and will depend on a few variables BUT as a starting point it'll get you where you need to be. Then take a look at the screen and adjust. I am not sure on the 1100D but almost all DSLRs (especially Canon) have a few custom buttons or quick screens which can help to change settings. For example instead of having to turn a wheel to change shutter speed you can use the menu and a directional button.
