Autofocus, autoexposure, GPS, self-driving cars: How did we get by without technology?
As breakdowns go this was minor, not a flat tire on the Sagamore Bridge approach at rush hour.
But it was early Saturday morning, and I was running late. The assignment was straightforward, coverage of Bourne High School’s football practice. The camera gear was fully functional Friday, so it was grab and go out of the backseat and onto the practice field.
The problem soon presented itself - the telephoto zoom autofocus function was not working. Troubleshooting showed it wasn’t working on either camera, so it was a lens issue. Not the end of the world, manual focus still worked fine. Working through the assignment, I realized how much technology has changed everything.
Autofocus, autoexposure, GPS, self-driving cars and the list goes on and on, how did we get by all those years without them? Was it not too long ago that a camera was strictly a mechanical device, no battery required? When it comes to the advancement of technology, resistance is futile. The train leaves the station, get on and endure the ride, or be left behind. Thankfully, having strong roots in old technology is good preparation for the inevitable day when the batteries die or the autofocus fails.
Not too many years ago, pre-COVID-19, there was a summer photo intern, who shall remain anonymous, sent out to cover a Cape League baseball game with our longest lens, an old beater, but it still made tack sharp photos.
Returning earlier than expected, we were informed that no photos had been taken because of a lens issue. Asked what the problem was, “the autofocus didn’t work,” was the reply. Mentioning that the lens would still focus manually was a shock to our budding photojournalist. There is no arguing that camera gear available in 2023 is so fast and agile, not to mention much lighter to lug, that many photographs produced now were impossible to produce 50 years go.
But look back in time and it is amazing what news photographers were able accomplish. Sam Shere is not a recognizable name these days, but his famous photograph certainly is. Shere was a photojournalist for International News Photo back in 1937. He was in Lakehurst New Jersey that year with his trusty Speed Graphic camera, two sheets of film loaded in a holder and ready when the Hindenberg dirigible went up in a ball of flame. No auto anything, just a shutter release and a preset focus and exposure setting produced an amazing photograph.
My low-tech dilemma of having to turn the focusing dial paled in comparison. The success rate of images in focus was lower than usual. But sometimes, just like Mr. Shere, you only really need one good image in focus.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Getting by without high-tech: The day my camera's auto-focus failed
