Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

So just WHY does my camera have separate portrait settings for 'Man' and 'Lady'?

41 replies

SybilBeddows · 19/08/2011 12:47

It seems very peculiar to me. Any ideas?

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
HeIsSpartacus · 20/08/2011 11:51

I used to have a camera that had a 'baby' setting. Thank goodness it wasn't a gendered baby setting because my friend has boy-girl twins and we just wouldn't have been able to take any photos of them together. Ever.

Looking forward to Hitachi's reply!

Anniegetyourgun · 20/08/2011 09:28

Your email is pure class.

We need a cat setting on our camera, as the boys obsessively photograph the cats. Mere human beings don't get a look-in. It is a Fuji, which does have a range of settings but only one Portrait. Maybe it's just too down-market, or maybe Fuji don't make silly assumptions about who's wearing makeup or who wants to look all fuzzy Hmm

LongWayRound · 19/08/2011 16:01

(Have just realised that this is not the kind of discussion I'd have expected to find in Feminism/Women's Rights. In fact I've been avoiding F/WR threads up till now, maybe I was wrong?)

LongWayRound · 19/08/2011 15:58

I could see more sense in it if it distinguished between Portrait Adult and Portrait Child... For real gimmickry, it should offer Portrait Man and Lady, with a special feature that allowed the camera to decide which was which, so that the Man doesn't appear prettily fuzzy and the Lady too strong-featured Confused

tethersend · 19/08/2011 15:57

It may be to do with make-up.

A made up face reflects light differently to an unmade up face, so may possibly need different settings.

It's a completely bizarre gimmick though.

Empusa · 19/08/2011 15:54

Grin That is excellent

StayFrosty · 19/08/2011 15:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
SybilBeddows · 19/08/2011 15:42

'Hello, I have a Hitachi HDC-886E digital camera from 2008.

The camera has 2 portrait settings, 'man' and 'lady'.

The manual says 'Portrait Man: Select this mode when you want to capture an image that makes a man stand out against a blurred background.
Portrait Lady: Select this mode when you want to capture an image that makes a lady stand out against a blurred background.'

Can you please explain to me what is the difference between these two settings? I don't understand why different settings are needed for men and women. For instance, which setting should I use if I want to take a photo of a woman who is shaped more like a man, or a man wearing women's clothes?'

OP posts:
Original poster
SybilBeddows · 19/08/2011 15:40

I'll email official Hitachi support.

OP posts:
Original poster
SybilBeddows · 19/08/2011 15:37

hmm, turns out it wants me to pay £12 if satisfied with the answer. Not sure about that....

OP posts:
AliceWyrld · 19/08/2011 15:33
Grin
Original poster
SybilBeddows · 19/08/2011 15:32

I will, since it's my camera! Thanks Alice!

OP posts:
AliceWyrld · 19/08/2011 15:31

oh please someone ask to give me something to laugh at on my next break Grin

StayFrosty · 19/08/2011 15:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Empusa · 19/08/2011 14:39

It sounds like a pointless gimmick.

RamblingRosa · 19/08/2011 14:27

That is so weird. Is there a Hitachi product helpline you can call to ask?

nickelbabe · 19/08/2011 14:24

the Man setting is soft focus to make the man look better looking.
no need to have that on the Lady setting Grin

alexpolismum · 19/08/2011 14:08

[idly wonders how many cameras CRIKRI has got]

I don't think I would have noticed if it were on my camera. So far I've only used the zoom on the special features (not really interested in photography, just want nice pics of my children)

Perhaps it uses a different kind of lighting, to make a man or a lady show up differently?

UsingMainlySpoons · 19/08/2011 14:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CRIKRI · 19/08/2011 13:55

How utterly bizarre.

(Starts looking at settings on all her cameras)

AliceWyrld · 19/08/2011 13:50

Try taking a picture of a woman who isn't a lady and see what happens? Although it might break it.

Original poster
SybilBeddows · 19/08/2011 13:11

sorry, Hitachi.

OP posts:
Original poster
SybilBeddows · 19/08/2011 13:10

Hitatchi HDC-886E

The manual just says 'Portrait Man: Select this mode when you want to capture an image that makes a man stand out against a blurred background.
Portrait Lady: Select this mode when you want to capture an image that makes a lady stand out against a blurred background.'

OP posts:
Original poster
SybilBeddows · 19/08/2011 13:08

ah yes, more blurry for women to make our skin look prettier and sharper for men to show up their muscle definition perhaps?

I will definitely be taking photos of everyone with both. At the moment I only have children in the house and it may not work on them.

OP posts:
Continuum · 19/08/2011 13:07

Object to "lady" on principle btw!!

Last post in a row!!