Digital cameras can be bad for your health

1st April - 2002
By Ian Burley

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The use of digital cameras can be a ‘significantly stressful pastime’ compared to using traditional film cameras, according to the International Institute for Human Behavioural Studies, based in Geneva, Switzerland.

In a new report from the institute, called ‘The Impact of Digital Technology on 21^st Century Society,’ a surprisingly long list of aggravations are laid at the door of digital imaging technology.

Even if you don’t have a digital camera, the report says that the inability to afford such a trendy new, expensive, gadget can become a serious psychological problem for a very small minority of people. For others, the less serious problem of obsession with brand and product analysis and reviews is cited as being stressful, both personally and with partners and friends.

Target of muggers

But the dangers related to digital photography don’t go away once you’ve bought your camera, says report co-author Dr. Elaine Weston: “We discovered that a small percentage of people who own a digital camera are too nervous about using their camera in public because they fear being mugged.” Mobile phone mugging is an all too common and growing reality, but even more conspicuous digital cameras could be the next best target of the criminal fraternity, says Weston.

Affecting relationships

And the story doesn’t end there. As digital camera users print less than ten percent, on average, of their pictures compared to when they used film cameras, they are constantly nagged by people wanting hard copies of pictures they know have been taken and may even have seen on the camera’s viewscreen. This, according to the report’s second author, Professor Daryl Andersson, has been proven to destabilise previously normal friendships and relationships.

Worrying about comparisons with film

Other concerns the report highlights include worries over picture quality compared to film, uncertainty over how long digital prints will last and annoyance at missing great shots because of shutter lag. “Individually, these symptoms are often regarded as harmless or insignificant, but with some individuals the greater sum of the parts makes digital photography a significantly stressful pastime.”

Does digital photography stress you? – click here to let us know.

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