Re: Pondering Functionality

Paul J Gans wrote:
Wilba wrote:

I've been thinking about how I would like an ideal camera to operate. My
first "real" camera was an aperture priority SLR, so I generally work that
way.

Now we can set the ISO on a per-shot basis, there's another immediate
degree
of freedom to play with. Entry-level Nikon DSLRs frustrate me, because
they
don't have a dedicated ISO button. Others, like the Canons suit me because
they do.

I use exposure compensation a lot. On the few DSLRs I have used, setting
it
is a PITA - I can't think of many user interfaces more awkward than
holding
down a tiny button near the shutter with my index finger, while turning a
wheel with the thumb of the same hand.

So, what would I do differently? I want to be able to control aperture,
shutter speed, ISO, and exposure compensation. Rather than going into the
menu system or rotating a dial to select from a range of a modes (e.g.
aperture or shutter priority), I'd like to be able to directly and
immediately change any one of those parameters, or have the camera set one
or more of them for me.

I'm not saying the following user interface is the best way to implement
that kind of idea, but just for the sake of having something to think
through, imagine a camera with four thumb wheels, one for each parameter.
(The settings are displayed in the perfect way for you, whatever that is.)

The aperture wheel would take you through all the apertures available on
the
attached lens, plus "auto".

The shutter speed wheel would give you all the speeds the camera can do,
including "auto" and timed exposure.

The ISO wheel would take you through all the values the camera can do,
plus
"auto".

The exposure compensation wheel would work just like they do now. Liveview
would allow "auto" modes to prevent over or under exposure.

With something like that I could emulate conventional full manual; program
auto; I could do a full auto with auto ISO as well; I could do aperture,
shutter speed, and ISO priority; and I could combine things like auto
shutter speed and ISO with manual aperture.

The camera would need some principles to guide it's choices in the auto
modes, like, "try to keep the shutter speed above the reciprocal of the
focal length", and, "keep the noise down".

You could incorporate multiple preset or custom auto modes for each
parameter to give greater control over behaviour. But that's kinda what
I'm
trying to get away from - rather than having a bunch of fancy modes that
you
have to remember what they do, just roll a wheel to where you want it for
the applicable parameter.

Thoughts? :-)

How about putting an aperture ring on the lens? And then
shutter speed on a dial on top of the camera. That means
that you only have to find space for the iso and the exposure
comp adjustments.

But you don't really need an exposure comp ring. The meter
reading needs to be shown in the viewfinder and you do the
exposure comp by either adjusting the aperture or the shutter
speed or the ISO dial.

That system doesn't incorporate the idea that I described. It's not about
the user interface, it's about the functionality.

So we are down to three controls: shutter speed, aperture,
and ISO number. The ISO control can be under your thumb on
the camera back.

Of course you understand that with the exception of the ISO
control, I've just re-invented the old manual film camera.
Lenses today don't come with aperture rings (though they could)
so perhaps it could be built into an extended lens mount done
so that the lens fits into the lens mount, not onto it.

That way only the body has to be changed.

Of course I'd want a full readout in the viewfinder.

As a byproduct, you could, with a suitable screen, also turn
off autofocus and do it manualy, but you can do that now with
most if not all lenses.


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