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scottburgess

Hi,



I don't know if others experience this, but as a computer scientist I find there are some camera design decisions that really bug me--not because they necessarily make the camera unusable, but just because they're apparently STOOPID. :-)



One of the worst that I've seen over and over on Canon EOS bodies is the material used as a seal around the focus screen. It appears to be some sort of cheap foam that from day one will flake little black flecks that magically distribute themselves across the focus screen and up into the pentaprism. Wouldn't a rubber gasket do the same job without so much mess?



Another is cheap rubber eyepieces. Is there no other material usable to cushion the face than something that leaves horrible prints on your glasses? Or is this one of those seemingly insoluble design problems, like coming up with a nontoxic whiteboard/chalkboard for classrooms?



So how about it, folks? Can you think of any design decisions on the cameras you own that leave you scratching your head, saying, "What were they thinking?!"



Scott

netrex

I use Pentax, and the way they set up how you choose mirror lock up and shutter delay really bugs me. It's like this on the old 135 film Z-1p, the digital K10D and my current, the K-x. So I assume it's on all Pentax cameras.



You have one option to have mirror lock-up, then you also get a 2 second delay from when you push the shutter (on the camera or via cable release, not remote control), and then you have the second option, which is a 12 second delay before the shutter goes off, but you don't get any mirror lock-up then. There is a third option, it's when you use a remote control. Then you get a instant shutter action, or the mirror goes up and then the picture is taken 3 seconds later.



It's the two options not related to the remote control that really bugs me. There are two options. With two options you could have one that asks: Do you want mirror lock-up or not. And the answer can be yes or no. The second option could then be: How long a shutter delay do you want? And then you scroll to the number you want, 1-99 seconds, or a set number of options like 2, 12, 30 etc.. If you then have chosen "Yes" for mirror lock-up, the mirror goes up right away, and then after the set time, the picture is taken.



Still two options, but so much more possibilities.



I can understand the limited possibilities on the old Z-1p, but now on the digital SLRs they make, I don't get it.

drbob1

[quote name='Scott' date='23 July 2010 - 10:07 PM' timestamp='1279948072' post='1267']

Hi,



I don't know if others experience this, but as a computer scientist I find there are some camera design decisions that really bug me--not because they necessarily make the camera unusable, but just because they're apparently STOOPID. :-)

...................................

Hi,

Add battery and cable doors easily broken, detached, lost? (Replacements hard to find.) Nikon compacts.

And memory cards tiny and/or black, not colorful-- swallowed by pile carpeting? xD, e.g.

And menus with redundancies and mysterious hiding places for key switches? Olympus slr's.

And icons, abbreviations, and process terms from obvious to universal to unique? Compare Canon to Sony.

And strap lugs and ends no Western hands can manipulate? That IS universal.

I suspect that the Japanese standards for manufacturing/designing 35 mm cameras disappeared, like the yellow stickers on bodies and lenses. Success breeds arrogance, and customers cry "Stoopid".

Bob

netrex

I forgot something.



The K10D had a battery grip, or vertical grip if you want, it's the same for the K20D. Unlike grips for other brands (that I've seen), you don't have to take out the battery in your camera and take off the battery door. You keep one battery in your camera, but then they made it so that in the grip, you have only one battery, and have space for an SD card and the remote control. Why not two batteries, so you could have a total of three? Or make two kinds of grips, one for one battery+SD card+remote control and one for two batteries for a total of three?
My only gripe is the lack of some easy to implement functions in camera software that are not present.



On Canon, can we have user selectable auto-ISO range please? I think I heard it is finally implemented on the 550D, but really, how hard is it to implement it on earlier bodies too? At least recent ones like the 7D. While there, I'll also take more bracketing steps.
[quote name='Alexander ' date='24 July 2010 - 07:32 AM' timestamp='1279953154' post='1268']

I use Pentax, and the way they set up how you choose mirror lock up and shutter delay really bugs me. It's like this on the old 135 film Z-1p, the digital K10D and my current, the K-x. So I assume it's on all Pentax cameras.



You have one option to have mirror lock-up, then you also get a 2 second delay from when you push the shutter (on the camera or via cable release, not remote control), and then you have the second option, which is a 12 second delay before the shutter goes off, but you don't get any mirror lock-up then. There is a third option, it's when you use a remote control. Then you get a instant shutter action, or the mirror goes up and then the picture is taken 3 seconds later.



It's the two options not related to the remote control that really bugs me. There are two options. With two options you could have one that asks: Do you want mirror lock-up or not. And the answer can be yes or no. The second option could then be: How long a shutter delay do you want? And then you scroll to the number you want, 1-99 seconds, or a set number of options like 2, 12, 30 etc.. If you then have chosen "Yes" for mirror lock-up, the mirror goes up right away, and then after the set time, the picture is taken.



Still two options, but so much more possibilities.



I can understand the limited possibilities on the old Z-1p, but now on the digital SLRs they make, I don't get it.

[/quote]

Canon's mirror lock up implementation is really quite simple and good, in my opinion (except that there is no mirror lock up button, of course... but you can't have a button for everything and still end up with an easy to use camera).

You activate mirror lock up, so you can use it.

Then, when you press the shutter button, the mirror will go up. For the rest, nothing happens. Only when you press the shutter button again (obviously, via a remote... else mirror lock up has little use <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='Wink' /> ) a photo gets taken. No fiddly stuff with setting a timer, just simple.

The camera keeps using mirror lock up until you switch it off again.

If you have mirror lock up "on", and you use it in combination with the self release timer, and you press the shutter button, the mirror goes up, and after 2 seconds the photo gets taken.



Obviously, with this implementation, it is easy for remotes to add functionality to this, you can then via a remote make a variable timer period between the mirror going up and the photo being taken.

netrex

[quote name='Brightcolours' date='24 July 2010 - 10:53 AM' timestamp='1279965223' post='1272']

Canon's mirror lock up implementation is really quite simple and good, in my opinion (except that there is no mirror lock up button, of course... but you can't have a button for everything and still end up with an easy to use camera).

You activate mirror lock up, so you can use it.

Then, when you press the shutter button, the mirror will go up. For the rest, nothing happens. Only when you press the shutter button again (obviously, via a remote... else mirror lock up has little use <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='Wink' /> ) a photo gets taken. No fiddly stuff with setting a timer, just simple.

The camera keeps using mirror lock up until you switch it off again.

If you have mirror lock up "on", and you use it in combination with the self release timer, and you press the shutter button, the mirror goes up, and after 2 seconds the photo gets taken.



Obviously, with this implementation, it is easy for remotes to add functionality to this, you can then via a remote make a variable timer period between the mirror going up and the photo being taken.

[/quote]

I've used the 5D a little when I've borrowed it. And I liked that way of doing it <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='Smile' /> It could be an optional way for remote on the K-x, as you can't connect a wire release to it :/
My main gripe is the size of (d)slrs these days. I long back to the days where cameras were the size of the Pentax M-series, Olympus OM-series, etc. Maybe for a professional camera a little larger, like the old Pentax K2.



I am really looking forward to cameras getting back to this size eventually, maybe slightly larger due to the size of the batteries required and the additional space required for AF systems <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='Wink' />.



Kind regards, Wim

scottburgess

[quote name='Bob Solomon' timestamp='1279954232' post='1269']

Hi,

Add battery and cable doors easily broken, detached, lost? (Replacements hard to find.) Nikon compacts.

And memory cards tiny and/or black, not colorful-- swallowed by pile carpeting? xD, e.g.

And menus with redundancies and mysterious hiding places for key switches? Olympus slr's.

And icons, abbreviations, and process terms from obvious to universal to unique? Compare Canon to Sony.

And strap lugs and ends no Western hands can manipulate? That IS universal.

I suspect that the Japanese standards for manufacturing/designing 35 mm cameras disappeared, like the yellow stickers on bodies and lenses. Success breeds arrogance, and customers cry "Stoopid".

Bob

[/quote]



Thanks for this post, Bob. It reminded me of the remote cord plug at the base of the grip on my Canon EOS Elan IIe. This tiny plug had to be removed frequently in the field, but was so tiny that it commonly disappeared into the ground/plants/whatever that I was standing on. Had to always keep a spare in my bag, though that was hard to find when needed, too.



Thankfully, the newer EOS rubber door for access to data ports is both well attached to the camera and easier to open/close. Now if they would just account better for an Arca-Swiss L-plate we'd be in business! [Hint to Canon engineers: if you make the door protrude a little, the L-plate can go around while leaving it exposed.]



While I am at it, perhaps someone can suggest why my lens caps are dark grey? Seems to me that a white stripe would make them easier to spot when dropped outdoors. Considering that a cap which probably requires less than 50 cents to make costs about $7, you'd think the customer would get more for their money.



I've had similar problems with flashlights set down in the field as they are often black or some other dark color that blends in with the forest floor. I adore the output of my Coast LED V-Squared, but wish it was available in more garish attire.



Some companies listen to their customers well, some don't. I've pushed a couple Arca-Swiss compatible manufacturers for years to produce a pan-head with integrated Arca-Swiss compatibility, but they chose to ignore me. Now Induro has not only produced the PHQ3, but in doing so has patented innovative solutions to other problems with pan-heads and added panorama capability as well. Guess they will get my business. Too bad for the other companies that they didn't listen.



Scott

Guest

[quote name='Scott' timestamp='1280389912' post='1376']

While I am at it, perhaps someone can suggest why my lens caps are dark grey? Seems to me that a white stripe would make them easier to spot when dropped outdoors. Considering that a cap which probably requires less than 50 cents to make costs about $7, you'd think the customer would get more for their money.



[/quote]



Fortunately, that's easy to fix with some white (or neon orange) paint. Also marks them as uniquely yours.



-Lars
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