Camera Ergonomics/Feature Layout Questions

[radi(c)al_cam]

What cameras do exist, where the shutter speed dial and the shutter wind/film transport are combined, but the shutter release button is not inside that contraption?

IIRC, all mechanical 35mm cameras that ever were in my possession follow these four models:

1. a/b/c — shutter release button (a), shutter wind/film transport (b), and shutter speed dial (c) have different locations; e.g.: Barnack Leicas.

2. abc — shutter release button (a), shutter wind/film transport (b), and shutter speed dial (c) are all combined; e.g.: Contax II, Leicaflex.

3. ab/c — shutter release button (a), and shutter wind/film transport (b) are combined; shutter speed dial (c) is separate; e.g.: Leica M3, Minolta SR.

4. ac/b — shutter release button (a), and shutter speed dial (c) are combined; shutter wind/film transport (b) is separate; e.g.: Rolleiflex SL35.

—— 5. a/bc — What about the combination (b) plus (c), and separate (a)?

Does it even exist?

 

[radi(c)al_cam]

What cameras do exist, where the shutter speed dial and the shutter wind/film transport are combined, but the shutter release button is not inside that contraption?

IIRC, all mechanical 35mm cameras that ever were in my possession follow these four models: […]
—— 5. a/bc — What about the combination (b) plus (c), and separate (a)?

Does it even exist?

My memory is a sieve I suppose — it does exist, of course … I even had once an «Icarex» :bang:

But: what other cameras do exist having that combination?

 

[sevo]

My memory is a sieve I suppose — it does exist, of course … I even had once an «Icarex» :bang:

But: what other cameras do exist having that combination?

At the very least the entire Icarex legacy, up to the Rolleiflex SL35ME/Voigtländer VSL 2. And if you permit a separate release button on the front rather than on top, the Alpas.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

My favorite 35mm system was the Olympus OM cameras, with the shutter speeds on a ring around the lens mount. I could use one hand to ficus, set shutter, and aperture without removing the camera from my eye. I never liked shutter dials on top of the camera.

 

[sevo]

My favorite 35mm system was the Olympus OM cameras, with the shutter speeds on a ring around the lens mount. I could use one hand to ficus, set shutter, and aperture without removing the camera from my eye. I never liked shutter dials on top of the camera.

Time on (or near) the lens can be good or bad. It was a great feature on the Hasselblad, where aperture and time went into opposite directions and could be constant EV coupled - that is, after setting the exposure, you could pick valid time/aperture combinations by turning the joint ring.

I did not like it much on the Olympus (where the time ring is way off the aperture ring at the lens front) and hated it on the Nikkormat (where it was even less accessible than on the OM-3 and, while adjacent to the aperture, turned the wrong way, so that grabbing both would slow the shutter and close the aperture at the same time).

 

[radi(c)al_cam]

At the very least the entire Icarex legacy, up to the Rolleiflex SL35ME/Voigtländer VSL 2. And if you permit a separate release button on the front rather than on top, the Alpas.

Of course, yes, Alpa. [sieve!]

My favorite 35mm system was the Olympus OM cameras, with the shutter speeds on a ring around the lens mount. I could use one hand to ficus, set shutter, and aperture without removing the camera from my eye. I never liked shutter dials on top of the camera.

My notion is quite the opposite: I find that arrangement very good, IF it's a leaf shutter camera; BUT if it's a focal plane shutter camera, I find it really awkward.

Time on (or near) the lens can be good or bad. It was a great feature on the Hasselblad, where aperture and time went into opposite directions and could be constant EV coupled - that is, after setting the exposure, you could pick valid time/aperture combinations by turning the joint ring.

Agreed.

I did not like it much on the Olympus (where the time ring is way off the aperture ring at the lens front)

Agreed.

and hated it on the Nikkormat (where it was even less accessible than on the OM-3 and, while adjacent to the aperture, turned the wrong way, so that grabbing both would slow the shutter and close the aperture at the same time).

Now I recall why I never had a Nikkormat: it's double-plus-awkward, IMHO 😉

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I grew up using Olympus OM cameras, starting when I was 8 years old when my father taught me to use his Olympus OM-G. When I was 11, he bought another OM-G for me. Had it till I was in high school, when it was damaged in a car accident. Replaced it with an OM-4T that I still have. The unusual control layout is 'normal' to me after 30 years of using them.

 

[unixrevolution]

I have an OM-1, and though I like a lot about it, I'd rather have an MX. The shutter speeds on the OM not being *visible* in the VF limit the usefulness of easy adjustabiltity. The meter readout location and type also make it particularly hard to see for me.

As far as cameras with shutter cocking/shutter speed together and separate shutter release, I think a Univex Mercury qualifies. You use the shutter speed dial to wind the shutter, shutter button is on the top plate.

 

[radi(c)al_cam]

The unusual control layout is 'normal' to me after 30 years of using them.

As far as cameras with shutter cocking/shutter speed together and separate shutter release, I think a Univex Mercury qualifies. You use the shutter speed dial to wind the shutter, shutter button is on the top plate.

While the Univex Mercury is rarely seen outside the USA, the outside Europe quite unknown leaf shutter VF/RF Werra family http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Werra is also a good example for that combination — Roger Hicks mentioned them already in another thread (and he wrote a Shutterbug article IIRC?). Big PRO: they all have a wonderfully uncluttered surface!

Perhaps you could like it, Chris 🙂

 

[radi(c)al_cam]

Another question: does there a given terminology regarding the aforementioned variants of control layout exist?

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

The Praktina?

 

[radi(c)al_cam]

The Praktina?

I never had a Praktina in my hands, unfortunately!

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

More here.

 

[radi(c)al_cam]

bump!

Another question: does there a given terminology regarding the aforementioned variants of control layout exist?

More here.

Thank you 🙂
Perhaps there are more East German cameras we didn't mention so far?

At the very least the entire Icarex legacy, up to the Rolleiflex SL35ME/Voigtländer VSL 2. And if you permit a separate release button on the front rather than on top, the Alpas.

I suppose the Icarex-ity of the later Rolleiflexes was the reason why the SL35 was my choice 😉

And: I forgot (once more!) the Miranda Sensorex that I once sold for some EUR 20.

... Very obviously, I really don't like this layout in question #5. ...

Hm, @MOD: could I add a poll?
I guess it's quite an intriguing question what the stance on these different layouts is.

 

[radi(c)al_cam]

Poll Added!

Poll Added!

Hrmph. «Poll options can not exceed 100 characters. Option(s) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 exceed this limitation.»

See post # 1 please 🙂