Camera Features vs User Experience

[CameraQuest]

Ever in the chase to add more features for camera techies in the sales quest,

camera manufactures often pile on feature after feature in newer improved cameras.

Unfortunately, too many not well thought out features or interfaces often destroy the user experience that established that model line.

To me a great example of that is the wonderful initial design simplicity of the Olympus OM1 and OM2 which was destroyed in the over featured and slower to use OM3 and OM4 series
-- not that OM3 and OM4 lovers are likely to agree.

What camera lineups do you consider harmed by over featured and hard to use "improved" models?

Stephen

 

[Jake Mongey]

Eos 5 to eos 3 transition. Sure the eye controlled AF worked on the eos 3 but the user experienbce is horrible and changing modes takes concentration and the eye away from the viewfinder. The eos 3 has average AF but a really good dial layout and controls and the mode dial on the left.

Hence why I sold the 3 and kept the 5

 

[:: Mark]

If you think that the OM3 and OM4 are complex, you should take a look at the latest Olympus bodies. Even if you ignore the fluff, such as the "art" modes, there is a ton of complexity. For example, there are no less than three shutter modes (normal, anti-shock, e-shutter) each with different constraints on things like flash and rolling shutter effects.

Setting the cameras up is hell, but once you have programmed some custom sets on the mode dial, the cameras are faster and easier to use than the Leica Ms. It is quite bizarre shooting them alongside a film M body. Properly used, the AF is amazing and helps you concentrate on the image rather than the mechanics of using the camera.

But personally, I do not find complexity a problem - the main issue for me is the ergonomics. And optics generally trump everything 🙂

 

[Godfrey]

...
What camera lineups do you consider harmed by over featured and hard to use "improved" models?

With rare exception, all.

Personally, I didn't find the OM-4 to be difficult to use at all, the new features it had over the OM-2 were simple additions and didn't get in the way. The OM-3, as far as I recall, was another manual/mechanical camera like the OM-1 ... just updated with a better shutter. I could be wrong on that—I never saw an OM-3 in the flesh.

Leica, in their digital offerings with the M and with the new S and SL lines, has proven that it is possible to upgrade a camera without over-complicating things. The fact that they have also produced the M Edition 60 and the M-D typ 262 production models, which have essentially the same user interface as the M6/M7, also shows that it is possible to create a perfectly excellent digital camera that does not depart at all from the classic tried-and-true user interface of a film camera.

More camera vendors should follow their lead. It's sad that only Leica and a couple of others at the top end of the camera market are moving in this direction.

G

 

[Robert Lai]

When automatic exposure control came in, I found really annoying those cameras which make full manual exposure control far more difficult. Or worse, they remove manual exposure control as an option altogether. In this class I put the Canon AE-1. It is fine to use in the AUTO mode, but when you try to expose manually, the lack of the viewfinder aperture display means that you need to take the camera out of shooting position to look at the aperture dial.

The multi-mode cameras were even worse. I think the Canon A1 and Nikon FA are overdone. You spend so much time trying to figure out what metering patterns and auto exposure mode to use that the subject has long gone by the time you're ready to expose.

Flash control: in the past, we all calculated exposure with guide numbers. Flash units had little calculator dials to help. It was slow, but the exposure was ALWAYS correct.
Then came the "auto exposure" flash units which carried their own little photocell to cut off the flash at the supposed right time. Unfortunately, very dark or very light backgrounds or subjects throw off these reflected light readings - as always.
The error was made worse by TTL flash measurement, which had the potential for multiple flash unit control with TTL guidance. Now you can have ALL the flash units collectively overexposing or underexposing together.

I have found the relatively simple and straightforward TTL flash control of the Nikon F3 and Leica M7 to be reliable and accurate, most of the time. However, when the backgrounds are not 18% gray (e.g. stark white walls), it's time to go back to the guide numbers. GUIDE NUMBERS ALWAYS WORK.

I find my digital P&S camera super annoying with all the menus that I have to sort through to change something. I think digital SLRs are even worse for this, so I have stuck with my primitive analog recording medium of film.

 

[dmr]

For classic cameras, I find the lack of a true match-needle mode of the Canon GIII to be somewhat annoying. You have to fake it out by pointing it at a lighter or darker portion and holding the shutter half-way to adjust the "suggested" exposure. I prefer the match needle function of the Mamiya SD.

For newer {d-word} cameras, quite honestly I find the TONS of menus and options to be more annoying than useful. My hunch is that 90% of the users of those will simply use them as expensive P&S cameras and ignore the options. I tend to use them either full auto or full manual, depending on circumstances.

 

[Pablito]

It goes both ways. For instance, the X-T1 and X-T2. While the X-T2 offers improvements such as more resolution, they did not produce an accessory hand-grip with the same shape as the "large" X-T1 handgrip. So, unless I need the extra resolution I find myself using the X-T1 just because it fits my hand better than the X-T2 with its accessory handgrip.

 

[xenohip]

With rare exception, all.

Personally, I didn't find the OM-4 to be difficult to use at all, the new features it had over the OM-2 were simple additions and didn't get in the way. The OM-3, as far as I recall, was another manual/mechanical camera like the OM-1 ... just updated with a better shutter. I could be wrong on that—I never saw an OM-3 in the flesh.

Leica, in their digital offerings with the M and with the new S and SL lines, has proven that it is possible to upgrade a camera without over-complicating things. The fact that they have also produced the M Edition 60 and the M-D typ 262 production models, which have essentially the same user interface as the M6/M7, also shows that it is possible to create a perfectly excellent digital camera that does not depart at all from the classic tried-and-true user interface of a film camera.

More camera vendors should follow their lead. It's sad that only Leica and a couple of others at the top end of the camera market are moving in this direction.

G

+1

Essential functions only.

Focus, aperture, shutter, take the picture = FAST. Maybe ISO if you want to be part of the current century.

 

[Solinar]

While not my cup of tea, I know why camera manufacturers add the extra bells and whistles. They're trying to attract beginners to a higher end camera.

I remember the day nearly twenty years ago, while I perusing the controls on the Nikon N90. It was the first time I came across scene modes. PO for portrait. LA for landscape. What a crock - but I'll bet that it sold a few extra cameras.

With regards to modern features, my Leica II has three analog menus - which are the aperture, a focus ring and a shutter speed dial that must be adjusted after the film has been wound on. If you have enough light, the camera still takes a pretty good photo.

 

[xenohip]

And one more thing, though it doesn't seem to get much attention: I think this plays a large role in the dominant success of smart phone cameras. The user interface runs much (much) closer to "essential functions only".

 

[Godfrey]

And one more thing, though it doesn't seem to get much attention: I think this plays a large role in the dominant success of smart phone cameras. The user interface runs much (much) closer to "essential functions only".

'Essential functions only' in the context of a good smartphone camera app (like the iPhone 6 camera) means that nearly everything is automated and a few overrides are available (lock focus, adjust brightness, etc). All of these overrides are done at a high level unless you buy a third party camera app that allows more in-depth access to the camera's specific functions.

In a way, it's like using a Polaroid SX-70 Sonar ... the camera makes most decisions for you but you can override picture brightness and focus manually if required. This is not a bad thing at all. 😀

G

 

[xenohip]

Probably ought to be called C-FAST... Compose, focus, aperture, shutter, take.

The single most important feature/user interface element is the viewfinder-- the means by which we compose.

The general plan these days seems to be to short-change this most important aspect of any camera design, and instead load 'em up with all kinds of sh8 that you don't need.

Curious....

 

[gavinlg]

Generally, the more 'features' and modes, the less I like the camera. The leica and the x-pro1/2 should be the golden standard of camera design for other manufacturers IMO. I tried to use a friends 80d after having used 1d's and 5d's for years previously, and I couldn't figure out a lot of stuff. If I can't pick up a camera and use it immediately or within 2 minutes of holding it, I'm not interested.

Olympus mirrorless cameras are the absolute worst. I recently swapped out an e-m5 mkII for an x-t10 for my dad because the amount of controls and dials and menus in that camera made it an absolute nightmere to use fluidly.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Generally, the more 'features' and modes, the less I like the camera. . . . .

Same here. Yes, things like coupled shutter cocking and automatic frame counting on 120 are good. So is a well thought out meter. And (if you go back far enough) auto diaphragms and instant return mirrors on SLRS, or lever wind. But features for the sake of features, such as ten different "modes", or customizable "function" buttons and dials, are a disaster when they get in the way of actually using the camera.

Cheers,

R.

 

[SteveM]

This discussion reminds me of the "feature" comparisons that were made between Wordpefect and Word (for those who remember those days!). I read one opinion that pointed out why both were becoming bloated with features that most people would never use: countless magazines reviewed software on the basis of feature comparisons in a check-list like manner. The same can be seen in Wikipedia's compilations of other software products today. New users might make evaluations based on apparent feature "capabilities" whether or not those features would ever be used. As a marketing strategy, camera manufacturers might feel compelled to include features in menus because of the reviewer check-box effect. Experienced users are quite happy with Leica M-like control, but what segment of the customer base does that represent? Which features are the really essential ones? For many, I suspect only the "P" setting.

Steve

 

[Robert Lai]

FWIW, I still use Wordperfect. It allows full customization when I want it, otherwise it is as benign as a typewriter. Which is what I like - a correctable electronic typewriter.

I hate MS Word. I hate almost everything that MS does. Not only does it cost so much money, it tries to DO things for me that I DON'T want. So, I spend so much time trying to undo its "smart" formatting and word changing.

Same with the iPhone. Why can't you just be a damn phone?
When I try to text it keeps changing the words I type to something that I don't want. I still like my old Motorola flip phone. But, work now wants me to use certain apps, so I have to use this hated iPhone.

 

[Keith]

Totally agree about the OM1 and OM2 ... those two cameras were absolute pinnacles of user simplicity that got corrupted by Olympus's attempt to offer more 'features!'

Very few cameras of that era were as capable of taking an image as quickly as the OM2n could with it's amazing metering system.

Conversely ... I will never live long enough to fully comprehend the menu system of my D4.🙄

 

[Ronald M]

Auto anything makes photography difficult. My Nikon DSLR art set to M. Controls are in new location, but there.

Leica M, no change. same machine

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I went for OM10 instead of OM1-4. Why pay more if camera could measure it right.
I ditched EOS 3 after few weeks and kept EOS 300. I ditched 5D MKII and kept 500D.
I read X-Pro 2 manual and went with M8...

Using only M mode doesn't really mean to be advanced user, IMO. I used M mode only for first 40K frames with 500D to learn exposure. M8 supports TaV mode. I select aperture on the lens and shutter speed on speed dial. M8 selects ISO and does it accurate. Just like OM10 did 🙂

 

[farlymac]

The Nikon Df comes to mind as something that is overburdened with features though it does not have movie capability. Just think how many more buttons they could add for that. My N90s never saw most of its modes activated, as I usually shot it in either manual, or full Auto (shows you how much I actually used it).

As for digital cams, well, I don't have a lot of experience with them, but I do know the Menu is full of features I tend to ignore. And that unless you have a two-dial command system, you'll be forever fiddling with settings while the shot gets away.

PF