On Sep 23, 2005, at 2:22 PM, Toralf Lund wrote:
I was very used to controlling aperture from an on-lens ring with
generations of Nikon and Leica gear. Moving to a new control
paradigm, with control of all exposure related elements on my
right hand adjacent to the shutter release, took a little time.
[ And so on. ]
Yes, it's of course also a question of habit. When I really object,
though, is when there is one common wheel for aperture and exposure
time. I think that one control instead of two isn't just something
you get used to; having separate ones is simply better.
I've had cameras with one, other cameras with two. It comes down to
the individual specific design for me. Using one wheel-plus-button is
just as easy as using two wheels, presuming that the button and the
wheel are placed correctly. (I do often forget which wheel with a two-
wheel camera controls which, particularly if the wheels' function is
configurable, and I never get the functions confused with a one-wheel
camera, but that's more my issue. I use two wheel cameras, with
suitable time to learn and remember the setup, just as easily.)
One wheel with two functions makes good sense from the point of
minimizing controls to learn:
- in Av mode, you only need to control aperture and EV compensation
- in Tv mode, you only need to control shutter time and EV compensation
- in M mode, you only need to control shutter time and aperture
If you have two wheels, which of these three control functions do you
put on which wheel in what mode? The KM A2 allows me to configure it,
and thereby confuse myself. The DS puts the user control on the wheel
and EV compensation on the wheel+button in the AE modes; shutter time
on the wheel, aperture on the wheel+button in Manual mode. I find it
very simple and easy to learn.
I'm happy with the new control paradigm, although I resisted it
for quite a long time. Canon's building cameras using this
paradigm since the A-1 in the 1970s.
I'm still asking why, though. Why change a paradigm that works
perfectly fine? I mean, even if you can easily get used to the new
one?
That was addressed in the section of my post that you elided...
-
"My hands move less on the camera, promoting better camera stability,
and adjustment is faster. When I am using manual focus, my left hand
is always on the focus ring allowing me to follow precisely small
movements of the subject and get better, more consistently on-target
focus."
-
Godfrey
