On 7/31/2012 10:34 AM, Ken Norton wrote:
>> The manual controls on Canon EOS semi-pro and pro DSLRs are the same as
>> the film EOS SLRs. Aperture rings left the lens with the advent of
> Chuck is correct that this started long before digital. Yet, we dinos
> prefer a tactile and dedicated control interface. With PASM cameras we
> must avert our eyes from the subject to verify our adjustments. A
> click of a dial doesn't always result in the expected or desired
> adjustment.
I suppose that may be true for you. On the three Canon DSLRs I've used for the
last eight years, the same dial does
exactly the same thing on each one. Some buttons on the backs have moved;
unfortunate, but necessary, as the screens
have gotten bigger and for those that are articulated, but the wheels have
remained the same.
> When I'm on a hike and I'm using a manual-mode film camera, I adjust
> my aperture and shutter speed to my "normal exposure". Then as I walk,
> I'm intuitively adjusting the aperture or shutter speed or focus just
> by feel.
Yup - except - I have my AF camera set to my defaults for the situation, almost
always Aperture Priority, and can set
the aperture correctly by feel. Clicks of the aperture wheel have good tactile
feedback and the aperture steps are clear
in my memory.
In fact, I never was much good at remembering where I had set the manual
aperture on OMs. I would try, the move the ring
and forget IF I had put it back or not. I found the Nikon F series solution of
making the aperture visible in the
viewfinder superior for resetting my memory, and missed it when I switched to
OM.
Oh, but wait! As I put the camera to my eye and take the shot, all the settings
are visible in the viewfinder, so I can
change them if needed for a second shot. How nice! :-)
> It's a subconscious thing. When I am ready to take the
> picture, I just raise the camera to the eye and shoot. With a PASM
> camera, I have to adjust the dials to do the same thing. But do I
> adjust the front or rear dials? Does the dial go the right or to the
> left when I want to increase aperture? When is the read dial an
> aperture, shutter speed or exposure compensation dial? Is it 1/3 stop,
> 1/2 stop or full stop? Forget it! I'll just put the stupid thing in
> Program mode.
I've not had that problem. The control interface of all Canon DLSRs has
remained consistent over the time I've used
them. I can pick up any Canon two wheel DSLR (which is all but entry level
models) and adjust exposure parameters
without looking or thinking.The problem arises when one uses a lot of cameras
of different brands, with different
interfaces.
Compact cameras are another kettle of fish, of course, with enough interface
variations, even within a brand, to drive
one mad. :-)
In reality, it comes down to two things: Muscle memory and peripheral
vision recognition.
Exactly. And no two of us are the same in this regard. Any one of us may say
what works for them. To say that it should
be the same for other persons is a sure way to be often wrong.
And I would add physical ergonomics; some camera control layouts just fit any
given person's anatomy better than others.
It seems I may be more flexible in this regard than you have indicated you are,
or not.
I'm not looking forward to learning the OM-D control interface. Not that it
will be 'better' or 'worse', but that it
will be different. It will take me a while to learn it intuitively. I hope I
will find it simpatico and the image
results to my liking. If so, I can't imagine I will be switching back and forth
between interfaces.
Moose
--
What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
--
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