Fully manual

Because blowing an R&D budget to alienate 99% of your customer base just to satisfy users who could simply use features, or rather ignore the additional features, in every other model of camera in your current line up is just poor business practice?

I'm thinking more along the lines of building a dSLR that does not have to compensate for that R&D budget. Even if it where built like a thirty year old tank, with out the the additional technology companies could put a fully functional dSLR into the $150-$200 price range.

They would sell. Contrary to popular belief people still have a hard time justifying $500+ on a used dSLR with kit lens. Sacrificing program modes, auto modes and whatever modes for $200 dSLR with kit lens new, compatable with whatever current lens linup is an easier decision to make. This could bring dSLR ownership to a wider range of buyers. This would be a better business practice than blowing more R&D budget on super zoom P&S's. It may not be a nice game to play but, business is not a nice battlefield to be on as you well know. The camera being fully manual will not be an easy camera to use. Dedicated beginners can learn alot but many will be left wanting more seeking a bigger better dSLR with all the extras, for this they would need to buy one of what we currently call dSLR. After one has owned their first SLR/dSLR camera justifying $500+ to upgrade is not as a difficult task. Unlike superzoom P&S's in order to operate this super technically simplified dSLR one still needs lenses. Having lenses has a profound impact on what one buys next propogating the brand name line up with loyal buyers where a superzoom P&S can not.

Something like this would be the cheap bastard that gets sucked up by, people on a tight budget, people who want a super cheap dSLR to teach their kids on as well as those people who simply don't want all the extra crap. If Canon, Nikon and Olympus where to cram their biggest baddest most raw dog sensor into a metal box with a meter, mirror, shutter speed dial and a lens mount would be as far from blowing an R&D budget to alienate 99% of your customer base, but not blowing an R&D budget and inflating the userbase and streingthening it. It's one line up of digital bodies, it's not like we talking total replacement but a new bottom of the barrel entrylevel line below that which is currently entrylevel.
 
I agree on the D50 but to me the D40 was a neutered 50. THere is really no suck thing as a fully manual camera in the digital world. If you want it go to an older film camera. I wouldnt mind a fully manual one but, one thing that would need to be changed is the focusing screens. Also the camera would have to allow you to set your f-stops on the lens. Dslrs even in the manual modes dont allow for it.

Oh, yeah, what about this:

http://apphotnum.free.fr/N2B10.html#DCS460

That will fit on a Nikon F3 and that's fairly manual. :D

I bet this is close to what Battou is talking about too. ;)
 
If Canon, Nikon and Olympus where to cram their biggest baddest most raw dog sensor into a metal box with a meter, mirror, shutter speed dial and a lens mount ....


You still need to be able to adjust things like white balance, ISO, etc. Remember, you can't just slap in a different type of film to compensate for those sorts of things.

Besides, they do make camera's with amazing sensors, well built bodies and a lot less "dummy" features. They're the ones that cost $5000+ ;)
 
I don't understand the constant snobbism about "fully manual." Just turn the camera to M.

I've been testing several systems (the Hasselblad H System, the Leaf AFi System, the Sinar Hy6 System) all of which cost $40,000+. They're used by photographers shooting million dollar campaigns... and they ALL have several shooting modes, including Aperture and Shutter Speed priority.

Get over yourselves, some of you sound so pompous. "If they had an all manual one you'd buy a dSLR..." Please. It sounds juvenile.
 
I don't understand the constant snobbism about "fully manual." Just turn the camera to M.


Get over yourselves, some of you sound so pompous. "If they had an all manual one you'd buy a dSLR..." Please. It sounds juvenile.


Bravo!
 
I don't understand the constant snobbism about "fully manual." Just turn the camera to M.

I've been testing several systems (the Hasselblad H System, the Leaf AFi System, the Sinar Hy6 System) all of which cost $40,000+. They're used by photographers shooting million dollar campaigns... and they ALL have several shooting modes, including Aperture and Shutter Speed priority.

Get over yourselves, some of you sound so pompous. "If they had an all manual one you'd buy a dSLR..." Please. It sounds juvenile.

That isn't the argument at all at least from my point of view. What I say is I'd #1 like a focusing screen (which I guess I could put in but the odds of me damaging my camera are too high and I couldn't afford to have someone else do it). And as an amateur that has no intentions of being a professional I'd like all the automatic controls to get out of the way of the manual controls. At this point I'm going to have to go try out the Pentax and higher end Nikon models to see if they do a better job of this (the best I've played with is a D70s and roughly equivalent models of the other brands)
 
That isn't the argument at all at least from my point of view. What I say is I'd #1 like a focusing screen (which I guess I could put in but the odds of me damaging my camera are too high and I couldn't afford to have someone else do it).

My local camera service tech said he would mount a Katzeye screen in my 30D for me for $27 -- not too bad.
 
Errr... set the Focus and the Exposure dials to M?

Every digital SLR I've used has the option of being fully manual!?!

I think OP is asking for a DSLR without the auto bells and whistles.
Basically a old style "film" camera that uses CF cards? :)

While this may cut cost of DSLR, I doubt they will sell many.
 
I don't think there is snobbism in "fully manual". I just think there are certain things that are missing in cameras today that don't fit wants of people like OP..... granted it is a small group that probably doesn't warrant a business and cost.

BUT...

If such a project did exist, the cost of manufacturing a fully featured DSLR could potentially be redirected to build quality, manual lenses, better viewfinder, focus screens, metal body (solid brass would be nice :p ).... etc... Again.. all hypothetical because such a project would have such a small market (Leica M8 for example) that the cost of the camera would be expensive anyway...

Personally... a fully manual DSLR would be a "nice" but not really a need in my book.... I'm known to switch over to aperture and shutter priority anyways.
 
Guys, cameras come with firmware - it would actually cost MORE money to design a camera that DOESN'T have the features. There is no savings. There is a specific reason the 50D (and whatever the follow-up to the 5D is) have the same software features as the 1Ds - because they already exist, and it is an exponential use of the code.

People keep asking why Canon keeps incorporating that Print from Camera technology. Why? Because they have it. Leaving it out would require additional engineering.

Someday they may make a limited edition manual-only. Keep demanding it, it just might happen... but that will be many years from now, when the main battle fields are all vacated.

VERY FEW people want an all manual camera. And most of us are perfectly happy shooting in manual - when that is the best setting - with a camera that does not limit us.
 
From what I can gather, I'm pretty sure the OP would become content with 3 things:

Having a focusing screen installed - this is very cheap and easy on any modern DSlr.

Maybe having some good quality manual focus primes - they're out there and the old ones are cheap.

Having a thumb wheel as well as a front-facing wheel on the body(Which the D50 lacks) - this is something I personally could not be without and I imagine it causes you annoyance as well.

'Monkeykoder' - am I right in these assumptions?
 
I'd hesitate to call the focusing screens cheap but I see they are out there. The front dial would solve one major problem the last problem being most Nikon's don't meter with the AIs lenses.
 
All the really nice pictures i adore are usually made in situations that require manual. ie, strobist shots, or long exposure night shots. Let them play with there puny p mode. i'll always have M

Dial M for Manual
 
Setting up a shot picking the exposure and going is my second favorite part of photography.
 

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