Someone please help me understand these camera control benefits

[CaptainNapalm]

Hi guys,
All I've been reading since I got my Nikon D5100 is how people are annoyed with the controls (or lack thereof) when compared to a D7000 for example. Specifically what I can't understand, is when people say that they don't like digging through menus to be able to shoot manual. I found this to be completely not the case for me and I gain full manual control without moving my eye from the viewfinder. My set up is I have the one turning dial which alone controls the shutter speed. When I use this dial while holding down the function button I control f stop, and when I use the same dial while holding down the short cut (custom) button I control ISO (this is a setting I custom made). So basically I use my right thumb to always control the master dial and my other fingers to hold down the button that will either control my aperture size or ISO. Plain and simple and no digging through menus for any manual shooting. So what am I missing? Are people referring to some other controls or something? I'd just like to know what additional controls I'll have on the d7000 for example over the D5100 and what is meant by digging through menus. Thanks in advance!

 

[SCraig]

Hi guys,
All I've been reading since I got my Nikon D5100 is how people are annoyed with the controls (or lack thereof) when compared to a D7000 for example. Specifically what I can't understand, is when people say that they don't like digging through menus to be able to shoot manual. I found this to be completely not the case for me and I gain full manual control without moving my eye from the viewfinder. My set up is I have the one turning dial which alone controls the shutter speed. When I use this dial while holding down the function button I control f stop, and when I use the same dial while holding down the short cut (custom) button I control ISO (this is a setting I custom made). So basically I use my right thumb to always control the master dial and my other fingers to hold down the button that will either control my aperture size or ISO. Plain and simple and no digging through menus for any manual shooting. So what am I missing? Are people referring to some other controls or something? I'd just like to know what additional controls I'll have on the d7000 for example over the D5100 and what is meant by digging through menus. Thanks in advance!

I did much the same thing with my D60.

The D90 and up have two wheels, one on the front and one on the rear. Index finger on the front one for aperture, thumb on the rear one for shutter speed.

 

[manaheim]

I'd have to see what you're doing to really understand, but generally the higher end bodies just have more analog purpose-built controls on the outside of the camera. shutter, fstop, ISO, quality, af-on, ae/af-lock, focus mode, focus selector area, etc... just to name a few. The one I most commonly see that's a big problem is not having a single dial (each) for fstop and shutter- the two most common controls you need. Usually you get one or the other and have to hold a button while rolling the same dial for the other or some such.

It's not undoable, it's just a bit more of a process without the extra wheels and such.

 

[cgipson1]

If you look at an image of the back of the D7000, there are also a lot more buttons to do things with thumb wheels (multi function buttons that do one thing with one wheel, and something else with the other wheel). So there are a lot more options available without ever even going into the menus.... or setting custom buttons.

Nikon | Imaging Products | Parts and Controls - Nikon D7000

 

[manaheim]

If you look at an image of the back of the D7000, there are also a lot more buttons to do things with thumb wheels (multi function buttons that do one thing with one wheel, and something else with the other wheel). So there are a lot more options available without ever even going into the menus.... or setting custom buttons.

Nikon | Imaging Products | Parts and Controls - Nikon D7000

ooo nice example with visual aids and diagrams.

win.

 

[HerkFE]

One other feature not mentioned yet is the handy LCD up top that allows you to see many settings and information without having to use the battery sucking rear screen or squint through the viewfinder lightmeter.

 

[goodguy]

Its all a matter of getting used too, once you get your routine with the camera it all becomes very natural and easy.
The fact you have 2 dials on the D7000 to adjust and no need to press bottons to adjust Shutter and Apature with one dial is a great advantage.
I think if you would get the D7000 you will enjoy the second dial but its not something that you cant live without.
If you shoot in Apature Priority or Shutter Priority most of the time and not Manual then the advantage of the second dial is gone anyways.

I shoot mostly in Manual so I enjoy the advantage of the 2 dials.

 

[cgipson1]

Its all a matter of getting used too, once you get your routine with the camera it all becomes very natural and easy.
The fact you have 2 dials on the D7000 to adjust and no need to press bottons to adjust Shutter and Apature with one dial is a great advantage.
I think if you would get the D7000 you will enjoy the second dial but its not something that you cant live without.
If you shoot in Apature Priority or Shutter Priority most of the time and not Manual then the advantage of the second dial is gone anyways.

I shoot mostly in Manual so I enjoy the advantage of the 2 dials.

I disagree... when shooting it A or S with two dials, the second dial can be set to control ISO.... which beats having set it any other way.

 

[runnah]

I loathe cameras that hide common functions in menus.

The best thing about my D300 is that there is a knob or button for every common functions. My spare D3100 is such a pain to adjust things like ISO, WB and so on.

 

[cwcaesar]

This is a HUGE reason that I had the D5100 for less than a week before I swapped for the D7000. I really like the second control wheel. Even then, I only had the D7000 for a month before I upgraded to the D600, which has an near identical control layout as the D7000.

 

[runnah]

This is a HUGE reason that I had the D5100 for less than a week before I swapped for the D7000. I really like the second control wheel. Even then, I only had the D7000 for a month before I upgraded to the D600, which has an near identical control layout as the D7000.

Yep stupid way to save money.

Menu controls are like putting the brake pedal of your car in the glove box.

 

[o hey tyler]

Menu controls are like putting the brake pedal of your car in the glove box.

Yo dawg I herd u liek apple products so we put one pedal in ur car

 

[matthewo]

i enjoy my spare d5100 due to its size and foldout screen, but if i had to have one as a main camera it would be the 7000. i thought build quality and feature jump between the 2

 

[runnah]

Menu controls are like putting the brake pedal of your car in the glove box.

Yo dawg I herd u liek apple products so we put one pedal in ur car

Yo dawg I herd u liek microsoft products so we put 18 pedals in ur car and only half of them work.

 

[o hey tyler]

Yo dawg I herd u liek microsoft products so we put 18 pedals in ur car and only half of them work.

Yo dawg i herd u liek Linux so I'll let you figure out the rest of this joke for yourself.