Your Ideal Button/Dial Placement

[EchoingWhisper]

What's your ideal button/dial placement?

 

[Josh66]

Right where they need to be.


Ideally, I'd like to be able to control my cameras with my mind, but until I figure that out - where the buttons/dials are now seems pretty good.

 

[Overread19 7]

I don't even know how to approach answering such an open ended question without writing a book on the subject of ergonomic design. All I will say is that buttons on the lower left side of the front of the camera (when camera is facing away from you) are stupid and idiotic and the depth of field preview button Canon uses should be MOVED! (ps I think the 5DMIII they have moved it!)

I'm also not a big fan of the mode dial being on the upper left corner of the camera; esp when they give us custom mods for fast settings changing and then -- hide it away from the fingers (more canon testers need to shoot with heavier lenses during the design phase).

 

[KmH]

:waiting: X- 2.6737659278765, Y- 97.765340982778645398, Z - 0.765498761254396444 :waiting:

 

[EchoingWhisper]

I like Pentax way of placing their buttons. I prefer to be able to handle camera settings with just one hand, and cameras with articulating screens seems to do it well.

 

[jaomul]

I'd like to be able to turn off your computer with my tv remote

 

[Derrel]

I like Nikon's idea of having the "thumb wheel" assigned to adjusting the shutter speed, in all exposure modes. I like the Nikon concept of having the front-mounted wheel, run with the right index finger, as the adjustment for the lens aperture in all exposure modes. I like the Nikon 60-year-old concept of the depth of field preview/stopped down light metering control being run with the middle finger of the right hand; Canon,after decades of idiotically using a LEFT-HAND depth of field preview control, on the 5D-III has decided to copy Nikon, and move the DOF preview control to...right where Nikon has had it since 1959. I like the FUNC button in the place Nikon has always had it...and where Canon has JUST decided to add that control, to the 5D-III. it's amusing...the Canon 5D-III is MORE like a Nikon in controls and ergonomics than ANY Canon model ever made!!! Except of course, Canon still flip-flops the shutter speed and the lens aperture adjustment between the front wheel and the big, back wheel, depending on which exposure mode the camera happens to be in, so that you're not always positive WHAT those controls will actually adjust. Canon's idea of alternating shutter and alternating aperture control back and forth,back and forth, back and forth across two control wheels is like a car, where the gas and the brake alternate between two closely-spaced pedals--depending on which gear the car happens to be in! Laughable!

As far as having four buttons on the top right deck, with each button adjusting TWO settings, depending, the way Canon does it...I hate that. That 4-button-each with 2 functions concept is crappy design, but it is all Canon could think of when they slapped the EOS system together back in 1986. I vastly prefer single-function, dedicated external controls for things like ISO, Image Size and quality, self-timer,etc. As far as ergonomics and controls, the NIkon D2x,D700, D200,D300, and D3 series are the best d-slr cameras ever made in terms of ergonomics and control systems and control layout/placement, in my opinion. The D800 and D4 generation have been dumbed down, and have had three big ergonomic/control changes made, which have upset people who are used to the earlier, pro-level Nikons.

 

[Tiberius47]

I like the Nikon 60-year-old concept of the depth of field preview/stopped down light metering control being run with the middle finger of the right hand; Canon,after decades of idiotically using a LEFT-HAND depth of field preview control, on the 5D-III has decided to copy Nikon, and move the DOF preview control to...right where Nikon has had it since 1959.

When I am holding my camera, the DoF button on my 7D is right underneath my left thumb. Not a problem.

Except of course, Canon still flip-flops the shutter speed and the lens aperture adjustment between the front wheel and the big, back wheel, depending on which exposure mode the camera happens to be in, so that you're not always positive WHAT those controls will actually adjust. Canon's idea of alternating shutter and alternating aperture control back and forth,back and forth, back and forth across two control wheels is like a car, where the gas and the brake alternate between two closely-spaced pedals--depending on which gear the car happens to be in! Laughable!

It's not that hard. In Tv or Av, the finger dial adjusts the setting you have control over. And the rear button controls your exposure compensation. It's not that hard, just different. I've never had a problem with it.

As far as having four buttons on the top right deck, with each button adjusting TWO settings, depending, the way Canon does it...I hate that. That 4-button-each with 2 functions concept is crappy design, but it is all Canon could think of when they slapped the EOS system together back in 1986.

Why?

I vastly prefer single-function, dedicated external controls for things like ISO, Image Size and quality, self-timer,etc.

But then you have a whole bunch of buttons that only do one thing. Doubling up the functionality leads to a cleaner design of camera. And it's not that hard to remember "Button A and thumb dial does this, Button A and finger dial does that."

 

[Overread19 7]

When I am holding my camera, the DoF button on my 7D is right underneath my left thumb. Not a problem.

It's ok with shorter lenses, but try holding a longer lens like a 70-200mm f2.8 and you'll find your left hand is nowhere near the camera mount to find, let alone press the depth of field preview button.

As for the 4 buttons along the top I dislike that partly since I can't ever get my finger to easily reach all the way to the last button (though its the light button so no worries when shooting with the camera to the eye) but it is a bit fiddly.

 

[jowensphoto]

depth of field preview button Canon uses should be MOVED!

I could not agree more. I do like everything else about my Canon setup. Though the T2i is a bit small (even in my tiny hands). Something a little bulkier, like the 50D feels just right to me.

 

[bhop]

AF SLR = Nikon F100/D300/D3 style.. (perfection)
MF = shutter speed top right, aperture on the lens.. that's all you need.

 

[PapaMatt]

That depends, but for me I like the Nikon D200, everything is at my fingertips, no need to go into the menu too change things!

 

[greybeard38 10]

I'd like to have the shutter on a thumb wheel, the aperture on a lens ring (like the old 35mm) and the ISO/whatever on the index finger wheel.

 

[EchoingWhisper]

The camera manufacturers could save some space/buttons by making dials clickable.

 

[Overread19 7]

The camera manufacturers could save some space/buttons by making dials clickable.

You mean like the mouse scroll wheel?
I don't know how I feel about that on a camera. I say that because when I use my mouse my hand is generally relaxed and the overall weight is not held on the fingers at all. Thus I've actually got to think and press on the scroll wheel to engage the button. On a camera my left hand is not relaxed; when shooting its firm to hold the camera, which means pressure is on my fingers. I could easily see a button under the scrolling wheel being very easily pressed by accident in such a situation.