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.
