The perfect camera, part 2

Hi,

Some days ago I started a thread about my displeasure with
modern point-and-shoot camera's. Now I would like to elaborate
on the proposal to use 3 release buttons instead of one.

Suppose you want to focus on your main subject, which you want
to be in the right lower corner of the picture. Thus you point
your camera to this main subject, press the shutter half way so
the auto-focus can do its job, move the camera to the left, press
the shutter fully. If you want to make 10 versions of this photo,
e.g. because the main subject is a child that makes a lot of funny
moves, then you have to repeat this whole procedure 10 times.

Owners of old-fashioned camera's had an easier life: they set
the distance one time, and then only had to concentrate on pushing
the shutter button at the right moment. So I propose to introduce
a dedicated button to set the distance. This button should lock in
lower position, and unlock if pushed for the second time. If this
button is in upper position, then the camera auto-focusses as usual.

How do you think about this? Are there other shooting situations
that often occur and that require a different solution?

Regards,
Wouter Boeke

W.Boeke wrote:
: Hi,

: Some days ago I started a thread about my displeasure with
: modern point-and-shoot camera's. Now I would like to elaborate
: on the proposal to use 3 release buttons instead of one.

: Suppose you want to focus on your main subject, which you want
: to be in the right lower corner of the picture. Thus you point
: your camera to this main subject, press the shutter half way so
: the auto-focus can do its job, move the camera to the left, press
: the shutter fully. If you want to make 10 versions of this photo,
: e.g. because the main subject is a child that makes a lot of funny
: moves, then you have to repeat this whole procedure 10 times.

: Owners of old-fashioned camera's had an easier life: they set
: the distance one time, and then only had to concentrate on pushing
: the shutter button at the right moment. So I propose to introduce
: a dedicated button to set the distance. This button should lock in
: lower position, and unlock if pushed for the second time. If this
: button is in upper position, then the camera auto-focusses as usual.

: How do you think about this? Are there other shooting situations
: that often occur and that require a different solution?

: Regards,
: Wouter Boeke

I can see where that could be a good thing for some people. But for the
vast majority of "beginner" level people (who many of the P&S cameras are
aimed at) adding one more button that can be bumped or accidentally pushed
increases the number of tech-support calls from frantic consumers. This is
the same reason that many of the lower priced P&S cameras make true manual
control difficult to engage (if there is any manual operation available at
all.

On the other hand those of us who are a little more interrested in having
manual controls available may tend toward SLR type cameras. And they DO
have the ability to perform the operations you describe. I can take my
DSLR camera, point the AF point at the subject, half press to engage the
AF, slip the AF switch to manual (locking the focus), and recompose the
image before fully pressing the shutter release. I can even lock the
F-stop and shutter speed with a single button (or can set that button to
lock one or the other). Or I can set the camera to Manual and manually
select all the parameters that will then remain locked until I reset them
or reselect another auto or partly auto setting.

I guess that the problem is that the manufacturers of pocket sized P&S
cameras are aiming their products to the vast majority of casual photo
takers who have little (and want little) interrest in learning how to use
the equipment to its utmost. It is assumed (maybe incorrectly) that if
someone wants more direct control we will either pay BIG bucks for some
extreemly complex pocket sized camera or move up to a DSLR.

JMHO

Randy

==========
Randy Berbaum
Champaign, IL

W.Boeke wrote:
Hi,

Some days ago I started a thread about my displeasure with
modern point-and-shoot camera's. Now I would like to elaborate
on the proposal to use 3 release buttons instead of one.

Suppose you want to focus on your main subject, which you want
to be in the right lower corner of the picture. Thus you point
your camera to this main subject, press the shutter half way so
the auto-focus can do its job, move the camera to the left, press
the shutter fully. If you want to make 10 versions of this photo,
e.g. because the main subject is a child that makes a lot of funny
moves, then you have to repeat this whole procedure 10 times.

The Canon A510 can lock both focus and exposure; so go through
the process for photo1, and you're "perfect" for photos 2-10

BugBear

W.Boeke wrote:
Hi,

Some days ago I started a thread about my displeasure with
modern point-and-shoot camera's. Now I would like to elaborate
on the proposal to use 3 release buttons instead of one.

Suppose you want to focus on your main subject, which you want
to be in the right lower corner of the picture. Thus you point
your camera to this main subject, press the shutter half way so
the auto-focus can do its job, move the camera to the left, press
the shutter fully. If you want to make 10 versions of this photo,
e.g. because the main subject is a child that makes a lot of funny
moves, then you have to repeat this whole procedure 10 times.

Owners of old-fashioned camera's had an easier life: they set
the distance one time, and then only had to concentrate on pushing
the shutter button at the right moment. So I propose to introduce
a dedicated button to set the distance. This button should lock in
lower position, and unlock if pushed for the second time. If this
button is in upper position, then the camera auto-focusses as usual.

How do you think about this? Are there other shooting situations
that often occur and that require a different solution?

Regards,
Wouter Boeke

Some cameras already allow you to lock the focus and or choose an areas
of the viewfinder to use for focusing or will focus on the closest of a
number of areas within the viewfinder. These tools work quite well. The
trick, like the trick of several release buttons is knowing your camera. If
you are a casual user, there are going to be many features you don't know
well enough to use them to their fullest.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

"W.Boeke" wrote in message
. ..

Owners of old-fashioned camera's had an easier life: they set
the distance one time, and then only had to concentrate on pushing
the shutter button at the right moment. So I propose to introduce
a dedicated button to set the distance. This button should lock in
lower position, and unlock if pushed for the second time. If this
button is in upper position, then the camera auto-focusses as usual.

How do you think about this? Are there other shooting situations
that often occur and that require a different solution?

Dunno about still cameras, but pro and prosumer digital videos aready have
that. It's called focus-lock.

In addition, Canon cameras have n-point focusing that can follow your eye -
in essence, it focuses upon what you look at.

"W.Boeke" wrote in message
. ..
Hi,

[clipped]
If you want to make 10 versions of this photo,
e.g. because the main subject is a child that makes a lot of funny
moves, then you have to repeat this whole procedure 10 times.
Regards,
Wouter Boeke

Send the kid outside to play!

Bill Crocker

On Mon, 09 Oct 2006 11:01:26 +0200, "W.Boeke"
wrote:

Hi,

Some days ago I started a thread about my displeasure with
modern point-and-shoot camera's. Now I would like to elaborate
on the proposal to use 3 release buttons instead of one.

Suppose you want to focus on your main subject, which you want
to be in the right lower corner of the picture. Thus you point
your camera to this main subject, press the shutter half way so
the auto-focus can do its job, move the camera to the left, press
the shutter fully. If you want to make 10 versions of this photo,
e.g. because the main subject is a child that makes a lot of funny
moves, then you have to repeat this whole procedure 10 times.

Owners of old-fashioned camera's had an easier life: they set
the distance one time, and then only had to concentrate on pushing
the shutter button at the right moment. So I propose to introduce
a dedicated button to set the distance. This button should lock in
lower position, and unlock if pushed for the second time. If this
button is in upper position, then the camera auto-focusses as usual.

How do you think about this? Are there other shooting situations
that often occur and that require a different solution?

Regards,
Wouter Boeke

Wouter Boeke,
As others have already stated, it's a
nice idea but the added button would just be an additional hazard to
most P&S owners who never learn how to get the most out of their
cameras. Many often forget or don't know how or when to use EC
(Exposure Compensation) even when it's very easy on most P&S cameras.

Let's face it, technology has made the average person lazy.
About 97% of Americans buy a vehicle with an *automatic* transition &
*never* learn to drive a *standard/manual* shift vehicle.

Now here's an idea that takes the best part of your suggestion
& places it where it's very easy to repeatedly use without fear of
pressing the wrong button(s). Basically you pre-program your P&S
camera's "C" (Custom) mode to create a hyperfocal mode of your choice.
Yes I know, not all P&S cameras have this feature but many do.

This was not my idea, so I will give credit were it's due &
post the web address where I 1st found it:

http://albert.achtung.com/cameras/A80/index7.html#SNAP

Note this refers to the Canon A80, however the basic principle
will work with most newer Canon P&S cameras as well as many other
brands & models with this feature. Because P&S cameras have a great
deal of DOF (Depth Of Field), this works very good & can also be very
useful in very low light situations where AF may have problems.

Rather then explain it all here, I'll let you got to the link
where it's explained in detail. You need not make it a true
hyperfocal mode where the picture is in acceptable focus from x
distance to infinity. You can program in a manual focus distance that
will yield good focus from x distance to x distance.

That's what works best for me because I don't care if the
background is in focus & in fact, I would rather that it not be.

A last example of the average P&S camera user is how very few
ever use exposures longer than 2 seconds even when shooting night
scenes of stationary objects like illuminated buildings. Most Canon
P&S cameras will automatically employ *Dark Frame Subtraction* noise
reduction for any exposure of 1.3 seconds or longer. This feature
works very well & can make the difference between a grainy night
picture & a very clean picture than many would think came from a DSLR.

If you use this feature I would suggest the following:

1 Set the camera on a tripod, bean bag or anything that's stable.
2 Set the ISO to it's lowest, ISO 50-100 on most P&S cameras.
3 Set the self timer to avoid camera movement.
4 Set MF (Manual Focus) for some situations.
5 Use EC if needed to get the best exposure.
6 Set a manual WB (White Balance), Tungsten often works best.
7 Check the result & adjust & repeat if & as needed.

Note: The P&S camera's "C" (Custom) mode could be used for
this function instead of using it as a hyperfocal mode.

Enough said, I hope some of this is of value to somebody.

Respectfully, DHB


"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

On 10/9/06 11:37 AM, in article ,
"DHB" wrote:



Let's face it, technology has made the average person lazy.
About 97% of Americans buy a vehicle with an *automatic* transition &
*never* learn to drive a *standard/manual* shift vehicle.
Most of my transitions are are conscious, not automatic, I think...

W.Boeke wrote:
Hi,

Some days ago I started a thread about my displeasure with
modern point-and-shoot camera's. Now I would like to elaborate
on the proposal to use 3 release buttons instead of one.

Suppose you want to focus on your main subject, which you want
to be in the right lower corner of the picture. Thus you point
your camera to this main subject, press the shutter half way so
the auto-focus can do its job, move the camera to the left, press
the shutter fully. If you want to make 10 versions of this photo,
e.g. because the main subject is a child that makes a lot of funny
moves, then you have to repeat this whole procedure 10 times.

Owners of old-fashioned camera's had an easier life: they set
the distance one time, and then only had to concentrate on pushing
the shutter button at the right moment. So I propose to introduce
a dedicated button to set the distance. This button should lock in
lower position, and unlock if pushed for the second time. If this
button is in upper position, then the camera auto-focusses as usual.

How do you think about this? Are there other shooting situations
that often occur and that require a different solution?

Regards,
Wouter Boeke

Maybe you could just turn off auto focus? At least on many DSLRs you
can do just that.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

W.Boeke wrote:
Hi,

Some days ago I started a thread about my displeasure with
modern point-and-shoot camera's. Now I would like to elaborate
on the proposal to use 3 release buttons instead of one.

Suppose you want to focus on your main subject, which you want
to be in the right lower corner of the picture. Thus you point
your camera to this main subject, press the shutter half way so
the auto-focus can do its job, move the camera to the left, press
the shutter fully. If you want to make 10 versions of this photo,
e.g. because the main subject is a child that makes a lot of funny
moves, then you have to repeat this whole procedure 10 times.

Owners of old-fashioned camera's had an easier life: they set
the distance one time, and then only had to concentrate on pushing
the shutter button at the right moment. So I propose to introduce
a dedicated button to set the distance. This button should lock in
lower position, and unlock if pushed for the second time. If this
button is in upper position, then the camera auto-focusses as usual.

How do you think about this? Are there other shooting situations
that often occur and that require a different solution?

Check out the Panasonic Lumix LX-1. It has an AF/AE lock button, and a
switch on the lens housing that lets you easily switch to manual focus.
In the situation you describe, I could focus on the subject by
depressing the shutter halfway and then either press the AF/AE lock
button or switch to manual focus, either of which would lock the focus
where you want it.

Most P&S cameras are crap, but there are a few good ones out there, you
just have to find them.

-Gniewko