Luminous Landscape Forum
Site & Board Matters => About This Site => Topic started by: Ben Rubinstein on December 27, 2005, 07:27:34 pm
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Thought I'd start it:
Couple of suggestions that I made to Chuck Westfall and he said were being forwarded to the design team by him personally.
a)Custom function to tie the exposure of all metering modes together with the focus so the exposure is locked with a half press of the shutter. This happens now with Evaluative mode but not with any others. This makes spot metering pretty useless unless your subject is covered by one of the limited AF points. Ditto partial metering and center weighed. This means that anyone who focus recomposes, in any way whatsoever can either use Evaluative or meter in manual mode.
b)To put MLU in as a shooting mode, either next to the self timer or AI Servo.
A few other niggles, I agree with MR on the interface, I got used to it but don't miss it in the slightest on my 5D. The 1 series batteries are large and heavy, look at the D2X's battery! My biggest complaint for some time with canon is giving loads of AF points and then grouping them in the center 25% of the screen. I don't know how many of you always put your subject dead center but canons metering philosophy and the deficiencies of focus recompose mean that you are stuck, again look at the D2X, I'd far prefer 11 AF points covering the entire screen than 45 AF points all in the middle.
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I read Michael's article on the suggestions to Canon with interest as someday when I grow up I will have a full frame digital SLR too.
I read all of Michaels articles and have for a few years now. His suggestions are so reasonable and needful. Especially mirror lockup. Gee, I have mirror lockup on all my ole antique film cameras.
I know Michael has been helping Canon to understand this deep and arcane subject for several years along with nearly every other professional photographer on the planet. To bad Canon just can't get it through their head.
Yeah, right. They don't give a good gosh darn. I wonder what the DSLR camera market would be like if there was actually some competiton? You know, like with cars? Especially luxury cars.
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I just bought a Canon 5D. I also updated the firmware to version 1.03
Michael reports that when you press the ISO button it appears in the viewfinder, but will disappear when you change the setting by turning the wheel.
This is not the case with my 5D. When I turn the wheel the changing setting is displayed in the viewfinder and on the LCD. It stays displayed until I press any other button. I usually half press the shutter release to switch back to the normal display.
This may have been fixed by the update. I did not check it before I made the update.
Ray
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Canon is mostly a marketing company and sometimes an engineering manufacturing concern. Marketing issues come first. Digital has shaken up the market very much, but it has also shifted the profits from film companies to digital companies. Canon and others are milking this boom market for all it's worth. For them to implement all of the suggestions made to them over the years would be a question of willingness, not ability. Their reasoning is that in the digital age there are sufficient improvements in the technology to force users to upgrade the camera body, whereas in the past it was the lenses that got upgraded.. the body was static for years at a time. Now that the body is continually being upgraded the marketers are being very careful as to what is being added, what is not, and what is being taken away. Witness things like A-DEP and DEP.. both pretty useful settings that actually were helpful in my photography. Both are now gone! Witness also the oscillation in camera features from one incarnation to the next (10D to 20D for example..) thinks change but not always for the better..
So in closing I would like to say that Canon most probably knew about the mirror lock-up issue ages ago.. but they will only introduce that and other major modifications at the next re-incarnation of the 1 series. Todays 1DsMkII is derived from the Eos3 and 1V bodies that were released in 1998 and 2000.. Next year it will be 6 years that this design has been out.. so it will be time for Canon to do an "Extreeme makeover". They will leave something out too though.. you can count on that!
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Arca-Type Mounting Plate... almost universal standard among photographers
The key word here is almost. To be honest, I don't know anyone that uses one of these. It may be common in some parts of the world but I definitely wouldn't call it universal.
Voice Control
Unless you could calibrate it to your own voice it would be completely useless.
Digital Lenses
Canon - please make me one of those Pentax DA Fish-Eye 10-17mm lenses
Since I'm starting a wish list... someone please start making a compact digicam with about 4/3 size sensor, a fast 24-80mm lens, reasonably good macro capability and a proper underwater case. Sony R1 is not compact.
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Arca-Type Mounting Plate... almost universal standard among photographers
The key word here is almost. To be honest, I don't know anyone that uses one of these. It may be common in some parts of the world but I definitely wouldn't call it universal....
Right on. I rarely come across photographers with Arca style mounting plates. Most are using the Bogen/Manfrotto rectangular or hexagonal mounting plates.
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Interesting that its the Europeans not understanding the Arca 'standard', RRS isn't here and by the time we pay the taxes and shipping it's very expensive. I myself wouldn't be without the RRS L plates and the lever clamp, and have spent the equivelent of a 20D just on plates through various bodies, but most people here in the UK are quite happy with Manfrotto, etc with only a select few of travelled and seasoned pros or those educated through the internet of what the pros abroad are using, buying Kirk plates. It's certainly not widespread through the pro/am market here like it is in the states.
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As a 1Ds Mk II owner I have a couple of further suggestions for the Canon guys:
1) Add a shooting mode, in which I set the BOTH the aperture AND the shutter speed, and the camera automatically sets the appropriate ISO. This is a very logical choice since in the era of DSLRs we have no longer two but three equivalent exposures controls: aperture, shutter speed and ISO setting. The first two of them can be regarded “creative”; the third one is merely technical. So a photographer should have the possibility to have full control over both of the “creative” controls and the camera should set the ”technical” one.
2) The battery life is very fine, BUT the batteries are very heavy and the indication of their status is very rough and insufficient. Why cannot we have a battery status in % (e. g. remaining battery life: 63 %).
3) I personally cannot use the rotation sensor because I HATE my portrait images to be displayed “correctly turned” on the screen. They are simply too small for me. As a consequence, I have to turn them all manually in Capture One. I would prefer, that the camera marks the “portrait” images for the software to recognize them, but displays them on the LCD not turned, so that they are big enough.
4) If one card is full, the camera should automatically switch to the other card and continue shooting. Why do I have to switch between the cards manually?
5) The automatic counter of images should use 5 digits rather then 4, because now I get too often files with identical names. (If you shoot 40 000 images per year, you get 4 identical filenames per year). The naming of files should go like img00001.cr2 to img99999.cr2.
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I meet and work with many hundreds of photographers a year at conferences, seminars and workshops. The Arca plate is in almost universal use among US and Canadian photographers. Much less so among Europeans, unfortunately. I amazes me that they still continue to use those clunky Manfrotto plates.
In any event, I stand by my request for an Arca style plate being built into the camera base. It's the only design that means that camera body remains comfortable to hand-hold.
As for voice response, of course it needs training. That's the way cell phones do it. You select a function (person's name), and then say it twice in succession. The phone then accepts or rejects it, and if rejected you try again. My Motorola phone has no trouble with dozens of different names, some of them quite similar, and it handles them in very noisy surroundings, such as airports.
The fact that camera makers have not implement this feature yet simply shows a lack of vision. It would revolutionize camera operation for many photographers.
Michael
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I meet and work with many hundreds of photographers a year at conferences, seminars and workshops. The Arca plate is in almost universal use among US and Canadian photographers. Much less so among Europeans, unfortunately. I amazes me that they still continue to use those clunky Manfrotto plates.....
This is exactly my experience. Except for a few ones, even pro camera stores don't know anything about the Arca style plates, or ballheads for that matter. I can't see any advantage of the ugly Manfrotto plates vs AS plates except for price (and availability here in Europe).
FWIW, I always carry a couple of "generic" AS mounting plates with me... I also hope that Canon will have Arca Swiss mounting plates built-in.
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Although my 1Ds is a keeper and I won't be purchasing a new Canon for some time if at all, I thought that I would throw in my 2 cents.
It's time for Canon to bite the bullet and go BBBBIIIIGGGG. Enough of these micro miniature LCD monitors. And so, the next 1Ds upgrade should have a huge hi rez LCD monitor which doubles as touchscreen on the back. I'm talking 5" or more...as big as they can fit. With touchscreen, canon will be able to can most of the buttons on the back which will allocate even more room for even bigger LCD.
Now let me see....if I pull out my ruler, and measure across on the back here, and if Canon move or get rid of that "Quick Control Dial", then IMO, a 5" high rez LCD touchscreen/monitor could fit quite nicely on the back. Canon can call their new camera with the big LCD monitor/touchscreen the Big "D"!
That's not asking for much now is it?
jules
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What I would like is, I'm sure, just wishful thinking but, here goes... I would like to be able to send my 1Ds back to Canon and have it upgraded to the larger chip. I'm sure there are quite alot of us out there who would pay a couple thousand to have their camera upgraded rather than have to pay another 7 or 8 K for yet another new camera.
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Another two suggestions for Canon engineers came to my mind that I have forgotten in my previous contri:
1) Use an open raw format (like the Adobe DNG) and not a proprietary "secret" one (like the cr2)! (I am surprised not to find this in the original Michaels list since he was one of the very active advocates for the use of DNG. And he is right, of course.)
2) Do something about this annoying sensor cleaning issue. Stop pretendind that this problem does not exist. It is rediculous to read in the camera manual, that I am not advised to do the cleaning myself and that I have to send the camera in for cleaning by professionals. You mean once a week? Canon should either adopt some auto-cleaning technology (like the Olympus ultrasound waves) or make cleaning at home trivial by giving clear instructions how to do it and by recommending appropriate tools. And most importantly: making a replacement of a scratched filter a minor problem (cheap and easy to do in any authorized service).
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It's interesting to see that no one has brought up size or weight as areas for improvement (Pom did touch on the latter briefly) . The 1 Series body's many virtues notwithstanding, it is quite a handful to carry around all day.
So, at the very least, I second Pom's suggestion for lighter batteries. And at the most, it seems time for a fresh look at the 1 Series physical design.
Paul
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3) I personally cannot use the rotation sensor because I HATE my portrait images to be displayed “correctly turned” on the screen. They are simply too small for me. As a consequence, I have to turn them all manually in Capture One. I would prefer, that the camera marks the “portrait” images for the software to recognize them, but displays them on the LCD not turned, so that they are big enough.
Oooh, yes, this is one of the things that annoy me a lot, too.
5) The automatic counter of images should use 5 digits rather then 4, because now I get too often files with identical names. (If you shoot 40 000 images per year, you get 4 identical filenames per year). The naming of files should go like img00001.cr2 to img99999.cr2.
Why should they have to start with "img" at all?
Make it eight digits, and it's enough even for crazy photojournalists.
And if I recall correctly from my short bout with the 1D MkII and the 5D, you can't have both RGB histograms and luminosity histograms at the same time.
But more importantly, it would be really, really nice to have a histogram overlay over the image as an option, so that you could use the full LCD (3" at least in the next version, I hope) for reviewing the image for composition etc. at the same time as you review for exposure.
Somewhere else, I believe I mentioned the desire for exchangeable grips, so that it would be easy to change to a grip that you like.
Built-in 802.11g with WPA (or the next generation of WiFi with the next generation of security) should be really easy to implement, too. Ditto for Bluetooth in the most recent version.
More importantly, remember to make the camera a portable storage device, so that transfering files by cable or wireless isn't limited by special drivers and whatnot.
Oh, and sacrifice 1% or 2% from full frame in order to implement sensor anti-shake. (The f/1.x lenses would really shine with anti-shake.)
Edit: Please give us back the EF 200mm f/1.8L, preferably with IS if you don't implement in-camera anti-shake.
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Oooh, yes, this is one of the things that annoy me a lot, too.
Why should they have to start with "img" at all?
Make it eight digits, and it's enough even for crazy photojournalists.
This is an extremely bad idea; Canon should leave image naming as-is. If you shoot with multiple bodies, this recommendation would guarantee that images from different cameras would occasionally have the same name, meaning that images would be overwritten when copied to a common folder. Canon's current 1-series practice of 4 alphanumeric characters unique to the body + a 4-digit counter eliminate this possibility. It's simple enough to batch rename images in Photoshop, Bridge, or any of numerous other image programs; my favorite method is YYYY-MM-DD_XXXX (4-digit year, 2-digit month, 2-digit day, 4-digit frame counter, sorted by time so that all shots from all bodies are in correct chronological order).
And if I recall correctly from my short bout with the 1D MkII and the 5D, you can't have both RGB histograms and luminosity histograms at the same time.
But more importantly, it would be really, really nice to have a histogram overlay over the image as an option, so that you could use the full LCD (3" at least in the next version, I hope) for reviewing the image for composition etc. at the same time as you review for exposure.
Given the uselessness of a luminosity histogram for evaluating exposure when saturated colors are involved, this is hardly the end of the world. An RGB histogram with the color channels superimposed a la Camera RAW would not be a bad thing, though.
Somewhere else, I believe I mentioned the desire for exchangeable grips, so that it would be easy to change to a grip that you like.
Built-in 802.11g with WPA (or the next generation of WiFi with the next generation of security) should be really easy to implement, too. Ditto for Bluetooth in the most recent version.
More importantly, remember to make the camera a portable storage device, so that transfering files by cable or wireless isn't limited by special drivers and whatnot.
Oh, and sacrifice 1% or 2% from full frame in order to implement sensor anti-shake. (The f/1.x lenses would really shine with anti-shake.)
Edit: Please give us back the EF 200mm f/1.8L, preferably with IS if you don't implement in-camera anti-shake.
These ideas are meritorious and worth consideration.
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This is an extremely bad idea; Canon should leave image naming as-is. If you shoot with multiple bodies, this recommendation would guarantee that images from different cameras would occasionally have the same name, meaning that images would be overwritten when copied to a common folder. Canon's current 1-series practice of 4 alphanumeric characters unique to the body + a 4-digit counter eliminate this possibility.
Then the solution appears to be to change file systems from FAT to something that is also light-weight, but still allows longer file names. UFS springs to mind.
It's simple enough to batch rename images in Photoshop, Bridge, or any of numerous other image programs; my favorite method is YYYY-MM-DD_XXXX (4-digit year, 2-digit month, 2-digit day, 4-digit frame counter, sorted by time so that all shots from all bodies are in correct chronological order).
Fair enough, but not useful for when you reach image 9999.
Given the uselessness of a luminosity histogram for evaluating exposure when saturated colors are involved, this is hardly the end of the world.
Agreed.
Thanks for your thoughtful response, it helps clarify the necessity of the wishes that are good wishes.
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Although my 1Ds is a keeper and I won't be purchasing a new Canon for some time if at all, I thought that I would throw in my 2 cents.
It's time for Canon to bite the bullet and go BBBBIIIIGGGG. Enough of these micro miniature LCD monitors. And so, the next 1Ds upgrade should have a huge hi rez LCD monitor which doubles as touchscreen on the back. I'm talking 5" or more...as big as they can fit. With touchscreen, canon will be able to can most of the buttons on the back which will allocate even more room for even bigger LCD.
Now let me see....if I pull out my ruler, and measure across on the back here, and if Canon move or get rid of that "Quick Control Dial", then IMO, a 5" high rez LCD touchscreen/monitor could fit quite nicely on the back. Canon can call their new camera with the big LCD monitor/touchscreen the Big "D"!
That's not asking for much now is it?
jules
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Amen, if they give us a LCD, at least make it usuable.
Oh, and sacrifice 1% or 2% from full frame in order to implement sensor anti-shake. (The f/1.x lenses would really shine with anti-shake.)
Edit: Please give us back the EF 200mm f/1.8L, preferably with IS if you don't implement in-camera anti-shake.
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Can not agree enough.
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Fair enough, but not useful for when you reach image 9999.
I've not managed to shoot more than 3500 images in a single day. I generally reset the counter manually when the shot counter on a body gets above 5000 or so just to avoid the hassle of the Canon counter rollover "Do you want to make a new folder and continue shooting?" menu query, which always seems to halt shooting at an inopportune moment. (Eliminating that stupidity and simply creating a new folder and continuing shooting without any interruption would rank high on my Canon change request list.)
If I was ever shooting more than 9999 frames in a single day than I'd simply change the 4-digit daily frame counter to a 5-digit one in Bridge when batch renaming. But I don't anticipate that happening any time soon, 3500 frames in a day was a long day's work at a horse show, shooting at a pace where putting the 1D-MkII in RAW mode caused me to miss shots due to a full buffer, so I had to shoot JPEG to keep up. Think 15 or so riders circling the perimeter of an arena with the photographer in the middle, and you have about 5 minutes to get 5-10 decent frames of each rider. And you've got go capture each shot during a specific position of the horse's gait, and preferably when horse and rider are exhibiting good form for the type of riding being done. There is no choice but to shoot as quickly as possible to get some salable shots of each rider before it's over.
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(Eliminating that stupidity and simply creating a new folder and continuing shooting without any interruption would rank high on my Canon change request list.)
Hell yes!
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How about a built-in pop-up flash for fill and for triggering slave units, if not on the next "EOS 1" series cameras, then at least on the next 5D version? This would bee #1 on my list, even ahead of an easier MLU procedure.
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Somewhere else, I believe I mentioned the desire for exchangeable grips, so that it would be easy to change to a grip that you like.
So you can switch to left handed use?
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How about a built-in pop-up flash for fill and for triggering slave units, if not on the next "EOS 1" series cameras, then at least on the next 5D version? This would bee #1 on my list, even ahead of an easier MLU procedure.
Not for me... it wouldn't clear most of my lenses with lens hoods.
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Hi -
I'll include this, although it's regarding software rather than hardware- (my logic being that DPP comes bundled along with the camera.)
Because many people (myself included), believe that DPP provides the best RAW conversion results, how about a redesigned workflow solution for using it?
It seems that almost all 3rd party RAW converters are heads and shoulders above DPP in processing large numbers of files efficiently. Canon's results are so good, but using the software efficiently on large numbers of files, is a royal pain (to say the least.)
In reality, I wouldn't expect a total redesign of the product, but there are many opportunities for improved throughput, as well as some added functionality, IMO.
-E
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I'm not particularly impressed with DPP in any respect. ACR calibrated with a Color Checker delivers far more accurate color. And given the workflow efficiency of ACR/Bridge, I've given up on everything else.
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I'm not particularly impressed with DPP in any respect. ACR calibrated with a Color Checker delivers far more accurate color. And given the workflow efficiency of ACR/Bridge, I've given up on everything else.
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Jonathon -
Thank you for your opinion - it's always nice being rebuffed on one's first post in the forum
Anyway, as I understand it, this topic is about changes we'd like to see Canon make - so how does your reply fit that parameter...?
-E
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Perhaps that Canon should focus on what it does well; making cameras, not wasting time with second-rate proprietary software with an obtuse interface. Proprietary file formats and software is the biggest issue with digital photography right now. If I haven't already said so, DNG support would be extremely welcome.
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The Arca plate is in almost universal use among US and Canadian photographers.
This is the first I've heard of it, actually.
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Yeah, the Arca plate isnt as universial as many would like to think. Price is a big part of that.
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I'm pretty surprised that the dust issue was not raised by Michael, and only one person here has mentioned it. I have being using my Oly E-1 for about 2 years now, including in some very dusty environments, and I frequently switch lenses. I've never had to clean the sensor. In fact I've never even had to think about. Perhaps two or three times I've manually activated the SSWF to clear a speck, and it worked. The rest of you don't know what you're missing.... (yeah, I know what I'm missing: resolution, low noise, fast focus :-) ).
I'm not so sure about increasing the complexity of cameras. Voice control...hmm, interesting idea, but surely that is a solution to a problem that would be better resolved with better ergonomics ? The whole SLR design paradigm is still stuck in what the French call the "gasworks" paradigm, and piling on yet more "features" is not a good solution. There is room for a total rethink, although this would scare marketing sh*tless - the fate of the Oly E-300 is not comforting. Voice control _might_ be a solution, but certainly not _the_ solution. I can just imagine how well this would go down in a wildlife hide, or in a church. A complete, ground up redesign, taking advantage of the freedom gained from losing the film door and winders, and based on solid usability and ergonomic principles, could result in a very different looking device.
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Just a quick note, reminder or whatever on the dust "issue".
I've never cleaned my 20D and feel absolutely no need to do so yet. Maybe next year...
A friend of mine has never (the horror!!) cleaned his D60 until a few months ago when he did a review of sensor cleaning products. The body is actually one of the first to become available so you know how old it is (and used on a regular basis, plenty of lens swapping etc.) To tell you the truth, it wasn't that bad either (down to personal interpretation I guess).
If you're desperately looking for dust you're bound to find it somewhere. Or you could just get on with actually taking photos and stop obsessing over stuff that isn't really visible 99% of the time.
However, dust problems I did have were with a Fuji S602 where a HUGE dust speck (I'm talking 5-10% of the frame, visible on almost every shot!) somehow managed to find its way inside. That was a job for the service guys though (non removable lens).
I don't deny it might be a huge problem for some people (studio work against a bright, uniform background or coming out of a sandstorm come to mind) but on the other hand, most people have absolutely no need to clean every week (or a month, year...)
Would it be a nice feature? Definitely! Do I need it? Not really, I can manage without.
But then again... I've never used MLU either and only once did I bother using a tripod so maybe I'm not the one to complain or be taken too seriously.
Whoa... I said a quick note.
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It is more noticable in landscape photography. (Small aperatures and blue skies and whatnot.) But with the advent of brushes to clean sensors dust isn't much of an issue. It isn't as nerve wracking or expensive.
(Minnesota is hell bent on losing this bowl game.)
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How about a built-in pop-up flash for fill and for triggering slave units
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How about instead built-in radio control for triggering slave flash units?
For one thing, I believe that eliminating the pop-up flash makes it easer to produce a robust, environmentally sealed body. (Absence of a pop-up does not however guarantee that advantage; witness the 5D.)
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Competely forgot about flash units... yes, the built in control would be awesome to have and make them behave as optical slaves as well as RF. I want to be able to trigger slaves sans wires underwater where RF don't travel too well. Don't know about IR though.
Pocketwizzard sure didn't work - which we found out only once we already got everything set up (luckily it was in the pool not a scuba dive but sure made us look stupid).
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Can I add ISO25 and ISO50 to the list? There are situations where I'd like to be able to dial the sensor speed down even further without having to fumble for an ND or polarizer to cut light.
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Can I add ISO25 and ISO50 to the list? There are situations where I'd like to be able to dial the sensor speed down even further without having to fumble for an ND or polarizer to cut light.
It would also be neat with ISO 6400 and maybe even 12800, no matter how noisy it gets.
A passable alternative would be to allow under-exposure by more than the current +/-3 EV of the 1-series, for instance up to +/-7 (the Nikon D2x has +/-5), which allows us to attempt to extract the data in a raw converter instead.
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Talk about Canon digital camera? I have one too. But it works not good as i thought.
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Yeah, the Arca plate isnt as universial as many would like to think. Price is a big part of that.
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I think the next A.B. essay is "Artistry and the Arca Plate."
I would love a built in Arca plate so long as it didn't prevent me from using something else.
I want skinnable cameras. Like cell phones.