Stupid things Camera Companies leave out...

Yashinoff · Nov 6, 2012

Most of my old German SLRs have a locking shutter button. This seems so completely obvious, and so simple to incorporate into a design that my mind just boggles at the mystery of why so few cameras incorporate this feature.

A depth of field preview button is another one that seems obvious an simple to incorporate... alas no.

Anybody else have a favorite "common sense" feature that was left off of most cameras for some reason?

darkosaric · Nov 6, 2012

Nikon F3 - it has all

blockend · Nov 6, 2012

Aperture ring.

PentaxBronica · Nov 6, 2012

Self timer. Although I keep meaning to get hold of one of those "universal" ones which fits a standard cable release socket so I can use it with the ETRSi.

I don't think I've ever used it for the classic self-portrait, but I do use it extensively for long exposures when I didn't bring the cable release and tripod (I just use a handy rock, bench, wall, whatever as a support).

Pretty much all of the better Pentax SLRs have a locking shutter release - the original three K bodies (but not the K1000 for some reason), the MX, ME, ME Super, Super A, and obviously on the P30 series and later if you switch the camera off the shutter won't fire. DOF preview is a bit more vague - it turns up on some bodies but not others. The KM/KX/K2 have it as does the MX and LX, but nothing else until the Super A and then the P30 series.

I don't tend to use it on the cloth shutter bodies as I don't like leaving them wound on for more than a few minutes, the springs controlling the curtain tension can be stretched if left cocked.

ic-racer · Nov 6, 2012

Yashinoff said:
Anybody else have a favorite "common sense" feature that was left off of most cameras for some reason?

Most cameras that I know have all those features. Now if you are referring to most present-day cameras, the major omission is the place where the film goes

ooze · Nov 6, 2012

I have often wished Leica M's had a self timer. The screw on thingy works OK though.

PentaxBronica · Nov 6, 2012

Mirror lock-up would be my other vote.

Only my K2 and KX have it, some say you can persuade an MX to do it but I've never managed to do that trick reliably (happened once by mistake and I thought it had jammed until a second press took the photo and dropped the mirror again). Bronica only got around to fitting it by the ETRSi, which is even stranger when you consider the size of the mirror.

darkosaric · Nov 6, 2012

ooze said:
I have often wished Leica M's had a self timer. The screw on thingy works OK though.

M3 has selftimer, but M6 not ...

C.poulton · Nov 6, 2012

darkosaric said:
M3 has selftimer, but M6 not ...

So does my M2

Christian

blockend · Nov 6, 2012

Flash socket.

Bill Burk · Nov 6, 2012

Yashinoff said:
Most of my old German SLRs have a locking shutter button. This seems so completely obvious, and so simple to incorporate into a design that my mind just boggles at the mystery of why so few cameras incorporate this feature.

The shutter lock is the feature you use when you don't want to take a picture?

I get it. Spotmatic F I've been carrying around has a lock, and it's nice that my dog doesn't take pictures as much anymore. But it also means two-steps to take a picture, possibly missing the shot.

E. von Hoegh · Nov 6, 2012

Bill Burk said:
The shutter lock is the feature you use when you don't want to take a picture?

I get it. Spotmatic F I've been carrying around has a lock, and it's nice that my dog doesn't take pictures as much anymore. But it also means two-steps to take a picture, possibly missing the shot.

A shutter lock isn't really neccesary. Just don't advance the film until you are ready to make a picture.
These are essential: Mirror lockup, and a simple one (like the Nikkormat FtN) that doesn't involve wasting a frame a la Nikon F. DoF preview. Pc socket(s).

ooze · Nov 6, 2012

C.poulton said:
So does my M2

Christian

I picked the wrong M then (M6). Well, no, we're very happy together

Yashinoff · Nov 6, 2012

Bill Burk said:
The shutter lock is the feature you use when you don't want to take a picture?

I get it. Spotmatic F I've been carrying around has a lock, and it's nice that my dog doesn't take pictures as much anymore. But it also means two-steps to take a picture, possibly missing the shot.

E. von Hoegh said:
A shutter lock isn't really neccesary. Just don't advance the film until you are ready to make a picture.

I'd rather flick the button over if I see something than have to wind on. Just easier to do. I am in the habit of keeping the camera ready, but sometimes that means putting the camera away with a cocked shutter. So the button lock is a useful feature.

Peltigera · Nov 6, 2012

E. von Hoegh said:
A shutter lock isn't really neccesary. Just don't advance the film until you are ready to make a picture.

On my Exa, flipping the shutter lock with your thumb just before you press the shutter release with your finger is much faster than winding on is.

Peltigera · Nov 6, 2012

I miss PC sockets. Hot shoes are fine if you want your flash on top of the camera and proprietary cables are ok if you only use one camera and one flash gun. Would be nice to be able to use all my flash guns (all three of them) on all my cameras.

Dave in Kansas · Nov 6, 2012

The holder for the end of the film box so you know what film is loaded in the camera. Especially useful if you have more than one camera loaded with different films.

Dave

E. von Hoegh · Nov 6, 2012

Dave in Kansas said:
The holder for the end of the film box so you know what film is loaded in the camera. Especially useful if you have more than one camera loaded with different films.

Dave

Yes, I miss that holder.
Masking tape with magical marker just doesn't look as good.

Mainecoonmaniac · Nov 6, 2012

I haven't bought a film camera in years. I work at a University and maintain video and camera gear. One reason they leave out some common sense features is to shave costs to make the product more competitive. As with new DSLRs and camcorders, more features are added through firmware to compete with other brands. Feature creep is peeve with me. There are more menus and submenus that bury the control that one needs. Chances are, I don't need "Happy people in disco" mode getting in the way of finding the auto bracketing feature. I say to camera designers, KISS and include common sense features.

Bill Burk · Nov 6, 2012

Yashinoff said:
I'd rather flick the button over if I see something than have to wind on. Just easier to do. I am in the habit of keeping the camera ready, but sometimes that means putting the camera away with a cocked shutter. So the button lock is a useful feature.

There has been some discussion whether storing a camera with shutter cocked is good or bad, depends on the model.

I like the idea of a shutter lock on the Spotmatic F, there are plenty times when I lost a frame unintentionally (even with the lock I have a dog shot on a roll of Plus-X hanging on the drying rack because I didn't use it). But, last time I had the camera out - it was in the locked state when I tried to take a picture. I know what to do to flick it over, but I lost the moment and I got a couple half-hearted shots.

Anyway, why did they leave the optical image stabilizer off the M2?

2bits · Nov 6, 2012

My F2 Photomic and Mamiya 645 1000s both have self timers and shutter locks, as do a few other of my cameras, Me Super, Spotmatic F, Ricoh XR2. Just to name a few. The Mamiya has not one but two flash sync sockets.

Hatchetman · Nov 6, 2012

I wish my Spotmatics had shutter locks. When I'm out shooting the shutter is always cocked. I don't know which photo will be my last. Then I throw it in my backpack or something and often the shutter gets tripped.

trojancast · Nov 6, 2012

My FM2N has all the features I need, including shutter lock, albeit via the shutter lever rather than a separate lock.

Sirius Glass · Nov 6, 2012

A filter that automatically corrects the exposure and improves the composition as the shutter is fired. <<Grin>>

Peltigera · Nov 6, 2012

Dave in Kansas said:
The holder for the end of the film box so you know what film is loaded in the camera. Especially useful if you have more than one camera loaded with different films.

Dave

+1

Stupid things Camera Companies leave out...

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