Stupid things Camera Companies leave out...

[Les Sarile]

Well it's a good thing they didn't design to the lowest common denominator cause we would only have fully automatic cameras!

 

[StoneNYC]

I think this feature is not considered by makers because it is a feature that, if inadvertently activated, will ruin a roll without the photographer knowing and probably without even understanding why.

Never underestimate the ability of the user to not read the instruction manual or to not understand it. The reputation of the camera maker might suffer, and the feature would probably not drive many sales in any case. Timed sequences require substantially a tripod and most compact cameras don't even have the tripod "screw".

I said pro cameras... I'm talking about users who wouldn't suffer from those misunderstandings because they are real photographers.

 

[Chan Tran]

I said pro cameras... I'm talking about users who wouldn't suffer from those misunderstandings because they are real photographers.

Pro camera (except for may be the F6) don't have this feature as standard but they can be adapted with an intervalometer as all of them have motor drive. That is pro camera. Capable when needed and only when needed.

 

[Diapositivo]

I agree with StoneNYC in observing that, when a pro camera has an in-built motor drive, it should be little effort to incorporate an intervalometer.

Anyway I suppose it should not be difficult to make a separate, universal intervalometre with an electro-meccanic actuation mechanism (some kind of flexible shutter release actuated by a small device at regular intervals). Maybe such a device already exists.

 

[StoneNYC]

Pro camera (except for may be the F6) don't have this feature as standard but they can be adapted with an intervalometer as all of them have motor drive. That is pro camera. Capable when needed and only when needed.

What diopositivo said, the only reason it's not standard is they make more $ as an added feature you have to pay more for, same with GPS tagging and wifi upload capability which you had to pay extra for yet small cheapo cameras have it standard now, it's just screwing the customer for more money. Though that is in reference to new cameras that can't really be mentioned here, but you get my point...


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PentaxBronica]

Given that most (all?) motor winders use electrical triggering it shouldn't be hard to build such a device.

I have a Jessops-branded winder to fit Pentax M bodies which has a built-in intervalometer with three settings. Only snag is that the shutter button needs to be held down to make it work. It didn't come with the remote trigger and I keep meaning to make one with two switches, a push to make for single shots and a latching switch for the intervalometer. Unless someone makes a double throw switch which has a momentary contact on one side of "off" and a latching one on the other.

 

[lxdude]

None of my film cameras seem to have the (rather useful) LCD on the back that my digital cameras all feature, so I can't preview my shots. It's a bit annoying really.

Just cut a hole in the camera back, and you can look right at the film.

 

[lxdude]

F3 does not have a flash shoe, nor 1/250 flash sync. I had a pair of Nikon f3 bodies for years and I got really annoyed at times.

Well, it does have a flash shoe- just not a standard one. The finder for the F3P has a standard shoe, as I recall. And then there's the adapter.

 

[lxdude]

And, I believe depth-of-field buttons are worthless. It gets so dark in the viewfinder to render such alleged feature a joke.

I use mine all the time. Maybe your eyes aren't too good with dim light?

 

[Roger Cole]

I consider depth of field preview essential. I will not buy an SLR that doesn't have it. The only reason I have one that doesn't is that it was given to me.

I don't use it all the time of course, but I use it a LOT. You get used to it. Especially in a camera with a nice bright viewfinder like my LX and MX, I consider it extremely useful.

Of course I'm used to sticking my head under a darkcloth and making the same evaluation on a view camera ground glass at often smaller apertures. Maybe it takes practice. I've been doing it so long I'm not sure.

 

[lxdude]

I consider depth of field preview essential. I will not buy an SLR that doesn't have it. The only reason I have one that doesn't is that it was given to me.

Yep.

Though I do use an ME Super these days. The tiny camera is perfect for street shooting where I don't really need DoF preview.

I don't use it all the time of course, but I use it a LOT. You get used to it. Especially in a camera with a nice bright viewfinder like my LX and MX, I consider it extremely useful.

Same here, absolutely.

 

[StoneNYC]

Yep.

Though I do use an ME Super these days. The tiny camera is perfect for street shooting where I don't really need DoF preview.



Same here, absolutely.

I don't see the point in using an SLR that doesn't have DoF preview, that's the point of having an SLR for me, other wise just use a Rangefinder... lol, and street shooting is good with an RF because of the dark areas where you need to hand hold at 1/30 or 1/15 which you can't do with an SLR

 

[lxdude]

I don't see the point in using an SLR that doesn't have DoF preview, that's the point of having an SLR for me, other wise just use a Rangefinder... lol, and street shooting is good with an RF because of the dark areas where you need to hand hold at 1/30 or 1/15 which you can't do with an SLR

I'm fine with an SLR. The little camera has a large, bright, contrasty finder, and I like accurate framing, as I shoot transparency mostly. Plus it's very inexpensive, and I can use one of several short zooms if I want to. I'm partial to the SMC-M 24-35 f/3.5 on the ME Super. I'm less likely to get mugged for the camera, and if it happens I can replace it easily.

For most work I want a camera with DoF preview, but for broad landscapes and street I don't really need it. The Super just grew on me, though I would never keep it instead of the MX, LX, or other camera with DoF preview, plus other things like interchangeable focusing screens. On rare occasion, I do want to check DoF with the Super, so I press in the lens release button and rotate the lens like I'm taking it off until the diaphragm closes. After I check I just turn the lens back until it locks. It's funky but it works. The lens has a ways more to go until it could fall off, so being reasonably careful there's no problem.

 

[Soeren]

I miss the film compartment in most new cameras. I'd love a Nikon D800 if I just knew how to load the film in it
Pitty the F100 don't have the ocular shutter like on the F90X.
Best regards

 

[pdeeh]

Just cut a hole in the camera back, and you can look right at the film.

Of course!
Why didn't I think of that myself?

I tried opening the back after each shot but the film kept falling out

 

[Roger Cole]

I don't see the point in using an SLR that doesn't have DoF preview, that's the point of having an SLR for me, other wise just use a Rangefinder... lol, and street shooting is good with an RF because of the dark areas where you need to hand hold at 1/30 or 1/15 which you can't do with an SLR

Depends on the lens. I can hand hold an SLR pretty easily at 1/30th with a 50mm lens if I'm careful. Not as critically sharp as if it were on a tripod of course, but fine for most purposes. 1/15th is a different prospect. I've been able to pull it off, but far from consistently.

 

[Roger Cole]

I'm fine with an SLR. The little camera has a large, bright, contrasty finder, and I like accurate framing, as I shoot transparency mostly. Plus it's very inexpensive, and I can use one of several short zooms if I want to. I'm partial to the SMC-M 24-35 f/3.5 on the ME Super. I'm less likely to get mugged for the camera, and if it happens I can replace it easily.

For most work I want a camera with DoF preview, but for broad landscapes and street I don't really need it. The Super just grew on me, though I would never keep it instead of the MX, LX, or other camera with DoF preview, plus other things like interchangeable focusing screens. On rare occasion, I do want to check DoF with the Super, so I press in the lens release button and rotate the lens like I'm taking it off until the diaphragm closes. After I check I just turn the lens back until it locks. It's funky but it works. The lens has a ways more to go until it could fall off, so being reasonably careful there's no problem.

Humm, interesting trick. If it works on the ME Super it should work on my K1000. I'll try it.

 

[StoneNYC]

Depends on the lens. I can hand hold an SLR pretty easily at 1/30th with a 50mm lens if I'm careful. Not as critically sharp as if it were on a tripod of course, but fine for most purposes. 1/15th is a different prospect. I've been able to pull it off, but far from consistently.

It's more about the mirror slap, even at 1/30 it's pretty hard to get a clear image even with some cheap tripods some mirrors just slap hard, heck the Mamiya RZ67's amd Hassleblad mirrors are so heavy at 1/60 you have to be careful.

I am pretty steady and HAVE hand held long lenses, heck I can hand hold my 70-200 lens at 1/30 without IS but that's because the dampener on the new 5D is AMAZING not so with older SLR's


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sirius Glass]

I don't see the point in using an SLR that doesn't have DoF preview, that's the point of having an SLR for me, other wise just use a Rangefinder... lol, and street shooting is good with an RF because of the dark areas where you need to hand hold at 1/30 or 1/15 which you can't do with an SLR

With a Hasselblad the Zeiss lenses are so sharp wide open, there is not need to bother stopping down.

 

[Roger Cole]

It's more about the mirror slap, even at 1/30 it's pretty hard to get a clear image even with some cheap tripods some mirrors just slap hard, heck the Mamiya RZ67's amd Hassleblad mirrors are so heavy at 1/60 you have to be careful.

I am pretty steady and HAVE hand held long lenses, heck I can hand hold my 70-200 lens at 1/30 without IS but that's because the dampener on the new 5D is AMAZING not so with older SLR's


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

Medium format SLRs have much bigger mirrors thus more effect from the slap. I will shoot with my 35mm SLRs at speeds I wouldn't attempt with my Mamiya 645. 6x6 of course is another step up and yet another to 6x7.

My comment about doing well at 1/30th was referring to 35mm.

 

[StoneNYC]

Medium format SLRs have much bigger mirrors thus more effect from the slap. I will shoot with my 35mm SLRs at speeds I wouldn't attempt with my Mamiya 645. 6x6 of course is another step up and yet another to 6x7.

My comment about doing well at 1/30th was referring to 35mm.

Oh I know I was just saying that mirror shake issues are interdicted past 1/30th in general.

It's more of an issue with super plastic bodies because the body weight is so light it can't counter the weight of the glass mirror.


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Les Sarile]

The Pentax ME Super and the Minolta XE-7 have an indicator to show if film is winding properly. Seems overkill as you can judge this by looking at the rewind knob turning as you advance the film. This feature would be most helpful in cameras that mount their flash on top of the rewind knob and prevent you from seeing it turn with film advance like the Minoltax XK or Nikons F, F2 and F3. But these cameras don't have this feature.

 

[Diapositivo]

The Pentax ME Super and the Minolta XE-7 have an indicator to show if film is winding properly. Seems overkill as you can judge this by looking at the rewind knob turning as you advance the film. This feature would be most helpful in cameras that mount their flash on top of the rewind knob and prevent you from seeing it turn with film advance like the Minoltax XK or Nikons F, F2 and F3. But these cameras don't have this feature.

The Minolta X-700 has it as well.
It is not overkill as the case may be that the leader is correctly inserted into the receiving sprocket but the perforations are not correctly engaged by the teeth. When you advance the film the rewind knob will turn, and the film will advance, but not being properly aligned you undergo the risk of an imprecise focusing (film slightly away from focal plane) and of an imperfect spacing between frames.

The indicator moves when the toothed knob near the receiving sprocket turns, that is the sign that the film is properly mounted and teeth engage the perforations.

 

[GRHazelton]

Auto exposure hold control????

Why oh why did Pentax omit an auto exposure hold button on the LX? That camera is otherwise almost perfect, but without being able to push a button to "freeze" the exposure I have to either use the exposure compensation dial (and probably forget to reset it! Grrrrrr!!) or switch to manual. None of their auto exposure 35mm SLRs have such a feature, except one of the early K models. Oh, the shame!

How many other SLRs have this foolish omission?

 

[lxdude]

You're certainly right about the exposure hold button on the LX. I always expose manually, but it's nice to be able to get the setting wanted, then use the button to hold it.
I guess it was a philosophical thing with them.
BTW, at least some later models, like my P3n, do have a hold button.