At 4:26 PM +0800 7/19/01, BlueSky wrote:
>Just thought that Canon might be listening, so what improvements would you
>like to see in your camera in terms of ease-of-use?
I very much doubt that Canon tracks this list or indeed cares about
the desires of a few geeky hobbyists. Geeks don't make up a very big
market segment. But hey - if we're playing fantasy games:
- Shielded IR sprocket counters which don't fog infrared film.
Please. The 10/10s and the 1v can do it.
- Flash exposure confirmation lamp in the *viewfinder*.
- A custom function so you can alter the viewfinder display time-out
value from 6 seconds to something else.
- Useful with above, release AE lock by pushing the button again.
(push once more to engage) This mode would be custom-functionable,
and the camera would default to the current behaviour.
- A custom function to alter the infrared remote release timeout
value for cameras that support the RC-1. Either disable it or change
it to something other than 5 minutes. Sometimes you're willing to
sacrifice battery life.
- Viewfinders that actually work if you wear glasses.
- Optional display of current lens focal length in the viewfinder to
save you looking at the lens.
- Optional display of focusing distance in the viewfinder, again, as
a learning tool.
- A custom function to alter self-timer time from 10 seconds to
something else.
- Illuminated command dial and backlit LCD top-deck panel.
- Manual focus (MF) indicator in the viewfinder.
- Textual mnemonic listings for the custom functions to avoid
high-tech solutions like taping bits of paper to camera backs.
- Data port (serial or USB) so you can plug the camera into a
computer or handheld PDA and download shooting data for the past few
rolls of film. (shutter speeds, focal lengths, apertures, etc) Also a
documented way of modifying firmware programs would of course be a
geek's wet dream.
- Date back which prints data between negatives and not onto them.
- Include lens distance data in both AE and flash calculations.
- Custom function for 3-frame (default) or 5-frame AE bracketing.
- On-demand grid lines.
Of course, if you're talking about the EOS 33/30/Elan 7/7E specifically:
- Bring back the patterned red AF assist light. Using the flash is
cheesy beyond words.
- Put a proper sturdy hinge on the battery cover like on the old EOS
10/10s, not the flexible piece of plastic that'll break some day.
- Low-light AF sensitivity is more important than AF speed in AE
servo mode for most people. AF that works from EV 1 to 18 is feeble.
The Elan II went from 0 to 18.
- Put a slide-lock mechanism on the back release catch like on the
old EOS 10/10s.
- Reduce partial-metering size to, say, 5%. It won't be a true spot,
if the point of crippling the 30/7 is to prevent it competing with
the 3. But it'll make partial metering mode more useful.
- Enlarge the top-deck LCD panel to include more data and don't rely
on that cheesy thing of arrows pointing to printed symbols.
- Neil K.
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