Right side hot-shoe - why is it gone?

Prognathous · 05-26-2009, 04:25 AM

Did Pentax ever explain why they moved the hot-shoe back from the right side of the camera (as in the Z1) to the center? I think it made more sense to have it above the hand grip on the right side of the camera, much better balance this way.

Prog.

Mike Cash · 05-26-2009, 05:01 AM

Could it have had something to do with the accursed built-in flash? Putting it in right behind one of those damned things is a sensible use of limited camera-top real estate and makes room for the LCD display. Just a guess.

Prognathous · 05-26-2009, 05:05 AM

The built in flash wasn't on the side of the camera, only the hot-shoe was. The LCD screen was also in the center of the camera, right behind the built in flash.

Prog.

*felixkh* · 05-26-2009, 06:37 AM

Original Pentax SLR design always had the hot-shoe in the centre above the prism. Modern DSLRs have come back a circle and it is not on top of the prism once again.

Prognathous · 05-26-2009, 08:22 AM

Yeah, I know. That's why I wrote "moved back" and not just "moved". The question is why they decided to give up a superior design.

Prog.

Nesster · 05-26-2009, 08:40 AM

Did Canon/Nikon ever put the shoe where Pentax had it? If not, or if they hurried to put it back at center, I'd blame the dang "Market Forces"... in other words, the usual consumer wouldn't buy a strange looking contraption where the hot shoe is in a strange place.

VF-19 · 05-26-2009, 09:50 AM

I actually like the right side hotshoe on my PZ-1p. I find that the camera balances much better with the flash over on the right. Not only that, I also find it helps reduce red-eye.

Prognathous · 05-26-2009, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Nesster

Did Canon/Nikon ever put the shoe where Pentax had it? If not, or if they hurried to put it back at center, I'd blame the dang "Market Forces"... in other words, the usual consumer wouldn't buy a strange looking contraption where the hot shoe is in a strange place.

I guess this was the reason. It's a crying shame they had to give in to public ignorance and give up such a great design.

Prog.

*Ratmagiclady* · 05-26-2009, 11:51 AM

I think it's kind of a nice balance, ...kind of like a bracket without a bracket, but when you're *not* using a shoemount flash, there are liabilities, like you need a vulnerable LCD on top of a broad prism housing, and you've just got to move the camera further if you want to refer to that.

There's also advantages to being right on the center-line if you just want to use a little bit of fill.

(I actually wouldn't mind seeing an MZ-S-like LCD that's cocked back toward the photographer, for that reason: it'd harmonize nicely with my usual drill of checking settings and, nowadays, picking ISO while I've lowered the camera a little for a 'situational awareness check.' )

*felixkh* · 06-22-2009, 09:14 AM

Would agree with Nesster that market forces are in play here.