Who wants to be the third wheel?

proudtoshootpentax · 03-01-2008, 08:17 PM

For all you Pentax camera designers who must daily scour this forum for all your upcoming product innovations, here's one I would LOVE... how about a third control wheel on top of the camera on the left side of the LCD. Make it a dedicated ISO wheel. It's innovative, inexpensive, and it would further the Sv and TAv utility concept. That way you could change Iso during Program mode shooting without entering the function menu. It could also be customizable in other modes.

HawaiianOnline · 03-01-2008, 08:32 PM

Mind if other people throw their ideas out on this thread? I personally like the idea of dual memory card slots set up so that one image file can be written to one can while another is being written to the other. This would double the effective throughput (theoretically) for the day when a Pentax DSLR has more than 3 fps.

pop4 · 03-01-2008, 08:35 PM

I've got the K10D with Firmware 1.3 and don't need to enter the function menu to change ISO :P

In P mode, just press and hold the OK button, and the front edial can be used change ISO; the ISO is also displayed on the top LCD and in the viewfinder, so you don't even really need to take your eyes away from the viewfinder.

little laker · 03-01-2008, 08:45 PM

with the next model I'd like to see an little focus aid light, which turns on automatically when the camera's having problems focusing in a darker room.
I know that the flash already does this if it's up, however I'd also like to be able to press the ok button or something while manual focusing, and have the same thing happen.

My Sigma, and some Nikon's that I've seen have this light, and I prefer it over the flash idea.

proudtoshootpentax · 03-01-2008, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by pop4

I've got the K10D with Firmware 1.3 and don't need to enter the function menu to change ISO :P

In P mode, just press and hold the OK button, and the front edial can be used change ISO; the ISO is also displayed on the top LCD and in the viewfinder, so you don't even really need to take your eyes away from the viewfinder.

You learn something new every day! I had the wheels set to change ISO in Tv and Av, but never knew about the ok button in Program. I'd still like a third wheel... not sure now what I'd use it for... but I'll think of something.

Dual card ports and AF assist beam... what else can we add?

I think we'd also better have a honking big buffer!

*clawhammer* · 03-01-2008, 10:09 PM

I honestly don't think we'd need a third wheel- Sv mode is all I need when I need to be changing the sensitivity frequently. It's just P-mode with one of the dials dedicated to sensitivity, thats all.

benplaut · 03-02-2008, 12:46 AM

Here's what I'd (unrealistically) LOVE to see. Three rotary dials--not wheels, but like the mode dial. One is aperture, one is ISO, and one is shutter. Each one has the available options, plus an "auto" option. Want P mode? turn them all the auto. Want Sv? turn T and A to auto. To start, I'd be really happy with a ISO dial, like Canon put on the wonderful G7

Of course, this would be much easier if lenses still had aperture rings, but you just can't win...

Kunzite · 03-02-2008, 02:28 AM

3 wheels is too much, IMO. One thing I like about Pentax is the functional, un-cluttered interface - the controls are exactly where they should be, and changing a setting (I'm not talking about the ones from the menu) with camera at your eye is very easy.
You have already direct control over ISO (using a wheel, you don't even need to press a button) in Av and Tv modes; in P, only if you won't use HyperProgram. So, even if you'll free the Ok button for other uses, I don't think an ISO button will be necessary (I'm also thinking about space: there is not much room on the back of the camera, and you can't put it anywhere).

BrendanPK · 03-02-2008, 09:42 AM

sounds like you were looking at the old 6mp MZ-SD/K1 FF that never made it
it had this

anomaly · 03-02-2008, 09:55 AM

Configurable "RAID" on dual memory card slots. So that you can decide whether you want it to write the same file on both, or write the files alternatively to get the data on the buffer faster and allow faster frame rates.

Steelski · 03-02-2008, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by BrendanPK

sounds like you were looking at the old 6mp MZ-SD/K1 FF that never made it
it had this

It had this indeed.

I would love it to have this feature.
In AV mode for example.
One for Iso, one for AV and the third for Exposure compensation. This would be a very handy action cam.

Richard3550 · 03-02-2008, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by Steelski

It had this indeed.

I would love it to have this feature.
In AV mode for example.
One for Iso, one for AV and the third for Exposure compensation. This would be a very handy action cam.

Isn't it easy enough already to move your thumb half an inch to hit the exposure compensation button?

ricardobeat · 03-02-2008, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by anomaly

Configurable "RAID" on dual memory card slots. So that you can decide whether you want it to write the same file on both, or write the files alternatively to get the data on the buffer faster and allow faster frame rates.

That is completely unfeasible. A RAID controller is not cheap or small enough to be added to the body without consequences.. and how would you read the files? You'd be stuck with using the camera's USB interface.

And that's a very complicated solution to a simple matter. The camera already has a buffer, all you need to do is write one image per card simultaneously.

HawaiianOnline · 03-02-2008, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by ricardobeat

That is completely unfeasible. A RAID controller is not cheap or small enough to be added to the body without consequences.. and how would you read the files? You'd be stuck with using the camera's USB interface.

And that's a very complicated solution to a simple matter. The camera already has a buffer, all you need to do is write one image per card simultaneously.

It wouldn't have to be a true RAID setup. It just has to be able to either write to whichever card becomes available. Of course, card speed might be a issue (wouldn't want to mix a 6MB/s card up with a 20). As for reviews, it could either look at each card, or it could just go "back and forth" between cards.

AVANT · 03-02-2008, 11:51 PM

Originally Posted by Richard3550

Isn't it easy enough already to move your thumb half an inch to hit the exposure compensation button?

I can see a third wheel making it easier, but I'd much rather they have a dedicated WB button than a third wheel. Press the WB button and use the front dial to change WB, similar to how we change ISO with the OK button.