[texandrews]

So, this is not model specific, apsc, FF, medium format specific. It's a thread for somewhat off-beat suggestions. Let's keep it to one idea per post, to keep the thread going but also so that multiple ideas don't get buried in a post.


I'll start with this one: I'd like a "warning beep/sound" that could be applied to a setting. For me, it would be an alert that I'm in jpg mode (just had a problem with this on a shoot yesterday, had to re-shoot). But I think it would be most helpful if you could apply it for different settings/modes.

Let's hear yours. I might/will have more.

[robgski]

I want to be notified immediately and obviously, both visually and audibly when there is no SD card in the camera as soon as I turn it on. I want that warning to be prominent in both the viewfinder and the rear LCD.

[BigMackCam]

Revised AF fine adjustment features: (1) Automated (or "assisted") adjustment procedure; (2) More memories for lenses; (3) Individual AF fine adjustment settings for three focal lengths when using a zoom lens, to allow different levels of compensation at different focal lengths.

I'm treating these as one feature, since they're all very closely related

[gatorguy]

So, this is not model specific, apsc, FF, medium format specific. It's a thread for somewhat off-beat suggestions. Let's keep it to one idea per post, to keep the thread going but also so that multiple ideas don't get buried in a post.

What a GREAT idea for a thread Tex. Love that it's starting out strong.

[StiffLegged]

I'd like an automatic Rule-Of-Thirds composition checker which would warn the photographer when the photo just taken doesn't conform. Then I could laugh like a drain and just keep my own composition anyway.

[AstroDave]

I want to be notified immediately and obviously, both visually and audibly when there is no SD card in the camera as soon as I turn it on. I want that warning to be prominent in both the viewfinder and the rear LCD.

Even better - it's got to beep when you just pick it up! So you don't leave home without. Been there, done that.

[wadge22]

I would love a user configurable hard switch. I'd be fine if it was the AF/MF switch as default, although 3 or more positions might be better (as long as the position was able to be distinguished by feel alone). AF/MF is pretty well superfluous with quickshift lenses (at least for those of us using back button focus), and also with lenses that have a switch on the lens body.
I could see using the user configurable physical switch for SR on/off, metering mode, pixelshift on/off, HDR on/off, crop mode on K1, and probably quite a few other useful things I'm not thinking of now. It would be nice if its function could be assigned differently in individual user modes and possibly even the regular exposure modes. If you were also able to assign multiple saved settings to different positions of the switch (just like user modes), it could be extremely powerful, and essentially double the available user modes (or more with the 3+ position switch idea).

[Kobayashi.K]

We actually need cameras with an optimized set of functions, and most of the time more is not better.

In software development there is a phenomenon known as 'feature creep' which basically describes the process of continuously extending a good working program with features until it is dismissed by customers because it has become too complicated.

The K1-II and K3-III are good examples of camera's that already suffer from feature creep, and they urgently need some pruning.

There is a very insightful article about this in Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feature_creep

[TwoUptons]

Canon used to have something like that, but far more primitive.
You focused on a close thing, you focused on a distant thing, and the camera would focus and select an aperture to get both points in focus if it could.

Focus stacking should work the same way…. Just with incremental focus slices at fixed intervals between the two points.

Is that how the Olympus system works?

-Eric

OK… I seem to have responded to a reply that is no longer here… I’m not sure what just happened…

[ProfessorBuzz]

a) Split image microprism when using the OVF;

b) a transparent grid that overlays in the optical viewfinder like a heads-up display giving multiple aspect ratios and golden section angles;

c) function buttons that I can put ANYTHING on;

d) voice memo or easy way to make notes entry;

e) save all these settings under a name, for next time i go to do this job;
f) tell me what it just did so I can repeat or avoid repeating;

g) autofocus on stars, points of light, specular highlights;

h) hunting limits on autofocus, so I can say "it's focused somewhere between here and there, you figure it out, and dont run the whole range of the lens".
i) intervalometer that can be started, paused, stopped, resumed, with an IR remote trigger; and maximum flexibility in programming the shot sequence, timing, gap, intervals, over many minutes/hours/days
j) event trigger - lightning flash, clapping, audio noise, action, catch-in-focus
k) reminders so I don't make the same mistake I usually do - eg head tilt so tilted image

[texandrews]

a) Split image microprism when using the OVF;

b) a transparent grid that overlays in the optical viewfinder like a heads-up display giving multiple aspect ratios and golden section angles;

c) function buttons that I can put ANYTHING on;

d) voice memo or easy way to make notes entry;

e) save all these settings under a name, for next time i go to do this job;
f) tell me what it just did so I can repeat or avoid repeating;

g) autofocus on stars, points of light, specular highlights;

h) hunting limits on autofocus, so I can say "it's focused somewhere between here and there, you figure it out, and dont run the whole range of the lens".
i) intervalometer that can be started, paused, stopped, resumed, with an IR remote trigger; and maximum flexibility in programming the shot sequence, timing, gap, intervals, over many minutes/hours/days
j) event trigger - lightning flash, clapping, audio noise, action, catch-in-focus
k) reminders so I don't make the same mistake I usually do - eg head tilt so tilted image

You missed a "thread rule" there, prof: one suggestion per post so multiple suggestions in a post don't get "lost", and to spread the thread out.

[Digitalis]

You focused on a close thing, you focused on a distant thing, and the camera would focus and select an aperture to get both points in focus if it could.

ahh The A-Dep mode, I remember that, have no idea why they discontinued it.

[35mmfilmfan]

WYGIWYGAINUWAI.

'What you get is what you get and it's no use whining about it'

(with thanks to Sir Terry Pratchett and Ridcully).

[Kobayashi.K]

This is perhaps slightly off-topic, but I think the camera's user manual is closely related to its features, so may I add some thoughts about that.

Specifically for Pentax, one recurrent point of annoyance are the PDF user manuals supplied with each camera. They lack detail necessary to understand the features, or features are not covered at all.

This is a very strange phenomenon and one might wonder why this is done, because when you spend energy, time and money on research to develop and implement these features, but when you don't advertise them, they virtually don't exist for the user, or users get irritated because they don't want to spend lots of time figuring out their camera. It is a terrible waste of resources. Actually the opposite should be done - max out every opportunity to advertise all the beautiful features to make the camera look attractive.

One reason this could happen is that cameras have become so complicated that a user manual is needed with triple the size we have now to explain every bit and piece. Also, Pentax still supplies the camera with a paper version of the manual, which is where the cost is when it is big and heavy (printing, transport).

What we see today from the likes of Microsoft, Apple and others is that they rigorously ditched the PDF and replaced it by an online version, consisting of a full index with a bunch of webpages linked from it. For example the iPhone 13 manual has an index of more than 800 lines alone, that would be a 800 page PDF at least 1]. Apple is doing this for all their gear, all the info is compact but sufficiently detailed, supplementary links are added to each page for related info, and even users can give feedback to improve the contents. To be fair, a local search option is missing.

Pentax should stop making a PDF and a paper version of the user manual and create an online version only. In the box a leaflet with a Quick Start and a reference to the full manual online. The manual can be accessed by phone or tablet from every location you want. This is not only a solution to the problems we have now, it is a big improvement in general, and I guess at the same time with a reduction of the cost.

1] Example of an online user manual.
iPhone User Guide | Use link: Table of contents
iPhone User Guide ? Apple Support (UK)

[eles]

Split image microprism when using the OVF;

This is my "top of the list" missing feature on digital cameras.