[Tony Belding]

Pretty Retro if you ask me:

I'm sorry, but no. To me that image only underscores the complaint that began this thread. The've given us a camera with a couple of half-hearted "design hints" towards Pentax's past, but the overall look isn't really retro, and -- much more importantly -- the controls and operation are nothing like the classic cameras at all. Now let's contemplate this:



It would be even better if my quick image search had turned up a photo with a prime lens and the aperture ring, instead of the kit zoom. The control layout is what makes it "full retro" as opposed to merely a styling exercise.

[caliscouser]

oh boy...I hope we don't have to go around the block on this one again. Please see previous 10 pages

[D1N0]

Dedicated dials are for mechanical camera's. Todays camera is electronic. Even de mode dial can be replaced by a button.

[lithedreamer]

Even de mode dial can be replaced by a button.

Wait, are you suggesting replacing the mode dial with a button? That sound awful for how I shoot.

[photoptimist]

Wait, are you suggesting replacing the mode dial with a button? That sound awful for how I shoot.

Indeed! And it's worse than that! To get from full manual to full auto, you'd have to turn three different dials all the way to the auto position (auto shutter, auto aperture, and auto ISO). Worse, the "retro" camera would have amnesia about the setting it used in different modes.

[plooksta]

Indeed! And it's worse than that! To get from full manual to full auto, you'd have to turn three different dials all the way to the auto position (auto shutter, auto aperture, and auto ISO). Worse, the "retro" camera would have amnesia about the setting it used in different modes.

You are forgetting the fact that you not only have to switch modes, you have to then select your speed/aperture/iso whatever. When you are turning the dial on the Fuji Xt-1 for example, you are also performing this task. The two go together, and I personally find it a brilliant way of working.

Just as importantly you get to see where your settings are at. I am forever not knowing where my Exp Comp is set on my Pentaxes. I know it's displayed on there somewhere but it just isn't nearly as noticeable as on a physical dial.

[awscreo]

You are forgetting the fact that you not only have to switch modes, you have to then select your speed/aperture/iso whatever. When you are turning the dial on the Fuji Xt-1 for example, you are also performing this task. The two go together, and I personally find it a brilliant way of working.

Just as importantly you get to see where your settings are at. I am forever not knowing where my Exp Comp is set on my Pentaxes. I know it's displayed on there somewhere but it just isn't nearly as noticeable as on a physical dial.

I mean people usually use ovf or live view when they are shooting, and ex comp is clearly marked there.. You need to actually try to avoid it to miss it, unless you're firing from the hip.

[plooksta]

I mean people usually use ovf or live view when they are shooting, and ex comp is clearly marked there.. You need to actually try to avoid it to miss it, unless you're firing from the hip.

I know, sure. It just doesn't grab my attention the way a big knob would. I'm used to looking for it when I press the button to change it. Then it disappears of course. I actually hate having multiple displays of stuff. Overcomplicates things for me. Guess it's the way my brain works (or doesn't).

[photoptimist]

You are forgetting the fact that you not only have to switch modes, you have to then select your speed/aperture/iso whatever. When you are turning the dial on the Fuji Xt-1 for example, you are also performing this task. The two go together, and I personally find it a brilliant way of working.

Just as importantly you get to see where your settings are at. I am forever not knowing where my Exp Comp is set on my Pentaxes. I know it's displayed on there somewhere but it just isn't nearly as noticeable as on a physical dial.

If I set the K-1 to 1/125 sec, f/8, and ISO 800, it's one click to get to TAv mode (ISO = Auto) and one click to get back to M (with the camera remembering that the manual ISO setting was 800). And it's only five clicks from M to P and five clicks back (will all the M settings the way they were). In a "retro" camera, it may be literally dozens of clicks across three different dials to get from M to P and back. Worse, the "retro" camera does not remember the previous manual settings.

Moreover, I'd lose a lot of shots if accidental movement of the dials while the camera was off changed the settings. And I love that I can tell the K-1 to reset the EV setting to 0 when I turn it on.

You are right that user interfaces are a personal preference. Personally, I like not having to look at three or four different dials to see the exposure settings.

[normhead]

Now we have discussions of how retro a cameras design is. To extrapolate from the Desiderata, "There will always be camera companies with models more or less retro than your own."

Gentlemen, I'm trying really hard to care about this, honest I am, but it's just not working. I understand it's important to some, I just can't figure out why.

Now we'll have someone jump in and say "We are really enjoying our navel gazing here, if you don't like it stay out of the thread."

OK OK< thread deleted from my subscriptions, no worries.

[audiobomber]

Yeah, I'm out of here too. I love the controls on my K-3, especially the User modes. No thanks to retro for me.