User friendliness

Golf007sd

Oh, I have tried the 4:5 crop mode once, but could never figure out the purpose on the D4.  I guess I like the ability to make mistakes and then crop in post.  Actually a lot of the shots I take are for other folks to have prints made and this is easier if the 2:3 format is used for a 4x6" print.

I certainly can see this on the D800 with the file size being less than half in DX crop.

+1

adamz

@JJ_SO - don't know if other will agree with me, but I try to go through menu as little as possible. if there's no dedicated button outside the body than it means that this settings is irrelevant for me during shooting. 

@tommie - the 1.2 crop is nice, as You don't loose too much pixels and still get some magnification

JJ_SO

@JJ_SO - don't know if other will agree with me, but I try to go through menu as little as possible. if there's no dedicated button outside the body than it means that this settings is irrelevant for me during shooting. 

For daily shooting I agree, but if I want to set up for a time lapse or even only select camera and user settings, the D800 menu is in my eyes unnecessarily complicated.

spraynpray

@JJ_SO:  

"the D800 menu is in my eyes unnecessarily complicated."

Can't you make your own menu as 'my menu' ?

JJ_SO

I could, sure. But "my menu" is again something you need to navigate to. And I need to remember what I put into it, since I don't use the camera daily for a couple of hours. Also, there's to me no point to provide a very long individual menu list with lots of stuff in.

To me, it would be easier to navigate quicker instead of preparing tons of individual things which miss the one I need in a certain situation and the I need to hunt that one again in another menu.

Usually I use the buttons, but the more "low level" the body is, the more I need the menu. D5200 more than D7000 and that one more than D800. At the same time, the different menus get more complicated and complex. So, I'd just be happy to navigate quicker instead have to remember, if a specific function is already recollected in "my menu".

Talking of menus: since I'm working daily with PC and Mac I already am quite busy with remembering settings, options, parameters. I'd love to see them made as easy, clearly structured adm easy to access with a lot of careful thinking "what has to be done to navigate easily" like it is usually on a Mac or iOS device. Nikon could really improve by using a more graphic interface instead endless lists with dozens of branches.

spraynpray

If you put the top item in 'my menu' on one of your function buttons and you move the most important items to the top of your 'my menu', all of the important items are there on the screen with just one buttons push.

JJ_SO

I'm not talking about one or two things I want to have on a different place, but usually I need to navigate when starting the menu. And then I've to start at the position I was last time. I think I'd learn using the individual menu easier if the main menu would always reset to a standard starting position, after the camera was switched off. Or if there was something like a "home button"

All my function buttons are already occupied. Nice idea, but doesn't change much of my impression, the menus are complicate and slow to navigate in.

Ironheart

There is also "recent settings" which automatically collects the most used options.

The solution to what I think you want would be customizable menu structure to organize all of the most used stuff more logically. We (as a group) should support the magic lantern for Nikon project so we can customize and tweak the firmware. Canon users have one up on Nikon there...

Gitzo

None of you should complain too much.......I have to use my right middle finger as my trigger finger, my shutter release finger, and to operate my multi-selector; my right index finger "ends" at the first joint, so it's not quite a functional as it used to be when it was longer; also, my right thumb is only half as long as it "used to be"; It's really amazing how well my right middle finger has "learned" how to do all the things that my index finger did when it was still "with me". If you think operating your camera with your right hand is "unhandy" if you're left handed, you should try learning to button your left shirt sleeve button with your right middle finger and half of a thumb! Of all the things I had to learn to do all over again, that simple task took longer than anything else; (which is also one of the reasons why I tend to wear "sweat shirts" (with no buttons) much of the time).

spraynpray

Yikes Gitzo, that is a pita - reminds me of a friend of mine whose right arm was knock off while he was topping up his farmers suntan by a drunk driver going in the other direction. He was right handed too so he was in it deep. Try even getting dressed with one arm. Loveliest bloke I ever knew tho.

Msmoto

earthsea, said:

I have just had an operation on my right-hand involving skin grafts and all that stuff making my hand useless for a while. This has left me with my left-hand to do all that I have to do and it has got me thinking. How do left-handed people get on when taking photos? I have never come across a left-handed camera! Guitars are simple, you just swap the strings around, but camera's? I can easly shoot holding the camera with just my right-hand. So how do you leftie's get on? I'd love to know.

Ironheart

I was thinking you could take flash bracket (like this stroboframe from b&h):

Then take a remote trigger and gaffer tape it on top of the handle. Ugly, but would function in a punch.

JJ_SO

I saw the Canon 7DL and the date of announcement was April 1st, 2013.

So, is that what it is? April joke? Nearly all left handers have the "advantage" to be forced to develop good skills for their right hand. It wouldn't be that big of a problem these days to mirrorize the bodies, maybe also attractive for right handers looking with their left eye through the finder. Or maybe just one body in D7100 class? Would that be estimated by left handers?

Or did they already arrange with "right hand world"?

spraynpray

Why? One's left hand has plenty of things to twiddle - it isn't like it only supports the camera.

hawkdl2

I'm a lefty and while I don't consider myself ambidextrous, I suppose all lefties are to a degree. In any case, it never occurred to me that cameras we're "right handed". They seem perfectly set up for me. In fact I prefer to be able to use the better dexterity of my left hand to manual focus. I do look through the VF with my left eye though, so my nose points to the controls, which makes sense for right handed operation of the controls, I think.

Ade

I saw the Canon 7DL and the date of announcement was April 1st, 2013.

Maybe Nikon will finally produce that left-handed Nikon F100 Ken Rockwell shows off on his home page:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/Images/me/KR-WAP-1481-pxl.jpg

;-)

Msmoto

@Ade

So funny....but he forgot to change his watch to his right hand before shooting and flipping the image.

It baffles me how a professional could make such an error in flipping a non symmetric image...

DJBee49

Hmmm. One of my daughters is left-handed and she wears her watch on her left hand. She assures me that many left-handers do the same. Perhaps, on this occasion, poor old KR could be forgiven?

Msmoto

Flipping the image would bring his watch to his left hand and make the image look more believable. That was my point. But, IMO for a professional to have a photo where the object is a mirror image, well, if he were shooting for a commercial purpose, I do not think this would fly.....

Ade

It's just a joke, so KR didn't bother to make it perfect.

Also, often the watch creates a "tan line" on the wrist it is worn on; so it's probably not sufficient for KR to just move the watch to his right wrist. He'd have to do some photoshopping to get rid of the tan line. Which is maybe another reason he didn't bother to make things perfect, since it's just a joke.

Msmoto

Ahh... yes....the joke.....

link7397

Salutations All...well left eye dominent, right eye diminenet, left and or right hand dominenece. All in a matter of speaking aswitch over process. But I have a situation which I could use help with. (No Joke!) I lost my right arm completely. Is there a left handed camera I could use? It's hard yes dressing...tieing ones shoes...but has anyone given any thought as wiping after going? I want to use a camera again, will it be just a dificult? Is the a manufacturer tgat has one currently available? Any suggestions? TY

Ironheart

Link, see my suggestion above about using a flash bracket and a remote trigger.

Msmoto

Or, on a tripod center post with remote trigger held with Velcro. This shot was taken just that way.... Camera held up side down in the "pit". https://www.flickr.com/photos/fantinesfotos/14125012018/

Fritz

I had a college professor back before the modern world who was a clinical psychologist and an expert on ergonomic design who believed that men and woman relate differently to machines. I have a friend who works for a US defense contractor that makes classified sighting devices who tells me they spend hundreds of hours reducing essential controls to the simplest most intuitive design. My late brother in law was a mechanical engineer who used to say "good design is purpose built, simple to use, and elegant". My point being that Nikon might do a better job of control layout perhaps, but to do so will require a great deal of effort, time and expense on their part that would certainly add to consumer cost. The good thing is that many of the buttons are programable so we all seem to get by. I think Nikon gives some degree of thought to their control layout but its not a top priority for them. They seem to want to make precision instruments at a price point most people want to buy- and that's a very good thing.