Monday, 9th August, 2010 · 10:05 am
↓ Jump to Comments

My Ideal Camera In Ten Steps

What would your ideal camera be? Imagine if you could spec a camera to be built just for you and your shooting style.

For me, the first requirement would be a great viewfinder. I once looked through the viewfinder of a friend’s Olympus OM-10. I think it was an OM-10. Anyway, it was like stepping into the world beyond. I wear glasses, and on my current camera I can’t see the whole frame. I just can’t get my eye close enough. It’s like looking at a distant window. So, item number 1: big and bright. And optical, not electronic.

Secondly, I’d like the camera to be small and light. Not miniature small, but small enough small. The size of an OM-10.

Thirdly, it would be built to withstand professional grade abuse. Most professionals – at least the ones I know, but maybe I move in the wrong circles – don’t treat their gear very well. I certainly don’t. So it must be tough. Are OM-10s tough?

Four, it would be a digital camera and have a nice big sensor. I’d opt for bigger pixels over volume of photosites. 10-15MP would suit me fine for documentary work. The OM-10 is 0MP, so it’s out.

Five, it would have dual card slots to allow instantaneous in-camera back-up. I have no preference between CF or SD cards, though CF cards give me more confidence by virtue of their bulk, but I can’t say either is more or less reliable based on my own experience of using both.

Six, the shutter would be whisper quiet and respond instantly. I press, it takes the picture, no messing. (D’ya hear that Canon? Hm?)

Seven, its lenses would be interchangeable and auto-focus – and it would be able to focus accurately in low-light conditions. I wouldn’t need a zillion focus points as I tend to only use the centre one anyway.

Eight, it would deliver pretty good results at 6,400 ISO.

Nine, its dynamic range would be such that it would hold detail properly in the shadows and the highlights, without blocking up the former and blowing out the latter. 16 bit as well.

Ten, it would have HD video. Actually, that one isn’t strictly speaking necessary. It just helps make up the ten.

Reading that back, I don’t think it’s too much to ask for and well within the capabilities of current manufacturers.

What would your requirements be?

12 Comments

Filed under Equipment

  • http://www.blackandwhite.ie Neil McShane

    What’s this Roger Step 2 or 3 in the quest for the M9.
    Everything bar the HD movie mode. Keep going, you have a few more steps to go yet before you get to step 10 the banker!

    The Olympus OM-1n was the camera for me when starting out and still have it to this day.

  • http://someprettythings.com Shannon

    Big viewfinder is a must for me too – My d300s viewfinder is tiny! I’m meant to wear glasses, but I rarely do just because it’s so hard to shoot in them. The d300s DOES have diopter adjustment though, which is nice.

    Quick, quiet shutter would be good too. Even on quiet mode, the d300s has a very audible click. Not that I want to sneak up on people, but I’d like to be a little more discreet at events!

    I’d like a camera with NO inbuilt flash too. It’s just annoying.

    That said, I do love the feel of my Nikon d300s. It’s quite hefty, but it feels lovely and solid and isn’t heavy enough to fatigue my wrist even after a few hours!

  • http://www.rogerverall.net Roger Overall

    Hey Neil,

    Thanks for commenting.

    Step 11. Affordable. ;-)

  • http://www.rogerverall.net Roger Overall

    Hi Shannon,

    I left out ergonomics. Sort of on purpose. It’s such a subjective thing.

    I don’t get on with Nikon cameras at all as the positions of the wheels strain tendons in my forearms/wrists when I use them. For others they feel as if they were molded to their hands. Canon fit my hands better. Best of all is my Voigtlander rangefinder, which has no need for molded grips. It’s simple and easy to hold/operate.

  • http://journal.nearbennett.com Rick

    Step 12: All lenses would be prime and f/1.0

    I would like a hotshoe, but I know that doesn’t fit your style, so I can understand why you would leave that off your list.

    I especially appreciate that you included double card slots. I can’t wait for that feature to trickle down to enthusiast grade cameras.

  • http://www.frankcourtney.com Frank

    Hi Roger – think you’ve limited yourself quite a lot here. Rather than an ‘ideal’ camera – it sounds more like the next version of whatever you currently use.
    While I would like most or all of the things you mention, I would be a bit more ambitious for my ideal camera.

    For example, I’d like a dynamic range where I would only need to choose aperture and shutter speed for artistic reasons – rather than exposure ones (or even more ideally choose them at the post-processing stage !). Next would be image stabilisation with the equivalent of 10 stops++. Comprehensive and easy to use wireless flash control built-in, with multiple zones. Programmable settings and custom presets (via an external computer interface). I could go on…

    Although I don’t expect these in my next upgrade, I do expect something close in the next 5-10 years. I’ll start saving now !!!

  • http://www.rogerverall.net Roger Overall

    Hey Rick,

    Thanks for commenting.

    I wouldn’t go for f/1.0 lenses myself. Expense, size and weight would be my reasons. I’m looking at the “Crons” in the Leica line-up at the moment (Oh Heavens, I can tell their lenses by the name now — It’s getting bad), which are all f/2.0. This seems to be a nice compromise between speed and size. Mind you, the price tags still bring a tear to the eye.

  • http://www.rogerverall.net Roger Overall

    Hi Frank,

    Thanks for commenting.

    It is indeed a modest set of requests. Yet despite that, no such camera exists today.

    I’m not sure the 5DIII will address all of the 5DII’s shortcomings. Likely we’ll get even more MP (Zzzzzz), better autofocus (but not too good otherwise why get a 1 series?), better high ISO (and a ludicrously optimistic setting like ISO 250,000), and possibly (we can only hope) better response times. But we won’t get better dynamic range, nor 16 bit, nor a better viewfinder, nor better build quality. Not unless Canon (or anyone else for that matter) has a real awakening.

  • http://someprettythings.com Shannon

    Sigh. Stop mentioning Leica. It’s making me drool a little.

  • http://www.frankcourtney.com Frank

    Well, Canon did backtrack on megapixels from the G10->G11 – so maybe there’s hope yet.

    Regarding the cost of pro equipment – my one big surprise when I was starting out professionally was the cost of good lenses. I expected the camera gear to be expensive, but overlooked the lenses. Sadly, I’ve got used to it now. I’m happy with what I’ve got – though a Canon 24-70 F2 L IS would fill a nice gap !

  • http://www.rogerverall.net Roger Overall

    Hi Frank,

    The 24-70IS will surely be announced at Photokina? It’s been rumoured for so long now. I think they’d sell them by the cartload.

  • Dragan Tomas

    Hi Roger,

    as the response to your post there over what would be yours “perfect” camera be. Interesting points that you are making there.

    Mayority of the features in the list that you have mentioned there I would find it to be very handy, but ultimately not really necessary. And here under I would count, the viewfinder, the size of the camera, the toughness of the body, a number of pixels, dual card slots, quiet schutter and the dynamic range. HD video would be at this moment in time, a complete waste on me as I never use it, though I am growing to understand the importance of it as it looks that big chunk of pro photography is heading towards the duality of the stills and the video. I have read in your other business blog where you are saying how important it is to stay technologicaly up to date with the new developements, and here under I would definetely count the video and its output.

    But, the features as high and goor quality ISO, FF sensor and very accurate and fast focus, I would find indespensible right now. Until very recently I have been shooting cropped sensor Canons, and after my experience with the FF with 5D right now, I quite francly am flabergasted to see the difference in the tech quality of the images. I also LOVE fast lenses, and my favorite one which I am always using, unless i need to have fast zoom, is 35mm 1.4, and almost always on 1.4 aperture.

    I would also say, and this related to the post you have in the biz blog about the beginning photographers, for me personaly its so important to keep producing quality work at all times. I remember that after establishing my self as a very creative photographer (only in the circles of people and scattered customers who knew about me, and not wider than that simply because of my complacency and the lack in marketing skills), I made mistake, because of that “standing” in my head, to relax just about enough in order not to deliver the quality of work that I am capable of, especially because I was just not there in the market, and if I may add so am still not. This made me lose some customers which I already had. Since some time ago, I work so hard on so many things, which are not (only) picture taking right now, as I understand how much it takes to organise and market my self, in order to build professionaly looking business.