Features I'd like to see in a digital SLR.

swanseamale47

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wayne clarke
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I occured to me while reading another thread that for all the sophistication of modern digital SLR cameras there still features I'd personally like to see added.
1 built in memory, many compacts have it, say 16gb built in that automaticly "backs-up" the last 16gb of shots taken, could be a life saver if your card fails or you forget it.
2 simple custom white balance, again some compacts have a one button press, and video cameras have had for ages, why do we have to faff about in menus?

What would you like to see???
 
I would quite like an "auto" button that would instantly change from whatever the camera is set on to the optimum for the light and at a higher speed, for those times where I might be shooting a flower or plant or something static and a perfectly lit BoP flies over and you need a much faster setting but don't have time to change and so miss the opportunity
 
the ability to edit file names on the camera.I know its easy enough to do on the computer, but if I went out in the mountains and programmed the filename "mountains" then files auto numbered from there as "mountains1, mountains2" etc. then change it to river and get "river1, river2"etc. Simple, but would make things easier for me.
 
the ability to edit file names on the camera.I know its easy enough to do on the computer, but if I went out in the mountains and programmed the filename "mountains" then files auto numbered from there as "mountains1, mountains2" etc. then change it to river and get "river1, river2"etc. Simple, but would make things easier for me.

I put stuff like that in different folders, each with a different name/number
 
Built in Wifi 'tethered' shooting!

Built in radio flash trigger (coupled with wireless enabled speedlites)

Both easily done and I'm sure whoever does this first would clean up.
 
Well, until as and when the mirrorless dslr coms about, I'd just like a camera that's quieter! :| great shooting at 8fps but sounds like a machine-gun - terrible when several photographers shooting together :|

Geoff
 
One of the features I wanted/needed was a built in level so I could keep horizons and verticals horizontal and vertical - well happy that the D700 has one - much less time spent correcting them in PP!
 
I would quite like an "auto" button that would instantly change from whatever the camera is set on to the optimum for the light and at a higher speed, for those times where I might be shooting a flower or plant or something static and a perfectly lit BoP flies over and you need a much faster setting but don't have time to change and so miss the opportunity
What camera do you have, Christine? My 40D has three sets of pre-sets which I can program to my liking. It's easy to have one set up as a "normal" setting (eg ISO 200, Av, f/5.6, single-shot) and one as an "action" setting (eg ISO 800, TV, 1/500th, continuous shooting).
 
One of the features I wanted/needed was a built in level so I could keep horizons and verticals horizontal and vertical - well happy that the D700 has one - much less time spent correcting them in PP!
Ooh, I'd like that. Ever since I switched from a 350D to a 40D I've found that my horizons have a tendency to tilt. But I think I'll try a different focussing screen before a new camera.
 
I would just like to put a ccd and memory in my OM1n, don't need anything else.
 
I would just like to put a ccd and memory in my OM1n, don't need anything else.

Like to do that with my dynax 7. Think the time for digital backs for classic cameras seems to have passed. Which is a shame.
 
GPS Tagging! The type where you don't need an £800 adapter on your camera.
Especially when you get it on compacts sub £200
 
Geotagging would be great, so long as you can turn the gps off when you dont need it.
 
Ooh, I'd like that. Ever since I switched from a 350D to a 40D I've found that my horizons have a tendency to tilt. But I think I'll try a different focussing screen before a new camera.

Even with the grid switched on in an assortment of SLRs (both film and digital), I had problems with sloping horizons. I bought a Seculine digital level which helped (the leds are visible at the top of peripheral vision) but that's now all but redundant since the D700 has a level built in.
 
Faster sync speed is all I really want.
 
1. The ability to hide menu's that you won't need when actually using your camera in anger. Like having a 'home' mode and a 'field' mode.
2. Spirit level as mentioned above.
3. Hotline to Dean (The23rdman) for lighting and equipment tips.
4. A big sign saying 'I'm working, please don't come over and talk camera and photography 'stuff' to me when I'm trying to create magic'. ;)
 
1. I would Like Internal memory that you could add Camera Owner Details to which
is password protected, So if you lose your camera, the owner info will be in the
memory.
 
Some interesting ideas there here :)

Elaborating on Frogskit's idea, perhaps some form of external "key" need that contains corresponding data to what's on the camera and without the key, the camera is useless. Bit like taking the front off a car stereo.

In addition to the battery level indicator, how about a counter that gives you the rough number of shots you have left on that battery?
 
A talent button ;)

More seriously, the ability to define tradeoffs of aperture, shutter speed and ISO when in Av or Tv mode. What I mean is, if in aperture priority mode I'd like to be able to say what my minimum shutter speed is (instead of the 1/fl) and maximum acceptable ISO and let the camera auto-calculate using those as guides. I always find a shutter speed of 1/fl is a little too long for me so would like to push that up a bit. The only alternative at present is manual settings which means potentially changing things every shot...

Either that or Canon should implement auto ISO manual shooting instead of making everything fully manual.

Not sure how other makes deal with this - perhaps they're perfect already....
 
In body IS for Canon.
Built in flash on a Canon FF body.
 
Even with the grid switched on in an assortment of SLRs (both film and digital), I had problems with sloping horizons. I bought a Seculine digital level which helped (the leds are visible at the top of peripheral vision) but that's now all but redundant since the D700 has a level built in.

K-5 goes one better and will correct a sloping horizon as long as it's not too far out.
 
A Nikon D2s - D2x body with AF and sensor a'la D300s. Would do me grand.

* Built-in flash triggering (without having to use a pop-up flash) is a good call.

* Would love to be able to apply copyright info to files on my D2x as images are created - am I behind the times on this one? Either way, would mean not needing software to apply copyright info to exif....

* Maybe a configurable sensor with a base performance that you could improve in certain ways (such as improving low light performance etc), maybe by reducing resolution.....
 
One of the features I wanted/needed was a built in level so I could keep horizons and verticals horizontal and vertical - well happy that the D700 has one - much less time spent correcting them in PP!

D7000 has one.

D in W
 
After playing with my 5 year old daughters camera I'd like my S5 to be able to put monkey faces automatically on people.
 
A menu selection that allows highlight preservation when in matrix metering mode
 
Phil Young said:
Do you use auto FP? Awesome when used with more speed lights in CLS...



Yeah but you lose flash power in high speed sync so faster would be nice.

I second built in radio flash triggering with full TTL capability.

Built in WiFi tethered shooting.

A dial with user defined custom setups that allow you to set everything from shooting mode to focus mode, white balance, metering, ISO or auto ISO, just every user user adjustable setting including file naming set to a pre determined set up with A dial to select that preset.
 
Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity for file transfer to PC, live mode etc (alternative to USB).

Yes you could argue for WiFI but WiFI is not considered secure by many computers. Also Bluetooth is much cheaper and uses much less power
 
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