Touch Screen Controls Are Useless

TOUCH  SCREEN  CONTROLS  ARE  USELESS

On a hand held camera

Author Andrew S  June 2013

Sydney Harbour, Opera House, Bridge.  Lumix GH3, 35-100mm f2.8 lens

Introduction  The world is awash with touch screen devices, many of which can take photos. Presumably rising to the perceived challenge, or need or demand, or maybe just because they can, many cameras are now equipped with touch screen operating capability.  Reviewers and contributors to camera user forums frequently write negative opinions about any camera not thus endowed.

Ergonomic studies  I have spent the last three years carefully analysing ergonomic aspects of camera function with reference to viewing, holding and operating. I am particularly interested in the study of efficient ways by which a camera can be operated.  All the cameras which I have recently used and currently use offer touch screen controls and all work well, in the sense that the touch screen functions operate as advertised.

Camera held to the eye  Many cameras have an eye level viewfinder. In my opinion all cameras should have one or they risk becoming irrelevant flotsam washed away by the swelling tide of smart phones, tablets, phablets and other gadgets capable of making photos.

With eye level viewing, use of touch screen controls is essentially impossible for simple physical reasons.

Monitor viewing  Most cameras with interchangeable lenses are a "two hands" proposition. The left hand supports the lens, works the zoom and operates manual focus if required. The right hand holds the camera body firmly and operates, at a minimum, the shutter release button.

So which hand is available to work the touch screen controls ?  Neither is satisfactory. If the left hand is used it has to stop supporting the lens, make the on screen adjustment then return to lens support duty. Or the user adopts  one handed operation which is likely to produce camera shake. If the right hand is used for touch screen duty, it has to stop holding the camera and move right across to the left so the thumb or another finger can access the whole screen. If both hands are used then operating the camera becomes a juggling performance.

Camera work is much more ergonomic if the device  is designed with a comprehensive suite of hard control units which can be operated without either hand having to release grip on the camera.

Simple cameras designed for snapshooters don't need touch screen controls either. The snapshooter is better served by a camera which is highly automated, requiring the user to press the shutter release button and little else.

Finger Wharf Woolloomooloo. Lumix GH3, 35-100mm f2.8 lens

Tripod mounted use  The hands are now free from camera holding duty and can  operate a touch screen.  But why would one do this ? I don't.  Having practiced with the hard interface modules (buttons, dials, levers etc) until I am familiar with them, why would I switch to a different control modality just because the camera is on a tripod ?

I could imagine that a professional photographer or videographer who uses his or her camera on a tripod  most of the time, might find touch screen control quite useful and a preferred way to operate. But most of us use the camera handheld 99% of the time, when touch screen operation is either impossible or difficult.

Summary  I think that manufacturers have lost touch with the notion of a camera and with basic ergonomic concepts of camera operation. I believe they need to redefine a camera as distinctly different from all the smart phones, tablets, phablets, gidgets and widgets which proliferate in abundance. They need to stop marketing cameras with reference to features which the widgets do much better, like Wi-Fi, connectivity, streaming to social media and touch screens. They need to focus (pun intended) on features and capabilities which the phones and phablets do not offer.  These would include at the very least, I would think:  A decent electronic viewfinder in every unit, a comprehensive suite of hard interface modules on every camera designed for expert use, a zoom lens of decent quality, speedy, responsive performance for focussing and shot to shot times and image quality much better than any phone cam can offer.

Many recent camera releases completely fail to offer these basic features.