Measuring Camera Ergonomics Part 3 of 3, Evaluation Schedule

 

Summary of abbreviations used:

UI = User Interface. Can be hard (buttons, dials etc) or soft (screen based).

UIM = User Interface Module. Refers to a button, dial, lever, switch collar, ring etc.

Set and See module. This is usually a dial, lever or switch. It has manufacturer predetermined function represented by permanently marked icons, numbers, words, etc. marked on the module. You set and see the selected parameter right on the dial. Repeater readouts of the set parameters might or might not be presented in the EVF/monitor.

Scoring In each subsection the maximum score will be gained if a camera allows the user to efficiently perform all the tasks , has all the hardware and positive factors with none of the negative factors. Total maximum score is 100.

Setup Phase [Max score 15]
Tasks Make Main Menu selections, Allocate My Menu items, Allocate Quick Menu items, Select Function Button and dial assignments, set up Custom Modes, set up other functions such as Wi-Fi.
Elements Has a Main Menu, My Menu with user selected items and a separately accessed Quick Menu with user selected items for Prepare Phase selections.
Most UIM's enable user selected function.
Content Menu headings and subheadings are logical, coherent, systematic and easy to navigate. Like items are grouped together.
User interface All items are clear, legible and easy to read. The process navigate>identify>select is easily learned and becomes second nature.
Negatives Main Menu confusing, contains mystery icons or items, not logically designed, like items scattered about in different submenus. No My Menu. Q Menu items not user selectable. No Custom Modes. Navigation complex or confusing. Setup Phase UIM's located where Capture Phase UIM's need to be.
Prepare Phase [Max score 15]
Tasks Set Main Mode, set frequently used modes (usually Focus , Autofocus, Drive), set less frequently used modes and other adjustments required in the minutes prior to Capture Phase.
Hardware Has dedicated set and see UIM's for the most commonly used Modes. Allows quick access to other modes and functions required in Prepare Phase, by Quick Menu button, Function buttons or other quick access portal(s) on body and lens.
User interface Clear graphics, icons and displays on monitor and EVF when navigating and selecting items via Q Menu, Function buttons or other portal. UIM's for Prepare Phase do not displace UIM's for Capture Phase from top value locations on the body.
Content Quick access portals allow adjustment of other modes and functions, for instance flash, metering, recording quality, image size, ISO (if set in Prepare Phase) shutter type, image stabiliser, display, burst/continuous rate, electronic level, elctronic shutter, grid lines, histogram ...............and many more, as user selected.
Negatives Any Prepare Phase items only accessible via main menu. Settings locked while camera is writing files to the memory card. Q Menu items, functions of buttons and other UIM's not user assignable. Prepare Phase UIM's located where Capture Phase UIM's need to be.
Capture Phase [Max score 65]
Holding [Subscore 20]
Tasks Hold the camera in a relaxed but secure grip with both hands with right index finger on the shutter button in relaxed position. Maintain this grip while carrying out the "operating" tasks below.
Hardware Built in ergonomic anatomical handle, inverted L type is optimal. Ergonomic thumb support. Diagonal type is optimal. Optimal shutter button position is forward, top left on the handle (as viewed by the user).
User Experience Handle and thumb support work together to allow the user's right hand to adopt the half closed relaxed posture in basic hold position. Shutter button location enables this optimal holding posture.
Negatives Absent or poorly shaped handle. Handle only available as accessory. Thumb support inadequate in position, elevation or orientation. Sub optimal placement of shutter button.
  Viewing [Subscore 20]
Tasks the operator can comfortably and clearly, in all conditions, view in the EVF or monitor the information listed below.
* Subject preview (live view) unobscured by overlays.
* Major camera data, displayed outside the preview image, in either landscape or portrait orientation, optimally below but possibly also above:
Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO, Exposure Compensation, White Balance, Battery Status, Capture Mode in use, Remaining exposures on card. * Secondary camera data/displays, superimposed over the preview image:
Active AF Area position and size/shape, Grid lines, Histogram, Manual Focus Guide indications, others as user selected. Hardware There is a built in high quality EVF with high quality viewfinder optics and comfortable eyecup. There is a high quality monitor. Fully articulated type is optimal.
Content EVF and monitor gain up or down to represent exposure compensation. 100% accurate preview is provided.
User Experience EVF and monitor both provide the same information presented in the same way. There is a seamless segue from one to the other. Look in the viewfinder, see the viewfinder; look at the monitor, see the monitor. Optimally there is no perceptible EVF blackout time after each exposure.
Negatives EVF not built in, Camera data is only available superimposed over the preview image, EVF refresh rate slow, EVF delivers poor viewing quality in some conditions. Monitor fixed or only swing up/down.
  Operating [Subscore 25]
Task list While continuously looking through the EVF (or monitor, but the EVF is a more stringent test) and without shifting grip on the camera with either hand, Capture Phase requires that the following tasks be carried out smoothly and efficiently, without impeding the capture process. Obviously not every exposure requires every one of these tasks to be performed but the camera should be configured so it is possible to do so:
* Adjust primary exposure parameters: Aperture (f stop), Exposure Time (Shutter speed), Sensitivity (ISO).
* Adjust secondary exposure parameters: Exposure Compensation, Program Shift, AE Lock, White Balance.
* Adjust primary framing and focus parameters: Zoom, Initiate/Lock autofocus, Manual Focus.
* Adjust secondary focus parameters: Change position and size of active AF area, manual over ride focus, AF Lock. Hardware There are sufficient UIM's of appropriate design on body and lens with which to drive the camera as described in the task list. UIM's on the lens controlling zoom, focus and aperture (if fitted) are of circumferential type. UIM's on the body can be operated by the right index finger and thumb without having to shift grip.
User experience With practice the user can learn to drive the camera like a motor car. The user looks through the viewfinder (windscreen) at the subject (traffic ahead) and operates the device by feel without looking at it. With further practice the user does not have to think about the process of operating the camera any more than a driver thinks about operating a motor car.
Negatives The camera is configured so the user has to interrupt the capture process in order to change one of the parameters listed above. UIM's for Capture Phase are located in a physical position lower in the ergonomic hierarchy than UIM's for Setup, Prepare or Review Phase. The user has to enter a menu or shift grip or take the eye away from the viewfinder to adjust on of the parameters in the task list.
Review Phase [Subscore 5]
Task list Tasks which photographers might want to perform in Review Phase may vary greatly according to individual preference. Some photographers do little in camera review, others a lot. Ergonomically this is the least critical phase of use as the photo has already been captured. As a minimum I would list:
* Recall the last 1-9 photos captured and select one.
* Zoom into and move around in a review image.
* Jump from one image to the next or previous at the same level of magnification and the same location in the frame.
* Delete one/many.
Hardware The camera needs UIM's to enable the tasks above to be performed. These need to be located low in the positional hierarchy on the camera.
Content Comprehensive data about each image is available and efficiently recalled onto the monitor screen or in the EVF in the same form.
User experience The task list can be carried out efficiently.
Negatives Essential file data is not able to be recalled. It is not possible to scroll from one frame to the next at the same location and magnification. Auto review cannot be disabled. UIM's for Review Phase occupy high value locations on the camera which are better reserved for Capture Phase.

Measuring Camera Ergonomics, Part 2 of 3, Rationale

Red planet ?

 

In Part three of this 3 part series I will introduce a proposed evaluation schedule. If the reader has been following this blog the terms used in the schedule will be familiar. However the new reader will likely wonder where the material is coming from.

It's homework time I have done a lot of work on this over the last five years and posted my thoughts and findings on this blog. I will try to summarise these findings in this post but to fully appreciate what I am talking about I urge the reader to work through two key sets of posts as detailed below.

This blog started in February 2012. The first 14 posts from 28 February to 11 May describe the evolution of my understanding of the elements of ergonomics as they apply to cameras. Here I lay out my ideas about basic concepts of camera ergonomics and functional anatomy. you can find links to these posts under the Basic Concepts page tab at the top of the home page of this blog.

My first ergonomic review was of the Panasonic GH2 in May 2012.

The second key set of posts begins on 1 April 2014, with a review of my use of mockups to better understand the elements of ergonomics. This by the way is not an April fool's post, it just happened to get posted on that day. The next 16 posts to 19 April this year represent an update, review and elaboration of my original 2012 work. In these posts I go into considerable detail about a range of ergonomic issues including handles, shutter button position, control systems, control dials and much more. You can find links to these posts under the Design page tab at the top of the home page of this blog.

I particularly urge the reader to work, and yes it is work, through "Language and taxonomy of Camera Ergonomics" on 6 April and "The problem with likes" on the same date.

Brief summary of findings

There are 4 phases of camera use, Setup (prior to using the camera), Prepare (in the minutes before making pictures), Capture (the process of making pictures) and Review (which is pretty much self explanatory).

In the Capture Phase of use there are three ways by which the user interacts with the camera. These are Holding, Viewing and Operating.

in order to make the camera do his or her bidding the user must perform a series of Tasks in each of the phases and interaction modalities.

Completion of each task requires Actions. These can be examined by time and motion study. Anybody with access to a camera and a user can do such a study. It is just a matter of paying attention to every action required to make a camera work. This can reveal the number of actions required to perform each task. It can also examine the complexity of those actions and note the presence of any enabling actions required.

All evaluation systems have underlying assumptions. In this case some of these are:

* The camera is designed to be suitable for the expert/enthusiast user who wishes to take control of the process of picture making. Novices/snapshooters can use this camera perfectly well by setting auto mode and leaving menus, buttons etc at default settings.

* A Proper Camera is envisaged. This has an anatomical built in handle (by which I mean one which is shaped to fit the hand which holds it), a built in EVF of high quality, a fully articulated monitor, built in flash unit, ability to fit accessory flash units, zoom lens or ability to mount one, responsive performance and good enough picture quality for most users and uses.

* The evaluation schedule is written for a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (MILC). For a DSLR substitute optical viewfinder (OVF) for EVF. A well designed MILC does have several inherent ergonomic advantages over the DSLR type. The EVF allows much more data and choice of data in the viewfinder, the EVF can be configured to look the same as the monitor and the segue from EVF to monitor can be seamless with a MILC but not with a flipping mirror DSLR.

* It is ergonomically preferable for camera operation to require the minimum number and complexity of actions.

* A well designed camera should be comfortable and secure to hold.

* Viewing arrangements should provide a clear subject preview in all operating conditions.

This is completely different from and unrelated to any consideration of an individual's likes, wants and preferences. It is also unrelated to any questions about style.

As a result of performing time and motion studies on many cameras and mockups I have come to the view that some types of arrangement for holding, viewing and operating provide clear ergonomic benefit over other types. This is reflected in the evaluation schedule.

In the next post I put forward a schedule for measuring camera ergonomics. The alert reader will notice that some things are missing from consideration. I have nothing to say about many of the features which festoon modern cameras. There is an endless list of these things including "Best moment capture mode", "Motion Snapshot Mode"......etcetera.....

I also do not refer to some features which some might regard as pertinent to the ergonomic evaluation. One of these is touch screen operation. The touch screen is inaccessible when looking through the viewfinder. My scoring schedule is deliberately biased towards operating in Capture Phase with the eye to the viewfinder. The reason for this is that I regard viewfinder operation as one of the cardinal features which differentiate the proper camera from other photo capable devices.

I am well aware that some users say they feel happy to use a camera in monitor view but I bet they will be considerably less happy when the sun is shining on the monitor or a long lens is fitted or they want to exclude noise (auditory, visual, emotional etc.) intrusion from the immediate environment or all three. The touch screen might be a workable alternative to hard UIM's in Setup, Prepare and Review Phases of use. My thinking is that having provided plenty of hard UIM's for use in Capture Phase one might as well use them in the other Phases as well.

Wi-Fi technology is improving and might well deserve inclusion in a subsequent update.

I don't do motion picture so will confine my evaluation to still photo. I would imagine that the videographer will often want to mount the camera to a fluid head, in which case it might be best driven from the touch screen. There are several websites devoted to the world of video, this is not one of them.

Maximum score allocations: This represents a judgement call about which aspects of camera use are the most ergonomically important. Obviously this is contestable but I think it is reasonable to allocate the highest priority to the process of operating the camera in Capture Mode. The actual numbers are somewhat arbitrary as they must be but they can be adjusted in the light of ongoing experience, should that be necessary.

Phase of use		Maximum score
Setup		15
Prepare		15
Capture	Holding	20
	Viewing	20
	Operating	25
Review		5
Total		100

　
　


　

　

　

Measuring Camera Ergonomics Part 1 of 3, Discussion

The road to.................

 

Camera evaluation can be considered under four headings: Specifications, Image Quality, Performance and Ergonomics.

I often read reviews of camera gear which compare camera specifications. The implication is that if one has more pixels on the sensor or dots in the EVF or whatever, then it is presumed to be "better". My experience tells me that I have to actually test a camera in real world operation to find out if one delivers a different performance in some respect from the other.

Workable methods of measuring image quality and performance have been developed and are readily available for consumers. These measurements often include some system of numerical scoring. This information enables consumers to compare one camera with another and to engage in discussion with other consumers.

However when it comes to ergonomics no such measurement or scoring system is available. This makes it very difficult for consumers to evaluate any camera with respect to it's holding, viewing and operating qualities. Professional and user reviews of cameras lack adequate evaluation of ergonomics because there is insufficient language, taxonomy and system of measurement for ergonomics.

"Ergonomics is very subjective" When I started reporting my findings about ergonomics on this blog and on user forums, I several times received feedback stating that "ergonomics is very subjective" or similar words, and therefore apparently not a proper subject for analysis or comparison. Well, of course some aspects of ergonomics are subjective but so are aspects of image quality. Subjectively appreciated characteristics of any object or system can be measured and compared. Even something as arcane as "Personality" can be measured with substantial reliability.

Ergonomics is also objective Many aspects of ergonomics are determined by hard, observable, measurable factors. For instance: Does the camera have a built in viewfinder ? Does it have an anatomically shaped handle ? Can the user change key exposure and focus parameters while looking through the viewfinder and without having to shift grip with either hand ? The list goes on.... All these things can be readily identified. The tasks of operating a camera require actions. The number and complexity of these actions can be observed, listed and compared with the actions required to operate another camera.

How many angels can dance on the head of a pin ? This has been a theological question of no relevance to anything in the real world since the middle ages. Unfortunately many discussions about image quality and performance are similarly irrelevant to 99% of real world photographic requirements. I read on user forums a statement that camera A with 4260 line pairs per image height is "better" than camera B which can "only" manage 3600 lppih. As both exceed the resolution of large format film the difference between them is of academic importance. Or I see one camera being put forward as "better" because it can shoot 60 frames per second and the other can "only" do 30 fps. A recent camera release offers ISO 409,600. Reviewers praise this amazing achievement, which, by the way is indeed amazing but of little relevance to the vast majority of photographs which the vast majority of photographers might wish to make.

For most photographs, most of the time, a large percentage of cameras (and quite a few smart phones) on the market right now will deliver good enough image quality and performance. Many on line forum discussions and manufacturer's specifications are no more relevant to the ordinary world than arguments about angels on the head of a pin.

So, what does matter ? Which characteristic does meaningfully differentiate between various camera models ? That is the user experience, including all aspects of ergonomics and the user interface.

Is it possible to measure and compare such things as "user experience" and "ergonomics". Until now the answer to this question has been "no". As a result us consumers are not getting a good deal from camera manufacturers. On my assessment, many cameras on the market today offer the user an experience which ranges from "truly awful" at one end of the spectrum to "could easily improve with better detail implementation" at the other end.

This is how I see things in the camera world at the moment.

1. Manufacturers, facing declining sales in all sectors are casting about for the next really good new idea (even if it is actually a recycled old idea) which might bring buyers back to the fold. Hence the multitude of new models, many of which have styling cues which reprise old film cameras. It seems to me that the product development people either
a) don't know which way to turn and have taken to churning out many different kinds of models presumably in the hope that some of them will gain favour with buyers. Sony is probably the most energetic exponent of this scattergun approach, or
b) have decided that their ship of state is sailing along quite well so they just reiterate the same old ideas with very small changes from one model to the next. This might be called the "It ain't broke so we don't need to fix it" approach, of which I would nominate Canon as the most prominent exponent.
2. The only group of people who can guide manufacturers towards the development of cameras which are enjoyable to use and will therefore sell, is the consumers.

3. The pathway to cameras which are more enjoyable to use is better ergonomics.

4. But designers, makers and consumers are all constrained by a deficiency of language about ergonomics and a complete absence of method by which the ergonomic capabilities of a camera can be scored and compared with another.

5. I take the view that until some reasonably acceptable method of scoring ergonomics is found then no sensible discussion about ergonomics can take place and consumers cannot provide reliable guidance to camera designers about the way forward.

6. Hence this present enterprise of mine, namely an attempt to devise a method of scoring camera ergonomics.

Some, perhaps, will argue this is not possible or even desirable. Some might say..."Everyone is different". Well, yes, but not to the extent they have the hands of a possum or a chimpanzee. The creatures who use cameras are humans who are more ergonomically alike than different.

What about likes, wants and preferences ? Of course everybody has these. However I want to be very clear about this: likes, wants and preferences can form the basis for a fertile line of enquiry which is completely different from and unrelated to an evaluation of ergonomics through time and motion studies.

An example: Bill might say "I really like camera A because it makes me slow down and think about the settings for aperture and shutter speed". On ergonomic analysis we discover that camera B requires less than half as many actions to change aperture or shutter speed and each of those actions is less complex than those required by camera A.

As objectively evaluated, camera B clearly has better ergonomics. This in no way invalidates Bill's preference. Bill can choose what to like and dislike for his own reasons whatever they may be.

However the converse also applies. Bill's preference does not invalidate ergonomic analysis by time and motion study either. They exist side by side. If Bill's preferences were shared by 99% of the population of camera users then designers could simply do whatever Bill recommended. But what actually happens is that the individuals in any group will have a whole lot of different preferences. Probably not many of them will want a camera which is slow to operate. They will have other priorities.

The message is spreading It did seem to me for a few years that I was a voice in the techno wilderness. But now it appears the mainstream camera commentariat is catching on. I close this post with a quote from Richard Butler, writing for Digital Photography Review on 24 April 2014. The context is a shooters experience report of the Sony Alpha6000.



"While shooting with the Sony a6000, I've spent a lot of time thinking about what aspects of photography I enjoy, and about what I demand from a camera as a consequence. Every day I read comments about how 'Camera X' is best because of the capability of its sensor or 'Camera Y' is, because of the lenses available for it. These are mostly arguments that relate either to specifications or the image quality that a camera produces. But what of ergonomics, handling, user-interface and shooting experience?

I found myself wondering whether the truism about 'the best camera is the one you have with you' shouldn't really be something like: 'the best camera is the one you enjoy shooting with enough to have with you.' The point being that, for me at least, the process of taking the photo is almost as important as the final result. Of course I want the results to be as good as possible, but I also want to enjoy the time spent using a camera, as well as the images I come back with."

My thoughts exactly.



　

　

　

　

　

Functional anatomy of the camera Part 2 detailed description

 

Medium sized full featured mockup

In the last post I proposed that we need only three basic camera designs, compact, small full featured and medium full featured. This post describes them in more detail. These mockups assume a mirrorless configuration. The equivalent DSLR's would need to be taller and deeper to accommodate the mirror box and pentaprism/mirror.

Sizing them up You can see from the table below that the compact mockup is just slightly larger than a Sony RX100 (II) to allow for the EVF and a fully articulated monitor. But it is really diminutive for a camera with a full set of controls. I have fully described this mockup elsewhere on this blog site. Because of it's very small size the compact has a different shape and configuration from the other two mockups described here.

The small fully featured mockup is about the same size as a Panasonic G6 MILC. This basic design could accommodate a small superzoom model with fixed long zoom lens or a MILC suitable for sensor sizes ranging from 15.9 mm diagonal ("one inch") through 21.5mm (Micro 4/3) up to 28mm (APS-C). There is enough room for a Sony E Mount. This size would be suitable for an entry/ mid range model. It would suit smaller hands, but it is still very comfortable in medium/large adult hands.

The medium fully featured mockup is about the same size as a Panasonic GH3 MILC. This size could accommodate a superzoom with fixed lens having a very large zoom range or a MILC suitable for the enthusiast/expert/professional user. The increased overall size allows for a larger monitor, larger EVF, larger battery for more shots per charge and larger handle. It also has a twin dial design.

It could accommodate sensors up to 43 mm diagonal (so called full frame) and lens mounts up to the Canon EOS which at about 65mm outside diameter is the largest of the full frame mounts in current use. An adapter/spacer would be required if EF lenses were to be mounted due to their flange back distance of 44mm.

	Width mm	Height mm	Depth mm	Box Volume cc
Compact Mockup	102	61	41 with lens	255
Sony RX100 (II)	102	58	38 with lens	225
Small Mockup	118	81	65 no lens	621
Panasonic G6	120	81 excl hotshoe	70 no lens	680
Medium Mockup	131	89	80 no lens	933
Panasonic GH3	133	90 excl hotshoe	79 no lens	946

Key size determinants

On the back, the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the monitor are critical. Many modern cameras have such large monitors that there is insufficient space left for the control panel on the right side. This leads to small buttons which are too close together and too close to the right side of the body. The consequence of this is difficulty pressing the buttons cleanly and frequent inadvertent activation. In addition the thumb supports of many cameras are of inadequate size and are of the vertical type which is less effective than the diagonal type, which requires more horizontal space.

The monitors of both the small and medium full featured mockups are a little smaller than those found on several comparable actual cameras but still provide a sufficiently large monitor view. The benefit is a substantially larger control panel with larger buttons none of which is close to the right edge. 

On the front lens mount size and location relative to the left side (as viewed by the user) of the body are key. If the lens mount is moved over to the left, this opens up space for a properly designed ergonomic handle.

On top the hump top style allows the EVF eyepiece, hot shoe and built in flash to be lined up front to back. This in turn frees up horizontal space for set and see dials and other user interface modules. The designer can fit more useful stuff on the top of a hump top than a flat top.

The rear view shows a large enough but not over large monitor.  There are no UIM's near the right edge of the body.  Most buttons are 9mm diameter, significantly larger than you see on most cameras.  The JOG lever provides immediate and direct control of active AF area position. The thumb swings right to the rear dial and left to the JOG lever without the need to shift grip. The AF On button is located so it can be activated simply by flexing the interphalangeal joint of the thumb.  The Recenter button is to enable fast recentering of the AF area.  The 4 way controller is retained for menu navigation and/or to provide 4 more buttons. There is a substantial clear area for the thumb in rest position.

Top view shows the two set and see modules. On the left one I  would stack Focus Mode and Autofocus Mode.  On the right one I would stack Main Capture Mode on top and Drive Mode beneath,  plus an On/Off switch at the rear.  The quad control set on top of the handle is shown with actual distances between each module. The height and alignment of the four modules fits the position and direction of movement which the index finger wants to take.  In building the mockup the handle shape was determined first by shaping and whittling until it conformed to my hand. Then my index finger was placed where it wanted to go and the buttons and dial were located to suit.  The mockup has been tested by adults with various different sized and shaped hands and fingernail lengths. I works well for them all. Buttons 3 and 4 are for Prepare Phase actions. 

This shows the critical relationship between the shutter button and front dial. The center of the shutter button and the top of the dial are at the same height relative to the side to side movement of the right index finger which takes place on an angled plane. Buttons 1 and 2 sit lower than the adjacent control dial and shutter button so they are not activated inadvertently.

This shows the inverted L shaped handle with quad control group on top. The function of all buttons can be selected by the user from a long list of options.  On the small full featured mockup there is only one (front) control dial. In this case the equivalent of button 12 is used like the "Alt" key on a computer. When pressed with the 4th finger of the right hand it temporarily reassigns function of a dial or other button.  Thus the front dial can be used to change both aperture and shutter speed in Manual Exposure mode.

 

Styling  Throughout the entire process of evolving the shape of these mockups I put function before fashion at every decision point. The "style" which has evolved has it's own appeal arising from the  functional integrity of the design.  I am not immune to the demands of styling however and have sought to give this mockup a chunky businesslike, no nonsense look in line with it's intended use. It is also, relative to some other recent designs, uncluttered with plenty of space for all  the control modules.

 

　

Functional anatomy of the camera Part 1 Basic Characteristics

Three wise cameras (mockups). Each has the features I require of a Proper Camera. Compact in front, Medium full featured upper left and Small full featured upper right

 

I have devoted a good deal of space on this blog to discussing the functional anatomy of hands. Now it's the camera's turn.

Basic shape I have been studying camera ergonomics and design from a user's perspective for the last five years. In that time I have used many different real cameras with a variety of shapes and styles. I have made ten full body mockups and five handle only mockups, each exploring some aspect of the shape and design of the hand held camera. On the way I explored several unusual approaches to the underlying concept of a camera's shape. Most of these ideas were discarded before completion of the mockup as each had some deficiency which I regarded as terminal.

Top/rear view of the three mockups

Through a process of refining my ideas via mockups and actual cameras I have come to the view that there are really only three basic camera types which make much sense to me. My reasoning behind this position follows.

The camera in a smartphone world The snapshooter who once used a standard compact camera now uses a smartphone. Sales figures show cameras, especially compacts, are down and smartphones are up. The people who buy any kind of camera in future will be those expert (or prospective expert)/enthusiast buyers who currently buy DSLR's and MILC's. Some people might think that the unique selling point for the camera as opposed to the smartphone would be image quality but I think it is the user experience. In a few years the better smartphone cameras will deliver image quality good enough for most users and uses. A well designed camera can provide a much more engaging experience for the user prepared to learn how to drive it fast and well.

The proper camera I call the camera which can deliver this type of user experience the proper camera. It has a built in electronic viewfinder (or OVF for DSLR's) of good quality, a fully articulated monitor, an ergonomic, fully anatomical handle, built in flash unit and a full suite of hard controls for the driver to operate. The user can adjust all primary and secondary exposure and focus parameters while looking continuously through the viewfinder and without having to shift grip with either hand. It has or can be fitted with a zoom lens covering wide angle to telephoto view. The lens could be fixed or interchangeable.

The user interface My studies show that the best user interface is based on the modern Mode Dial and Control Dial(s) system. The traditional system which locates ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture and Exposure Compensation on fixed function, set and see dials or similar modules, is slower and less efficient to operate, with no ready access to a novice's mode.

The modern camera places the shutter button forward, on the the inverted L style handle, not back on the camera body. This enables the designer to optimise the layout of user interface modules (UIM's) on top of the camera.


Some things are not so important
Having the largest possible sensor Camera makers at the moment are, or are rumored to be, rushing to produce "full frame" MILC's. Sony has done so. But when full frame is compared to smaller sensors, the only thing you can be sure of is that lenses for full frame will be larger and heavier (and usually more expensive) than those of the same angle of view and aperture for smaller sensors.

More pixels More pixels is better, right ? Nonsense. Increasing pixel count just makes for larger files and a selling point for the marketing people. Picture quality is determined by many other factors.

Spectacular high ISO performance The latest full frame cameras can shoot at ISO 409,600. Again, this is mainly a selling point for the marketing people. Yes that sort of capability is amazing to behold and will be useful for a small number of users but is of little value for most of us most of the time.

Convergence <> divergence

Throughout a large part of the 20th Century the shape of 35mm film SLR's was characterised by convergence. Most SLR's looked very similar and worked very much the same way. Some attempts to find a new shape for the 35mm SLR such as the ill fated Rollei SL2000 failed. There could have been many reasons for this but I think one of them was that the standard SLR design with prism on top worked much better ergonomically.

Now in the early part of the 21stCentury we are witnessing a period of divergence. Modern manufacturing technologies have enabled the production of cameras which can be almost any shape with almost any kind of user interface. Add to this the present market conditions which are pressing hard on makers to invent some kind of unique selling point which will, they no doubt hope, allow their brand to survive the impending extinction event which several commentators are predicting.

We have flat tops, hump tops and retro style in several variants, some ergonomically incoherent. We have DSLR's large, medium, small and smaller. We have MILC's in a huge range of shapes, styles and sensor sizes. We still have a profusion of models labelled compact despite the steep decline of this market sector.
This divergence is producing something approaching ergonomic chaos. We find many different approaches to body size and shape, handle size and shape, shutter button location and many different types of user interface. If cars were designed like cameras the road toll would be horrendous. By the time drivers figured out which pedal does what and where to find it, there would be dead people all over the place.

I think it is time for another convergence era. This is, of course my considered opinion with which others will feel free to disagree. However this opinion is backed by a good deal of experience and practical research.

The ideal proper camera I have specified in general terms the features which I want to see in my proper camera. The next question is......

"Is there an ideal or best shape/style/layout for the proper camera ?"

If one was to review the actual cameras on sale right now one might think the answer to this question would be "No", such is the diversity of concept and execution to be found on display.

But I think the answer is "Yes". My studies have taken me to the view that many cameras on the market today offer a suboptimal operating experience which could easily be improved with a more user focussed approach to ergonomic design.

Somewhat to my own surprise that design has, in the larger than compact size, turned out to be a hump top camera with handle which looks and in many ways operates like  a small to medium DSLR or MILC. I just followed the ergonomic logic of every aspect of the user interface and that is where the journey took me.

The three wise cameras Let us stay with hand held consumer cameras for this discussion, excluding large format and special/industrial purpose devices. I think that the great majority of user's requirements can be met with just three body shape/size configurations.

1. The compact. (mustard mockup) There may be some life yet in the compact camera market in the form of an advanced compact which meets my proper camera requirements, something which very few compact cameras currently manage.

2. Small full featured model (orange mockup) This would be very suitable for an entry/small interchangeable lens camera (ILC) or an entry/small superzoom type.

3. Medium full featured model (Gold mockup) There is no large full featured model, none is required. The medium sized version would be ideal as an expert/enthusiast/professional ILC or advanced superzoom.

Next - detailed descriptions

Lens based controls and the left hand

Small camera left hand under lens. A comfortable position with the camera held low for monitor viewing, as shown here.

 

Much of the discussion in the last ten posts has been about the role of the right hand in driving a camera. This is largely because there are, to my knowlege no left handed cameras and as far as I am aware there never have been.

Because cameras are right handed most of the high value UIM's are clustered on the right side and are operated by the right hand. I like to think of the right hand as being captive. If the camera has an anatomical handle and a well designed set of control modules, the right hand fits into a carefully defined place and can fit nowhere else. The possible functions of the right hand are closely prescribed.

A left hand position like this is more likely to be comfortable with the camera held up to the eye.

The left hand however has many more degrees of freedom. I like to think of it as the rover. It can be held under the lens, over the lens, around the left side of the body or under the body. The position of the left hand relative to the camera and lens changes 90 degrees when the camera is turned from landscape to portrait orientation. The left hand will find a different relationship to the camera when moving from eye level to monitor viewing.

The left hand has holding, supporting and operating duties often all at once.

With a larger lens like this and eye level viewing the left hand over position is likely to be comfortable.

 

Lens based UIM's User interface modules on the lens need to be easy to for the left hand to find and operate in any of the varied relationship positions above. When designing control modules for the right hand I literally do sometimes find that shifting one 1mm makes a significant difference. The situation with the lens is quite different. 

Capture Phase I have found that the most reliable type of UIM for Capture Phase actions on lenses is the circumferential ring/collar type which can be located and operated with the hand and /or lens in any orientation. The usual functions allocated to circumferential controls are manual focus, zoom and aperture. These are primary Capture Phase functions.

Prepare Phase Some lenses have many other UIM's. These can control OIS (VR) on/off, AF/MF, focus distance limiter and many others on some high grade long zooms. In general, buttons, levers, switches, small dials and sliders work best for Prepare Phase actions. The reason for this is that these types of UIM are difficult to find and operate by feel given the many different relationships between lens and hand which can occur.

Power zooms These are generally intended for motion picture use in landscape orientation with monitor view. Within that limited envelope of circumstances switches, sliders and the like usually at about 10 o'clock on the lens barrel as viewed by the user can work well. But if you flip such a lens over to portrait orientation the zoom slider becomes very difficult to find and operate.

Mixing use phases, functions and UIM type. Some combinations are ergonomically suboptimal, to put it mildly. In June 2012 I posted an analysis and critique of Samsung i-Function. This is a process which requires the user to juggle the camera while shifting grip from the right hand to the left and back, and in the process pressing a button on the lens, looking in the viewfinder, rotating the focus ring then pressing a button on the body. All this to make adjustments which in every case could be made much more efficiently with the direct controls already on the camera body.

　

Moving active autofocus area

Birds in bushfire smoke

 

Autofocus for interchangeable lens cameras was invented in the late 1980's. One of the many challenges facing AF engineers was finding a way to move the active AF area from one position to another. In 2008 mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras arrived on the scene. These enable autofocus right on the imaging sensor. They can therefore be designed to allow AF anywhere on the frame.

In the early days of autofocus Some cameras could only AF in the center. This led to the strategy of "focus and recompose" which some people still use.

Eye control AF was used by Canon in several SLR models in the film era. I had one of these for a time. The technology worked but was prone to focussing on a point adjacent to the one desired and there were issues with calibration. So this feature was soon discontinued. I suspect one of the complicating factors was the way our eyes actually work. When we look at something our eyes are always scanning in little skips. They do not rest on one spot for more than a fraction of a second. So, I do not anticipate a return to eye control any time soon.

Touch screens It seems every kind of device these days has a touch/swipe screen. Even motor vehicles have them, creating a highly dangerous source of driver distraction.

The distracted photographer is unlikely to kill anyone but touch screens on cameras face a problem similar to that on cars. Just as the car driver should be looking out the front windscreen at the road ahead, the photographer needs to look through the viewfinder at the subject ahead. In each case having to attend to a touch screen is a distraction from the main task. There are also simple physical problems. It is effectively impossible to get a finger onto the screen with the eye to the viewfinder. Panasonic has a feature called Touch Pad AF. This allows the operator to move AF area by touching the screen while looking through the EVF. I found it impossible to use effectively although I have had feedback from one reader that he was able to make the feature work on the Panasonic GX7 with it's EVF at the top left corner. The touch screen works quite well on a tripod mounted camera as you don't have to hold the thing as well as access the screen.

Hard user interface modules (UIM's). Some cameras have a complicated rigmarole by which the AF area is moved up/down by the front dial and left/right the rear dial. Or maybe it was the other way around, I forget. I once had a Canon SLR which used this system. There was a great deal of button pushing and dial turning. It was so clumsy I gave up and used focus (with the center area) and recompose.

Many cameras these days use a 4 way controller located on the lower part of the control panel on the right side of the camera for AF area movement. This works quite well if set up properly so the AF area moves immediately when one quadrant of the controller is pressed. However this arrangement does require the user to release grip with the right hand in order to operate the 4way controller. This is not a tragedy but some method not requiring the right hand to change grip would be better.

Some high spec Nikon cameras use a kind of mini 4 way controller a little higher up on the control panel. This is more accessible and therefore an improvement. Some Canon cameras use a "Joystick" in a very similar location, again an improvement over the standard 4 way controller.

 

The JOG lever is the UIM nearest the EVF. It is larger and more prominent than the regular buttons. It needs to have a highly textured profile to make it easy to move in any direction with the thumb. Below and to the right of the JOG lever is a "return to center" button.  Above and to the right of the JOG lever is the AF ON button.
The top photo shows the hand/thumb  position required to operate the JOG lever. The lower photo shows that to operate the 4 Way controller the user's hold on the camera with the right hand must be partly released.

 

The JOG lever This is a generic term for the Canon Joystick. If optimally designed and positioned this should provide the best ergonomic solution to the problem. The JOG lever is always on. This means it moves the AF area immediately when pushed up/down or left/right. It is operated by the right thumb. The best position is such that the distal pad of the thumb falls directly onto the lever when it swings to the left from the basic hold position.

In my work with mockups this has led to an issue which could be a problem. Every time I go through the exercise of locating UIM's on one of my mockups the best position for the JOG lever ends up right on the top right corner of the monitor screen. If the JOG lever were to be placed there it would necessitate chopping off the top right corner of the monitor screen housing. I don't know if there is some engineering reason why this should not occur, but I suppose it might clip off the top right corner of the preview or review image in some aspect ratios. Some users might be sanguine about this others might not.

In the event I have located the JOG lever on my recent mockups 10mm above the position I regard as ideal. This is probably satisfactory for most users but some with small hands or short thumbs might have to shift grip slightly to get their thumb far enough over the top of the lever to tbe able to operate it.

Not withstanding these concerns I think the JOG lever is the optimum solution if it can be well implemented. It can also undertake selection and other duties in Setup, Prepare and Review phases of use.

　

　

Quad control group

Canning Stock Route, Western Australia

 

I am seized with robust enthusiasm for the latest in touch/swipe screen devices like the Microsoft Surface which recently arrived in our house. But a proper camera has to be operated while looking through the viewfinder. So it has to be controlled by direct finger interaction with hard interface modules, in the form of dials, levers buttons and the like.

An inverted L shaped handle can have a substantial top deck which can host some key user interface modules (UIM's) for adjusting primary exposure parameters in Capture Phase of use. It would be a waste of top value camera real estate to locate UIM's which control Setup, Prepare or Review Phase items in this area.

These UIM's are operated by the right index finger, ideally without the user having to move a muscle of any other body part.

The configurable camera There is a multitude of modes, functions and features on a modern camera. Any individual user will have his or her own ideas about which ones to bring out onto the hard buttons and which ones to leave in a menu. Therefore most of the hard UIM's must allow the user to select from a long list the function to be assigned to each.

As outlined in a previous post, each Phase of use brings with it a task list. The tasks of Capture Phase present the highest demand for speed and efficiency.

The fingers of the right hand can be categorised as having gripper or operator duties. The index finger is the only one with no gripper duties at all so we should assign to it operation of the UIM's controlling the highest priority Capture Phase tasks. My work with mockups and experience with real cameras leads me to the view that the index finger can effectively manage 4 UIM's. Here is my suggestion about which ones should best be allocated to the index finger:

1. Shutter button. I think just about everybody would agree on this one. Maybe with an on/off lever around it.

2. Front control dial. Most cameras with a front control dial locate it close to the shutter button. Well, the usable ones are close to the shutter button, anyway.

3. Button 1. I would assign ISO to button 1, others will have their own ideas.

4. Button 2. I would assign exposure compensation to button 2, other will have their own ideas, which by the way will likely change with time and experience.

How should these UIM's be disposed on the top deck ? I have spent much time experimenting with the locations of UIM's on cameras. I sort of blundered into the quad control group layout by accident on my second mockup. Please refer to the photo and caption.

This is my second camera body mockup.  I shaped the handle then located the shutter button and control dial where my index finger wanted to find them. That left a space on the right side of the top deck so I put some buttons there.  Later I realised that I had serendipitously created a quad control set including the shutter button, control dial and buttons 1 and 2.  

Each of the 4 UIM's has it's own distinctive shape and deliberately strong texture so they can easily be identified by touch. Buttons on the more recent mockups are Phillips head screws which have a nice strong texture. The shutter button and control dial are higher than buttons 1 and 2. Thus the 4 UIM's are fairly close together but none will be activated in error. The precise position of each UIM in 3 dimensions is important. The buttons and dials on my mockups are significantly larger and more prominently textured than those you usually encounter on actual cameras. As a result they are easier to find and operate with the fingers which must use them.

Add caption

 

 

The four photos above show how the index finger operates the quad control UIM set. It can do this without the need to shift grip with either hand and without needing to move any other finger or part of the right hand.  Access to the rear two buttons (3 and 4) requires a substantial shift in the right hand grip.  Therefore they are used for adjustments required in Prepare Phase not Capture Phase. I could have used a small set and see dial in that position, like you see on the NX30 below, but that would remove a substantial element of user choice about functions available in Prepare Phase.   

 

The Quad control group allows the user to drive the camera most of the time with just the right index finger. It can do the following quickly and smoothly:

* Shutter button: Initiate AF and AE, hold AF and/or AE (with half press) and capture the shot.

* Control dial, directly: Change aperture (in A Mode) or Shutter Speed (in P Mode).

* Button 1: Change ISO (or another parameter if selected), by pressing button 1 then rotating the control dial.

* Button 2: Adjust exposure compensation (or another parameter if selected), by pressing button 2 then rotating the control dial.

That's not bad for one finger. Best of all the quad control group is really quick and easy to use. The curious thing is that I have not yet encountered a real camera with precisely this top deck layout. The recently released Samsung NX30 is heading in that direction with regard to the positions (but not the functions) of the 4 UIM's.

Top deck of the Samsung NX30. This actually does have a quad control set but the main problem here is that both the buttons can only have factory set functions, thus negating the benefit which could have been gained by this arrangement. Neither of the functions assigned to these buttons is directed at primary exposure parameters in Capture phase of use.There are other minor issues. The button 2 (Wi-Fi) is out of place and both buttons are too small. The control dial could be angled a bit to better match the lie of the index finger across the top of the camera.
 

　

　

　

　

Rear dials

 

In a previous post on front dials I wrote that these were often placed in a variety of different places with an apparently wanton disregard for human functional anatomy. Unfortunately I can say the same thing about rear dials.

Just as the optimum placement of front dials can be studied from a functional anatomy perspective so can rear dials. In the previous post I expressed the view that there is an optimum type and location of thumb support. With this in place it becomes possible to explore the optimum placement of a rear dial. Just to clarify I am referring here to mode dependent control dials, the function of which depends on the current operating mode.

Whether the rear dial is the only mode dependent dial or is paired with a front dial makes no difference to it's optimum position on the camera.

I have used cameras and built mockups with rear dials just about everywhere on the top and rear section of the body. There is little to be gained by analysing all the poor or suboptimal rear dial placements. I will just describe what I regard as the optimal position, which is:

On the thumb support as shown in the photographs. If the thumb support has the optimum projection rearwards, is designed to be wide enough and is the optimum shape then a rear dial can be fitted very nicely into the optimal position on the support.

This is my medium sized full featured mockup illustrating optimal configuration of the thumb support and adjacent UIM's. Here the thumb is in basic hold position in capture phase of use. This is the most relaxed/strong position for the thumb and is where the thumb spends most of it's time. The AF start button which can be seen in the photo below can be pressed by flexing the interphalangeal joint  of the thumb.

 

The thumb is free to move from side to side. Here it has moved to the right side to operate the control dial. The camera is still held securely by the fingers wrapped around the handle at the front. I have not forgotten the left hand but in these photos it was being used to press the shutter of the taking camera. In use a real camera body/lens would be supported by the left hand, making the right hand's job easier.

 

Now the thumb has moved to the left to operate the JOG lever. This lever is used to directly control position of the active AF area. The thumb has freedom to move up/down left/right to operate the JOG lever.  This means the AF area position can be quickly moved at will while looking through the EVF and without having to shift grip with either hand.

 

The thinking and the practicality of this is as follows:

The thumb should be in the relaxed/strong position for holding the camera while previewing and while making photos. The thumb spends most of it's time in this position with occasional excursions to operate the dial and/or other UIM's. If the handle and body are well shaped then:

Without having to change position of the index finger or the other three fingers of the right hand, the thumb can:

* Move from side to side diagonally across the upper rear of the camera and

* It can also flex at the interphalangeal joint, pressing the distal pad into the top part of the camera back.

The optimum disposition of user interface modules which encourage the thumb to efficiently hold and operate the device is shown in the photos.

Here is a Panasonic FZ200. This camera has reasonably good ergonomics but could be improved in several ways.  Here the thumb has been swung to the right from it's basic position to show the location of the rear dial.  The rear dial would be directly in front of the distal thumb pad in basic hold position. The problem with this arrangement is that the thumb support must be quite small  in order to enable the thumb to swing from side to side as it operates the rear dial. Therefore the thumb support is less effective than it could easily be with a different detail design in this part of the camera.  

Thumb supports

 

The camera which set the shape and style of SLR's and DSLR's to the present day was the Canon T90 of 1986. This had a prominent handle with a control dial behind the shutter button, an ergonomically practical arrangement which you will find on Canon DSLR's to this day. Turn to the rear and you will find another innovation in the form of an early type of thumb support together with an upper and lower row of buttons.

The thumb rest at the rear complements the handle on the front to make the camera secure and comfortable to hold without strain. If well designed and positioned the thumb rest also positions the thumb so it can move easily to adjacent user interface modules (UIM's).

On digital cameras the monitor takes up the lion's share of available real estate on the back squeezing the control panel into a relatively small space on the right side. Therefore the position and shape of the thumb support and the location and design of its adjacent UIM's is of critical ergonomic importance.

I identify two main types of thumb support: the angled and vertical as illustrated in the photos. My experiments with mockups and my experience using actual cameras indicates clearly that the angled type is ergonomically preferable.

This hand has adopted the half closed relaxed posture which I regard as the most effective for holding a camera. It is both strong and relaxed. Both the thumb and index finger are free to move from side to side. The index finger is also free to curl or straighten.

My concepts about the functional anatomy of camera ergonomics start with the half closed relaxed posture of the hand as shown in the photo. This is the natural position the hand adopts when relaxed. From this position the fingers and thumb can function most effectively. When I develop mockups I shape the timber until it fits in my hand with the hand in this position. The hand comes first. The camera shape has to fit the hand. When I shape a camera this way the thumb support always ends up being the angled type. This allows the hand to adopt a strong/relaxed attitude when holding the camera ready for action.

This is the hand/finger posture required to hold a camera with vertical thumb rest located at the right side of the body. This is not as relaxed or strong as the posture in the upper photo. The thumb can only move sideways to the left. The index finger's movements are restricted in both planes. The reader can confirm this by personal examination.

When a camera is fitted with a vertical type thumb support close to the right side of the body the hand is forced into a cramped/squeezing attitude. This is less effective at supporting the camera and restricts the possible movements available to both the thumb and index finger in the service of operating interface modules.

This camera has an angled thumb support, allowing adoption of the half closed relaxed hold position. The thumb is free to move from side to side in order to operate adjacent UIM's, these being the control dial on the right and AEL/AF button on the left.  The hand, wrist and forearm all adopt a natural position.

 

This camera has a vertical type thumb support. The thumb is cramped up against the base of the index finger. It can only move to the left but this camera gives it no UIM to operate if it does move that way. The rear dial is awkward to operate with either the index finger or thumb. The vertical thumb rest forces the hand to sit upright on the right side of the camera. This in turn makes the elbow drop down if the user wants to avoid having to sharply cock the wrist upwards.

 

Summary Good ergonomic design is just as easy to implement at the design and construction stage as suboptimal design. The difference to the user experience can be very substantial.