Sony RX10, Ergonomic Issues

Interesting New Camera, Old Ergonomic Problems

Photo courtesy of Digital Photograpy Review  dpreview.com
This photo is worth a thousand words. It shows how the user's right index finger has to be pulled back to reach the shutter button. Also the right thumb support is at the extreme right side of the camera. Together these ergonomic errors conspire to lift the palm of the right hand away from the camera leading to a weak grip. In use, you must fully support this camera with the left hand so the right hand can operate the main controls. It need not be so.

 

The Universal Camera   The Sony RX10 caused a fairly large wave of interest among enthusiast photographers when it was announced just a few days ago. On the specifications, it comes perhaps closer than any previous model from any maker to the universal, do everything wunderkamera so lusted after by those of us who really don't like changing lenses.  Check the star points:

* Constant f2.8 lens covering a diagonal angle of view of 84 degrees at the wide end to 12 degrees at the long end. This replicates the aperture and angle of view range of the classic professional photographer's 24-70 and 70-200mm f2.8 zooms for the full frame 43mm diagonal sensor. The extra good news is you never have to change lenses.

* Decent image quality. The RX10 apparently uses the same 15.9 mm diagonal sensor as the RX100Mk2, which has a DXO Mark score of 67. This puts it right in the middle of current Canon APS-C and M43 cameras on technical image quality, at least at the lower end of the ISO range.

* It has a largish handle so you can grip it firmly. It certainly needs one with a mass of 813 grams including battery.

* High resolution EVF.

* Swing up/down monitor of good quality.

* Sony is claiming very good performance for focussing and image throughput.

So has the ultimate wunderkamera  been delivered unto us ?

In a word, no.

The handle on this mockup camera is of the hybrid projecting/parallel type. That is, projecting at the bottom and parallel at the top. The shutter button is exactly where the index finger wants to find it. This is so because I put my fingers in place first, then designed the camera to fit them. This provides a very secure, comfortable hold and allows the provision of the quad control system on top of the handle with a control dial, shutter button and two buttons with user selectable function. Sony could easily fit this configuration to the RX11 or whatever it will be called.

 

The problem is ergonomics. The reason I continue to write this blog is that the world is awash with cameras, many of which feature good enough picture quality and performance but compromised ergonomics. The RX10 is just one of the latest.

There are two main ergonomic issues which I can see from the promotional photographs, particularly photos of someone holding the camera.

Location of the shutter button  I have thus far seen only one reference to this problem in early, hands on reviews of the RX10. This is from Dave Etchells of Imaging Resource who wrote  "......I found myself having to reach back a bit to get my index finger on the shutter button...." and   "...there wasn't much of a choice for any other way to do it...."

My comment about this is:

a) He is absolutely right in pointing out that the shutter button is not where his right index finger wanted to find it.

b) On my analysis he is altogether too pessimistic in thinking there is nothing to be done about it.

X marks where the shutter button needs to go

 

My interest in camera ergonomics was sparked several years ago by the Panasonic Lumix G1. This was the world's first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. I found it's ergonomics distressingly poor. Fortunately Panasonic has lifted it's game since 2008 and current model Lumix M43 cameras are among the best on the market for ergonomics, and most other things as well.

One of the problems with the G1 was the location of it's shutter button on the tip of a thin projecting type handle. The RX10 repeats exactly the same problem. The shutter button needs to be located where the distal phalanx of the right index finger wants to find it, as indicated on the photographs. Sony has no excuse for putting the shutter button in such an awkward place. They could easily put in the optimal position. Doing so would free up more space on top of the camera and allow a more effective configuration of buttons plus the inclusion of a top/front control dial.

Rear view of the RX10 showing the preferred location of the shutter button and improved location of the right thumb and control dial. The grip is more secure if the thumb is angled across the camera in "ready to shoot" position. It is easier to maintain stable grip on the camera while turning the rear control dial if the thumb and scroll wheel positions are reversed as indicated in this photo. For those who disbelieve this, I suggest you make your own observations on some cameras with different rear control layouts. 

 

Thumb position and thumb support, relationship to rear control dial.

This ergonomic error is a little more subtle and is one made by several manufacturers. When holding a camera the right thumb wants to lie diagonally across the back of the camera, not cramped up at the extreme right hand side. The RX10 requires this cramped position which provides a less secure grip on a fairly weighty camera than would be provided if the thumb could angle across in a more natural position. Please refer to the attached photos for further description about this.

Panasonic Lumix GH3. A camera with mostly excellent ergonomics showing optimum relationship between the right thumb , thumb support and rear control dial. The hand in "ready to shoot" position, as here, is in relaxed half closed position, providing maximum hold on the camera for minimum effort.

 

Summary  The Sony RX10 is one of the most interesting cameras to hit the market in my 60 years experience with photography. Really. It's potentially a game changer for the entire camera industry. The evolution of cameras like this could turn interchangeable lens cameras into a niche product. I have been predicting the arrival of such a product  for some time.

But Sony's designers need to go to ergonomics school and learn some basic principles. Or they could read the first 20 or so posts in this blog. If they do that, and correct the ergonomic mistakes of the RX10 next time round, they will have a mighty strong product with wide appeal to many enthusiast/expert and amateur photographers, maybe even some professionals.

 

Lumix GM1, Ergonomic Problems

 

New Camera, Old Mistakes

Photo Courtesy of Digital Photography Review, dpreview.com

This shows very clearly that you don't actually hold the GM1 and cameras of similar configuration. You get some fingertips onto it and hope for the best. 

 

Small Camera, Big picture....The Dream   Photographers are forever lusting after the elusive tiny, take everywhere camera which takes pictures just as good as you can get from a big DSLR.  Camera makers try to fulfil this dream with tiny camera bodies shrink wrapped around large sensors.

The Ergonomic Problem  Many of these cameras are so small you can't get a proper grip on them. Most don't have a viewfinder. Their user interface and control set is compromised by their small size.

Can it be Done ?I recently conducted a little ergonomic experiment with a compact camera mockup and wrote about it here. I think this showed that it is possible to have  decent ergonomics in a very small camera.

This mockup has a smaller box volume than the GM1 as it's lens module is smaller. But it provides a vastly better user experience. There is an EVF of decent size and a main control dial located where it is in easy reach of the right index finger. There is a built in handle of ergonomic design. The multi (4 way) controller has been replaced by the ergonomically more elegant JOG lever, shown here under the right thumb.

 

Recent small camera, large sensor compacts  Sony is leading the charge with the RX1 and RX100 cameras. Nikon, Ricoh, etc are all in the race. Now Panasonic wants to join the fray. 

The Lumix GM1  Unlike Sony's offerings which have fixed lenses, the GM1 is a Micro Four Thirds camera with interchangeable lenses. It's very small and kind of cute.

Pocketable ? Some people think they might want to carry it in a pocket.  I have never been a fan of this idea. Pockets  accumulate all kinds of detritus which could  be harmful to a camera. With a filter and lens cap on the kit 12-32mm lens,  the GM1 has a depth of about 55mm which is too deep for most pockets anyway. So it will end up in a pouch of some kind, just like a larger camera. And of course if you mount any other zoom lens the camera ends up being way too small for the lens.

Holding  The photograph at the top of this blog, courtesy of Digital Photography Review, shows very clearly that you can't actually hold  a camera shaped like the GM1. You apply the fingertips and hope it doesn't fall on the floor. The same comments hold for several recent very small compacts with no handle and with most of the rear of the camera being occupied by the monitor.

Viewing  You get a fixed, non articulated monitor only, and no EVF.

Operating  There is no main control (command) dial. All the buttons and the 4 way controller are very small and difficult to find by touch.

I Wish They Would:

* Forget about having interchangeable lenses on such a small body. A fixed lens can occupy less space when retracted as it can collapse right down till the rear element almost touches the sensor.  I doubt the GM1 is particularly attractive as an interchangeable lens body anyway. I would guess most buyers of the GM1 will leave the kit 12-32mm on the camera all the time. Maybe some will fit the 20mm f1.7 and tolerate the poor ergonomics of the body.

* With a fixed zoom lens the rest of the body can be reworked for much improved ergonomics, as shown in the photo above. This includes an EVF, a decent, functional handle (built in)  and a much improved user interface. The box volume of the mockup is actually smaller than that of the GM1 with 12-32mm kit lens fitted.

 

Camera	Width  mm	Height  mm	Depth  mm	Box Volume WxHxD  cc
GM1 with 12-32mm	99	55	52	283
mockup Compact with fixed zoom	102	60	42	257

 Please Try again Panasonic  I have often read on M43 user forums that there is an ongoing interest from consumers in the idea of a compact camera with 4/3 [diagonal 21.5mm] sensor and a fixed zoom lens of moderate zoom range and aperture.

I believe this would be a more viable proposition than the GM1.

Do Compact Cameras Have a Future ?

Ergonomics of Very Small Cameras

Mockup of a very small camera as proof of concept. A camera can be very small yet still have decent ergonomics and a well developed user interface.

 

Challenge of the Smart Phone    Not so many years ago, if you wanted to make a photograph, you needed a camera of some kind. These days most photographs made by most people utilise a smart phone. Image quality from these devices is improving every year. So who needs a camera ?  For many people the answer to this question is..... "Not me."

It comes as no surprise therefore that sales of compact cameras have fallen dramatically over the last few years.

Rear View of the mockup

 

Compact Camera Fightback  It seems to me that if compact cameras are to survive at all they need to offer a substantial improvement over smart phones in image quality, performance and the user experience. The camera has to be engaging and enjoyable to use. It has to provide a clear step up from the utilitarian convenience of a smart phone.

Image quality and performance are largely driven by technological development. The user experience is mainly defined by ergonomics.

Holding the mockup one handed. The right index finger can move easily from the shutter button to the scroll wheel, as shown here.  Grip on the camera is quite secure without strain. The relationship between the fingers and the camera is quite different from that which would be the case with a larger body.

 

Whence my interest ?  Sony has caused quite a stir with it's RX100 and RX100 Mk2 compact cameras with their  large (for a compact) sensor having a diagonal dimension of 15.9 mm and 20 million pixels. I recently had the opportunity to test a RX100 and can confirm that this camera's image quality is better than most compacts. But I found the experience  of using this camera was utilitarian and not particularly enjoyable. I found it difficult to hold securely. There is no EVF for eye level viewing. The controls while functional are so small their use is more a chore than a pleasure.

Rear view showing how the right thumb can move easily from rest position to the JOG lever without disrupting grip.

 

The ergonomic design challenge  I wondered  if  it would be possible to design a camera the same size as the RX100/2 but with more appealing ergonomics. I have made many mockup cameras to test out my ergonomic design ideas but had not previously tackled a mockup project on such a small scale.

Mockup design specification 

Size  I used the RX100 Mk2 as a starting point, then allowed an increase of 2mm in height and 3mm in depth  to accommodate the EVF and thumb support. The lens module is the same size as that on the RX100, but moved to the left (as viewed by the user) to make room for a handle.

Features  I wanted a built in EVF, a decent ergonomic handle, a built in flash, Mode dial, main scroll wheel, JOG lever,  swing out monitor and sufficient buttons to drive the camera while looking through the viewfinder  without disrupting grip on the unit.

Mockup Size  Comparison

	Width mm	Height mm	Depth mm	Box Volume	EVF ?	Sensor Size diagonal mm
Sony RX100	102	58	36	213	No	15.9
Sony RX100/2	102	58	38	225	No	15.9
Lumix LX7	111	68	46	347	No	9.5
Lumix LF1	103	62	28	179	Yes	9.5
Canon G16	109	76	40	331	No, has OVF	9.5
Nikon P7800	119	78	50	464	Yes	9.5
Mockup	102	60	41	251	Yes	Up to 15.9

Mockup features, rear

 Mockup Features Described

Holding  The handle at the front was developed in situ, by experimenting with different shapes, sizes and locations of the handle module until it was comfortable and located my fingers in the correct positions to operate the shutter and other  controls. You can see that the relationship between the hand, camera, handle and controls is completely different from the layout which works on a larger camera.

Viewing  The monitor could be fixed (giving the largest size), swing up/down type or fully articulated (giving the most versatility but smallest size). Each of these arrangements could work. As always with monitors, there is a tradeoff  between size and versatility.

The space allowed for the EVF is larger than that provided on the Lumix LF1 so should be adequate for a good viewing experience. A production model would have a soft rubber eyecup and sensor for auto switching the view from monitor to EVF.

Mockup features, front

Operating 

Rear of Camera   Many cameras this size have a circular 4 way controller module on the right side of the monitor, surrounded by very small buttons. I find these arrangements fiddly, difficult to operate yet  prone to accidental activation. So I replaced the 4 way controller with a JOG lever located immediately to the left of the right thumb where it is always easily accessible yet will not easily be accidentally bumped. A JOG lever can be moved up/down, left/right and /or pushed inwards. In Capture Phase it can directly move the active AF area. In other Phases of use it can scroll around menus and make selections.

There are 5 buttons on the back of the mockup. The function of each is user selectable from a comprehensive list of options. I would set one to open a Quick Menu for Prepare Phase actions. I would use two for primary exposure controls in Capture Phase (ISO and Exposure Compensation)  one for Playback and one to access the Main Menus. But other users will have different ideas about button tasking.

Note that the buttons are considerably larger then those usually found on a camera this size. Thus they are easy to find and operate by feel. But they are positioned so they will not easily be activated accidentally.

Top of Camera  From the left we have the EVF module, then the built in flash unit. Next comes the shutter button with surrounding control lever and behind this the main control dial, which works like that on a DSLR. On the far right is the Mode Dial with P,A,S,M and other positions.  The lever around the shutter button could be used as an on/off switch or power zoom actuator.

Holding the mockup. Not the world's best ergonomic experience as there is not much for the left hand to grip. But the right hand is stable and overall the camera is secure to hold and operate.

Front of Camera  On the top of the lens housing I have indicated three control modules. These could be used for Camera On/Off, OIS On/Off, AF/MF, Still/Movie, Power Zoom actuator or almost anything else as selected by the user.

Evaluation  The Mockup has a smaller box volume than the Nikon P7800, Canon G16 or Panasonic Lumix LX7 yet it provides a full suite of user controls for the expert photographer. The G16 and P7800 have their main control dial located in a very awkward place, beneath the middle finger of the right hand so the user has to release grip on the camera to operate the dial.  The LX7 control dial is on the back of the body where it is more accessible but it is taking up the place of the thumb support so is not ergonomically optimal. The control dial on the mockup is always easy to reach and operate with the right index finger.

The Lumix LF1 has an EVF but no handle but is smaller than the mockup and indeed smaller than the Sony RX100. But of course it has the smaller 9.5mm sensor and no main conrol dial.

The Compact Camera Dream....Wish....Fantasy......

Many of us have long wished for a very compact, take anywhere  camera with full sized  image quality and performance. The concept has much appeal and manufacturers have delivered many products catering to this wish. Sony's RX1, RX100 and RX100/2 cameras appear to push the  "small camera, big picture" theme further than any previous products from any maker. But I think the concept needs further development and refinement.

Summary  I think that if the compact camera is going to survive as a type of device,  it needs to move in the direction suggested by this mockup. It needs to offer the enthusiast/expert photographer the kind of engaging experience which is not available from a smart phone. It needs to be a proper camera which is enjoyable to use, not merely a utilitarian thing which happens to be able to make photographs.  It needs to pack all this functionality into a genuinely "take everywhere" package which will still make very good photographs.

 

 

Advanced Compacts Sony RX100-vs-Canon G12

Sony RX100 on the left, Canon G12 on the right

 

Two very different approaches to the Advanced Compact concept

Why am I testing two superseded cameras ?   Over the last few weeks my daughter has been preparing for a 1500 kilometer hike, without support and carrying a full pack including tent. This will only be possible if she utilises ultra lightweight hiking strategies.  Part of the plan has always been for her to take a compact camera to record the journey.  She had a Canon Powershot G12 but the weigh in showed that at 750 grams, the G12 with carry pouch, 2 batteries, charger and power cord was too heavy.

So the search was on for a lighter option. She wanted a small camera with USB charging to eliminate the separate charger. She wanted sufficiently high picture quality to support  the production of a coffee table style large format book with full bleed  images of  places and people encountered on the journey. An impossible quest ?  Maybe not.

Canon G12 on the left, Sony RX100 on the right

Enter The Super Mini Camera: Sony RX100   Actually our research led us to the RX100 Mk 2, but we were unable to find one for sale in Sydney so had to settle for the original RX100 of which one was available at the time of our search. In fact the original RX100 is 2 mm thinner and 41 grams lighter than the Mk2, which for most users will not be an issue but for the ultralight hiker every gram and millimeter counts.

The RX100 with spare battery, carry pouch, charger and power cord, weighed in at 345 grams, less than half the weight of the G12 kit and saving 405 grams.

I had a chance to test the RX100  together with the G12 before the RX100 went on it's long walkabout.

Shop G12

Shop RX100. Apart from the different aspect ratio and color balance there is not much difference between the two renditions of this subject. Were we to go indoors however the balance would shift very strongly in favour of the Sony.

General description and market position  Each of these cameras is aimed at the user who wants high image quality in a compact package and is prepared to pay for it. Canon and Sony have approached the design brief in a very different way.

Sony has squeezed a large (by compact camera standards) sensor, good but not quite excellent quality zoom lens and workable user interface into a very small package. The Canon uses a much smaller sensor in a considerably larger body. The Canon lens has a greater zoom range and better optical quality. The Canon is easier to hold with a more comprehensive  interface suitable for the expert user.

Model	Width mm	Height mm	Depth mm	Box Vol cc**	Mass with batt	Lens DAV* degrees	Lens fstop	Zoom	Sensor size, diag mm, area squ mm	M-Pixels total, effec-tive
Sony RX100	102	58	36	213	240	75-24	1.8-4.9	3.6x	13.2x8.8  15.9 116	20.9 20
Canon G12	112	76	48	409	395	75-17	2.8-4.5	5x	5.6x7.5  9.4 42	10.4 10

 ** Box Volume = WxHxD, the volume of the box required to contain the powered down camera.

* DAV= Diagonal Angle of View

On the left, Sony RX100 with pouch. Center, Canon G12 with carry pouch. On the right Panasonic Lumix GH3 with Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 lens and shoulder bag.

 

Picture Quality 

Sharpness/resolution  With twice as many pixels you might expect this would be a walkover for the Sony.  But in my tests of real world subjects I found that the Canon sometimes  delivered slightly better resolution with better rendition of fine textural details. The Sony lens was a bit soft at the edges and in the corners, especially at the long end. The Canon lens delivered very good resolution into the corners at all focal lengths and apertures.

Exposure  The Sony consistently gave a little and sometimes a lot  less exposure to matched scenes. This enabled the Sony to protect highlights from blowing out although in some shots the mid tones were rather dark.

Dynamic Range  The Sony had the edge here, although not by a huge margin.

Color  Both camera reproduced colors well but with a typically different color balance.

Noise/Grain  The Sony was far ahead here. Canon photos at ISO 800 had about the same noise levels as those from the Sony at ISO 3200, a two stop advantage to the Sony.

Chromatic Aberration Both the RX100 and G12 produced liberal amounts of CA at high contrast margins. This often persisted in the JPG's.

DXO Mark scores  (dxomark.com)

Camera/DXO Score	Color depth	Dynamic Range	Low Light ISO	Sensor Overall	Lens ** P-Mpx	Lens* Overall
RX100	22.6	12.4	390	66	6	12
G12	20.4	11.2	161	47	N/T	N/T

 * DXO Mark tested the RX100 Mark 2 lens, which I believe is the same one as used in the original RX100.

** Please go to dxomark.com for an explanation of their concept of Perceptual Megapixels.

No DXO Mark test is available for the G12 lens.

You can see the Sony sensor is well ahead of the Canon on DXO Mark points. Real world testing gives results generally consistent with the DXO Mark score.

Note the DXO Mark score of only 6 Perceptual Megapixels for the Sony lens. This indicates that although the sensor has 20 Mpx, the lens is only resolving 6 of them. This also is consistent with my real world findings.

Casuarina, Canon G12

Casuarina, Sony RX100

 

Performance Overall the Sony is the more responsive camera. It acquires autofocus faster. The procedure for moving position of the focus area is a little better implemented. Shot to shot times are faster.

Auto ISO is better implemented in the Sony, which in P Mode and Auto ISO  reliably selects an appropriate aperture, shutter speed and ISO for the conditions.    Auto ISO in the G12 is frustrating. The camera often sets ISO too high or low for the conditions. I found myself using manual ISO all the time with the Canon to prevent inappropriate settings such as ISO 800 in bright sun. 

Ergonomics

Holding  You can get a reasonable hold on the Canon. Not so the Sony which is so small that one clings a little precariously to the edges of the thing. The wrist strap is a must.

Viewing  The Canon has a fully articulating monitor which I find very useful and an optical viewfinder which I find very much less useful as it shows only 77% linear field of view, has no camera data readout and is affected by parallax error and intrusion of the lens into the field of view.

On the Sony all you get is a fixed monitor. Fortunately it's a good one, reasonably easy to see in sunlight which the Canon's is not. In addition camera data is located in a strip below the preview image in the Sony but the same data is overlaid on the preview image of the Canon and therefore frequently impossible to read. Overall the Sony provides the best viewing experience.

Operating  The Canon is festooned with dials and buttons just like the expert's tool which it is designed to be. The user interface generally works well with no major problems apart from the Auto ISO. The Sony has a more spartan interface, there not being sufficient real estate available for anything more. I would not describe the Sony as enjoyable to use, rather it is utilitarian. It was designed to meet certain objectives and it does. Its' control modules are small and cramped but carry out their duties efficiently.

Comparison with Panasonic Lumix G6  I happened to have a Lumix G6 available at the time of testing, fitted with a Lumix 14-45mm lens. I made quite a few matched shots of the same subject with the G12, RX100 and Lumix G6. The RX100 has a higher DXO Mark score (66) than the G6 (61). I wondered how the two would compare in real world conditions, outside a test laboratory. In brief, the G6 delivered better picture quality, performance, holding, viewing and operating in all conditions.  G6 high ISO noise levels were about one stop lower than the RX100. The G6 /14-45mm delivered clearly better resolution/sharpness with all subjects in all conditions.  I am just making the point that DXO Mark scores describe the performance of some aspects of a camera in prescribed and controlled conditions. Real world results may, and in my experience often do, reveal a different picture (pun intended).

Summary   With the RX100, Sony has shown the other camera makers what can be done and in the process may have revitalised consumer interest in the compact camera category which seemed in danger of vanishing under the onslaught of smart phone cams.

I would say the RX100 is both a category killer product and also creator of a new category; namely very small body, large(ish) sensor, general purpose zoom lens, high picture quality.  I suspect most people will find it a much more versatile photographic tool than some of the recent release compacts which have an even larger, 28mm diameter,  sensor but a single focal length, wide angle lens.

It needs a better lens to match the sensor's pixel count and I wonder if it might be possible to improve ergonomics within the existing envelope of dimensions. I will make some mockups and experiment with this.

I think Sony could expand the RX100 franchise to include a modestly larger version with a better lens having more reach and wider aperture at the long end, a small built in handle and an EVF.

The G12 is not disgraced even though it is now two generations old. It continues to make very nice photos in all but dim indoor conditions.

The just released G16 provides a partial answer to the RX100 challenge. It is smaller and lighter than the G12, with a wide aperture f1.8-2.8 lens. But it loses the articulated monitor and retains that horrible old optical viewfinder. If the Canon G cams are going to stay with a fixed monitor they desperately need an EVF, like the Nikon P7800, or even better,  like the swing up one on the Panasonic Lumix GX7.