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Why is Sony so reluctant about touchscreen?

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I don't actually think it's that essential but a proper good implementation would be nice.

I tried om1 before and the small led screen makes everything hard to operate, far easier to do with the stick instead other than focusing.

Imo I would suggest them to only allow touch for:

Smartphone style auto focus

Spot metering

Hold to show manual focus assist colour

Any other and I think just makes the touch control so very cumbersome
 
Kildras said:
I don't actually think it's that essential but a proper good implementation would be nice.

I tried om1 before and the small led screen makes everything hard to operate, far easier to do with the stick instead other than focusing.

Imo I would suggest them to only allow touch for:

Smartphone style auto focus

Spot metering

Hold to show manual focus assist colour

Any other and I think just makes the touch control so very cumbersome

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You guys do know that you can use touch screen auto focus while controlling the camera with your phone right?
 
I have it on my 5n. I use it mostly with a viewfinder. I would much prefer a function where I could point focus and use a direct acess button to have the focus freeze on that point rather than have to look away and choose a point on the rear screen. That way of choosing a focus point while hand holding is kind of awkward because everything is moving when you hold the camera away from you to choose the point.
 
VirtualRain said:
VirtualRain said:
  • FOTONOTO wrote:
Still no touchscreen on A99II? I don't understand.

This makes me worry about the coming A9 and A7III. I was hoping them to have a touchscreen focus box dragging system like the EOS M5, which is the most intuitive way to choose where to focus, especially for mirrorless.

I'm sure that Sony want us to use lock-on AF more, and slowly forget the old DSLR style focus point selection way. But right now lock-on AF is still not as reliable as "flexible point". I'm 100% sure that "focus box dragging" like EOS M5 will be way more efficient when it comes to focus.

Besides, touchscreen is not something that will dramatically increase the cost, and if some users don't like it, they can just turn off the function.

It doesn't make sense.

In my dream, Sony might provide some kind of paid service that can let me send my A7R2 back to factory and change the LCD into a touchscreen. I'll pay another thousand for it (well, since it will never happen, just name it).
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It seems pretty clear that the A99II is essentially an A7RII in an A-mount body. So if a touch screen is coming to Sony camera land, it will likely be the A7 series that gets it first.
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I think the A99-ii is somewhere between the A7R-ii and the A9 - the 12 FPS burst for a 42MP sensor camera is revolutionary and a promising sign of what is to come.
 
I'm with the "don't bother Sony" crowd.

I'd rather they spend their time on other things.

Sony has had touch screens on their video cameras for years.

I understand how supporters find it useful,

But I'm happy with manual focus. I'm ok with getting skillful with focus push-pull with a wide depth of field and manual lens. It is so much easier to get skilled at this and then be able to quickly respond to predictable movements of your subject without having to play "catch the subject" with a screen touch or joystick.

Try shooting videos of fireflies in complete darkness with the focus touch method.

Besides, if you're dealing with a huge DOF then you need to be skillful about what part of your subject you touch anyways, and need to make decisions about splitting the different when you subject is at a angle or spreads across the DOF.

Cool shot with the person's arm in focus and their face out of focus!

I'd rather Sony improve the focus peaking feature.....

IMO I don't think the limited benefit can't be managed instead with skillful use of manual focus.

I'm also against all those electronics in lenses.....

Everyone loves touch devices, but I seem them as another thing that will fail.

It's also really inconvenient on some of their consumer video cameras to change options only available on the touch screen. Give me tactile buttons and dials I can turn any day.....

My opinion.
 
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Maybe the looked at the results of the poll on DPReview and, finding that touchscreen were important to less than 10% of respondents, they decided to wait until they had run out of other features to add?
 
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I find that the focus peaking + focus magnifying is better then touch screen. Anyway I normally do not look at the LCD screen when shooting.
 
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FOTONOTO said:
Still no touchscreen on A99II? I don't understand.

This makes me worry about the coming A9 and A7III. I was hoping them to have a touchscreen focus box dragging system like the EOS M5, which is the most intuitive way to choose where to focus, especially for mirrorless.
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Don;t know why, I don;t need one, so I am not worry. actually it's perfectly fine if the next camera have that as long as there is way to disable that. I will be more worry when they don't put a joy stick controller for the AF point selection on the A7R II upgrade. Touch scree pretty useless for me but focus point selection and dual card slot are very important. actually I do have a camera with touch screen but I don't use that, it actually cause me more frustration becasue it can't disable that.
 
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Luddhi said:
Maybe the looked at the results of the poll on DPReview and, finding that touchscreen were important to less than 10% of respondents, they decided to wait until they had run out of other features to add?
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Lol.

I'm sure they do have a priority list, and they probably look at various sources to determine what it should be, so you might almost be onto something! ; )
 
I've been a Panasonic user since they introduced mirrorless. I would have switched to Sony with the A6000 had it had touch screen.

Gato
 
I actually use the touch screen more than I ever imagined. You can disable on the EM-1.

I have shot events where the ability to shoot over the heads of discourteous people has allowed me to get images that I would not have otherwise gotten. Much easier than trying to use the a7II. Composition is much better also as is shooting from lower perspective in situations where me getting lower is not an option. .

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landshark said:
braysghost said:
landshark said:
touchscreen need highly over rated

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Have you ever had a camera with a touch screen? Seems not, they are incredibly useful and much faster to do most actions.

I have my DSLR purchases on hold since I got the V3/J5 (wish you could move focus while using the EFV like the new Sony). They are my primary travel and video cameras & touchscreen to me is one of those items once you have there is no going back.
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yes I have had and used a camera with a touch screen, I found it annoying. I have no problem moving my focus spot with a wheel, especially with my eye in the viewfinder.

For me it starts to become just gadgets and features that really do not improve the content or image quality but give one something to play with
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I was just reading the a review of verybiglobo's (forum member) experience at Photokina this week. This is a person who is now considering buying a camera just because of a new touchscreen he can use even while shooting with the viewfinder. The technology can work for folks who want it and can be ignored by folks who do not want it (though, perhaps it cannot be ignored by some of the people responding negatively about touchscreens in this particular thread, but most people). Here is what he wrote about the new Canon M5:
landshark said:
When it comes to Canon M5, I agree with comments that this camera is a bit late on the market, considering that for the same price as Sony A6300, gives only Full HD video and “only” 20 mpx sensor. There is however one feature that I fallen in love straight away – change of focus point. M5 has touch screen and while you are looking through the viewfinder, you can move your finger on the screen to place your focus point where you want. This is so great way to move focus point and so intuitive, that I am seriously considering this camera just for that. It is also very nice looking camera IMHO and overall ergonomic is top notch.
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Because it sucks to accidentally activate a function by bumping your nose into the screen.
 
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sean lancaster said:
landshark said:
braysghost said:
landshark said:
touchscreen need highly over rated

--
Bob
www.bobdamico.com
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Have you ever had a camera with a touch screen? Seems not, they are incredibly useful and much faster to do most actions.

I have my DSLR purchases on hold since I got the V3/J5 (wish you could move focus while using the EFV like the new Sony). They are my primary travel and video cameras & touchscreen to me is one of those items once you have there is no going back.
Click to expand...
yes I have had and used a camera with a touch screen, I found it annoying. I have no problem moving my focus spot with a wheel, especially with my eye in the viewfinder.

For me it starts to become just gadgets and features that really do not improve the content or image quality but give one something to play with
Click to expand...
I was just reading the a review of verybiglobo's (forum member) experience at Photokina this week. This is a person who is now considering buying a camera just because of a new touchscreen he can use even while shooting with the viewfinder. The technology can work for folks who want it and can be ignored by folks who do not want it (though, perhaps it cannot be ignored by some of the people responding negatively about touchscreens in this particular thread, but most people). Here is what he wrote about the new Canon M5:
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Amen if he does not like it, turn it off.

I'll take the time savings from the touch screen. It is also awesome for keeping the focus exactly where it is needed when taking video.
 
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I agree - it doesn't make sense to me either. If the a6300 had a touch screen, I'd already own one. I really like the touch screen implementation on the m4/3 cameras I've rented.
 
IMO, touch screens are very helpful for focus point selection, menu navigation, and playback operations. In this age where touchscreens are everywhere, it is indeed strange this option from Sony.
 
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