Potential capability of articulated screens

MrB1 wrote:

johnami wrote:

I have said this before but I'll say it again. If a simple SLR digital model could be produced, without all the bells and whistles, I would be a customer.........with Art screen or not.

I sometimes feel making DSLR so complex just pushes new potential customers away.

It seems to me that this is a misconception which is probably an unintended and ignored consequence of marketing. A DSLR can be as simple or as complex as the user desires.

For simplicity, beginners could start with everything on Auto, and concentrate on the very basics of viewpoint and composition, then gradually get to know other camera features as they progress. Again for simplicity, the more advanced photographers can use all the manual settings if they wish, rather like using a Pentax MX film SLR.

To a point. More functions mean more buttons or dials or menu options.

Last year my wife used my K-3 while we were on vacation. She was constantly pressing the buttons accidentally and changing some function. When she complained about all the buttons I explained that they did nothing, and that the camera came with a set of 53 stick-on buttons that did nothing but made the camera look "professional".  I lost a lot of points for that joke.

I will add that before going on vacation she clearly indicated that she wanted to take a camera with a viewfinder not a back LCD screen, so there went out my p&s, Q-S1 & K-01.  Something to be said for OFVs or even EVFs.

Some people would like a simple camera with good ergonomics, and not 53 useless buttons.

As for me personally I find both the K-3 amd KP comfortable in terms of its ergonomics and from what I have seen of the K-new I think that I will enjoy it... black or silver is the only question.

Doug

p.s., my apologies to my wife.

In both cases, I think it is better to have the other features (i.e. those that add to the apparent complexity) available in the camera. They might be never used by some, but does that matter when others might sometimes come across a photographic opportunity where they prove useful?

For me, the articulated screen is a good example. As I get old and less mobile, it provides me with the ability to get shots at heights and angles for which, when younger, I could have got down on the ground and used the viewfinder. I could get down for them now, but it is unlikely that I would ever be able to get up again.

Including a feature will always give some users more photographic opportunities to enjoy their photography - isn't that at the core of the Pentax principles? Those who don't want a particular feature are under no obligation ever to use it, so it shouldn't matter to them if it is in the next camera they intend to buy.

Philip