Must have functions/features in a new camera

[CompleteUtterNonsense]

I'm contemplating buying a new camera and am curious to know which of the plethora of features/functions found on new cameras are essential, or really, really useful for most or all photographers.

Having read here obsessively for a month, I have a list in my head of things that sound essential vs nice to have or interesting, but, not having used a dslr much, I probably don't have a clue.

I'm curious to hear from those with some experience what your list is and why.

Edit: I used film slr cameras quite a bit many moons ago, so am quite familiar with the basics. I'm referring to all those features we could not even have dreamed of way back when, like image stacking, focus bracketing, autofocus, IBIS, ...

 

[D Cox]

Good dynamic range.

A good cable release socket for when you need a tripod. Some cameras use a tiny little USB socket which is extremely fiddly in use. Others use a jack plug, which is very much better. Some cameras won't accept a cable release at all.

Just about every camera on the market today can produce excellent photos in the right hands, so don't stress too much over your choice.

Don

 

[AlbertTheLazy]

CompleteUtterNonsense wrote:

I'm referring to all those features we could not even have dreamed of way back when, like image stacking, focus bracketing, autofocus, IBIS, ...

In each case look up what the feature is for and then decide if you need it.

From your examples:

Image stacking -- depending on the camera this can be used to help shoot high contrast subjects -- high dynamic range -- or with focus bracketing to get greater depth of field, usually at close range.

Focus bracketing -- see above

For both of these you can do it by manual bracketing and then working in a computer afterwards. If you plan to do it a lot then having a camera with the right features helps.

Autofocus -- try to buy a camera without it! Advanced autofocus modes become important if shooting very fast action

IBIS -- only useful if your lens is not stabilized and your subject is not moving.

Take things a bit at a time.

Most cameras will be fine for most people. It's when you start to shoot outside the average range of pictures that one or more special feature might be important.

 

[Chris R-UK]

Very important features for me:

• I would not buy another camera without dual control wheels to change exposure parameters.
• Viewfinder. Some cameras come without a built in viewfinders (e.g. Canon M6 MkII). There are normally optional viewfinders that clip into the hot shoe. This would be unacceptable to me.
• There are very big differences between optical viewfinders ( OVFs) in DSLRs and electronic viewfinders (EVFS) in mirrorless cameras. Personally I would never go back to an OVF because I like the WYSIWYG that you get in an EVF, very easy manual focusing and non-blackout during video.
• For most photography, AF is very good in all current cameras. But for fast moving targets, a camera with good continuous AF is essential for me. There are still a few cameras around with poor CAF, e.g the Olympus EP and E-M10 series.

If video is important for you, then there are a number of very important video functions like microphone and headphone jacks.
--
Chris R

 

[Ringwraith69]

Very important features for me:

• I would not buy another camera without dual control wheels to change exposure parameters.
• Viewfinder. Some cameras come without a built in viewfinders (e.g. Canon M6 MkII). There are normally optional viewfinders that clip into the hot shoe. This would be unacceptable to me.

These would certainly be must-haves for me, too. In general, I'd look for a camera that allows the user a lot of control through dedicated dials, knobs and switches on the body in stead of having to dive in the menu for every change of settings.

 

[Rufty]

In addition to the already mentioned features:

- exposure warning (prefarable even zebra pattern)

- minimum shutter speed setting

- touch screen

- a good remote control app

 

[Klaus dk]

If you shoot people or animals, Eye-AF makes a big difference.

I would not buy a camera without a hotshoe. Even with all the LED continuous lights available, I would be seriously challenged by a camera unable to trigger a studio flash setup.

Good luck and good light.

 

[alcelc]

Could be a key to your answer.

Do you shoot BIF/wildlife, energetic pets, kids... These you would need a good AF tracking.

Do you shoot landscape, portrait, flower etc relatively static/posing shots? These any accurate AF would do.

Do you shoot in low lighting condition a lot and wishing tripod free? Would slower shutter speed be useable to you? If so,the in-camera stabilization would be on your wishing list.

Would you also take video?

How about your physical condition? How heavy can you carry comfortably walking around? Would you hike, walk a lot etc? These would need to consider the overall size and weight.

Many many factors will spell out the answer by the questions.

To me:

• Size and weight (my age never happy to carry too heavy gear),
• AF which can be under my absolute control, fast and accurate. I shoot static target mostly, I don't need the best tracking ability.
• Video: due to the ever increasing popularity on video, I need a camera which can do reasonably good video (more than Auto mode) and allows me growth on this new craft.
• Live View: by accident I found the usefulness of WYSIWYG Live View in real time (which give tons of more info than optical viewfinder). It changed my style of shooting to see-to-adjust. I gave up on optical viewfinder until now.

Others, like high speed shooting, in-camera features like HDR, focus stacking, panorama etc are fun to have, but not really deal breaker to me.

--
Albert
** Please forgive my typo error.
** Please feel free to download my image and edit it as you like **

 

[yardcoyote]

I came to dgital directly from all manual film SLRs, which I enjoyed using and found completely satisfactory, except for the fact that shooting film had become so expensive and inconvenient. I want to shoot digital in as close to the same way as possible.

So while I find some features of a good digital camera to be amazing and useful, my only interest in most of them is in figuring out how to turn them off and get them out of my way.

Features I like and use include:

• Digital record keeping and metadata ( EXIF is a wonderful thng. Nobody ever talks about it, but these cameras * take their own notes*! You can look at them right next to the pictures. Great stuff.)
• Manual+ Auto ISO. The best mode. You can grab hold of both aperture and shutter speed, the options that really count, and control both directly while letting ISO take care of itself for automatic exposure convenience. Some cameras even let you set different ISO ranges for different situations, like outdoors, indoors, and " I don't care", which is set to the maximum ISO you can tolerate on that camera.
• Autofocus, center point only. Focus and recompose still works fine with the usual limitations. Extra points for a camera that lets you set the point to the center and lock it there. I am looking at you, Olympus E-M10 mk 2. You do not do this and it drives me crazy.
• WB controls. Presets to deal with most common lighting conditions, plus a custom setting if none of them work. Very nice.
• Exposure compensation on its own dial, preferably marked. For when you want to win an argument with the camera's light meter. The quick and dirty way to control exposure without disturbing the rest of your settings and having to press a bunch of buttons or dive into menus. Just dial in a quick change, and put it back to center just as easily. Wouldn't buy another camera without a dedicated exposure compensation dial or a customizable dial I can use as one.

Everything else I turn off or avoid: video, continuous focus, burst shooting ,a million focus points, HDR, automated bracketing, stacking, all of it. If the manufacturers won't give me a simple camera for basic stills shooting, I will use the cameras they give me in a simple way.

This isn't intended as guidance for you or anybody else, but as a reminder that you can pick and choose what features you use to suit the way you want to make pictures. The camera works for you, not the other way around.

--
Instagram: @yardcoyote

 

[Bob A L]

Help me here -- I was about ready to pick up an Olympus E-M10 mk 2 and now read your post here. Are you saying you cannot put the af point in the center and lock it there? Sounds like we use cameras in a very similar manner. I have no real need and do not use many of the so called features of todays cameras.

 

[David5833]

It is critical for me to have a camera that feels good in my hands, is small and light enough with lenses that I don't need a sherpa or a suitcase to carry it all, and has well-placed buttons and controls that fit my hands and fingers.

I only got my first tilting rear display a few years ago but I probably wouldn't want something without one now.

I don't like menu diving, so ease of access to frequently changed settings is important. Customizable positions on the mode dial or some other way of accessing them is a good thing. The Olympus Super Control Panel is also a good example, although I wish I could decide what items were in it.

Otherwise, I agree with Chris R about wanting front and rear dials for shutter speed and aperture. Likewise, I want a viewfinder instead of only a rear display because it is easier to use in bright sunlight. Also, WYSIWYG is really nice to have. However, in contrast to what Chris R said, the CAF on my E-M10ii works just fine for me. I don't shoot a lot of action or maybe the earlier model wasn't as good, I don't know.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/143821723@N06/

 

[yardcoyote]

Well, I've never been able to fix the focus point to center in this camera. It *mostly* stays there on its own, but it occasionally gets a wild impulse and takes a jaunt across the frame. It's not a huge problem-- you can put the focus point selection screen in the quick menu and get it back in place with a minimum of fuss- but it is a mild annoyance.

Otherwise, I like the camera very much and this problem is not a deal breaker for me. No camera is perfect. The EM10 2 is a lot of camera for the size and money and lots of fun to shoot with. I use mine mostly with the Olympus 60mm macro as a mini garden macro setup and the long lens in a two camera walkaround kit.

 

[tdbmd]

Eye AF is a game changer.

 

[alcelc]

It is critical for me to have a camera that feels good in my hands, is small and light enough with lenses that I don't need a sherpa or a suitcase to carry it all, and has well-placed buttons and controls that fit my hands and fingers.

I only got my first tilting rear display a few years ago but I probably wouldn't want something without one now.

I don't like menu diving, so ease of access to frequently changed settings is important. Customizable positions on the mode dial or some other way of accessing them is a good thing. The Olympus Super Control Panel is also a good example, although I wish I could decide what items were in it.

You can try the Q.Menu of Panasonic MILC which has a 15 slots for you to assign control/feature there.

Better yet, every C mode can has its own independent set of Q.Menu, e.g. GX85 has 4 C modes and plus the regular P/S/A/M, you can set up total 5 sets of Q.Menu.

Although Panasonic has a display similar to SCP of OMDS, I switched it off and use the customizable Q.Menu instead.

Otherwise, I agree with Chris R about wanting front and rear dials for shutter speed and aperture. Likewise, I want a viewfinder instead of only a rear display because it is easier to use in bright sunlight. Also, WYSIWYG is really nice to have. However, in contrast to what Chris R said, the CAF on my E-M10ii works just fine for me.

I don't shoot a lot of action or maybe the earlier model wasn't as good, I don't know.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/143821723@N06/

 

[robgendreau]

Help me here -- I was about ready to pick up an Olympus E-M10 mk 2 and now read your post here. Are you saying you cannot put the af point in the center and lock it there? Sounds like we use cameras in a very similar manner. I have no real need and do not use many of the so called features of todays cameras.

It works pretty much like every other camera. You can fix a point in the center by changing some settings. Say you're in S-AF, and then set point or center-weighted. That starts in the middle, but can be moved by hitting a button on the 4 way controller, and moved around. Or you can use a finger on the rear screen if the M10ii does that. Or turn that off, if you keep accidentally doing that. In short, yes, you can leave it in the middle.

 

[yardcoyote]

Some cameras have a specific setting for center point only, which locks the focus point in place at the center until you go back into the menu and change the setting. Very handy.

 

[Mark S Abeln]

I'm contemplating buying a new camera and am curious to know which of the plethora of features/functions found on new cameras are essential, or really, really useful for most or all photographers.

Back in the old days, it wasn't uncommon to find cameras that had a single fixed shutter speed, f/stop, and focus distance. For digital, you'd just need to add an Auto ISO function to make up for lightness adjustment that would have been done by the film development lab when making prints, as well as an automatic white balance. So the "essential" list is pretty small.

The kinds of cameras that we tend to like on these forums have a wide variety of features for a variety of advanced shooting styles and genres, and so particular features may be of use to one photographer and not another.

I think it is easy for a newcomer to become overwhelmed by all of the features of modern cameras, and so I don't think that it's a good approach for deciding on which camera to purchase.

Rather, I would recommend a top-down approach: find *specific* camera recommendations for a general-purpose camera. If models X, Y, and Z are frequently recommended, take a look closer at what those models offer.

 

[David5833]

That's how Olympus should do it!

 

[skyglider]

I'm contemplating buying a new camera and am curious to know which of the plethora of features/functions found on new cameras are essential, or really, really useful for most or all photographers.

Having read here obsessively for a month, I have a list in my head of things that sound essential vs nice to have or interesting, but, not having used a dslr much, I probably don't have a clue.

I'm curious to hear from those with some experience what your list is and why.

Edit: I used film slr cameras quite a bit many moons ago, so am quite familiar with the basics. I'm referring to all those features we could not even have dreamed of way back when, like image stacking, focus bracketing, autofocus, IBIS, ...

Large electronic viewfinder. Ability to overlay zebras in the VF. Ability to assign exposure compensation to a wheel. Then shoot using the ETTR (Expose To The Right) method. These are the absolute must haves for me.

Electronic viewfinder and manual focus overlays a rectangle with a magnified image in the VF when the focus ring is adjusted. I use that a lot when shooting youtube videos. Also valuable shooting stills when subject is behind branches, etc. Makes getting sharp focus in manual mode soooo much easier.

Sky

 

[CompleteUtterNonsense]

Thank you all for your responses. I was expecting that there might be one or two features that were widely held as indispensable, but it looks like much is use case based.

Autofocus. I guess that was a silly one to put on the newer features list, as ALbertTheLazy pointed out it is pretty much in every camera. That, however, yielded the most useful bit of info for me. Autofocus features vary widely between cameras, and from answers here which particular feature is important varies by use case.

IBIS. I had expected more people to say this was a must have based on threads I had read here and other places, but again, I guess it depends on how the camera is being used.

Back to autofocus. One of the things I want to do is some bird photography. I'm a rather casual birder, but there are times when I'm just not sure what I'm looking at and it would be nice to be able to take good enough photos to ID a bird.

I've been playing with an old Canon xsi with a 50-250 lens and it is a real challenge (pretty much impossible) to ever focus on smaller birds that move a lot. Often there are also branches in the path and the single point af on this camera is not precise enough to lock on to the bird.

I suspect that a camera that is not able to do some sort of subject identification is really going to frustrate me, even for birds in trees.

I suspect I'm going to be spending more on a camera than I originally thought.