Yeah, you're right, they're all pretty much the same.

Not really sure, but I think the old film cameras really work the same way. I picked up a Mamiya film camera, and I pulled up on the film rewind thing and the back popped to load film. I didn't even read the manual, but my experience with the FM2 led me to believe that was the right thing to do. And voila!

Cameras are a lot of fun. :D

You don't have to! D200≈D300(S)≈D700, right? Same with D40≈D60≈D3000≈D5000, and all of the rest! Just read a manual for each group, and you're pretty much set. Just glance at the few pages for each camera about the new and specific functions, and you're all informed.

I remember I was looking at an old photography magazine, where it mentioned that the F90 had ## custom functions. That caused me to wonder how you set custom functions for those cameras, as they don't have LCD monitors on the back. So I read a lot of manuals to the modern film cameras. And to the old ones, since I have an F2. I learned quite a bit, so now I can pretty much function any Nikon SLR within a minute. All that knowledge actually makes it easier to operate modern Canon DSLRs (or anything else, for that matter)!

Just need to read those Hasselblads, and I'll be unstoppable!

Haha, alphanikonrex, I don't read EVERY manual, but I do read the DPReview's review of the functions, so in effect I am learning a lot about how the camera works.

Although once in a while I do pull up an old manual or so, like the N80, just to see how it is. They seem like it could be quite complicated. I miss film SLR manuals- my dad still has his FM2 one, and that one is barely 20 pages long!

@soap: I use the meter mode switch too. Except sometimes I'm in matrix and I quickly want to switch to spot for a shot or too, so I just hold down the function button. Faster, easier, and more efficient in my opinion. Same with the AE/AF-L button. Instead of going into menus to change dynamic focusing options, I can do it from the outside.

EDIT: Yes, the removal of the bracketing button was annoying, but I just pretended that the function button is the new location of the bracketing button.

alphanikonrex - I am more than happy thumbing the meter-mode switch - is there some advantage I'm missing to throwing it on the FUNC?

Ditto with the AE/AF lock - what am I missing only using it as AE lock? B

But, yea, removing the left-thumb BKT button post D200 was a downgrade for me.

@NSXType-R: I'm like you, I've read the manual to every Nikon DSLR and SLR there is! Just in case I ever come across one, I'll be using it right away! I knew how to operate my D300 months in advance! Gee, I should take a peak at those Hasselblad user guides...you never know!
Anyway, my friend was using a Coolpix P2. At this point it was so long ago the photos are probably long gone :^(

@soap: I reprogramed the buttons on my D300 so I can fit as much function as I can onto them! The DOF preview button does DOF preview, the function button allows me to select a bracketing program AND changes the metering to spot, and the AE/AF-L button locks exposure AND selects a dynamic focusing mode. But you're very right, I would reprogram every button if I could!

@NSX - Sooo.... No interest in the D3x then. I'll just keep mine then . Ha!

Haha, I'm reading up on the higher level Nikons, just in case one drops on me from the sky with a 70-200 2.8 on it, I'll be able to use it immediately. :D

Preferably a D3 with the crazy expensive 64 gig compact flash card in it, but I would still take a D700 or a D300s.

I don't reprogram ANY buttons, so I don't care - but obviously I'm alone on that. ;) (well, AE/AF lock to AE lock only)
I just think it's a little insulting that EVERY button can't be reprogrammed.

PS - you're right - FUNC and DoF can both be reprogrammed, not just FUNC like I was thinking.

alphanikonrex, what camera was your friend using?

soap, don't the higher level cameras have 3 programmable buttons on the front face of the camera? 2 near the grip and 1 on the outside? Isn't that enough for you? :D

Rockbox does not allow button / menu customization in SVN because it would be a support nightmare for the unwashed masses, so I can imagine Nikon feels similarly.

That said - it sounds like we all could agree that _at least_ for the Dx00 and Dx series allowing more than one fricking button to be function assigned by the user would be a welcome change.

PS - the cameras only do a high-level format - any decent file-recovery software can recover 100% of files off a camera-formatted card ASSuming you don't write more data post-format.

This lock mode is needed badly. I had a friend who accidentally reformatted his card at the airport on his last day of vacation!

QUAL should be replaced with something more useful, like Picture Control Settings!

@Willis: I shoot for the school yearbook, and I just do it in RAW. Easy enough. When I've created 4gb of files, I just move it to a DVD and let it be done with.

No, no. CF cards are color coded. _I_ find it easier to quickly see I'm using card "Red/Black" (two colors per card) than see I'm using card "12".

Log books are just generic, use one till it's filled and then switch to a new one.

Interesting stuff Soap... I hadn't thought of data shots.

I guess that makes sense... I can see how it would be helpful for people who shoot a lot of different subjects at once (say yearbook photos etc.). I still think I would just shoot it at full resolution... I'm spoiled because my D40 shots (which is what I'm using most of the time) are pretty reasonable file sizes even at full resolution. When my D3x arrives (in 10 years) I'll probably feel a bit different.

I'd rather swap that QUAL key out for something else, but I guess people who don't shoot like me have their reasons... It's not like Nikon thought through their ergonomics and then said "Hey... Let's Stick a QUAL key on that nubby thing".

I'd be interested to here more about how you use your color coded log books... We need to start a thread called "How Photography Gave me OCD" LOL.

I shoot a small jpg at the start and stop of every shoot -> a photo of the clock on my GPS so that I can ensure time offset.
I shoot small jpgs throughout the day -> whiteboard shots of subject details.
I do this even though I keep a log book (Rite In the Rain makes the best field books, IMHO) in my pocket at all time. It (shooting whiteboards) saves me the potential headache caused by logging the wrong shot number or the wrong card number (actually I use color-codes for cards, but that is now way off topic). Whiteboard shots (because of their placement within the file-naming sequence) never refer to the wrong photo, though I may fat-finger a log entry.

http://www.riteintherain.com/Categories.aspx?Category=da52ace2-f2be-431d-90f4-c87ac650f9e6

But I guess that's still really beside the point. Allowing users of consumer-level devices make stupid setting changes easily is the problem (though on a Dx00 EVERY setting should be easy to make) and you're right too many cameras make it too easy to screw yourself.

You are right Willis what a waste of an easy button, that you could by mistake change your quality to S from L just like that. I newer shoot anything but L Jpeg and/or RAW. Many P & S camera are just as easy to change the same setting. With the cost of Memory cards why would you shoot anything lower than best quality on any camera

What about on the Next Nikon D300 replacement change the Quality setting to RAW on/off, maybe even firmware update current D300/700/3 etc to have the same option

Pete

The quality setting is way to accessible on most cameras. Honestly, who changes this from shot to shot? Why would it be one of the three buttons on the mode dial of the D300? Its so dumb!

Be careful, the ACLU might sue you for infringing on the consumer's civil liberties! Imposing a "simpler" version on a camera? That's insane!

Great idea. I traded my D200 in for a D300 and low and behold Nikon forgot to put a lock on the CF card door. To me this was just a way to save a couple of bucks.

lol...good point soap! Never underestimate ones over-confidence!

I like the two-mode idea, though you would need to reverse the naming for some people. ;) There are many fools who would insist on using the "advanced" mode even if they had no idea what they were doing.

Having locking features is not a bad idea. I think to take it one step further, a basic P & S camera should have some features that can't be changed at all because a camera has two modes...entry and advanced. When in "entry mode" the user is locked into using a certain number of functions that can't be changed (megapixels, digital zoom off, flash intensity, memory card accessibility, etc). This way, regardless of how new a user is to digital photography, it will prevent many newbie mistakes from occuring in the first place.

Let's face it, people are going to buy entry level P & S cameras with little intention of learning how they work. Ideally, they want to open the camera, install the memory card and batteries, and start shooting. The only thing I would introduce at this point is a prompt on the LCD asking which mode the user wants to use.

That is all. Keeping it simple for the majority of P & S users is all they want.

I agree, I would even prefer it if the mode dial on my D90 was lift/turn/lock, since I have inadvertently changed it. I find that sometimes when I grab my camera from inside my case, I slide open the card storage. I wish it locked.

At work yesterday a had a bit of a issue with a customer that made me think about a new feature that cameras should have (special entry P & S)

Anyway I was helping a rather bitter older lady getting prints made from her CD with pics files. Anyway while selecting files from her 7MP P & S camera we got to a point were our viewer started to show "file size warning", so now her files were suddenly 320 by 240 app 77,000 pixel setting or .077 MP . So She just went of the rocker when I told her that sorry the last part of you picture files will not print a normal size picture anymore. I told her to make sure that she would check her camera at home to adjust it back to 7MP again if it was still setting at this lower setting. Wow she left calling me an idiot and wasting her time .......

Sorry for the long story, but what if certain settings could have a lock feature, so it would be a lot harder to adjust them. BTW it is all to easy for the novice to mistakenly adjust the MP setting on some cameras

What do you think, maybe format/delete could have a lock feature

Pete