Interesting article over on DPReview this morning titled: Do We Really Need All Those Buttons and Dials?
It’s a good question that was apparently prompted by Fuji reducing the control complexity on its new X-E4 vs. the X-E3 that it replaced. My personal opinion? Less is more, except when it isn’t. For years, I have listened to photographers I have met while traveling who proudly state that they only use full manual mode. Many of them were carrying expensive DSLRs that while bristling with dials and buttons, contained state-of-the-art computer technology that could in milliseconds analyze a scene, adjust exposure using a combination of ISO, Aperture and shutter speed and focus at the push of a button. I often asked why they didn’t take advantage of the automation and the reply was usually some variation of “real photographers don’t need those things”. I do a lot of DIY projects and I will say that I seldom meet a fellow woodworker that sneers at a powered saw, pneumatic nail gun, orbital sander or router. Granted, some woodworkers take pride in using the simpler tools of past generations and can produce beautiful things, but with considerably more time and effort invested. The technologies built into today’s cameras are miracles of analytical processing and are meant to make capturing a well-exposed in-focus image easier. They are tools. To me, using a modern digital camera in full manual mode is like unplugging an orbital sander and using it like a sanding block. Over the years I have settled on Aperture Priority mode with Auto-ISO as my go-to default. Improvements in tech have allowed me to limit ISO to a “safe” maximum and set the minimum shutter speed that will trigger a bump in ISO (eliminated my need for S-Mode) but those are nice-to-haves and even before digital, A-mode was my preference. I will use manual mode when I am in a static environment that needs little or no shot-to-shot adjustment, like with night sky photography or when using studio strobes, but that is a rare exception. I would think that the majority of photographers find the use of partial or complete automation liberating and very handy when shooting in variable lighting conditions with diverse subjects encountered while traveling. As with the primitive woodworker, I respect the photographer that uses manual-only as a way to focus their creativity but for me, exposure automation and an orbital sander are a better choice. Both philosophies can produce quality results and both can be fun and satisfying. On the subject of buttons and dials, my shooting preference requires few on-the-fly adjustments beyond exposure compensation, so having a camera with myriad buttons and a forest of dials isn’t all that appealing to me. Personally, fewer external controls and a more compact frame would be a plus.
On a side note, I have matured over the years and seldom roll my eyes when I hear the phrase, “real photographers”.
Seldom…
Happy shooting…semi-automatically or otherwise!
Dave