Just for fun: What's your favorite thing about your camera?
I realized my favorite thing about my K-3 is maybe a bit odd, so I thought it could be fun to see what everyone loves most about their camera (or cameras). For my K-3, it's the shutter sound. I love it so much. I get a dopamine hit when I hear it. It's the #1 reason I don't use my K10D more often - the shutter sound just doesn't do it for me. 🤣
So maybe I'm weird, but there ya go. It's not ergos, aesthetics, or picture quality. It's the sound. 🤷♂️
What do you all love most about your camera(s)?
I totally agree that when you find a DSLR with a pleasing shutter sound it offers an extra level of enjoyment. I remember I had Nikon D200 which had a really pleasant shutter noise (shame I sold the camera).
I like the button arrangement on the early Olympus EP cameras whilst having a front and rear dial maybe more ergonomic and quicker to use. I find I want to pick up the camera and fiddle with the dials and buttons as they look attractive.
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Quote from Lim on August 13, 2022, 8:23 pmI totally agree that when you find a DSLR with a pleasing shutter sound it offers an extra level of enjoyment. I remember I had Nikon D200 which had a really pleasant shutter noise (shame I sold the camera).
I like the button arrangement on the early Olympus EP cameras whilst having a front and rear dial maybe more ergonomic and quicker to use. I find I want to pick up the camera and fiddle with the dials and buttons as they look attractive.
Button placement is so important. For me it can make or break the experience. That EP looks nice. I would want to play with the buttons and dials too! Like a fidget spinner i guess only pretty and functional lol
Quote from JBP on August 13, 2022, 8:29 pmQuote from Lim on August 13, 2022, 8:23 pmI like the button arrangement on the early Olympus EP cameras whilst having a front and rear dial maybe more ergonomic and quicker to use. I find I want to pick up the camera and fiddle with the dials and buttons as they look attractive.
Button placement is so important. For me it can make or break the experience.
Oh yeah. That's why I handed over my Olympus E-M5II to my wife, because that camera has no Fn1 or ISO button on top of the thumb rest like the E-M10II or the E-M1 series.
The front and rear dials are a must for me nowadays. Unfortunately I didn't read the manual before I purchased a second hand Panasonic GX8 - and now I try to suppress a desperate face palm every time I use the camera, because in my preferred mode "A" the front and the rear dial cannot customised to have different functionality... Calm down, Ecky, grab your Pentax K-5IIm and notice that there are two very well designed dials with different functionalities in A mode...
The sound of dials of the K-5II are so soothing for me. That sound reminds me of a purring cat...
E.
Quote from EckyH on August 13, 2022, 8:47 pmQuote from JBP on August 13, 2022, 8:29 pmQuote from Lim on August 13, 2022, 8:23 pmI like the button arrangement on the early Olympus EP cameras whilst having a front and rear dial maybe more ergonomic and quicker to use. I find I want to pick up the camera and fiddle with the dials and buttons as they look attractive.
Button placement is so important. For me it can make or break the experience.
Oh yeah. That's why I handed over my Olympus E-M5II to my wife, because that camera has no Fn1 or ISO button on top of the thumb rest like the E-M10II or the E-M1 series.
The front and rear dials are a must for me nowadays. Unfortunately I didn't read the manual before I purchased a second hand Panasonic GX8 - and now I try to suppress a desperate face palm every time I use the camera, because in my preferred mode "A" the front and the rear dial cannot customised to have different functionality... Calm down, Ecky, grab your Pentax K-5IIm and notice that there are two very well designed dials with different functionalities in A mode...
The sound of dials of the K-5II are so soothing for me. That sound reminds me of a purring cat...
E.
You have me over here listening to my dial sounds now. 😆 You're right, they sound good! I don't like loose dials or too tight either... The K-5 is just right. Shutter button feel is also important to me, as well as sensitivity. It is not possible to take a single shot in anything but single shot mode with my Canon G7X, but with every Pentax body I have I can do it even on high drive mode. I like having that much control.
And I'm with you 100% about needing two dials... spoiled by the K10D from the start!
This is a real thing for sure! I have a hard time with this one as I really have enjoyed just about every camera I've ever used. My favorites however have had the right density.
There's:
Small and too heavy (ridiculous feeling)
Small and too light (cheap feeling)
Large and too heavy (just too cumbersome)
Large and too light (again cheap feeling)
To me, the Panasonic GX85 has such a nice density, small but not too light, just has a nice overall balance!
There's nothing quite like a great shutter sound.
The Minolta 7D has a super satisfying shutter.
I think the K10D feels just amazing in the hand, the second best DSLR of all the ones I have or have tried. But I haven't tried any newer Pentax models.
Probably the most comfortable one I've ever felt was the Sigma SD Quattro, but I had a bad time with that camera and the kit lens and sold it. Now I know more, and kinda wish I hadn't.
The Pentax Q just makes me wanna giggle every time I pick it up yet the image quality is shockingly good.
Fun thread!
The Mamiya 645 has the most satisfying shutter/mirror action of any camera I've ever handled. The thing slaps like a thunder clap.
The Mercury II is also super fun, since the whole design is very unique, and dials are in fun places. Additionally, the shutter is a big disc, so when you fire it it goes "Schwoooop".
Quote from Justin Tung on August 20, 2022, 1:53 pmFun thread!
The Mamiya 645 has the most satisfying shutter/mirror action of any camera I've ever handled. The thing slaps like a thunder clap.
The Mercury II is also super fun, since the whole design is very unique, and dials are in fun places. Additionally, the shutter is a big disc, so when you fire it it goes "Schwoooop".
Quote from ahoyhere on August 19, 2022, 10:55 pmThere's nothing quite like a great shutter sound.
The Minolta 7D has a super satisfying shutter.
I think the K10D feels just amazing in the hand, the second best DSLR of all the ones I have or have tried. But I haven't tried any newer Pentax models.
Probably the most comfortable one I've ever felt was the Sigma SD Quattro, but I had a bad time with that camera and the kit lens and sold it. Now I know more, and kinda wish I hadn't.
The Pentax Q just makes me wanna giggle every time I pick it up yet the image quality is shockingly good.
Glad I'm not the only one who likes a good shutter sound. 🙂 My new-to-me K-5 has a great shutter sound as well. I may like it even more than my K-3, I can't decide! 😁
I agree about the K10D. For me it's the most comfortable camera I have ever held. I wish the K-5 and K-3 had the same ergos. They have bigger/deeper grips which cut back toward the camera body more abruptly, whereas the K10D is less deep and has a smoother transition I think. It just feels great.
Hands down my favorite thing about my K-3II is Astrotracer. It's primarily why I chose it. (That and the warm, fuzzy feeling I have always had for the Pentax brand. 🙂 ) Brilliant and largely unappreciated even by most astrophotographers who either don't know about it (11 years after it was introduced) or think it's a gimmick that doesn't work very well. These same people drool over cameras released by Canon every ten years or so (and once by Nikon) and then discontinued only a couple of years later, that merely replace the stock internal IR/UV blocking filter with one that passes more deep red light from nebulae. That can be done to almost any camera including Pentax DSLRs and is routinely done by astrophotographers for much less cost than the premium Canon and Nikon were charging.
