Touch Screen in Future Full-Frames?

[A3X]

After reading the new release on the 650d it got me thinking, the 5D MK3 came out not too long before it.
I would of loved to of seen the Touch Screen Feature on the 5D MK3, making the leap into the current age of touch screens.

Also as someone whos going to be making the jump from 600D to 5D MK2/3 in the next month, I would of loved the Vari-angle Screen as well.

Basically.. Dear Canon, I would like a 5D MK3 with a Vari-angle Touch Screen. Cheers!

I'm not crazy am I?

 

[mws]

I'm not a fan of the touch screen. As long as I can still control it with physical buttons they can include it if they want.

 

[psolberg]

personaly I wouldn't want such feature and I think canon is wise to keep it in the consumer entry level space where such things are often seen very iphone like and thus desireable. I fully expect EVERY camera OEM to go this route on their entry level so I suppose it is only a matter of time before it creeps up the food chain to pro level gear.

I can see the benefits but dials and buttons are still my preferred method of changing settings over endless menu navigation since the later method is both annoyingly slow and a pain to see in bright sunlight.

 

[Deleted member 42026]

A Vari Angle screen?

You mean a 'break me off' screen? I think that can stay off the more pro bodies, for I know there would be breakages.

 

[surfing_geek]

A Vari Angle screen?

You mean a 'break me off' screen? I think that can stay off the more pro bodies, for I know there would be breakages.

I'd quite like one on a 7D! At the end of the day, if you don't want to snap it off, you just leave it permanently stowed against the body.

 

[CowGummy]

Personally, I would welcome a touch display - even on pro bodies. And to be honest, let's face it, it's only a matter of time before it will be common place on every body.

How many people still reckon they prefer buttons on a phone these days?

I am however not so keen in the vari-angle job... would much prefer a completely flat backplate that is all touch screen technology.

 

[telephonic]

I see some questions have to be addressed in this matter. Pro bodies, when used by pros, must must be capable to take some abuse on rough conditions (eg. snow, desert, war zones, etc).

I personally think touch screen could be too much a hassle in such situations. Button operated functions can be memorised and operated with your eye on finder, which is how most pros do it.

If ever the rear plate of a camera is flat, touch-operated screen... Well, here's a case: Imagine you are in a conflict zone at night and you need to change the AF point. No button, no joystick whatsoever. You might have the LCD screen darkened, yet the light might still be too bright to put a spotlight on you (pardon the pun).

My $0.02

 

[Chuck Alaimo]

I personally think touch screen could be too much a hassle in such situations. Button operated functions can be memorised and operated with your eye on finder, which is how most pros do it.

Couldn't agree more. ?Yes there are some functions that you may need to glance and use the menu. But having the ability to quickly change things on the fly without taking your eye away from the viewfinder is key - and your point there steps that up - for the bulk of us changing fstop, SS AF points, ISO on the fly is about getting that moment, you example is literally life or death!

With that said, if a touch screen could be in addition to all the normal buttons and the wheel, I guess thats fine ---- but - I would bet it would come at a cost (imagine this world, the mkiii has a touch screen, but its now list price of $3799 - because it has the new touch screen...

my 2 cents, keep that stuff in the lower model SLR's or P&S

 

[DanielG.]

Who says touch screen = no buttons?

Navigating the menu and controlling playback mode would benefit from a good touch implementation.
Leave all the buttons where they are and add a touch screen. Everybody's happy.

 

[agierke]

from a pro perspective both features seem gimmicky and unnecessary.

i can only think of one scenario where an articulating screen would prove useful (the birds eye view angle where you hold the camera over peoples heads and shoot down) but other than that i ALWAYS want to be looking through the viewfinder to compose shots. i can live just fine without it.

i love the touch screen feature on my phone....i despise the idea for my camera. again, it goes back to the majority of my time i want to be behind the viewfinder operating my camera. the 2 scroll wheels (and a few additional buttons) are perfectly placed to be able to control all my settings with speed and ease without having to come out from behind the viewfinder. that means i'm always ready for the shot. how does a touch screen help me here?

pro level cameras should be designed for functionality. they shouldn't be designed for design sakes.

 

[RC]

Neither for me please

 

[agierke]

but if you are gonna add stuff like that, you might as well throw in a button that i can control my dvr at home with. you know...so i can record my shows while i'm out on a job.

that would be convenient.

 

[DanielG.]

I would bet it would come at a cost (imagine this world, the mkiii has a touch screen, but its now list price of $3799 - because it has the new touch screen...

iPods are cheap and have a great touch screen. Economies of scale.
Let Canon add a touch screen to the xxD and xxxD line, maybe the mirror less and some P&Ss this year. Add Wi-Fi and GPS in 2013 in most of the consumers cameras and we'll get these features in the 5D4. Just because it became the standard in the last three years.

I personally think touch screen could be too much a hassle in such situations. Button operated functions can be memorised and operated with your eye on finder, which is how most pros do it.

Apple (and all other smartphone makers) did remove the buttons on their phones because they weren't essential. Apple would've never removed important buttons on a (pro) DSLR. They even added the silent ringer switch to the iPhone which no phone (or very few?) had before because it is essential to be able to silence a phone quickly.

I'd be thrilled if my 5D3 had a touch screen just for menu and playback navigation (while leaving the ability to control everything with buttons, of course). Zooming on the 5D3 is one of the worst experiences with an electronic device I've had in the past few years. I'm used to it now but it still sucks.

 

[TrumpetPower!]

If the touch screen only replced the buttons on the left edge of the camera, I'd be all for it.

I also tend to get the camera into weird positions where it's hard to see the back, and wouldn't mind an articulating screen...but it'd have to either be something that can be physically locked in place or can readily enough be snapped on and off without damage. I somehow doubt that either can be practically done. What'd be even better would be a way to wirelessly transmit the LCD image to an iPhone without lots of clunky extra gear, and I can see that happening before an articulated screen.

b&

 

[Don Haines]

I love it when people say "no professional would want these features" Sometime pros are running around in war zones or wildlife shots where time and speed is of the essence and you have control of nothing. Sometimes the camera is on a tripod in a studio and you have all the time in the world to get the shot and complete control over everything. Features that in one scenario are a useless annoyance become welcome tools in another environment. There is no easy answer that all will agree to be perfect.

Touch-screen is another tool in the tool-box. It can be good or bad depending on the application. Sometime some of us will find it a royal pain, sometimes a blessing.

For example, look at those vari-angle screens.... a royal pain in the neck for action shots but when the camera is hooked up to the telescope and pointed straight up in the air it sure beats lying in the wet grass to see what's happening....

 

[A3X]

From watching the video release, the touch screen seams perfect for reviewing, and thats mostly what I would want out of it. Maybe having your favourite settings prefixed in a quick one touch to switch inbetween, but it should be able to be 'locked or disabled' during shooting.
[Canon Touch Screen] Canon 650D Touch Screen Demo Full

As for the 'Vari-angle' screens as Don Haines said for when the camera is attached to a telescope, or when your wearing expensive threads and kneeling or getting down to ground level is not possible! It's all about the image, haha!

In the meantime, I guess ill have to stick with my Android phone and DSLR Controller APP. Which works great! DSLR Controller - Android + Canon EOS - LiveView

 

[Otter]

I definitely do not want to see a touch screen on the pro level bodies. I am a fan of physical buttons, it is just one more thing that can cause issues with the camera over time, in terms of not being responsive. I have bigger hands and do not want to be pressing the wrong buttons and going back and forth betwen menus when I don't have to. As well, If I am trying to look at the images I have shot, I do not want fingerprints all over my viewing area.

 

[lexonio]

Don't you think it's going to be difficult introducing touch screens to pro bodies since there is a considerable layer of reinforced glass on the LCD? Plastic-y Rebel LCDs are ideal for touch-screens though.

 

[TrumpetPower!]

Don't you think it's going to be difficult introducing touch screens to pro bodies since there is a considerable layer of reinforced glass on the LCD? Plastic-y Rebel LCDs are ideal for touch-screens though.

I take it you've never held an iPhone in your hand?

b&

 

[Don Haines]

To A3X,

I also use tethered shooting....a wonderful tool! Did you know that you can get 50 foot long USB2 cables with active repeaters that will allow you to be tethered quite a ways away? How long before we have a wireless connection from the camera to an Ipad? That would be the mother of all vari-angle touch screens!