We’ve seen some very cool cameras recently and we’ve also seen some very mild upgrades (e.g., Nikon D610 and Canon Rebel T5i) from camera manufacturers. It seems there’s always something that’s missing for certain folks on the latest camera that comes out. How would you build a better one? Which camera manufacturers are coming the closest to building it right?
Whether it is a DSLR, mirrorless or compact camera, use the comment section below as an open mic for what you want in your next camera.
Jared says
Just a few things to start:
– USB 3.0 (or even Thunderbolt), for faster tethering.
– Faster flash sync speeds
– Built-in wireless
Gary Grimes says
Good ideas!!
Jared says
I almost forgot:
Please make raw files in DNG format, instead of proprietary raw files!
mma173 says
-A fully electronic shutter.
-Sensor global shutter.
-Scripting language such as the on in the CHDK hack.
-More integration with cellphone.
Jared says
I would love the electronic shutter, as long as I could still have an optical viewfinder.
Darren Kelly says
Thisis easy, and tough at the same time. I want 2 cameras
1. Full Frame Pro Model – $3000.00
D800 Body, with all the current specs
GPS built in
Wifi built in
Cel radio optional
Wireless trigger built in to operate off a smart phone app
1080- 120p RAW video
11 fps
2. Full Frame Compact Digital – $1000
20-24mp
GPS
WiFi
remote trigger from smart phone app
24-120 built in lens
1080p- 120fps
No bigger than the Sony RX100
There you go
DBK
Jim L says
If you want full frame go with the 5D models. 7D has the magnification and some of us want that to remain intact. I wish they would drop the video, leave the 1.6x magnification and bring back the flash. If I want a video camera, I will use the one I have.
GT says
Less bells and whistles. I have the 5d MK2. I love it. I HAD the Mk3 for a week and dumped it. I want to work fast… not flip through five pages of menus to set auto focus. And that shutter (or mirror). Ching ching. It sounded like I was running my fingers down aluminum blinds.
HDR in-camera and all that junk? A button to rate your photos with stars? Come on. Seriously? No.
Low noise in low light. That’d be my number one thought. It video could run more than 12 minutes… that could be useful for some folks.
Jared says
I have the 5D MkII also, and have been tempted to upgrade to the MkIII, mainly for better autofocus.
Jim Oleachea says
I can’t think of a single thing I want on or in my next camera. Rather, what I DON’T WANT with my next camera is anything to do with video. Since the beginning of the combo still/video cameras offered by the various manufacturers several yrs ago, it seems to be me that the video technology imbedded in these cameras has been forced down my throat. Personally, I have no interest in video, yet I’m paying extra money for something I have no need of. I’d like to have a choice in the matter.
Gary Grimes says
I’ll drink to that. If I want to take video I’ll use my video camera
didaskalos says
I would like to see Nikon integrate WiFi and GPS in thier DSLR line. A poster above mentioned USB 3.0 for tethering capability… Hadn’t thought of that, but its desirable, if they can make it would with an iPad.
Another innovation that I would like Nikon to consider is camera/tablet/computer control of “focus bracketing.” This could be achieved by the photograph selecting focus distances manually and entering them into the camera or having the camera/tablet/computer set interval starts and stops. The result will be a starting the exposure process with the lens resetting it focus for each exposure and firing as quickly as the lens can achieve the focus distance. This is incredibly helpful for macro photography or for overcoming issues of wide apertures and shallow depth of field. I’d further like Nikon to ask me to be tester of prototypes. :o)
Jared says
Focus bracketing would be AWESOME!! I would love that!
jor says
I want in the future all full frame cameras with a new support for crop lenses with a mirrorless always viwefinder
jor says
I mean viewfinder
Bob says
I want Nikon to produce a mirrorless, full-frame camera
Jon Hobley says
Hi speed wireless download, thunderbolt port, twin CF slots, 18-20mp FX, 10 fps, a way of reducing dust when changing lenses, illuminated buttons, 1.3x crop with 12-15mp, Nikon lens mount
Jim L says
I want an upgrade to the 7D “still” camera without adding $500 to the price for video capabilities I neither need nor desire. Why does every new camera body need to come with video and thus a 20-30% increase in price????? As a sports photographer everything the 7D has is great except the need for a higher ISO with lower noise for night outdoor sports. I DO NOT NEED VIDEO.Why do they include video with every new model. Give me back the built in flash and drop the video… Call it the 7D Mark II and the model with video (and $500 higher price) the 7D Mark IIv. This is frustrating. When I want video I will use my video camera.
rscooper says
Amen!
Robert Mark says
I want a 64 MP full frame sensor with pixel binning so I can shoot at 16 MP resolution with giant 2×2 size pixels for low light work and greater dynamic range, or full 64MP resolution for low ISO landscape and architectural or studio work.
I want Olympus’ incredible in-body stabilization in a Canon or Nikon body.
I want Canon and Nikon to ditch their weird proprietary mirrorless formats and become full members of the Micro Four Thirds consortium.
I want fully electronic native “Speed Booster” adapters from Canon and Nikon so that users with APSC size sensors can get the full field of view that the big honking lenses deliver to 35mm size sensor users.
Longer term, I want sensor sizes to coalesce around 2 sizes: 35mm legacy size and Micro Four Thirds size. APS-C needs to go away, as Moore’s law is making the Four Thirds size sensors a worthy replacement for APS-C and 35mm a worthy replacement for medium format.
Peter Henderson says
What about a square format sensor – just like Hasselblad of old
Eric Reagan says
I think that’s a great idea Peter. I’ve wondered, in our current world of Instagram, why has no one gone for this in a real camera?
Douglas says
Here is what I would like –
Full frame DSLR with 50mm f/1.4 prime lens for under $1,000
18-20mp
no GPS (leave it out or make it optional)
WIFI
Standard lens mount for the manufacturer (don’t create a new lens mount standard)
Optical viewfinder and live view
NOT mirrorless
A Robust body (minimize the plastic)
SDXC memory card
Gary Grimes says
First of all what I don’t care about: video, fast frame rates (except for maybe HDR), GPS, and ISO above 200.
What I would like:
1. Full frame low noise sensor 45 Mpix or greater, 14+ bits, simultaneous RAW + JPEG
2. Compatibility with Canon EF lenses
3. Ability to use 7 or 10 inch tablet for quick high res review of the last frame with built in WiFi or wireless whatever
4. Simultaneous storage in SDxx or CF chips in camera and a nearby tablet/computer
5. Ability to use tablet as viewfinder and frame reviewer independently of camera back display, with histogram, etc. Optional: use tablet as remote control and touch screen focusing
6. Fast sun killing flash sync, 1/500 or higher even if it means leaf shutter lens
7. Built in wireless that doesn’t interfere with 2 battery capability
8. Electronic shutter would be nice if it doesn’t have a downside
9. Strong metal body even if it means built in wireless is impossible – but that would mean a need for two shoes, one for WiFi (cold), one for radio flash remote (hot)
10. Built in/on two battery vertical grip
11. Awesome low light autofocus (but not low light shooting)
12. Compatibility with present Canon hotshoe radio remotes for flash
13. Less than $4000 for the body
Frank says
The D800 as it is, but with some kind of auto-aperture (like any other video camera) that operate so smoth that you can use it while you shoot video.
When the D800 goes on my steadycam, I (IKKE Oprettet) operate the camera, thats why its has to be auto.
Or in the next firmware update, make the ISO steps so smooth that you can use auto-ISO, that would be a good kompromise.
Indrajit Sathe says
Why can’t the DSLR bodies & lenses be in another colour, other than black? Would love to see colourful bodies & lenses!
Tony Perez says
I don’t think people should be paying for video capabilities if they actually don’t want them or need them.
Dslr should not loose their optical ovf. but they should come with bigger, better pentaprism. With LCD overlay.
High iso performance should be better, and better.
Flash sync speeds should get better.
No internal wifi or GPS. Many of us don’t need it.
Most of us don’t need more than 6 or 7 fps, more may just be overkill.
Better batery life.
More weather sealed lenses to match weather sealed bodies. At an affordable price.
Tougher shutter mechanisms.
Better warranties.
All lenses should be silent by now. And un many cases a lot more affordable.
In the case of many apsc lenses and bodies their price should hace gone down a lot more.
The only dslr manufacturer that is doing things reasonably, though I don’t agree with some, is Pentax.
On the other hand in m4/3 land. Olympus is doing crear with their Omd Em5 and Em1, but I still don’t like evfs. They are just not natural in use, and using them for pronounced period of time becomes pretty molest on my eyes. Thing that doesn’t happen with ovfs.
Eduardnic says
Well, the perfect DSLR in my opinion would be basically, the Nikon D800 with all the current specs and more:
– fully articulated LCD screen – like the one in D5200 – it is so helpful in macro and such.
– articulated EVF – like the one on Panasonic GX7 – (I don’t care much for view finder, I use it only when working with telephoto lens to frame the subject: left eye tracking the subject, right eye in the viewfinder to frame it). Test one before you judge it! And move it to the left side of the body, please! Top center will have hot shoe for flash and accessories, and right side for settings display and controls.
– body wise should not change: it is awkward when you have one hand on the lens dealing with zoom and focus and the right hand struggling with the grip on the body (see most of the mirror-less lately) – so, big-chunky grip!
– faster flash sync 1/500 or higher
– dual shutter mechanism – mechanical and electronic
– WiFi full remote control
– focus bracketing up to 999 shots – for stacking macro
– time lapse shooting – up to and more than 999 shots
– infrared, sound and light trigger functions
– NO VIDEO!!! Thank you! Enough with this nonsense! At least make two models, one with video and another without: customers will chose what to buy!
jack says
VIDEO FEATURES GALORE WITH QUALITY+!… Absolutely no aliasing, No Moire, no rolling-shutter affect, 1080p 60fps, 70mbps data rate. Autofocus on par with the Canon D70, uncompressed HDMI output, option of different codecs to use, ultra-low noise extremely high signal-to-noise ratio.
Full Frame in entry level models, lets face it, price has absolutely nothing to do with full-frame, the cost of those models is purely marketing.
36 Megapixel sensor with no perceivable noise in RAW at ISO 100 and 200, all at 16bit.
Abiltiy to take HDR photos in RAW mode. Ability to process RAW ‘fully’ onboard the camera. Ability to save the processed RAW file as a 16bit TIFF file ‘onboard’ the camera.
‘Scratch-proof’ LCD on the back. Full weather sealing including the lenses. 100% viewfinder.
Antishake mechanism effective down to 1/4 sec.
Long battery time.
200,000 rated shutter mechanism as standard on all entry level models.
Ultra accurate white balance in ‘all’ modes.
Ultra accurate exposure in ‘all’ modes.
Lots of Quality digital-filter effects.
All standard with a 16-85 2.8-4 ‘silent-focusing’ lens.
Give us all of this under $1499, or else i’ll do it myself and steal the market share off Canon and Nikon and Sony and Pentax who are ripping us off!
Lets face it, these features are ideal and should have been done years ago all at a reasonable price, especially considering the technology has been around for many years, this should be obvious, right? So why haven’t they given it to us? Because the CEO’s and engineers and developers need to get a brain and stop screwing us around, simple!
jack says
VIDEO FEATURES GALORE ALL WITH EXTREMELY HIGH QUALITY PERFORMANCE!… Absolutely no aliasing, No Moire, no rolling-shutter affect, 1080p 60fps, 70mbps data rate. Video Autofocus on par with the Canon D70, uncompressed HDMI output, option of different codecs to use, ultra-low noise in night shooting with extremely high signal-to-noise ratio.
Full Frame in all entry level models, lets face it, price has absolutely nothing to do with full-frame, the cost of those models is purely marketing.
36 Megapixel sensor with no perceivable noise in RAW at ISO 100 and 200, all at 16bit.
Abiltiy to take HDR photos in RAW mode. Ability to process RAW ‘fully’ onboard the camera. Ability to save the processed RAW file as a 16bit TIFF file ‘onboard’ the camera.
‘Scratch-proof’ LCD on the back. Full weather sealing, including the lenses.
100% view in the viewfinder.
Antishake mechanism effective down to 1/4 sec.
Very long battery time.
200,000 rated shutter mechanism as standard on all entry level models.
Ultra accurate white balance in ‘all’ modes.
Ultra accurate exposure in ‘all’ modes.
Focus and exposure metering effective down to -3ev.
Lots of Quality digital-filter effects.
All of this standard with a 16-85 2.8-4 ‘silent-focusing’ lens.
All of this under $1499, or else i’ll do it myself and steal the market share off Canon and Nikon and Sony and Pentax who are ripping us off!
Lets face it, these features are ideal and should have been done years ago and at a reasonable price, especially considering the technology has been around for many years, this should be obvious, right? So why haven’t they given it to us? Because the CEO’s and engineers and developers need to get a brain and stop screwing us around, simple!
Choi says
For Nikon on their next entry level DSLR to incorporate an Autofocusing Motor so that we could use our Older AF lenses.
Michal Gabanowicz says
I would want touchscreen and pdf manual build in in the camera.
Guy Foster says
I love the high ISO capabilities of cameras now, but would actually like extension in the other direction – for landscape work with water etc. I would love to go below ISO 50, and leave my ND filters at home.
Jared says
YEAH!! This is not a commonly voiced request, but I completely agree!
It should be no problem to electronically make the sensor LESS sensitive.
AndreaM says
I certainly would like to see a Canon 6D mark II with:
– Articulated LCD as in 60D/70D
– 6/7 fps
– Dual SD
– More AF points working at f8
– HD 50/60p video with slowmotion capabilities
– No rolling-shutter effect
– no more than 24 Mpixels
– in-body stabilization is a dream, but would be nice
+ Please all this along with a 50-200 f4 L lens for less than 2500 $
Dallas Phelps says
All of the above plus the ability to take full resolution stills silently while shooting video without impacting the video in any way.
Carlos Serra says
Do video with a DSLR is a little bit stupid thing!
I want a video camera with large (Fourthirds) and global shutter cmos sensor with
interchangeable lens.
A good 12mm/100mm zoom lens for that sensor and other fix lens.
Mic in put,
headphones out put,
hdmi for live-view.
Wi-fi with no delay.
Do it, and do it well. I´m a professional cameraman and when I shot photos I use a dslr or other good photo camera for that.
Thank you.
Alff Henry says
I would like to see Nikon/Canon and others take on the role like apple and introduce fine my iNikon camera or iCanon just like find my iPone or iPad etc. for the price we pay for these cameras and lenses the manufacturer need to do more to deter theft and retrieval of lost or stolen gear.
Also to into dude apps to make your camera specific to your spec and needs. Example WiFi/ GPS, tethering to smart phones, smart TV’s, tablets etc. dual slots on on all new systems going forward with backward compatibility’s.
stefansky says
It would be nice and very convinient
A grip with wireless control and connection to flashes and studioflashes.
(ekichrome bowens….)
Also
If the cameras could chage via usb …..
It doesnt take much to make it and it would do alot for many…..
If you could have more than one build in flash….to enable pictures without a shadow . Portraits ad well as makrophotography
A wireless shutter and viewfinder….ever thought about it…(this would be an exellent option for video)
2 or 4)