GIANNI GALASSI PhotoGraphia

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SOMETHING RED

SOMETHING WHITE

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BEING AN OLYMPUS MICRO 4/3 CAMERA RELOADED

Friend site 4/3 rumors reported today my recent post on Micro Four Thirds Olympus cameras. My remarks has been commented by most readers (including the acclaimed blogger Thom Hogan), thus igniting an interesting debate that can be followed here and here.

Most comments agree with my opinions. Some object that amateur camera users are not entitled to the same user interface that can be (sometimes) found in advanced DSLRs, which I totally disagree. Buyers shouldn't be discriminated. There can be differences about features, of course, but not as far as basic design rules are concerned.
Some readers invited me to read the manual, so that I could realize that the histogram-ignoring-exposure-compensation issue is not an issue. One of them humorously pointed out that if i did RTFM I would have been the only Italian doing such a thing. Well, I am: in the Italian translation of the manual (page 101) the option is called with the same name as in the English version (still page 101): "Live View Boost". Too bad in the Italian-translated camera menu the same menu-item is crappily translated in "Livello Carica", which suggests to any average IQd individual that the battery level charge can be (or can be not) displayed. Anyway both the Italian and English manual do not mention that switching "Live View Boost" off allows the histogram show exposure compensation. As a matter of fact, neither manual mentions the histogram at all.

I insist: technology makes sense only if its equipped with a clear and flawless human interface. Apple's iPad is evidence to it. I don't think a menu structure like the one found in the Pen cameras lineup does a honest job. If we learn to be customers instead of worshippers, perhaps camera makers will learn how to give us real value for our hard-earned money.

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