What features do YOU look for in any SLR.

don't fell like postin...

Autofocus.
Manual Control.
PC plug.

Image Quality:
I like Digital. So in a digital number one would be overall image quality.

SYSTEM:
Complete system resources and options,.. ie: Lenses flashes etc. accesories. Most important would be Lenses. To me there are only two choices of system in the running EOS and Nikon. Pentax and Minolta are O-kay,.. but they just don't compare. Sigma is a bad choice,. if you get a Canon or Nikon you can still have all the Sigma lenses PLUS all the other 3rd party lenses PLUS the OEM lenses such as the EOS line. If you buy a Sigma SLR,. you get only Sigma lenses.

Speed:
write speed, Frames per second,. autofocus speed, shutter lag.

This is more of what I will look for in a upgrade to my 10D.

Reason I got my D60
1. Flexability of changeable lenses
2. Pixel count (35mm quality) [twice what my Kodak DC4800 had]
3. Cost
4. Looks (it looks like what I expect a good camera to look like - caused by my preconceptions, but still there)

Reason I upgraded to 10D
1. Cost
2. Better autofocus
3. Better quality (images and camera)
4. Needed a back-up camera
5. Compatability with D60 lenses and accessories

Things I will look for in new camera
All of the above plus...
1. more pixels (up to the point of diminishing returns because of smaller detector size) [for 35mm SLR format I suspect this to be around 25MP]

2. Infrared capabilities

3. Changeable focus screens

4. Full frame (or more specifically better wide angle capabilities - the 16-35 still doesn't beat my wide angle lens on the Kodak DC4800 - sad but true)

5. More buffer for more images

6. Faster frame rate

7. Optional LCD display of viewfinder image

8. Other nifty things

Except for cost and infrared the 1Ds would be my next camera. As it has some of the features I wish I had in my 10D. Cost I can't do anything about, but eventually if I get something better then my 10D, I will probably have someone permanently convert my D60 to IR mode.

Just my opinions.

I want an SLR that looks into my mind, understands my vision of the scene before me, and produces that image reliably and cheaply.

Okay, that was a joke. But not completely silly: I do systems engineering quite a bit and the start of any design process is defining the need. Requirements are based on the needs. Thus, I can't provide a list of requirements without stating the needs.

Needs:

1. 13x19 prints of artist grade.
2. Lenses that fit my photographic vision.
3. Work hand-held indoors for prints up to 8x10.
4. Finished image on the same day of exposure.
5. Meter normal scenes such that highlights are not blown out and shadows have detail in them, but if that is not possible, to keep the highlights from blowing out.
6. Exposure control based on external decision tools.
7. Work with studio lights.
8. Documentation on business trips.
9. Travels well.
10. Works for a period of days without AC access.
11. Affordable.
12. Ability to visualize final result.
13. Controls easy to operate.

These needs translate to a series of requirements:

1. 4500 x 3000 pixels
2. Full-frame with 14mm lens.
3. Usable sensitivy to ISO 800.
4. Does not require outside lab-->All-digital work flow.
5. Highlight-sensitive evaluative metering.
6. Manual exposure controls.
7. PC-plug and manual exposure controls.
8. Fits in my briefcase.
9. X-ray proof but not opaque to scanners so that it won't annoy airport security people.
10. Battery sufficient for at least 100 images.
11. $1500 or less for digital (which comes with "free film" and is easier to amortize) or $500 or less for film camera body.
12. Stopped-down viewing, 100% ground-glass view, sufficient eye relief to allow eyeglasses (diopters aren't good enough--I have astigmatism).
13. Controls operate by feel or using separate buttons with minum menu-hunting and modality.

There is no camera on the market that meets all these requirements. My Elan II doesn't have a PC plug and requires an outside lab, and is not X-ray proof. The 10D isn't full-frame, doesn't have a 100% viewfinder (and it's small, too), and doesn't yet have enough pixels (though it's close). The EOS 1Ds is WAY too expensive and the controls are too complicated. An EOS 1V is actually harder to work than an Elan II, and still needs the lab. None of the Nikons are close.

But the 10D certainly comes closest of all of them, and where it doesn't meet requirements it is usably close.

In contrast, my wife has different needs, and therefore different requirements. The 10D fits my requirements better than her D100 fits hers, but then she wants SLR image quality and point-n-shoot handling. Not all requirements are compatible.

For those who want to conduct such analysis, it's important to identify the needs first, in terms of the outcome you want. "Features" are neither needs nor requirements, but rather a design response to requirements. When I've shopped for features without understanding the underying needs and requirements, I've ended up spending too much money or not getting what I wanted. My recent mis-step with zoom lenses reminded me of that.

Rick "tainted by design" Denney

Most features that I look for in a slr is:

-Magnesium alloy body
-Af and Mf
-Wide variety of lenses
-Fast flash sync
-At least 95% coverage in view finder
-Shooting modes (for when I'm feeling lazy) ie: sports, close up etc.

Digital:
-CCD sensor
-At least 5 mega pixels
-Full frame for my 14mm
-1.5 magnifier when shooting with a tele

There is a lot more but these are mostly the essentials.

Here is another something that has occured to me with more use of the 10D....

When shooting I rely heavily on the information that the camera displays on the "HUD" in the veiwfinder...

I do not like to take my eye off the viewfinder to make any adjustments. Therefore,.. I would like to be able to change the following using the adjustment wheel and looking through the veiwfinder (like we can now with exposure,. shutter speed, and aperture)

1: ISO sensitivity
2: Image quality/compression settings

And maybe some more I can't think of now.

I really think that ISO is the big one. Whith the flexiblity that it offers in a digitsl,. I rely on that adjustment heavily. Anytime I am looking down the barrel of a 500mm lens and see that my shutter speed is not high enough to stop action of a moving bird, and there is not enough light or aperture to spare,. I want to be able to increase ISO without taking my eye off the moving bird.

Likewise when I am allready shooting high ISO and the sun comes into play either because of passing clouds or moving out of a dark shaded area,. I usually reach to lower the ISO,.

Image quality is only an issue because there are times that I shoot at Large Fine or even one step down... If I am looking through the viewfinder and think,. "wow this should be a RAW.. I would like to make the change on the fly... this one I realize will be harder to accomodate,.

Lastly,.

In addition to the profiles that are on the rotary wheel, (sports mode,. lanscape) there should be at least one user defined dial mode that effects everything all the way down to focus point and image quality setting.

You can change quality while shooting with custom function 17, still have to check the top display but it is quicker than going into the menu