What was the single most important advance in modern film cameras?

<p>To me it was autofocus. That's when I ditched my FTb and bought an ESO 650. Auto film wind and rewind was nice too. Did not know or care much about metering improvements, if any.</p>

<p>Optical stabilization. (Yeah I know it's mostly lens based, but still....) Especially when I can't use higher ISO, don't have a faster lens or need the DOF.</p>

<p>Never liked AF and their accompanying plastic lens barrels, but it's mandatory in these digital days of crappy viewfinders and focusing screens.</p>

<p>The one-hour photo lab. Greatly increased the number of photos taken and put 35mm cameras in the hands of many more people. Paved the way for digital.</p>

<p>Lever wind was a vast improvement on knob wind.</p>

<p>How modern is modern in this context? Here on this forum we've sort of agreed to use a combination of batteries to run, AE and AF as criteria, with shades of gray in between.</p>

<p>Given that "Modern" can also refer to anything after the 1890s, as it does in art and architecture, I'd personally go for through-the-lens metering, later with autoexposure, as critical. Made all that mess with filter factors and such of little concern to the photographer.</p>

<p>Aside from roll film and lower prices, I can't think of anything. Except, perhaps, when people finally realized they didn't need an SLR and started buying point and shoots.</p>

<p>APS. Obviously.</p>

<p>Seriously I'm with JDM, although I guess TTL metering could apply to the classic manual cameras with mechanical shutters eg the Minolta SRT's etc, so I vote for auto exposure of the aperture/shutter priority persuasion.</p>

>>How modern is modern in this context?<<

 

 

Sorry, I can't produce nicely shaded quotes. Just doesn't work for me(neither do line breaks apparently).

 

Anyway, this is a valid point. I guess it all depends on one's perspective and age. I never had a camera that did not have TTL so my baseline was whatever features my FTb had. Truth be told, I had used Instamatcis before but never considered them as real cameras.

<p>Most important points would be CAD and low cost electronics replacing expensive precision mechanical devices, ie shutters.</p>

<p>The most important advance? Canon's quick load system. It helped ensure the film actually advanced.</p>

<p>I would say Auto Focus...</p>

<p>Modern well illuminated multi-frame viewfinder-rangefinder of Leica's M cameras, beginning in 1953 and perfected through to this day, with TTL exposure metering and highly compact all metal bodies with leading edge optics and the conservation of essential shutter and lens controls as well as DOF markings. </p>

<p>I'll have to say autofocus. It was the leading feature that led cameras into the fully electronic age. To my recollection it also stirred the pot the most among end users with entrenched camps on both sides. An important issue for me back then as one deeply invested in Canon FD gear with no forward upgrade path.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>+1 what Bob Sunley said. Above all, the electronically-controlled shutter.</p>

<p>single lens reflex with instant return mirror</p>

Digital.

 

It has made an awful lot of stuff that would have been a pipe dream for some of us!

<p>In the more than fifty years I've been a photographer I.M.O the biggest improvements haven't been in the hardware, but in the films, processing chemistry and printing paper.</p>

<p>I agree that things such as TTL metering, auto-focus, film improvements and auto-exposure were big advances. Having used many older cameras I am not so convinced by electronic shutters.</p>

<p>I think the advance which has changed photography most is lens coatings. Starting in the 1940's these first improved contrast and flare charcateristics of existing lenses, then allowed the development of more complex lenses such as the good old 50mm f1.8 plasmat-type standard len and the rest of the classic prime lens line-up. Then with multi-coating in the 1970's came zoom lenses. So although it isn't part of the camera body, I think that lens coating enabled lenses to be developed to the extent they are today.</p>

<p>Electronic shutter improves accuracy significantly but only in the slow speed range. In the high speed range there isn't much improvement in accuracy as compared to mechanical shutter. <br>

I think AF is a big advance although I don't need it. </p>

<p>For me, as someone who started in photography in the 1950s, using a Weston Master meter, the biggest advance has to be matrix metering. Center-weighted metering has many failings, matrix nails exposure 99% of the time as well as if not better than a separate meter, thus allowing photographers to think about creativity rather than technique when working fast. If I used a lot of flash, then TTL flash would get my vote. These two developments were step changes, electronic shutters, lens coatings etc. were useful too, but not so dramatically.</p>

<p>The incorporation of electronics into the system has enabled all the features that go beyond manual exposure mode: AE exposure control, autofocus, motorized film advance, digital, etc.</p>

<p>DX film coding and point and shoot film cameras like the Canon Sureshot</p>

<p>Miniaturization. I'll take the Nikon EM or Olympus OM-1 over any of the giant cameras, if I'm going on a hike. :)</p>

<p>I think Autofocus for pro cameras.<br>

For others, it's the auto loading of film, DX coding, auto modes. Really, my family had fixed focus rangefinder cameras with A mode or P mode I think it is, a Fujinon, fixed prime lens thingies. B/c they seldom take pictures like most people in the film era, it was a roll over Chrstmas and NYR and maybe when they went overseas to see family. They actually forget how to load the film!</p>

<p>Lens design improvements</p>

<p>Tripod socket</p>

<p>DOF scale or preview lever</p>