Responsiveness of Camera Operating Systems (Firmwares)

[Jack Zhang]

As people working with Sony's latest round of cameras might attest, do you ever get moments where your camera just likes to hang for half-a-second before it does the action you requested it to do?

This is a discussion about how modern camera operating systems make them more miniature computers rather than just another camera.

I was surprised at how much menu lag there was in the FS7. Coming from the EX1R and even testing out the PXW-X200, those cameras felt snappy compared to the FS7.

This also goes for the Blackmagic cameras since their operating systems are just as crammed as the current Sony ones.

So this brings us to this discussion: Do modern camera operating systems get so complex that lag is somewhat unavoidable as more features get added on?

[Noa Put]

I have this issue with my sony rx10, it can start of acting normal but after some time of use the lag can go up to 2 seconds before anything happens when I press a button on the camera, don't have this with any other camera.

[Jack Zhang]

Bumping this thread to say that this is solvable, as attested by the PXW-X180 firmware version 3.

Anyone else noticed an improvement after updating their camera?

[Jim Andrada]

If you count the iPhone etc as cameras the lag is horrendous. It's even awful when using the camera as a controller for a GoPro. I think this is relevant as it shows the problems with using a general purpose operating system - so the more complex cameras get the more I wonder if they'll become as unresponsive as a GP OS.

And beyond unresponsiveness, what's worse is when you push a button to take a picture and get some idiot messages that you have to respond to before anything happens

Camera; "I know you pushed the photo button, but do you realize nobody in your photo is smiling?"

Me, "Yes!!!! Dammit, take the f-ing picture before everybody goes to sleep!!!!!"

Camera " Are you sure?"

"YES!!!"

"Really?"

"$&(&@(%$!!!!!"

"I'm sorry but the memory card is full." Would you like to upload a few MB to the Cloud to make space?"

"OK OK OK"

"Please enter you 38 character password and let me check your retina."

"WAAAAAHHHHH"

[Jack Zhang]

Originally Posted by Jim Andrada

I think this is relevant as it shows the problems with using a general purpose operating system - so the more complex cameras get the more I wonder if they'll become as unresponsive as a GP OS.

My point exactly. The last FS7 in person demo I saw had really bad problems with the menu navigation where even scroll wheel commands lag for a maximum of 1.5 seconds before it actually does the action. Confirmation dialogs take 2 seconds to just appear.

[Jim Andrada]

I think the Sound Devices (and probably others) have it right.. No matter what you're doing when you hit RECORD it records. (Well of course you need a memory card in the recorder with space on it)

Cameras are getting too larded with feature bloat IMHO, Push button, record video needs to be job #1!

[Jack Zhang]

Originally Posted by Jim Andrada

I think the Sound Devices (and probably others) have it right.. No matter what you're doing when you hit RECORD it records. (Well of course you need a memory card in the recorder with space on it)

Cameras are getting too larded with feature bloat IMHO, Push button, record video needs to be job #1!

THIS. All of this.

This is why I like the earlier cameras that didn't slap in Wi-Fi features or GPS or Ethernet. Connecting to an app requires an extremely complex OS and that increases the risk that it just won't do what you told it to do when you hit record.