Below you'll find user suggestions for future features in Nikon DSLRs, arranged by area.
The remainder of this page is an accordion: click/tap on the colored topic headers to open and close them:
ISO and Auto ISO
- Auto ISO on/off assignable to a button (Command dial then changes min shutter speed?) (jb, am) [now implemented via Front command dial on newer DSLRs]
- Auto ISO shutter speed/focal length dependency (min shutter speed = 1/fl for FX 1/fl*1.5 for DX) (js) [now implemented on newer DSLRs]
- User cancelable Auto ISO in Manual exposure mode (da)
- Manual selection of ISO above Auto ISO max should override Auto ISO (da)
- With Auto ISO make it dependent upon focal length (ad)
- Dedicated ISO button (or ability to assign it to an assignable button) (rg) [on pro cameras, but user wants on consumer cameras, too]
Settings
- Store and edit camera settings files on a PC (ah) [We sort of have that with Camera Control Pro]
- Combine SHOOTING and CUSTOM SETTINGS banks (many) [I'm not so sure about just combining them, but I do want the option to combine them, so that the camera can be completely set in one selection]
- Save/Load SHOOTING bank settings, Save/Load CUSTOM SETTINGS bank settings (sg)
- Lock SHOOTING/CUSTOM SETTINGS banks (ke)
- Save/Load banks to named files on card (ke)
- Restore settings from settings file made with previous firmware (th)
- Restore to Saved settings option (not default) (sg)
- Restore to Saved after time period (sg) [could also be Restore to Saved on On/Off]
- New keep mirror up for continuous shooting mode (focus, exposure locks to first frame) (ka)
- Automatic VR invocation or "settable" VR (VR turned on at user specified shutter speeds, off otherwise) (th)
- VR On/Off indicator in viewfinder (so)
- use NFC/Bluetooth to talk to iOS/Android app that allows full change of camera settings from app (including save and restore) (ac)
Clock and Timing
- Set the clock from the GP-1 if connected. (jc) [Now implemented starting D3s]
- Sunrise/Sunset calculation (from GPS) (pa)
Menu System
- Search function to find items in deep menus (mc)
- NEF+TIFF shooting (!) (th)
- PSAM in Custom Setting or Shooting banks (am) [cameras with "Extended Menu Banks" have a bastardized version of this]
Image Review
- Delete an image even if zoomed (e.g. Del key hit twice while zoomed) (mc)(jp)
- Stop showing file name, date, time, quality, etc. on every review page; only needed once (many) [implemented on some recent Nikon DSLRs]
- Real DSLR Color Space (sRGB, AdobeRGB too small) (lk)
Customization
- Ability to upload a small text file to the camera and pull it up on the color LCD. Suggested by a wedding photographer as a way to keep shot lists. [I'd add that it really should be a ToDo file: you should be able to put a check mark next to any individual line of text.] (mo)
- Limit Program exposure mode to subset of available apertures (js)
- Scriptable Program or exposure modes (pa)
- User-definable Programs for Program exposure mode (eg)
- Reset to a user-definable state (cs)
- User selectable hiding of less-used menu items (fh)
- Ability to set shutter speed at which VR kicks in (mj)
- User-defined exposure delay interval (nr)
Exposure and Metering
- Firmware updates to allow bracketing in steps larger than 1 (nw)
- Pressing AE-L in Manual exposure does nothing now, should do "quick set" to 0 (via Program) (jc)
- HDR support (many) [Comes in many forms, but the most common request is three-image bracket 2 stops apart; also in-camera HDR assembly to JPEG ala Pentax K7] [A 2-shot HDR is now available on a few Nikon DSLRs, but only as JPEG/TIFF; e.g. save the raw files used to create the JPEG!]
- HDR support: spot meter dark/bright, camera calculates exposures necessary (ms)
- Integrated meter and sensor for HDR. Essentially use metering to determine where to do early read and reset on sensor pixels to create HDR data (lk)
- 2 and 3 stop bracketing (many)
- Scene luminance map (ms) [Simply resurrecting the old F5 "live view" from the metering sensor might be enough]
- Brightness range indicator (ms) [Measure low and high points in scene]
- Aperture/Shutter speed range limits (ms) [e.g. set aperture between f/2.8 and f/5.6. This requires a second function which is how to favor the request, e.g. Prefer High Limit, Prefer Low Limit. Also, when combined in Program exposure mode: Vary X first, vary Y second, vary Z third where XYZ can be aperture, shutter speed, and ISO]
- Display blinking highlights when zoomed (or zoom highlights page) (am)
- Display blinking highlights with channel info (channel blown dictates color blinked) (aa)
- Display blinking lowlights (preferably with a custom threshold) (th)
- Display "histogram" in pixel locations (use color to indicate a pixel's luminance value) (g)
- Display histogram of 1008 segment metering sensor (g)
- Custom threshold for highlights (am)
- Histograms with exposure stop markers (am)
- Accurate raw data histograms (UniWB) (many)
- Select JPEG or raw histogram (ms)
- Blink channel histogram when blown (ms)
- Select size of area for highlights measurement (many) [a single pixel blown is different than a 10x10 pixel area]
- Burst expose to the right (take current exposure and bracket up or down until just at blown pixel indicator) (al)
- Delete an entire bracketing burst in one step (jr)
- User sets manual exposure normally, then locks it; dials then retain exposure but change aperture/shutter speed like Flexible Program (ww)
- Highlight and Shadow priority metering (cr)
- Find brightest and darkest spots and set up an automatic bracket that'll include both without losing detail (ms)
Focus
- High/Low DOF limits for current settings in viewfinder/info screen. Also, set hyperfocal button, set infinity button. (jc)
- Trap focus as a setting, not a group of settings. (jc) [RESTORE trap focus!]
- Improve contrast detection AF speed (cw)
- Set hyperfocal distance (eg)
- Trap focus that works with MF lenses (al)
- AF area selector lights when focus achieved manually under it (ke)
- Better screens for manual focusing (many)
- AF button + dial changes AF mode (ka) [Change on D7000, D800, and D4 basically accomplishes this better]
- Ability to change aperture while in DOF preview (da)
- Depth of field bracketing (cm)
- Focus bracketing (ms) dial in absolute DOF in feet (ag)
- Beep when MF lens is at focus position (cr)
- DOF selector (e.g. by dial) (ag)
- Use phase detect sensor to light up which, if any, focus point is currently "in focus" while manually focusing. (mr)
Buttons and Dials
- Reconsider and make more standard the button positions on all cameras (cm, others)
- Add "temporary P A S or M mode" via assignable button held down (fh)
- M-UP allows Self Timer (many), add always up to M-UP (tm)
- Fix the SCM (AF mode) focus switch so that it can't easily be jarred to a different position (many) [new D7000, D800, D4 switch essentially does this]
- D300 needs a dedicated bracketing button (cw)
- "Shift" button (holding it alters menu/button states) (gm)
- Program a sequence of actions to a button (kw)
- An AF-On button with two sensitivities (full press/half press) that allows different focus action (e.g. single point/multiple point)(ms)
Live View
- Less Live View mirror clanking (many) [WooHoo! Recent Nikon DSLRs implement this]
Viewfinder and Crop
- Better DX viewfinders (several)
- 1:1 crop option (rp)
- 16:9 crop option (th)
- More viewfinder screen options (tr)
- Swivel LCD (many) [most don't like D5000 swivel position; D5100 was better]
- Return the split-prism screen options (several)
Ergonomics
- Get strap lugs positioned so camera hangs properly (ka)
- Better strap positions, and ones that don't cut into hands (several)
- CompactFlash or SecureDigital door opens unintentionally too often on most consumer cameras; needs a lock release (ala D3) (fk)
Other
- Panorama assist mode (ka)
- Quieter shutter (many) [Many cameras have Quiet mode now, but that's not good enough for most people that complained; D4 has a silent mode, but it is only 2mp]
- Fast frame rate at 14-bits (D300, D700) (several) [Implemented on D800]
- Integrate Arca-style plate into body bottom (hv)
- True mirror lock up (mirror stays up) (kw)
- User defined period between mirror up and shutter release (many) [Delay now works with M-UP on some models]
- Kensington-like (laptop) security slot for cable and lock (kh)
Communications and Accessories
- Built-in WiFi (ah, many)
- Built-in Bluetooth to load/save settings, use audio headset, integrate with GPS (dg)
- Built-in hard drive (ah)
- Built-in GPS (several)
- Built-in Compass (hv)
- True orientation sensors to record exact orientation (dg)
- Acceleration sensor records exact camera movement during picture taking (th)
- Bluetooth remote trigger (jb)
- Wireless shutter release options (kw)
- Use mini-XLR instead of 10-pin (mf)
- Allow USB drive to connect to camera and download images (se)
Flash
- Flash sync higher than 1/250 (without FP) (many)
- Minimum Flash speed settable to higher than 1/60 (add 1/100 to 1/250 to CSM) (cp)
- Flash exposure compensation on pro bodies (fh)
- Second flash hot shoe for vertical shooting (rs)
- Radio style wireless control (ah)
- Built-in Pocket Wizard (many)
- Small LED-based flash (gm)
- Remove aperture restrictions in Program/Scene exposure modes (many)
- Modeling light act as Autofocus Assist (gb)
- Umbrella holder on head (jw)
- Camera provides CC gel info to user based on ambient measurement (mr)
Sensors and Image Quality
- Removable AA/IR filters (many) [while Nikon has taken the AA off several cameras, this request is for a user option of having or not having it for any given shot]
- User definable "grad" filter (pc)
- User ability to remap hot pixels (re) [Curiously, implemented on Nikon 1]
- Use less aggressive AA filtration (many)
- Tilt/Shift sensor (many)
Video
- Final Cut Pro direct import support (th) [should support start/end point marking, too]
- 24/30/60 fps support (many)
- View NX2 transitions for video (as)
- Record uncompressed via HDMI with card as compressed backup (many)
