Ergonomics is the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements, and

its cognitive abilities.

When something is said to be "ergonomic" we mean the device was designed to be efficient and comfortable to use. The science of ergonomics has resulted in better layouts for automotive dashboards, and finger tip controls on your steering wheel for your radio and cruise control. Office chairs are designed to reduce fatigue, and work stations are laid out to prevent too much reaching and stretching, which could cause repetitive stress injuries.

When it comes to cameras, we generally think in terms of cameras that "fit your hands well" as having the best ergonomics.
We also want cameras that have convenient button layouts, where everything is easy to get to, and the most commonly used functions are at your fingertips. The placement of controls and the menu systems should be as intuitive as possible. If you have to dig out the owner's manual to find a commonly used function on your camera, then we say it was poorly designed.

For most of the 20th century the shape of cameras was largely determined by mechanical constraints of the type, for instance rangefinder, single lens reflex, twin lens reflex etc.
The 21st century has seen the invention of the mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, fully electronic operation and modern fabrication technology. These developments allow designers to make cameras just about any shape at all and to place control modules anywhere on the device. One might have expected this freedom to make the camera designers' job easier but paradoxically it appears to have had the opposite effect. An electronic camera intended to be controlled by a practiced user is extremely complex. This combination of freedom and complexity forces camera designers to make a host of decisions which were simply not required in former times.

Perusal of cameras currently on the market reveals the different ways in which makers are trying to respond to this challenge while simultaneously satisfying the demands of their engineering, finance and marketing departments. My hands on assessment of many current DSLR's and mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (MILC) is that their ergonomic development is lagging behind image quality, features and performance. Many are kludges, in desperate need of ergonomic redesign.

Form follows function. An electronic camera designed this way will have it's own style not derivative of anything else and will appeal because it is enjoyable to use not because it looks like a shrunken pro DSLR or somebody's favourite film camera from the 1980's. Layout follows fingers. Technology changes but our hands and fingers stay the same. The starting point for the shape and layout of any camera should be the functional anatomy of the human hand and fingers. There are four phases of camera use, Setup, Prepare, Capture and Review. Each phase presents a set of tasks to be completed. Each phase is subject to time constraints, some acute, some relaxed. In the Capture Phase there are three main task groups, Holding, Viewing and Operating. There is a hierarchy of camera real estate locations, High, Medium and Low priority. Actions required to carry out the tasks of the Capture Phase are allocated to High priority locations. Holding requires optimal design for the handle and thumb rest. After much trial and error, I discovered the parallel handle type provides the best grip for MILC's with compact body size. Viewing is optimised by the location and design of user interface modules, monitor and viewfinder.

Operating is optimised by type and location of user interface modules. Good ergonomic design clearly identifies which modules are used for each of the phases of use and which real estate location works best for each.
There are primary, secondary and tertiary exposure and focussing variables. It is essential to explicitly rank by urgency level the tasks required to adjust each. This will help determine what type of user interface module works best and where it should be located. All user interface modules on an electronic camera should be capable of extensive user configuration. There are hundreds of variable parameters and therefore thousands of potential combinations available. Each practiced user will have his or her own preferred way of interacting with camera controls and this will change with time, experience or different circumstances. It is totally unacceptable for manufacturers to allocate one set function to each interface module of an electronic camera.

Width: On the front, lens mount diameter, inset of the lens axis from the left side (as viewed by the operator), handle width and design. On the back, monitor width, rear control panel width and thumbrest design. Height: On the front, body shape design (SLR style vs RF style) handle design, shutter button height. On the back, monitor height, viewfinder height.

Setup Phase Setup usually involves delving into menus, with little time pressure. Menu access is allocated to user interface modules, in this case buttons, in a low priority area of the camera body. Navigation can be allocated to the JOG lever, by up/down. left/right movements and selection by pressing the same module inwards. One of the blue buttons accesses the complete main menu, the second blue button opens a user configured "my menu", for more frequently used items.
Prepare Phase This refers to the period of a few minutes during which camera settings are adjusted to give best performance with the current photographic assignment. This might be landscape, macro, action, group with flash etc... each requiring a different combination of operating settings. On the top control panel there are four "set and see" modules, two dials, two levers, which control Main Shooting Mode, Drive Mode, AF/MF Mode and AF Area. This arrangement is ergonomically efficient as each of these parameters can be checked at a glance and quickly adjusted. The actual functions available at each station can be user configured in the main menu in Setup Phase.On the rear control panel there is a set of buttons in the medium priority zone, all user configurable from every function available to the camera. Each button brings up a parameter. The JOG lever scrolls around options then selects with a push.

Capture Phase In this phase the ergonomic demand eaches a peak. No longer can the user hold the camera away from the body and make adjustments essentially at leisure. The concept which has guided my design for Capture Phase is as follows: The camera is designed to be driven like a sports car by a practiced user. In a sports car the practiced driver does not have to think about or pay conscious attention to steering, pressing the clutch and shifting the stick to change gears or pushing the brake pedal to slow down. He, sometimes she, just does the action while concentrating on the road ahead.

So the actions required by a photographer to complete the task list in the Capture Phase should be carried out in a time frame of a few seconds: While looking continuously at the subject through the viewfinder (or monitor, but the viewfinder provides the more critical test as all adjustments must be carried out by feel) While holding the camera firmly and comfortably with both hands and without having to change or shift grip with either hand Using the left hand for zoom and manual focus Using the right index finger for primary and secondary exposure variables and capture Using the right thumb for primary and secondary focussing variables with minimal disruption of the basic grip. The video user can nominate an interface module to start/stop and other modules to configure video parameters. Under no circumstance should a camera maker allocate video start to just one button. Video users might prefer to use a different module (button or other device). Those who shoot stills will want the option to use that module for another purpose.

Review Phase The task list in this phase varies markedly from one user to the next. Some people like to review every exposure, others don't bother. Review can be set to start automatically or on activating a user selected module (usually a button) in a low priority zone on the camera. Navigation and image magnification is with the JOG lever. Left/right, up/down to navigate, push- push to enlarge. Module behaviour can be configured to personal preference in the main menu.

Description and Features (highlights) This is Panasonic's top M43 body clearly aimed at Level 3 (Expert/Controller, occasional use) and Level 4 (Expert/Controller, frequent use) users. It also has a high level of video capability, not reviewed here, as there are many differences between the still and video user experience. The video button is located in a high priority zone just behind the shutter button and disappointingly, cannot be user tasked to any other function. So if I am not shooting video the button is blocking prime camera real estate which I would like to use for a primary exposure parameter such as ISO.

Some features of the GH2 are worthy of note. The multi aspect ratio sensor has proven more useful and gets more use than I expected. I have allocated AR selection to the fn1 button on the top plate and raised the height of this button by 1.5 mm by adding a little disc of stainless steel fastened by super glue.
Now I can locate and operate this button by feel (which I could not do previously) while looking through the EVF. The AF/AE Lock button can be set to start/lock AF. This separates AF from exposure which is often desirable especially when using the focus and recompose technique.

The top plate has two Set and See dials and two Set and See levers allocated to Prepare Phase camera operation. This represents the best use of Set and See UIM's and works very well in practice.

I can see directly and quickly change what shooting mode and drive mode are set and see directly what focus mode and exposure area are set. Some of the UIM's allow user set functions. This is highly desirable as no camera maker can predict all the permutations of UIM function which an individual photographer might prefer.

Panasonic and all other makers would do their customers a big favour by extending user configurability to most UIM's, providing a choice of almost all functions of which the camera is capable.

Image Quality I rate IQ as acceptable for the target user group. Matters most needing improvement are:

(1) Noise, which is present even at ISO 160 in shadows, particularly in the blue channel (2) Dynamic Range which is just acceptable with many subjects but if greater would lead to less (3) Highlight clipping which is a frequent occurrence especially outdoors in Australia where scenes with high subject brightness range abound. Otherwise I have some reservations about this camera's color reproduction with several images not quite rendering the subject as I saw it at the time.

Ergonomics The three elements of ergonomics are Holding, Viewing and Operating.
Holding The GH2 has the shape of a DSLR with a hump on top and a projecting handle, but reduced in size. This camera's existence and identity depend on it being different from a DSLR so why the product development people at Panasonic gave it a DSLR shape is an abiding mystery to me. Whatever the reason, that decision has a big effect on holding and operating characteristics. The projecting handle design works on larger cameras because the right hand is opened up when gripping the handle. But on the GH2 (and G1,G2,GH1) the projecting handle is much smaller so for adults with average sized hands the handle shape and UIM locations are at odds with the natural half closed holding position of the hand. The photos tell the story more clearly than words. One benefit of the projecting handle design is that it makes the camera easy to carry in the right hand, ready to go.

Photo 3 Shows the natural, relaxed half closed hand position. Best design practice would shape the camera to fit the hand in this position. Photo 4 Shows an average sized adult male hand holding the GH2 in the nearest possible approximation to a natural grip. You can see the index finger is looking for a shutter release button somewhere in space and the thumb is nowhere near any of the UIM's. Photo 4 Shows an average sized adult male hand holding the GH2 in the nearest possible approximation to a natural grip. You can see the index finger is looking for a shutter release button somewhere in space and the thumb is nowhere near any of the UIM's. Photo 6 This shows one of the mockups. This one is the same height as the GH2, a little less deep and 20 mm wider. It fits easily into the same compartment in my camera bag as the GH2. It is much more comfortable and secure to hold than the GH2. All primary and secondary exposure and focussing parameters can be adjusted in the Capture Phase of use without shifting grip at all.

PHOTO 3

PHOTO 4

PHOTO 5

PHOTO 6

Viewing Viewing arrangements on the GH2 are generally very effective. The monitor is of the swing out type, which is handy in many situations and protects the screen when closed. The EVF is large, bright and clear, with excellent data under and overlays and plenty of user configuration. There are newer and arguably better EVF's now available but that on the GH2 is still very usable in single shot mode.

Operating For the photographer who makes occasional pictures the GH2 will very likely be quite satisfactory. But for the user who wants to make several hundred photos per day, the GH2's operating systems may become frustrating. The shutter button is perched top and front on the projecting handle which is not where the index finger wants to find it. The Main Control Dial (MCD) is incorporated into the thumb rest and is operated by the right thumb. On the G1 and GH1 it was top and front on the handle where it was completely obstructed by the middle finger of the right hand. So they moved it to the back where at least you can now reach and operate it. However this involves derotating the thumb metacarpal and flexing the thumb inter-phalangeal joint, so as to bring the tip of the thumb to bear on the dial. All this means the user cannot effectively hold the camera with the right hand and operate it at the same time. This means one has to support the weight of the camera and lens with the left hand while operating it with the right hand. While not disastrous this does provide a suboptimal user experience which could easily be improved with better ergonomic design. The MCD has a "Push-Push operation. Push to change it's function from controlling Aperture or Shutter speed (depending on shooting mode) to Exposure Compensation. Push again to return to the former function. This is clever and it works.

The rear control panel is very small. In consequence all the buttons are tiny and all but the AF/AEL button are either recessed or smoothly rounded. Despite several month's diligent practice I cannot reliably locate the buttons on the 4 way controller by feel while looking through the EVF. This in turn means I often have to look at the buttons to find and operate them. In the case of the ISO and fn2 (to which I have allocated AF area selection) these initiate Capture Phase tasks which should be easy to complete while looking through the EVF but are often not. The other problem in this part of the camera is that I often bump the WB button by mistake due to it's location very close to the edge of the camera. I tried to raise the tactile profile of the 4 way controller buttons by placing a drop of clear epoxy on each. This has been partly successful but the basic problem persists. The ON/OFF switch is acceptably accessible. Having used cameras with O/I switches almost everywhere I find those around the shutter release button can be operated by touch, without having to look at the camera to determine whether it is on or off and to switch from one state to the other. The Q Menu is a good idea which could have been much better implemented by allowing the user to choose the items allocated to that button.

Summary As a stand alone item the Panasonic GH2 is a good, but not outstanding, product with acceptable features, image quality, performance and ergonomics for a Level 3 user. The main appeal of the GH2 is that it provides an entry point into the M43 system with a substantial and growing selection of lenses, a thriving on line community and prospects for future development.

The Way Forward Operation of the GH2 in it's existing form could be somewhat improved with the following minor changes: 1) Make function of the video button and all 4 way controller buttons user assignable from a long list of options, 2) Make contents of the Q Menu screen user assignable, 3) Slightly modify the thumbrest and main control dial for easier access and operation, 4) Replace the 4 way controller buttons with a "rocking saucer" type controller which is much easier to locate and operate with the right thumb by feel.

PRESENTED BY: SAKSHI KHURANA(14) DFT-VII