01 Thesis Project stefanmueller

Diploma Thesis Ui strategy for Digital Compact Cameras stefan müller / march - June 2006

ConTenTThroughout the history of photography, technological advances have had

an effect on the way people view and record pictures. The simultaneous

increased use of personal computers, the Internet and digital cameras led

to a tremendous increase in the number of photographic images in digital

formats. Emerging innovations in the fields of wireless connectivity,

display technology, increased processing power and virtually infinite

storage continue to enhance our picture taking- and retrieving rituals:

There’s a major shift going on in the type of content that is recorded, from

still-pictures over image bursts to video-data, and the amount of content,

enhancing from megabytes to gigabytes.

Within the scope of my Diplom project I developed hard- and software

interactions that suggest significant strategic directions on ways to

record, retrieve, and share visual content on-the-go, in context of

increasingly complex use models.

AnAlysIs

FIElDWork

PhysIcAl Tour

VIrTuAl Tour

analYsis Compact Camera Categories

Compact - simple

The segment of ‘traditionally-styled’

easy-to-use compact cameras is designed

in order to appeal to the first-time user

moving from a film to digital. With straight

forward exposure controls and simple

menu navigation - but also with a mostly

conventionally styled package - these

cameras aim to provide the extremely

casual user with the greatest amount of

photographic confidence possible.

advanced compact cameras usually offer

a wealth of “real photographic” features

in a fairly compact package, allowing the

enthusiast alike user to access most, if not

all, aspects of picture taking manually. on

the hardware side these cameras usually

don’t fit into anything smaller than a coat

pocket – instead they are equipped with

advanced ergonomic features that allow for

better handling.

subcompact - stylish

aiming to attract the style-seeking crowd,

subcompacts are mostly marketed towards

point-and-shooters on-the-go, shielding

them from the complexities of shutter

speeds and aperture settings. exposure

control is straightforward, operating mainly

under automatic modes. a diminutive form

factor is particularly attractive to women

who have very little pocket space and are

much more adverse to carrying bulkier

items in those pockets than men.

Compact - advanced

Stefan Müller DSC Strategy 01

2005 2004 2006

Canon sD110 Canon sD200 Canon sD450 Canon sD600September 21 2004 August 22 2005 February 21 2006

16% Screen 30% Screen 60% Screen40% Screen

Announced February 09 2004

There has been a continuous increase of camera

display sizes for several years by roughly 0.5 inch

in diagonal every few month. Meanwhile large screens occupy 60 to 80% of the real estate on the rear of a camera, forcing the controls to be scaled to the size of the frame. With all the buttons

crammed together on such a small allotment of

space, camera handling becomes increasingly

difficult because multiple buttons may be pressed

accidentally at the same time.

While a large display increases the pressure on

the control layout it often is a revelation in use

though, both when taken pictures and when

looking at them during playback.

super large screen sizes unveil great opportunities for future cameras to become sophisticated media-machines for viewing, organizing and sharing visual content on-the-go, next to the

traditional use of solely recording pictures.

analYsis The ever-expanding screen size Competition

ø1.5 inch: 30.5mm x 22.9mm

ø2.0 inch: 40.6mm x 30.5mm

ø2.5 inch: 50.8mm x 38.1mm

ø3.0 inch: 60.9mm x 45.7mm

ø1.5 inch

ø2.0 inch

ø2.5 inch

ø3.0 inch


CB 01B 02B 03B 04B 05B 06B 07B 08B 09

C 01C 02C 03C 04C 05C 06C 07C 08C 09C 10C 11C 12C 13

BA

A 02

A 01

A 03A 04A 05A 06A 07A 08A 09A 10A 11

B 01B 02B 03B 04B 05B 06B 07B 08B 09

C 01C 02C 03C 04C 05C 06C 07C 08C 09C 10C 11C 12C 13

A 07A 08A 09A 10A 11

analYsis archetypical Camera menus

Most manufactures split the record menu into two district categories:

First there is a main menu covering general camera settings. It usually consists of a vertical list of options that the user scrolls through. Due to its vast extents, navigating through this list structure

can become tedious rather quickly. To compensate, manufactures provide

shortcuts via tabs that split the main menu into several pages. The tabs are

very much needed for quicker navigation, as they allow to bypass unwanted

menu options. But even tabbed menus often require far too many key presses

to change common settings. To improve the accessibility of frequently used

controls manufactures incorporated “Quick Menus”. These menus offer instant access to a single page menu covering all the most commonly accessed shooting parameters that directly shape

the recorded image. Its options are mostly superimposed over the live feed

image, allowing users to observe the effects of their alterations. A F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1BCDEF

Tabbed menus accelerate navigation as they allow to bypass

unwanted options.

Single page “quick” menus offer instant access to the most

commonly accessed shooting controls.


FielDWorkethnographic interviews

Within the scope of this project seven people participated in a “lightweight” ethnographic field study that I carried out.

The majority of the data was elicited during in

home observations and in-person interviews.

Additionally, I collected representative sample

shots which I found in the photo archives of the

interviewees. These takeaways helped to better

understand what users actually do with their

photos and offered interesting insight into their

habits of organizing, editing and sharing.

An ethnographic research takes into account not

only what people say, think or believe but what

they actually do - and it examines the context that

affects those actions, beliefs and expressions.

Observing real people in their environments and

sometimes joining them in their tasks, allowed

me to obtain firsthand experiences of their needs

and concerns, which helped a lot to identify

weak points in interaction patterns and suggest

significant strategic directions.

Thomas, 23 yearshamburg

Martin, 23 yearsBerlin

Pauline, 25 years Berlin

Philipp, 25 yearsnürnberg

regine, 25 yearsMünchen

hannes, 25 years Bad kleinen

Frank, 34 yearsBerlin

“ThE WorlD Is BEAuTIFul, DuDE - AnD IT’s Full oF surPrIsEs!”

“soMEhoW I AlWAys rEgrET ThE PIcTurEs I DIDn’T TAkE.”

“I hAD soME MAjor PErsonAl ProBlEMs lAsT suMMEr. APPArEnTly I Don’T hAVE Any PIcTurEs oF ThAT TIME.”

“MosT oF My PIcTurEs ArE TAkEn AccIDEnTly. I nEVEr TAkE ThE cAMErA WITh ME conscIously.”

“ArEn’T you gonnA Ask ME ABouT ThE VIDEo FuncTIon oF My cAMErA AT All?!”

“lAnDscAPEs ArE ThE MosT BorIng ThIngs EVEr!”

“I hArDly usE My AnAloguE cAMErA AnyMorE, MosTly DuE To ThE lAck oF A DIsPlAy. Though IT sTIll TAkEs ThE BETTEr PIcTurEs.”

urban landscapes & artificial structures: symbolic pictures with dense meaning and information compacted into a single object or place.

Photography for positive self-presentation:celebrating creativity and social vitality.

conveying the vitality of life and family: A record of close relationships and honest, unaffected emotions.

Picture taking is a chore: A super-pragmatic photography approach.

considered expressions of an active, self-determined lifestyle: utilizing photography for positive self-presentation

Faithful realism:keeping a record of personal experiences with great care and dedication - more for self than for others.

Visual travelogues: A documentation of travel activities and records of the places visited.

“As designers we are partially anthropologists relying on the precise observation of the man made environment, the predominant behavioral patterns and rituals...” seven5.com


new photography approaches emerge.

keY FinDingspauline’s Video Capture and Time lapse Techniques

In conjunction with increasing storage capacities new approaches to picture-taking will likely lead to a tremendous increase of photos to be stored and organized inside future cameras. Emerging videographic techniques, such as time lapse

photography, herald a major shift to rather capture sub-sequent bursts

of images or videos instead of taking a single picture at a time.

Pauline created this sequence of herself being engaged in a conversation with her roommate by using the image-burst function of

her camera. Looking at the sequence at a higher frame-rate than it was recorded creates a very dynamic time lapse effect.

In order to create this stop-motion sequence Pauline used the self-timer function of her camera to

automatically capture successive pictures of herself walking up and down the boat bridge.

Here we see an expressive time-lapse sequence of Pauline’s roommate. The effect of his shifting physiognomy when viewed at a

higher frame rate is stunning: The scene becomes so amazingly vivid that you that you can almost “see” what the guy is thinking.

serious video applications implemented in digital cameras are capable to dramatically shift current picture taking habits: Since Pauline got her new camera she really became more a

videographer at heart rather than taking still pictures. She appreciates

the “authenticity of video” allowing her to portrait people “how they

really are” as they interact.

The 35 still pictures (at 2048x1536 pixel) inside one of Pauline’s directories occupy 15 megabyte storage, while three minutes(!) of

videos at a resolution of 640 x480 pixel occupy whooping 290 megabytes.

Utilizing the image-burst- and self-timer function, Pauline also creates

very dramatic time lapse sequences of family members or friends

engaged in happy activity. Originally, time-lapse photography is a

cinematography technique whereby each film frame is captured at a rate

much slower than it will be played back. When played back at normal

speed, time appears to be moving faster and thus lapsing.


Battery life & storage are the main limiting factors today.

Batteries are projected to clearly lag behind demand in all kinds

of mobile applications in the future. A future battery will only

be marginally better than today’s. The key factor driving design

considerations has shifted to battery life and power conservation.

keY FinDingsmartin’s ipod + Camera link-Up

In order to transfer his photos directly from his digital camera to the iPod Martin uses the iPod Camera Connector, which provides an

USB connection between both devices. In the future, more interactive experiences could be enabled by wireless docking of cameras

into portable hosts.

The rotary click-wheel technology permits highly differentiated interaction by allowing the thumb to continuously turn full circle for fast

scrolling, or a more precise selection by making small movements. The physical rotating movement of the thumb is linked to a linear

movement on the screen. A virtual linear movement will then be interpreted in either vertical or horizontal direction.

Martin frequently uses his camera in conjunction with his 60 gigabyte

iPod Photo in order to compensate the limited storage capacity of the

cameras’ memory card. Buffering photos or videos on the iPod allows Martin to capture a virtually unlimited amount of content. This is particularly useful during special occasions such as

holidays or family events where he ends up taking tons of pictures.

Martin also didn’t get tiered to stress that the iPod’s rotating “click-

wheel” was much more effective for scrolling through a long list of

pictures than the tabbing four-way camera controls.


minimal effort is put in picture organization.

Martin’s photo archive consists of a few thousand photos, dating back

until the year 2000. Considering the large amount of pictures, his

organization method is astonishingly simple: Like most of the other

interviewees Martin just drops groups of images directly from his digital camera into directories that he names, but otherwise does little more to manage his pictures. His primary organization principle is chronological, supplemented by

contextual descriptions of places, persons or events. A sequence of

photos that was taken over a successive period of time or within the

same context usually is dropped into a single dedicated directory. The

directory nomenclature is always consistent: Each folder first indicates

the date when a sequence was taken and second features an additional

description of its contextual meaning. A chronological organization

scheme is as simple as it is effective: It implies a shallow hierarchy with

many folders “floating on the surface”.

Time Based Sequences: YYYY-MM-DD____Context

keY FinDingsmartin’s file structure & organization method

Martin uses the standard OS X Finder software to organize his pictures. To manage his

photos, he usually drops sequences of pictures directly from his camera into dedicated

directories that he names by date.


Name of Folder: 2004-12-11___Daniels EinweihungspartyCreated in December 2004

Name of Folder: 2004-12-31___SilvesterCreated in December 2004

Name of Folder: 2005-01-20___LondonCreated in January 2005

Name of Folder: 2005-04-08___Peers AusstellungCreated March until May 2005

keY FinDingsTakeaways: inside martin’s Folders

Photography for positive self-presentation:

Largely attributed to his chronological organization scheme, Martin’s

photo archive incorporates a shallow hierarchy of many folders, each

containing a moderate to low number of pictures.

Martin uses photography as a vehicle to positively portrait his personal

life and relationships, with a particular emphasis on creativity and

social vitality. The breath of his photographic subjects is determined

by this main motivation. Social pictures of friends have become his all

overriding photographic theme - often getting up close and filling up

the frame with his subject. Martin puts focus on the people he loves and

spends time with rather than capturing “boring things like landscapes or

architecture.” Some of his photographs also relate to university projects,

but the emphasis on unaffected people-photography remains prevalent

throughout all of his pictures.

Celebrating creativity and social vitality.


phYsiCal ToUrhardware Concepts - guiding ideas

Focal point: emphasize Contentcameras are designed to capture and deliver visual content, thus the content should be the predominant element. The screen as the focal point helps to create a natural hierarchy that simplifies

usage and draws the users attention to the primary areas of interest.

approachable Touch points: meaningful asymmetrylarge radii indicate primary interaction areas. soft curves and surfaces have engaging qualities, hinting at the product’s purpose and usage. Purposeful asymmetry is utilized to create welcoming approach sides that

lead the user to primary touch-points and interaction zones of the camera.

primary approach


All direct photographic controls are located on the top surface of the camera. Non-photographic controls to navigate the on-screen

information will be located on the camera rear.

Top surface

power on/oFF shutter Button Zoom rocker The camera zoom alters the focal length of the lens system.

It works in conjunction with the shutter release, and should

hence be located in close proximity to it.

mode switch still/Video The camera mode represents a major pre-capture decision

with large implication on the menu items to follow.

Drive mode ControlsFocus ControlsFlash ControlsDrive Mode, Focus and Flash represent frequently accessed,

complex photographic controls and should be anticipated

as physical buttons from a usability point of view. As

straightforward photographic controls these buttons should

be located on the camera top.

The top surface of the camera is home of the photographic controls.

Physical Button Required

Physical Button Desired

phYsiCal ToUrhardware Ui - primary principle

rear surfaceThe rear surface is home of the camera display and the corresponding hardware controls to navigate on-screen information.

Vertical andhorizontal navigation Bars Two touch-sensitive surfaces represent the camera’s

navigational interface. grouping the navigation controls with the display helps establish a logical connection between physical action and virtual reaction, with on-

screen elements acting congruent to physical thumb gesture.

menu ButtonThe Menu button calls up and dismisses the on-screen menus.

It will be one of the most frequently accessed controls and

should thus be generously dimensioned.

playback ButtonThe Playback button puts the camera into playback mode.

Display ButtonThe Display button toggles the amount of overlay information

that is superimposed over the live feed image.

Control-layout and button placement


phYsiCal ToUrhardware Ui - secondary principle

Visually grouped Controls

All buttons that navigate on-screen information and virtual controls should visually correspond to the screen, emphasizing the camera’s focal point. Grouping navigational controls and buttons

with the display creates a visual hierarchy that simplifies camera usage and

helps to establish a logical connection between physical action and virtual

reaction.

menu-accessing ControlsControls that directly manipulate on-screen information should visually relate to the screen, emphasizing the camera’s focal point.

straight Camera ControlsControls that don’t access on-screen information form a separate grouping on top of the camera.

3 shutter Button & Zoom rockerIn order to allow for one-handed operation, shutter button and

zoom rocker are located in close proximity to each other

power on/oFFmode switch

Drive mode ControlsFocus ControlsFlash ControlsRepresenting direct photographic controls, these

buttons form a logical grouping that is located on

the top surface of the camera. Each control is likely

to call up a separate mini-menu.

navigation Bars The touch-sensitive linear surfaces represent the

cameras navigational interface. The bars exist

in direct correlation to the on-screen menus and

should hence form a distinct grouping in with the

camera display.

menu Buttonplayback ButtonDisplay Button Being located on the rear surface the Menu,

Playback and Display button form a distinct

grouping that gravitates towards the screen.

2

1

Distinct Button Shapes Help Support Visual Groupings

straightforward camera controls incorporate circular or rounded footprints. The buttons should protrude or recess from the surface in order to provide a distinct tactile feedback when being used.

Buttons that access the on-screen menus incorporate soft, rectangular shapes. logical groupings of buttons exist as a continuous band with separators to prevent miss-hits. When possible these buttons should be flush with the surface. chamfered edges on the button surround provide a subtle tactile orientation for the thumb when approaching a button grouping.


phYsiCal ToUrUse models Drive Camera sizes and layouts

Instead of physical limitations, emerging use models and usability considerations become the main driver of future camera sizes and layouts. Ultimately, three fundamental archetypes

have been identified, incorporating a point-and-shoot, composition-crafting

and video-convergence emphasis. Camera-segmentation Framework

super small form factor: strong emphasis on portability, max. 10 mm thick

small screens: 2”- 2.5” at wide aspect ratiosthat allow for small batteries

Flash memory up to 8 gigabyte

less manual controls

exploring new ways to hold and carry super small cameras. • longish form factor • lanyard or coin pocket

longish form factor may provoke new interactions: • shooting in portrait formats equally to landscape (shutter exploration)

A Point & Shoot Emphasis C Video Convergence Emphasis (hybrid device)

attributes of digital video recorders: • Tilting lens and screen assembly facilitates dynamic interactions, such as shooting at waist level or hands over head positions

relatively large form factor sporting extremely large screens at cinematic ratios

micro hDD up to 32 gigabyte

handling similar to a camcorder allows for one-handed operation over longer periods of time. ideal for capturing video, image bursts or special effects photography.

B Composition Crafting Emphasis

prominent ergonomic features: • suggest a greater concern for pragmatic application and functionality

Wealth of manual controls attracting the enthusiast alike user • ergonomics allow for comfortable shooting during longer photo sessions

Flash or micro hDD storage up to 32 gig

moderate to large screen size 2.5” - 4.0” at 4:3 or 3:2 ratios

moderately sized, 10 - 20 mm thick • substantial frame provides natural and comfortable grip positions


The Point & Shoot Archetype represents sub-compact cameras with a

strong emphasis on portability. Supposed to be thin enough to slip into

the coin pocket on a pair of jeans, these cameras are intended to be

dragged anywhere and used in everyday situations for instant captures.

A diminutive form factor is particularly attractive to women who have

very little pocket space and are much more adverse to carrying bulkier

electronics in those pockets than men.

Large radii elicit welcoming approach sides that hint at the products

purpose and usage, leading the user to its primary touch-points and

interaction zones. Subtle ergonomic sculpting on the rear side provides

some extra edge for the thumb to hang on to. Logical groupings

of buttons give the user clues about functional relationships and

hierarchies of the camera controls. Color-coded buttons help distinguish

menu accessing (dark-grey) from straightforward photographic controls

(in body color).

APoint & Shoot EmphasisPhysIcAl Tour

Soft curves have engaging qualities. The camera design incorporates a meaningful asymmetry whereby large radii elicit camera touch points and hint at the approach sides of primary interaction areas.

Cameras are designed to capture and deliver visual content, hence there should be nothing but the content that draws the user’s attention. The small height and longish form factor facilitates a cell phone style grip position to capture portrait formats.

running with the thumb along the touch sensitive surfaces navigates the on-screen menus. Grouping the navigational

controls with the camera screen provides a logical connection between physical action and virtual reaction.


The Composition-Crafting Archetype represents compact cameras that

are built for performance, suggesting a greater concern for pragmatic

application and functionality. Attracting the enthusiast alike user, these

moderately sized models are intended to have an edge over ultra-

compact point-and-shot cameras in terms of handling and photographic

features.

The Composition-Crafting type certainly doesn’t represent the smallest

cameras on the market, but compensates with density instead. The

slightly chunkier format provides natural and comfortable grip positions

for the right hand and enough real estate for the left to stabilize.

There’s something to be said for a camera that feels like a machine and

not a plastic toy, as it certainly wont shoot like one. Having said this, I

do not feel that creating a camera that is solid jeopardizes portability.

Instead, it will help the enthusiast user to steady his shots and furnish

better pictures ultimately.

B Composition Crafting EmphasisPhysIcAl Tour

large radii are utilized to hint at the product’s purpose and usage. The Composition-Crafting type features a substantial

ergonomic bump on the rear that provides some extra edge for the thumb to hang on to, making the camera literally stick to the fingers.

When taking pictures one-handed the camera is squeezed between the right thumb and middle finger while the index finger controls the

zoom and shutter release. A chamfered groove around the lens surround gives greater significance to the camera front and optics.

As with the point-and-shoot archetype, running with the thumb along the touch sensitive surfaces navigates the on-screen information.

Distinguished navigational directions may allow the on-screen presentation to be congruent to physical gestures.


The convergence of digital still- and video cameras is likely to question

current picture-taking rituals and unveils great opportunities for a major

rethink of today’s camera layouts. The Hybrid archetype represents

digital cameras that refer to video-camcorders in terms of form factor

and handling. Camcorders are actually very comfortable to use and

allow to be operated almost entirely single-handed.

Due to the articulating elements, the layout of the Hybrid type model

departs from the traditional 35 mm layout while still maintaining the

initial idea of visually grouped controls. The tilting screen design of the

not only facilitates dynamic shooting positions - such as waist level or

hands-over-head captures - but also allows for extreme screen sizes,

much larger than 4.0 inch in diameter. To operate the camera, users will

embrace the cylindrical lens barrel with the right hand while the left

hand is used to tilt the camera screen.

C Video Convergence EmphasisPhysIcAl Tour

The tilting screen design facilitates multiple stances that provoke interesting interactions for self-portraits, time lapse effects, self-timer shots or presentation.

When navigating the on-screen menus the camera is naturally hold between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand. This grip position

allows the right thumb to travel comfortably along the linear navigation bars without having to stretch out too much.

The lens barrel is anticipated to be embraced by the right thumb and index finger. A gently curved grip at the lower third of

the barrel hints at the approach side of the right hand and provides additional estate for the palm and the remaining fingers to rest on.


phYsiCal ToUrhardware Ui - signature elements

grouping the navigational controls with the display helps establish a logical connection between physical action and virtual reaction.

Curves on Touch points soft curves have engaging qualities and help create welcoming approach sides that lead the user to the primary touch-points and interaction zones of the camera.

Content emphasis Digital cameras are powerful view machines, designed to capture and deliver visual content. Thus, the content should be the pre-dominant element with everything else gravitating around it.

navigation Bars

Meaningful asymmetry is utilized to hint at the products purpose and usage. Soft surfaces help to present primary areas of interaction when placed where the user approaches the product.

The screen as the focal point of the camera creates a natural hierarchy that helps to better organize the user experience and draws attention to primary points of interest.

The touch sensitive surfaces allow for complex and highly differentiated interactions. By distinguishing vertical from horizontal navigation, the virtual on-screen presentation may be congruent to physical gesture of the thumb.

having large implication on overall proportions and first read appearance, primary design elements help create a bold and welcoming statement to draw the user in.


phYsiCal ToUrhardware Ui - signature elements

refined detailing of the bezel edge gives greater significance to the lens opening and camera optics. A chamfered groove around the lens surround is a strong visual element that places additional emphasis on the front surface and camera optics, reinforcing its precision and photographic relevance.

Button shapes generously dimensioned square and circular buttons provide the platform to organize the hardware uI of the camera. Square buttons with soft corners are home of menu accessing controls. These buttons are flush to the surface with chamfered edges on the button surrounds to provide a subtle tactile orientation for the thumb.

key groupingsButton groupings provide clues about functional relationships and hierarchies of the camera controls.

lens precision groove

Direct camera controls are represented by rounded elements that protrude or recess from the surface in order to provide a distinct tactile feedback when being used.

A logical grouping of buttons should exist as a continuous band with stationary separators to prevent miss-hits. Specific functional relationships are highlighted by button shape, location, and color coding.

Projecting a clear hierarchy of functional relationships, secondary design elements provide clues about the products purpose and usage.


phYsiCal ToUrhardware Ui - product line up

A Point & Shoot Emphasis C Video Convergence Emphasis (hybrid device)

B Composition Crafting Emphasis


VirTUal ToUrCamera screens & menus - guiding ideas

Vertical NavigationMenu elements are selected in vertical direction.

Horizontal AlterationAlterations take place in horizontal direction.

Na

vig

ati

on

Zo

ne

Alteration Zone

Distinct navigational DirectionsTwo distinct navigational directions provide the platform to organize the on-screen interactions. Where possible, selections are

made in vertical direction while alterations happen horizontally. Allowing

the on-screen presentation to be congruent to physical gestures, distinct

navigational directions facilitate very intuitive camera operation.

The on-screen elements should correspond to the physical buttons they relate to, in order to provide clues about functional relationships. Organizing the menu system in conjunction

with the corresponding hardware controls helps to establish a logical

connection between physical action and virtual reaction.

hard- & software Compound


VirTUal ToUr record mode gUi elements

status overlay information

remaining resourcesThe camera resource information icons do not relate to any

hardware buttons. In consideration of increasing storage

capacities large amounts of remaining shots are anticipated.

Top controls overlay InformationThe on-screen presentation of focus, drive-mode and flash information icons contextually relates the

corresponding hardware controls on the top surface of

the camera.

Exposure Information DisplayA separate Exposure Information overlay is contextually imposed

during manual camera modes. Witnessing how shutter-speed, aperture and exposure value correlate will help novice users to

better understand the effects of their manual settings.

camera settings InformationThis overlay provides information about the camera setting at

which the picture will be captured. The on-screen presentation

of the settings relates to the vertical navigation bar as the

corresponding hardware control.

In record mode, status overlay-information is superimposed over the live feed

image. The amount of information is context sensitive, depending on the

camera mode, but can also be toggled using the DISP button. groupings of overlay items hint at specific contextual relationships. Where possible the on-screen presentation should visually relate to the corresponding hardware controls.

sample screensstatus overlay Information

Incorporating the most basic overlay information, full Auto Mode represents a straightforward point and shoot approach.

In full Manual Mode aperture and shutter-speed are displayed

simultaneously in the Camera Settings overlay. The green brackets in the center indicate the auto-focus points.

In shutter Priority mode all information overlays are presented at full opacity, suggesting more manual

control options than under Automatic Mode.

The Display button toggles the amount of overlay information .

Status overlays appear

in large, white type,

rimmed in a subtle

shadow cast for better

contrast and legibility.


t

AUTO

ON


The record mode menu

The record menu consists of a vertical navigation Zone that is home of the photographic controls and a horizontal Alteration Zone to modify settings. It offers instant access to all the most common

shooting parameters that have a direct impact on the shape of the recorded

image. Grouping the menu items with the corresponding hardware controls

creates a logical connection between physical action and virtual reaction.

Dynamic Icons correspond to each alteration step.

alteration Zone

Alteration Leveler + TravelThe leveler position changes congruent to physical thumb gesture along the horizontal navigation bar. Moving the leveler position ultimately alters a selected value.

Alteration RampRamps indicate the direction of increasing or decreasing values. Ramp separations represent scales when non-continuous alterations take place.

navigation Zonenavigation Zone elements are presented in a list that visually corresponds to the vertical navigation bar of the hardware uI. The on-screen selection changes

congruent to the thumb gesture along the touch-sensitive

surface. Once a Navigation Zone item is selected, it can be

modified by the Alteration Leveler in horizontal direction.

The Alteration Zone elements directly correspond to horizontal navigation bar input. Running with the thumb

along the touch sensitive surface alters a selected value

accordingly to the physical gesture.

sample screensrecord Menu

The camera Mode is the top priority menu item with

large impact on what controls will be available. Manual

modes present a wider spectrum of photographic controls.

In Shutter Priority mode the shutterspeed is contextually available as the second menu item. The Alteration Ramp

hints at the direction from slow to fast Shutter-Speeds.

ISO Sensitivity is the third important exposure control next to

shutter-speed or aperture. The alteration ramp hints at the direction from low to high sensor sensitivities.

The menus are super-

imposed over the live

feed image, allowing to

witness the effects of

alterations.

Subtle highlights and

crisp shadows provide a

distinct contrasty read.

The Menu button calls up and dismisses the on-screen menus. It exists in correlation to the navigation bars and camera display.

Running with the thumb along the touch-sensitive surfaces navigates the menus.


Basic Image InformationThis information display represents the standard playback

overlay. It is home of essential image information that helps

users to orientate while browsing their collection.

Advanced Image InformationAdditionally a more detailed information display can be

toggled on: The advanced overlay provides information about

the camera setting at which the picture was taken.

VirTUal ToUrplayback mode gUi elements

playback information overlays

The standard playback screen features basic overlay information about when

a picture was captured and its location on the storage card.

The overlay information can be toggled to an advanced display providing

detailed information about the camera settings at which a picture was taken.

The thumbnail preview display represents another overlay option. Small thumbnails of previous and upcoming

pictures, superimposed over the full screen view, provide

better orientation when retrieving pictures in playback mode.

sample screensPlayback Mode overlays

The Playback button puts the camera into playback mode.

Pressing the Display button toggles the amount of overlay information.

The Advanced overlay option provides a histogram and detailed information about the camera settings

at which a picture was taken. Overlay information can be

toggled with the DISP. button on the camera rear.

Pulling the zoom rocker to the right magnifies a picture during playback.

Pushing the zoom rocker to the left zooms out of a picture and also enters thumbnail view.

The background pictures

used in the Playback Mode

illustrations are takeaways,

that were generously

donated from Pauline

during the ethnographic

research.

Running with the thumb along the navigation bars swaps the display from picture to picture.

Pulling the zoom rocker to the right magnifies a picture in playback. For better orientation, an overlay

in the lower right corner of the screen indicates the display

extent in relation to the size of the magnified picture.

Overlays appear in large,

white type, rimmed in a

subtle shadow cast for

better legibility.


capture DateThe date format is Month DD, yyyy. Indicating the month

& day first facilitates better orientation, as pictures saved on

a camera storage unlikely stretch over more than a couple of

months.orientation Bar and selection rectangleA proportional scroll bar indicates the amount of visible

pictures in relation to the total amount of images.

The green rectangle indicates the current picture selected.

VirTUal ToUrplayback mode gUi elements

Thumbnail Zooming interface

The thumbnail view allows users to travel through a “space of pictures” within a zoomable environment. Emerging photography

use-models and growing storage capacities will likely lead to a heavy increase

in the amount of pictures to be stored inside future cameras. Zooming out for

context, and zooming in for more detail allows users to manage more pictures

at a time, spending less time navigating.

In thumbnail view, pictures are organized by the capture date. All images that have been taken at the same

day are presented in a continuous row. Pictures at lower

resolution may appear smaller than large images.

sample screensPlayback Mode overlays

Pushing the zoom leveler to the left continuously zooms out of a full-screen image and enters the thumbnail

view. At thumbnail presentation, the last full-screen picture

gets selected initially.

Very small thumbnails facilitate an overview on a high number of pictures at a single glance. Diminutive

thumbnails promise to increase navigation performance,

especially for users familiar with the pictures they look at.

Pulling the zoom rocker to the right zooms in for more detail.

Pushing the zoom rocker to the left zooms out for context.

Dynamic gridA dynamic grid structure provides the platform for the

thumbnail array of the zooming interface mechanism.

The thumbnail sizes also differ proportionally: Pictures at

lower resolution will appear proportionally smaller than

larger images.

The position of the selection rectangle changes concurrent to thumb gestures along the touch sensitive surfaces. Running in vertical direction moves the selection straight downwards. Before leaving the screen extent, the display swaps to the next set of images.

The UI selection color is

R= 150, G= 255, B=0

At a fairly low gray-value

this color provides a crisp

& contrasty read, high-

lighting the areas where

the action takes place.



The playback menu

The playback menu offers access to basic image organization controls and an image adjustment toolset. As with the record

menu, options are organized in a vertical navigation zone with the most

significant controls located on top of the list. Once a navigation zone item is

selected, it can be altered in horizontal direction. Groupings of menu items

project a clear hierarchy, hinting at specific contextual relationships.

alteration Zone

Alteration Leveler + TravelThe leveler position changes congruent to physical thumb gesture along the horizontal navigation bar. Moving the leveler position ultimately alters a selected value.

navigation ZoneNavigation Zone elements are presented in a vertical list

that visually corresponds to the vertical navigation bar

of the hardware UI. Grouping menu elements in with the

corresponding hardware controls creates a logical connection

between physical action and virtual reaction.

The Alteration Zone elements directly correspond to

horizontal navigation bar input. Running with the thumb

along the touch sensitive surface alters a selected value

accordingly to the physical gesture.

sample screensPlayback Menu

star ranking allows to visually distinguish favorite pics by a white star icon imposed near the bottom edge.

(FYI The selection rectangle may be expanded with two finger

touching one of the navigational surfaces simultaneously.)

Subtle highlights and

crisp shadows provide a

distinct contrasty read.

The Menu button calls up and dismisses the on-screen menus.

The Playback button puts the camera into playback mode.

The erase function is one the most frequently accessed features in playback mode and thus located

at top priority of the vertical list. (Note that full-screen view

contextually sports more menu options than thumbnail view.)

Filter options to reduce the amount of visible images have been designed in consideration of emerging photography rituals, that will likely lead to a massive

increase in the amount of photos to be stored and organized

inside future cameras.

Running with the thumb along the touch-sensitive surfaces navigates the menu.

The background pictures

used in the Playback Mode

illustrations are takeaways,

that were generously

donated from Pauline

during the ethnographic

research.


VirTUal ToUr menu navigation & Camera handling

Holding the camera in the hand visually

reduces the device to the size the screen.

As cameras are designed to capture and

deliver visual content there should be

nothing but the screen that draws the

user’s attention.

running with the thumb along the touch sensitive surfaces navigates the on-screen menus. Grouping the

navigational controls with the camera display provides a logical

connection between physical action and virtual reaction; with on-

screen elements acting congruent to physical gestures.

thank you!

01 Thesis Project stefanmueller

Technology

Transcript of 01 Thesis Project stefanmueller