Kodak Advantix Camera

CSE510 Human Computer Interaction Lab #1
Tammy VanDeGrift

Design Goals

The Design

                                  
The camera is designed with a flip-up lens covering.  This covering includes the flash at the top as seen in the picture above.  Once the flip-up lens covering is open, the lens of the camera emerges from the camera.  At this point, the camera is ready for use.  Note that the flip-up lens covering has a window, so that when the covering is flipped down the lens retracts and the lens is visible.  The  c700 series Kodak camera also includes a zoom, activated by a rotation dial in the user's right thumb.  Also included in this camera is a series of buttons on the backside of the camera which allow for different flash settings, delayed picture taking, and other advanced features.  The user can control the size of the picture (classic, group, panoramic) by hitting a button using the user's left hand.  Each tap of the button cycles through the three choices of pictures.  The default picture size is the group size (4 inches by 7 inches).  The final feature that I describe here is the loading compartment for the film.  The user must pull down on a dragging button to open the film compartment.

The Problems

For this analysis, I will focus on the flip-up lens covering.  When I first received this camera as a gift, I had no idea how to set the camera in a picture-taking state.  Luckily, a friend had a similar style of camera and guided me by lifting the flip-up lens covering.  There are several problems with this flip-up lens covering design.  I will illustrate two of these problems with true stories from my experiences.

When I travel, I like to take pictures to remember the sights of my trips.  I also like to be in some of these pictures.  In order to accomplish this task, I have two choices.  My first choice is to use the delayed feature and set the camera on a ledge.  Unfortunately, ledges are not always available for the scenes I want to capture.  My second option is to ask someone to take the picture for me.  At this point, I hand over the camera and try to smile.  I usually hand a person the camera in "ready" mode with the flip-up lens covering open.  If the user delays at all trying to center me in the picture, the camera goes into the "not ready" mode.  This mode requires the user to flip down the covering and open it up again.  After trying to explain verbally to the user how to do this, she looks completely confused and starts hitting buttons on the backside of the camera.  There is no power button here (like there is on her camera), but instead she changes the flash options.  Seeing her frustration, I walk over to her and perform the flip-down and flip-up operations to set the camera in "ready" mode.  The user successfully takes a picture of me.

The second problem associated with the flip-up lens covering results from the little window that covers the lens in the closed position.  Several users use this window as the viewer when taking pictures of me.  Before I can notify the user to use the viewer, the flash goes off and the picture is wasted.  The pictures resulting from this process have objects centered too low.

Possible Intentions

The designers of the lens cover probably had other goals in mind.  To keep the lens clean and intact, it is important to cover the lens when the camera is not in use.  For similar reasons, the flash should also be protected while the camera is not in use.  This flip-up lens covering design addresses these goals of protecting the lens and the flash.  Also, the Kodak designers state that the centered flash above the lens reduces red eye.  By using the flip-up lens covering, the camera has fewer buttons and dials to set the camera to the ready state.  Additionally, the flip-up lens covering prevents the user from accidentally taking a picture since it is nearly impossible to flip up the covering inadvertently.

Analysis of Design

The difficulty in using this camera results from two major concepts addressed in Norman's paper.  The first design principle that should be addressed is visibility.  The flip-up lens covering is not a natural mechanism to uncover the lens.  The sleek design of the cover makes it blend into the main body of the camera, hiding its possible functionality as a lens covering.  The flip-up lens covering creates poor visibility.  The second problem is the mapping for the viewer.  Most cameras have a single viewer (where the user looks to take the picture) and it is obvious where the user should place his eye.  The Kodak camera has the mini window in addition to the smaller viewer in the main body of the camera.  This extra window makes the mapping less clear.  Also, there is no feedback at the time of taking a picture if the user uses the window instead of the viewer.

There is feedback once the user figures out how to uncover the camera lens.  The lens protrudes from the camera and stops when the camera is ready to take pictures.

Possible Design Improvements

I suggest a different design for the camera lens covering.  The covering should be removed by the touch of a button or a well marked slider.  At the touch of the button, the lens would be uncovered and the flash would rise.  Kodak has some Advantix cameras that do have this interface.