Using knobs on an oscilloscope is comparable to using a mouse on pc. They get the job done! All of the top-of-the-line oscilloscopes still use knobs - this includes digital oscilloscopes with full touch screens.

Hey why the downmods? Knobs are a very important part of an oscilloscope...

(I did not downmod you, but...) The part about knobs on an oscilloscope being important is probably true. In contrast, many computer users find the mouse far less useful than the keyboard - so much so that they go to great lengths to discover all available keyboard shortcuts. This minimizes the distance your hand travels for each command, and can greatly increase the speed at which you perform a task.

Therefore, a more agreeable analogy to those downmodding you might have been along these lines: having multiple simultaneously accessible knobs on an oscilloscope is like having multiple keys on a keyboard. You don't have to go into a menu to select which key you want to press. You just press the correct key. Likewise with an oscilloscope's knobs.

Ahh... Makes sense, that was a pretty bad analogy. Just be glad I didn't try to make a joke ;-)

By the way, do you know if there are any digital cameras with `analog' knobs and dials?

Leica's digital Ms are the only cameras I can think of. (Focus, Aperture and exposure, beyond that you are also out of luck. Consindering that M cameras don't have much else beyond ISO and EV correction to adjust, the digital Ms nevertheless remained pretty analog cameras.)

Make no mistake, other cameras (usually DSLRs) do have dials, but they usually have multiple functions depending on the mode you are in or the buttons you pressed.

DSLR lenses allow for analog control over focus and (if they are zoom lenses) focal length. Some odd cameras might throw in dedicated dials for such things as EV correction and ISO (the recent G series models from Canon). Adding additional dials (which can be assigned special functions) has also become quite popular with higher end small sensor cameras like the S90 from Canon.

But I don't know any camera (except the Leicas which are way too expensive for many, many people including myself) which conciously decided to reduce the complexity of the digital interface in favour of analog controls. Sure, you can use the analog stuff, but you can also go the digital route. Which leaves cameras with their complex user interfaces.

I don't know whether that's the right or wrong way to go. Digital cameras do have many more incredibly useful functions analog cameras didn't have. So a fully analog control might not be practical.

Thanks for that reference to the Leica M digital cameras! I have been looking for a manual digital camera for a long time, but had never come across those!

Did you look at the prices yet? Expecially at lens prices? If not, prepare for sticker shock.

Not to say Leica M cameras aren't worth it, they just aren't for everyone.

Yeah no kidding! $5k and upward... I knew they would be expensive, but I wasn't expecting that!

Panasonic L1 and LC1, also.

Thanks for that! I hadn't seen those either!

At the moment I'm still using my Pentax ME Super (which I love!) Personally I really wish someone would manufacture a simple 35mm digital adaptor, maybe something that used the film roll cavity for electronics and then had a simple, thin tongue containing the sensor that would take the place of the actual film?

Oh well...

I would love to have something like that for my manual Canon. (A "digital back" that would replace the rear cover might work too, although it would obviously be more tightly tied to a specific camera model.)

Most digital SLRs have analogue controls for at least focus and zoom, and usually one or two more multi-purpose knobs in addition.

The Canon S90 has a soft-dial that can be configured to shutter speed or aperture.