Death of the camera?

[mojolicious]

Interesting video and interesting comments. To me it's evident that when he says that the 'quality is the same' (when talking about shots taken from an iPhone and a Leica) he's not talking about 'image quality', but rather about 'aesthetic quality'. And, to be honest, AQ beats IQ pretty much every time.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

I don't think that the SLR camera will die, but it will certainly evolve into something very different that the cameras of today. For example, it makes no sense having to carry a camera plus a bunch of heavy and expensive lenses. What would make a lot more sense is to produce a camera that can cover most focal ranges and apertures, with one removable lens alone. Yes, something like the super-zooms of today, but very advanced in relation to light gathering, weather resistance, and image quality. One would have perhaps 3 or 4 lens choices: super macro-macro, fish eye-wide angle, wide angle-800mm or more (?)

The way it is today, most of the money goes into the purchase of lenses, and we spend fortunes on these. Besides, these things are extremely bulky, some project like a bazooka in front of the camera, and are heavy; so heavy in fact, that a solid tripod must be used. Lens design has not changed through the years in relation to the use of glass. Why not a lens design similar to a Canon pancake lens, but dimensionally wider for the glass to cover the whole sensor?

 

[phrehdd]

I don't think that the SLR camera will die, but it will certainly evolve into something very different that the cameras of today. For example, it makes no sense having to carry a camera plus a bunch of heavy and expensive lenses. What would make a lot more sense is to produce a camera that can cover most focal ranges and apertures, with one removable lens alone. Yes, something like the super-zooms of today, but very advanced in relation to light gathering, weather resistance, and image quality. One would have perhaps 3 or 4 lens choices: super macro-macro, fish eye-wide angle, wide angle-800mm or more (?)

The way it is today, most of the money goes into the purchase of lenses, and we spend fortunes on these. Besides, these things are extremely bulky, some project like a bazooka in front of the camera, and are heavy; so heavy in fact, that a solid tripod must be used. Lens design has not changed through the years in relation to the use of glass. Why not a lens design similar to a Canon pancake lens, but dimensionally wider for the glass to cover the whole sensor?

I have often thought that some camera makers should opt for a huge sensor that allows for a fixed lens that would allow for severe crops to emulate telephoto and yet produce a more than excellent image. What might be done is that the in camera crop would also allow for any internal movement of the elements of the lens to correct some typical lens issues and certainly some algorithms applied to the output of the sensor to raw or jpeg or tiff to compensate.

When people tell me of great shots with the iPhone, I believe them. I also believe an iPhone would be pathetic for a camera if you were 1000 ft from your subject (where a real telephoto would be appropriate). Perhaps one day we'll see a device that is the size of perhaps a larger cell phone, about 3x as thick and able to really go to town on images that are at least 16mp that will compete head to head with today's DSLRs in both AQ and IQ. Until then we are watching a shift go on with electronic devices. Let's also remember this is also about marketing - I remember PDA's that could be also used as a cell phone and some with add on camera ability that are all gone now and yet re-packaged combo called the iPhone came and caught on.

 

[ChrisA]

Apple's second patent on mounting lenses to phones has been approved. We all know that the cell phone camera has almost killed the once-booming consumer point and shoot market. Will the MILP speed the demise of the MILC? We're in contraction for digital camera sales, and if cell phone cameras get interchangeable lenses as a normal feature, the only issue remaining is sensor size....l

What the cell phones lacks is speed of handling. You have to take your eye off the subject the mess with some menus to operate the camera. There is really no way around this and taking your eye off the subject never works with fast moving subjects.

Also there never can be a substitute for larger sensor size. That said very few peole care. Almost everyone takes static shots and few care much about image quality because they will only look at the photos on their phones. The image quality only needs to match the quality of their phone's screen.

"Quality" is not so much determined by the camera. Light is #1 thing. I doubt a cell phone will ever work with a studio lighting system, but maybe video lights.

 

[JDDavis]

Photographers take photos, they use whatever is available, they don't sit around talking about cameras. Here is a pro photographer (he gets paid) using an iPhone, in a conflict situation, producing commercially reproduced work in top flight publications. iPhones, and other camera phones, are clearly good enough to be used for professional, commercial purposes.

Agreed. It obviously depends on the type of photography you are doing at the moment (weddings vs photojournalism, maybe). At the moment I enjoy using both my DSLR and my iPhone to attempt to create "art". I like the challenge of using the iPhone for more than just a snapshot of my kid but there are always images that I really want the DSLR for.

This shot of Buck Mt.was with my phone.

This was with the DSLR.

Presently you could never get the second shot with an iPhone (can't zoom from that angle that far with any quality) but I enjoy both images. If you bring printing into the equation as a must do then the DSLR will win for sure. I honestly don't print much anymore (I'm not a pro). What I think would interesting is a DSLR body that you can slide a smartphone into (dock) and expand the capabilities of both.

 

[Nordichund]

Let's not forget the key to taking a good photograph is the person behind the lens. Those who regularly watch Kai on Digitalrev TV will like me be often impressed at the results when well known photographers are challenged to take pictures using some of the crappiest, well I wouldn't even call them cameras out there.
There are billions of excellent shots out there which have been snapped by the humble phone.

Actually I believe that as the cameras in phones improve it will probably increase the interest in more prosumer cameras as most of us who like taking photos are always trying to get that better shot.

I do predict the end of DSLR though, once Nikon and Canon follow Sony and introduce the mirrorless camera that can be used with their DSLR glass then good-bye. I must admit my mouth is watering about the rumours of a full frame Fujifilm X-Pro2.

 

[compuwar]

"Quality" is not so much determined by the camera. Light is #1 thing. I doubt a cell phone will ever work with a studio lighting system, but maybe video lights.

I think even I could hack up a Bluetooth->Strobe adapter in about 20m given the right impetus. An Arduino, low power BT adapter and opto-isolated relay should do the trick. If my strobes weren't three states away in storage, I'd try it.

Paul

 

[Attonine]

I must admit my mouth is watering about the rumours of a full frame Fujifilm X-Pro2.

Unfortunately, Fuji have stated many times that the X mount cannot be converted to full frame. Physics and stuff, I believe. This means, if Fuji wish to enter the full frame market they need to engineer a completely new mount, cameras and lenses. This is unlikely to happen, though not impossible, but certainly very, very costly. Certainly the X-Pro 2 will not be FF.