We're taking more pictures than ever ... so why are cameras dying off?

[Bear Dale]

An interesting read -

"You would think that in a world where hundreds of thousands of photos are shared every minute, camera makers would be absolutely in heaven. Instead, they're struggling to maintain both their income and their relevance".


http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/were-taking-more-pictures-ever-so-why-are-cameras-dying-6C10607491

[Kym]

In one phrase... technology convergence.

For happy snaps the dedicated camera is less of an option than the ubiquitous phone and/or tablet.
So as a general consumer device the dedicated camera is going to decline.
For those that want more from the image then a dedicated camera is still required

[Bear Dale]

It's going to be interesting over the next 10 years -

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/photo-news/539870/canon-uk-boasts-number-one-spot-but-demand-dips-worldwide

[ricktas]

In one phrase... technology convergence.

For happy snaps the dedicated camera is less of an option than the ubiquitous phone and/or tablet.
So as a general consumer device the dedicated camera is going to decline.
For those that want more from the image then a dedicated camera is still required

Agree, I recently was out taking photos of a sunrise when along came a guy with a large shoulder bag and set himself up beside me. I was thinking he was going to get a 'camera' out, but out came an iPad and he proceeded to take photos of the sunrise with it, editing as he went and uploading them to FB.

I reckon it will not be to long before we see 'proper' cameras offering mobile connectivity to do similar. Interestingly this could occur in the lower end of the market first as the mirrorless and entry level DSLR user is probably the one that something like this would be aimed at. The higher end of the DSLR market tends to be those that want to post process of a decent screen before uploading.

Just like Digital changed film (how many film cameras are sold these days), connectivity is going to be the next phase.

[jjphoto]

Isn't this the reason Kodak has virtually died, that they didn't make phones?

Kodak had digital imaging technology by the short and curlys well before anyone else (they invented it) but lacked the platform that put the technology at everyone's fingertips (there are other reasons too). Obviously the iPhone seems to have done that the best despite it's inferior image quality compared current P+S cameras, many of which are just as convenient to carry but don't serve the multiple uses of smartphones.

I would rather buy a 'smartcamera' than a 'smartphone', that is a device that is primarily and biased for use as a camera but with all the normal smartphone technology.

I 100% agree that the best camera is the one you have with you, which is almost always a smartphone.

[arthurking83]

......

I would rather buy a 'smartcamera' than a 'smartphone', that is a device that is primarily and biased for use as a camera but with all the normal smartphone technology.

yep mee too. The Galaxy Camera is a pretty close call for such a device, but it's not a proper phone(it doesn't have cellular ability, but instead can 'voice call' over a skype like IP phone network.
Camera qualities are a heap better than iPhony/Android .. but still subpar.

I'm sure that in the short term a smartcamera device with proper photographic ability that can connect at all levels will exist. Nokia's new 1020 looks pretty capable as a camera.


.... I 100% agree that the best camera is the one you have with you, which is almost always a smartphone.

but I disagree here. I don't have my camera with me at the time, I'm simply not interested in getting the shot.
In saying that, it doesn't mean that I won't use my Android phone to capture any images .. it's just that the images are subpar, and in reality I'll only do that when boredom really sets in ... that is, after 45mins of Solitare and 10mins of UnblockMe! .. I may be tempted to capture some an unsharp images of something totally uninteresting in an abstract manner, and then keep it to myself.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't think the current sales figures may be entirely accurate of the state of photographing with real photography equipment!

While it's true that much of the photography bouncing around the net, clogging up bandwidth and wasting resources .. is all due to smartphones doing much of the work, I also think that the decline in DSLR camera sales, is actually due to any real advancement in technology over the recent past.

That is, while we have Nikon with it's 36Mp D800, in reality most affordable cameras haven't really seen any super duper compelling feature to make current owners update their aging old DSLR .. which may be an 18Mp DSLR from only 3 years or so ago.

Smart DSLRs may agitate the market in some manner ... it seems that people want connectivity, and if the camera is a PITA to connect to their iDroid device, most folks will just be content with crappy pseudo processing their woeful smartphone pics!

Bring in a smart DLSR, that can post process the images, connect itself to the net to do the uploading ... and as Rick said about the iPad person ..... I'm sure these folks will find a need to upload 100Mp images of their favoured shots directly and instantly to theior choice of social networking site using appropriate tools. DSLR sales should increase to the point of saturation, and the cycle will start over again.

The race used to be about megapickles. Then it was about usability features(video/liveview/etc) .. then it became about connectivity, and soon it may be about similarity to their smart devices.

About a month ago, Samsung also introduced to market the worlds first Android based interchangeable lens camera!(an NX model of some type) ie. an apparently proper camera with the features of a smartphone.
I'm curious to see how it stacks up as a camera in terms of usability and image quality, as well as how it works as a smart device too.
I'm not sure if this one has mobile phone ability(like the Galaxy Camera doesn't), but it does have 3g and 4gLTE connectivity. Take out the lens and the camera body could double as a largish phone.
If Samsung got smart and created a pinhole lens body cap for it(ala Olympus), this is easily achievable as a marketing gimmick to the masses.
I'm sure Koreans will buy it in their droves!

The Samsung Galaxy Camera I have was purchased for my daughter, and she loves it to pieces! She'll take it everywhere(even tho she may come back with some disappointments), and the IQ is pretty ordinary compared to most cameras ... but it suits her needs perfectly. Images are easily processed with all the gimmicks she likes to play with(she's 10yo), and then when it's not a camera, it's a gaming platform or she can type out(or dictate) a new story in a Word like app.

[ricktas]

another thought. Since the global financial crisis, many do not have the extra income to splash around, with everyday bills just going up and up. Canon Nikon etc probably had a fair idea of how often cameras were replaced with newer models based on years of data, the GFC changed that. I reckon a lot are holding onto their gear for longer now, where a few years back they might have sold it and bought a newer model.

The entire retail market (globally) is still suppressed and camera manufacturers are not immune to that.

[Kym]

Another line of reasoning... If you discount selfies and cat photos I'm not sure there has been an increase in photography :lol:

[Mathy]

I feel that that Smartphones have essentially replaced the instamatic and cheap point and shoots. However, if you're interested in photography, then taking a photo with an iPhone can becomes a little frustrating because it's a little limited in options. Thus, I feel the answer is that the DSLR manufacturers could put more money into a) promoting photography as a hobby/art and b), educating the masses (i.e., make it good and free).

This and other photography forums are wonderful, but a movement towards encouraging people to want to be better/good photographers would be a better model and a better spend of advertising dollars by the major manufacturers. For a start, they could advertise links to photo forums on their websites and encourage people to visit them, thereby (hopefully) expanding consumers horizons :)

[Mark L]

[/I]"You would think that in a world where hundreds of thousands of photos are shared every minute,....[/I]


Wonder if all those photos are for the sake of getting a good photo or the need to share/connect with others, and that has to be done in the moment. And how many of these photos are revisited, the moments past, moving along.

[arthurking83]

Wonder if all those photos are for the sake of getting a good photo or the need to share/connect with others, and that has to be done in the moment. And how many of these photos are revisited, the moments past, moving along.


Photo saturation looks to be a common issue, and one where the uploader is lacking the ability to be self critical and selective about what one posts/uploads.
The mentality with this current McPhotography ideaology is too just keep pumping out the garbage until someone notices it.
This is also pushed onto the general populace by the companies racing to be the next Instagram.

I was just reading some 'news' on DPR .. which sends you to a link on their sister 'Connect' site .. the news was about a new filter created by some company for one of their kiddish apps(for iPhone/Android).

My instant reaction was along the lines of " .... and this is news ...... how????" :confused:

In the rush to be first out with some 'interesting information', they don't pause for a moment to ponder the value of this information! :rolleyes:
Basically, it was just another ad for this app and it's myriad of filters, under the guise of news ... sprinkled with a hint of apparent seriousness in the form of a photojournalist that uses the app.

What they don't seem to realize: where they are the current collective of 'bloggers/fauxtographers/reporters/whateverers' .... is that this volume of data/information/imagery/announcements is going to overload our senses, and eventually desensitize the world to it all.
In the years to come with all this imagery coming from all sides, along with useless info about some new app and it's cool new filters!! ... people will just blankly look at it all ..... ie. take a brief moment to notice that it's there .. but not really soak it in. It'll mean nothing to them.

The same effect will possibly happen to higher quality photography too ... we will eventually become desensitized to it all, where the eventual responses will be along the lines of; yep seen it before ... lets move on.