Another day, another post about a box with a hole in it that takes photographs. This one has some different features to the E-M1:
A fixed five-element F2 lens. Ten frames a second, and then the camera will analyse and present you with what it consider to be the best shot. A flash system that analyses the scene and then uses two flash lights to deliver a calculated colour temperature flash to match the scene. 1080P HD video at 30fps (same as E-M1) 120fps slow-motion video in 720p. 28 megapixel panoramas. Image processing and full social media integration built-in.
The camera was introduced with the statement: “It used to be that to take better pictures you had to learn to be a better photographer. You could spend your lifetime studying this stuff. Most of us just want to take a picture”.
The speaker was Phil Schiller of Apple, and the new camera he was introducing is built into the new iPhone.
This is not an Apple advert, no doubt there are better cameras built into other smart phones. But what was telling was the amount of time he spent talking about the camera in the new phone, and his statement “Most of us just want to take a picture”. Scary.
But he’s right, most people just want to take a picture. Not too long ago if you just wanted to take a picture, you bought a camera. Maybe you bought a better camera because you thought you might get better pictures. Whatever you bought, there was some effort involved in being able to see that picture somewhere other than on the back screen of your camera (assuming it was digital). Now, most people just want to take a picture and they want to share it; typically on Facebook or Instagram or similar. If you use a traditional camera, this can be a long-winded process. Use your phone and it is trivial.
The rise of the camera phone has already decimated the point and shoot camera market. But as cameras in phones become more and more capable, the rest of the industry is suffering too and sales of cameras have declined in all segments (recessionary times haven’t helped either).
Fact is, most people don’t want to understand and practice photography, they just want to take a picture. And a camera in a smartphone is now good enough to provide them with acceptable photos in most circumstances; why bother buying a camera?
Test case: I am taking she who must be obeyed on a little holiday shortly. She has a choice of competent M43 cameras and a bunch of lenses at her disposal. What did she want to take with her to capture memorable moments on her holiday, I asked her? The answer was her iPhone, so she didn’t have to bother with carrying around a camera and could share shots with her friends on Facebook immediately.
That future of photography is not photography.
2013-09-12| Andrew says“It used to be that to take better pictures you had to learn to be a better photographer. You could spend your lifetime studying this stuff. Most of us just want to take a picture” Wrong - most of you can’t even be bothered to take a picture - hence, introducing the new iSlave - for just a few dollars a month ( subscription automatically renewed unless you login to your account to change options) someone from some impoverished country will be available 24/7 ( qualifying sponsors only) to do all the work for you - it is your responsibility to impress upon them the importance of f-stop, aperture etc ( see terms and conditions) and one free dictionary with each subscription ( additional dictionaries available as low as $2.99 / mo )….all photos property of Apple Inc and usage rights for yourself as low as $2.99 / mo…posting to social media extra ( see price list )…
2013-09-13| Spike saysI live in an impoverished country, I could be the slave.
2013-09-13| Andrew saysWas that you with the sign on Beach Road that said " Will work for lens hoods" ?…..
2013-09-15| Spacefruit says“The rise of the camera phone has already decimated the point and shoot camera market”
Are you saying the camera phone has removed one in ten PAS cameras?
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