I don't think a phone over taking a camera will happen in our lifetimes. People like to get all excited about how their 4/3 cameras are out doing FF; when that is just brand boy talk and nothing more.
I don't see it that way. Skills I learned shooting film still apply. I never did my own darkroom work, though I imagine that helps with post processing, at least a little. I migrated to new gear over time, initially using all of my old lenses. And the thing is - I welcomed that shift - I embraced digital. And I imagine a lot of other "older photographers" did, too. We weren't afraid of digital; reluctant to try something new. No scars here, only smiles.
Maybe, but not in my case. I'll admit that things continue to change - that video is becoming increasing important and will continue to have an effect on the gear that we can buy; that manufacturers are looking to increase profit margins and concentrate on high end gear; that most photos are shared on social media and hardly anything is printed any more ... I don't like all the changes I can foresee and I'm sure we'll be blindsided by others. But I can't pay any heed to the idea that manufacturers who are currently investing tons of money in ILC systems (including Nikon & Canon rumored to be developing new systems) are going to stop making cameras and consumers are going to stop demanding cameras, because phones get more capable.
You did "must signal the end of photography"
I didn't know you were the forum spokesman.
It may not have escaped your attention that cell phones do an abysmal, completely unacceptable job indoors in normal room lighting, especially if anyone is moving. Anyone can put 12 or so MP in a smartphone and make a halfway decent pic in daylight.
It may happen far in the future.
There is always a lot of gear on Ebay.If we all come to this conclusion together there is going to be a lot of good gear on Ebay for not a lot of dosh ?
Having been to David Hurn's 'Swaps' photography exhibition today, I can tell you categorically that it is not the camera or the ultimate picture quality that makes a memorable or beautiful photograph. I'm damned sure that today's phone cameras have better image quality than the machines that took the majority of the photos in the exhibition, taken by some of the highest profile and/or skilled photographers of their time.
Okay
I've used both an Olympus E-M10 and an iPhone 8 today. M10 mostly but phone did a marvellous job except in some difficult light where both cameras gave a magenta tint to some features. Not a problem, because I shot the M10 in both jpeg and raw. The raw can be easily adjusted in post.Impressive compared to what? Compared to previous generation smartphone? Yes. Compared to current mirrorless/DLSR? No.I presume that most folks here do not earn their living from photography.
I bet most of the images we make are viewed on screens and stored in a computer.
I love my camera gear and I enjoy photography of all sorts but the quality of the latest generation of smart phones is impressive. Both for stills and video.
What's more they are easy to carry..........you can make phone calls and text...watch films and TV. And play games . Not to mention access to the net. I' stating the obvious but this coming together of technology must signal the end of photography and camera gear as we know it .
The latest smart phones are Impressive ..really impressive. Bearing in mind my 2 opening statements do we need more? .......So when will the penny drop and will we start to swap a £1000 camera for a £1000 smart phone?
If we all come to this conclusion together there is going to be a lot of good gear on Ebay for not a lot of dosh ?
And why does it have to be one or the other? Why can't a phone and a dslr/mirrorless camera co-exist in their respective niches? They serve vastly different purposes. There's no risk of one eliminating the other IMO.
Let me ask you a question :
Personally, even I have a smartphone, and sometimes take some images with it, I prefer to shot with my camera, but I believe over the years, and smartphones even still getting better,it will be that mostly older hobby photographers will still using a camera as they did sort grow up without a smartphone, contrary to the young people of today........
The penny will hardly drop for the young people of today, for them the smartphone is Everything.........
I think you're right here. One of the things that I find is a shame, is that due to this explosion of interest in smartphone cameras, there will be less research and development going into 'proper' cameras, as the demand will be much less. For a long long time to come professionals will still demand these cameras but the cost of these will be much higher - in fact we've already seen the prices increase. For me it's a shame as it has priced me out of the market. Thankfully I have what I need (at the moment).
yes there is a lot to be said for convenience, and yes IQ is mush when looking close (Apple continue to have such heavy handed processing and NR, wish they'd dial it back like Google and Samsung) but our phones provide a convenience in terms of photography, but the benefits of that convenience needn't be confused with the quality of the output vs ILC/DSLR etc.I've used both an Olympus E-M10 and an iPhone 8 today. M10 mostly but phone did a marvellous job except in some difficult light where both cameras gave a magenta tint to some features. Not a problem, because I shot the M10 in both jpeg and raw. The raw can be easily adjusted in post.Impressive compared to what? Compared to previous generation smartphone? Yes. Compared to current mirrorless/DLSR? No.I presume that most folks here do not earn their living from photography.
I bet most of the images we make are viewed on screens and stored in a computer.
I love my camera gear and I enjoy photography of all sorts but the quality of the latest generation of smart phones is impressive. Both for stills and video.
What's more they are easy to carry..........you can make phone calls and text...watch films and TV. And play games . Not to mention access to the net. I' stating the obvious but this coming together of technology must signal the end of photography and camera gear as we know it .
The latest smart phones are Impressive ..really impressive. Bearing in mind my 2 opening statements do we need more? .......So when will the penny drop and will we start to swap a £1000 camera for a £1000 smart phone?
If we all come to this conclusion together there is going to be a lot of good gear on Ebay for not a lot of dosh ?
And why does it have to be one or the other? Why can't a phone and a dslr/mirrorless camera co-exist in their respective niches? They serve vastly different purposes. There's no risk of one eliminating the other IMO.
I'll just post one made by the iPhone unedited [the Olympus picture is very similar] and one after a minute's editing with Apple Photo. Remember that the first, the original is a jpeg and the edit is on that same jpg.
I'm not claiming ultimate image quality, just that something can be achieved in quite dark and difficult lighting conditions from even an iPhone image.
A custom white balance on the Olympus would have sorted it, but the iPhone just did this with no camera option to rectify
Tweaked exposure, raised shadows slightly and corrected WB in post. This is more like it.
The greenish light in the second is not quite right, but given another minute of my life I'd get it right I'm sure. If I want this particular image to be perfect, I'll see what the RAW from the Olympus looks like and see which I prefer and If I prefer the Olympus image content, I'll process that.
There's always this to fall back on of course
Yes, I know this is all crap when viewed at 100%, but why should anyone care if its not destined to be printed large. Its fine at up to A4 viewed at a reasonable distance. If I or anyone wanted ultimate quality, for a commercial shoot, depending on the intended use the phone is not appropriate, but for most people most of the time, this is now their preferred camera, and why not.
That is all about you, but your needs and wants may not be the same as "our" needs and wants.
