I think any push towards social medias like Instragram needs to be done carefully. Many, like myself, don’t like such services and if it got to the point where the camera is always promoting for social integration, or having to see a thousand different app logos constantly it would become a big negative. Social media is normally about ease and speed, unless it’s a specific service like Flickr and mobiles got that covered. There would need to be clear options to turn it off at the very least. While finding new customers for a product one must not lose those they already have.
My thought also is that the average photographer is quite content already with their phones. The key for them is that it is already in their pocket. Those that do go a step further in general are the ones that do buy into M43 cameras and other cameras. Like how the GH5 did become a popular tool for youtubers, even though of course the majority of videos on YouTube would still by a mobile.
M43 can certainly have good small and large bodies. Like my GH5 with the 100-400 pana provides a reach that is fantastic and at a lower weight than a FF system of similar specs. A compact, small camera for my pocket would be good also. It’s reach for me was an important factor to buy into the system (as was the video capabilities).
Collecting lenses and proper cameras will always have a customer base, but the average person on the street simply doesn’t care for it. Much like vinyl, there are many that love it but the majority are happy with their MP3. Trying to please camera phone users will be hard when they’ll see no reason to carry extra bulk. What I would like to see is many improvements like was listed. Mastering AF, Bluetooth connections and other things of similar ilk.
My general point is that we COULD get a lot more people to care for photography if some segments of m43 offered better experiences for more social media oriented crowds. In that space, m43 can have a huge advantage over both FF and apscs with better size and stabilization. However, I think that fragmented user experience and poor marketing has disenfranchised most of that potential market and that's real shame...
Yup, the marketing is definitely a problem. Their marketing has always been geared towards photographers, not the casual social media users. To attract new users, one must not adopt the strategy of doing more of the same thing.
Funny that you bring up this topic, but a colleague of mine just shared with me some pictures she took with her iPhone a few days ago. Her composition is definitely above average, and she enjoys taking pictures with the phone. The pictures she showed me were all night scenes, and I can clearly see that lots of details are lost due to the limited capabilities of the phone.
I told her that it is time for her to upgrade, to get her camera. Her instant reaction was that cameras are huge (DSLRs) do she would not want them. I told her than Olympus has a line of small cameras that is quite good nowadays (PEN line), and she was really taken in when I mention the ability to take selfie photos and connect to phone instantly using WiFi.
So, if we are serious in attracting new people into the market, we must abandon advices from seasoned photographers and start listening to the vast majority of social media users out there. That population far outnumbers 'serious' or 'traditional' photographers.
Hence, in that vein, the few important point to attract them would be :
1. Smaller (perhaps thinner E-PL10) and lighter bodies
2. Thinner lens. I know the 14-42mm is already thin, but more collapsible design is preferable.
3. Faster WiFi speed. As it is, the download speed of pictures onto the phone is rather slow.
4. More options of small and compact pancake kit lenses. Perhaps a 14-28mm f2.8-f4.0 and a 14-70mm f4.0-f6.3.
5. Marketing, marketing, marketing as you said.
