The upside about all of this is that the cameras that are now seen as obsolete are still pretty damn good and can be bought for a decent price. The EM1.3 is crazy good for 600USD.
I found one for less than $600. Santa has possession of it now, but it will be under the tree on Christmas. Why spend the big bucks for a newer OM model for a few features that you don't need most of the time.
E-M1 III in what condition? Because anytime I look for one that has under 10k shutter count and in good shape is $800+ unless at a lower price in an active auction. The E-M1 III is a beast of a camera.
@@corykphotography Shutter count was 25, 051 and that wasn't an issue for me when the shutter is rated for 400,000 activations. The camera was like new, just a few small blemishes. It came with two Oly batteries and charger, and 2 aftermarket batteries with charger and a cheapie L bracket.
I am absolutely convinced that these camera manufacturers made a colossal mistake when they decided to put in extra features that photographers never needed and therefore complicated the camera. Over 95% of photographers are actually not capable of ansorbing so much complexity, never mind applying it efficiently. This is where Apple was superintelligent. They incorporated all that and much more into their mobile phones with their powerful processors, and made a simple idiot proof device that appealed to the generation who think that using a flight combat simulator is the same as flying an F4 Phantom in battle. Simplicity is the answer.
Hi Jimmy, I have seen almost all your videos and listened to your talks for many hours. Totally honestly, this is far the best I have seen from you. Respect 👍👍💯💯
Camera manufacturers don't dare to do anything these days or have become totally unimaginative. I have a few ideas. 1. Replaceable/interchangeable monitor, foldable/swivelling, or optionally with cable >5 inches or a WiFi module. 2. Interchangeable viewfinders have existed before (prism viewfinder, shaft viewfinder), optionally with cable or WiFi. 3. And why not just have an interface that covers both options, prism hump down, monitor or WiFi module on. 4. Built-in wireless flash control (preferably compatible with Godox or something like that). Hot shoe makes room for point 3. 5. More cross-brand standards such as L-Mount or MFT, hasn't hurt any of the companies involved so far. 6. GPS, every cell phone can do that these days. 7. As far as I'm concerned, the inch indication on the focus scale can disappear (sorry to all the poor Americans). Okay, I'm just rambling again. Sorry, I'm an electronics engineer. I would have to think about it again for more. The filmmakers should come up with something themselves.
Love this 100%. Instead of buying a new camera, I have gone and bought an older Pentax k10d, and loving the simplicity of it all. Nothing complicated; just the exposure triangle and "being there". Also got an old E300 to limit myself further. Really enjoying it!
Jimmy, you are spot on. Many photographers today call cameras unusable simple because the autofocus is not the fastest on the market or the tracking and frame rates are not super fast or low light performance doesn't match the grain structure of Kodachrome 25. Sometimes my sarcasm comes out and I wonder out loud how any images were captured back when focus was manual, the fastest motor drives were 5 frames per second and the highest color film was ISO 400 or a very grainy Konica 1000. Yet, there are many iconic images from that era in all categories, wildlife, sports, concerts. How? By today's standards those cameras are unusable to many modern photographers. Photographers needed to anticipate plays in sports. They needed to observe wildlife and anticipate behavior patterns and they didn't have the luxury or shooting 3,000 images during a wedding just to create an album with 24-48 photos. They had to find ways or resolving lighting issues with strobes of other lights. You had to have knowledge and be very selective before pressing that shutter button. I think manufacturers need the digital equivalent of a Pentax K1000, basic, fully manual exposure and no bells and whistles (okay, maybe keep the autofocus so you can repurpose the lenses when you upgrade). BTW: I have an EP1, an EM1 MKIII and an OM1 MKII.
The fact is... hybrid is not the way to go for most professional work. It's best to invest in a great photo camera and then get a great video camera on the side. You can simply rent a Canon c80 or a Red if you need better video. Hybrid is good in of both worlds but will never deliver the best results. There is a reason Medium format is still the best for a lot of photography. Phase one wont be adding video for a reason.
I think where part of this argument and disconnect comes from is the viewpoint of the photographers in questions. Those photographers that want the highest frame rates, fast autofocus, tracking etc are thinking in a professional sense. They are photographing for work or care more about the output than the process. That means whatever medium can give them the best result is the best and everything else is inferior or in-optimal. If I'm shooting sports or wildlife I probably still have to anticipate plays/movements but if there is someone else there that is shooting at 30fps compared to my 5 fps DSLR then they have a 6 times more likely chance of getting the perfect shot. At the end of the day the person buying the wedding photos does not care whether the photographer took 3k photos or just 50 for the 24-48 album they just want their photos and the best that can be delivered. In other words the process does not matter to the client so it also does not matter to the photographer.
Have no fear. I'm also a woodworker. It goes in cycles. In the 80's and 90's it was just older guys who dabbled in woodworking. Now it's a very diverse / artsy group. I suspect photography will have a phase where a good number of people ditch their cellphones and desire a real camera. They will even make prints!!!!!
Some fantastic points here and I agree the second hand market is full of amazing professional and prosumers cameras that still pack a punch for most people.
Another thoughtful and pertinent commentary. Thanks, Jimmy. I think one photography skill that has really suffered is shot discipline. People no longer have to think about rolls of 24 or 36 shots, how much they cost, and how much processing shots costs. The philosophy of 'shoot a hundred and pick one' makes for lazy craft.
You're so right Jimmy! I love my EM5mk2. I also have a OM1 which I absolutely love the better iso performance & especially the viewfinder as my eyes are getting older. The camera only records what the " photographer " puts into the frame no matter what brand.
A few nights ago my 90D’s battery ran out of energy while doing street photography. I switched to my old and beginner’s Rebel T7 to keep shooting. I was actually amazed at the quality of the pictures. You’re right that knowing or learning what makes a picture a picture is the most important skill. You can take good pictures with any camera as long as you understand how to use them and their limitations. Great video and message!
Enjoyed the vid, very relatable. These days I will only buy another camera if I need it (or get an involuntary fit of the GAS) and it will no doubt be second hand heavily discounted. My best time with digital cams is using adapted manual lenses and just feeling at peace slowly taking some great shots, getting in the zone. I'm just a hobbyist.
I absolutely agree - I have long thought that, in many ways, modern digital cameras have become too complex. They have systems to speed up the process of taking a photograph by giving tracking and auto-everything, but it can often take more time and effort to decide what combination of features to use to take the photos. For some time now I have yearned for a camera that is, essentially, based upon the Olympus OM1 - small and compact is part of it, but the fantastic way that shutter speed, focus and aperture are all controlled with one hand - the one that is supporting the camera body - using controls that are concentric to the lens. This was a superb design decision, and it would be lovely if that could be replicated now. Things like tracking would be nice to have on a control. Iso could be done in much the same way that the OM1 did it - lift and turn a dial to select ISO, and turn without lifting to select compensation. That camera was a master-class in design for usability, and it would be wonderful if we could get something essentially similar. TBH, I would forgo many of the facilities available nowadays - including tracking - for a camera the same size and shape as an om1, full frame, similar size lenses. I'd even forgo autofocus...
You are pointing a problem that is not for the manufacturers. They need to sell cameras as that is their revenue stream. If they dont sell they go broke. Your points may also applies 50 years ago into the 1970's when autoexposure and in the 80's when autofocus came. Professional photographer said that you need to measure the light properly and manual focus the lens. That is the correct skill of photography at that time.
@ Set the AI autofocus correctly using the sensitivity and speed setting, instead of knowing how to turn the focus ring on the lens for manual focus. The problem is that those critizing about lost skill, needs to understand that with new technology requires new knowledge and skills.
@@angeloplayforone I see, setting the sensitivity on a camera in your mind equates to having skills. A seven year old child could do that man. That is not skill, that is playing video games at the lowest level. You are so full of your own ideas that you have failed to see how dumb photography has become. Lets put it this way, give me a pinhole camera and I promise you that with a probability of over 95% I will produce an image, properly exposed, properly executed. Give me an all singing all dancing imaging computer called a ' digital camera ' and I will do the same. I have no problem with tech, I work in electronics. But, what would you do? Be looking for ever on the pinhole camera for the leg of the chicken focus mode???? It is one thing being ignorant, one can always learn , but it is a monumental fuck up if one was ignorant and also proud of it too.
Well said! I have the OM 1, and an EM 1 Mark 2, and numerous lenses with a field of view from 18-1200 (2400 with teleconverters). The OM 1 has great stabilization and I’m perfectly happy with its subject detection. I don’t plan to buy the OM 2. It’s not enough of an upgrade. I will take a look at the next upgrade, but I’m not sure I need more technology than I already have.
Hi Jimmy, Great insights here! You are making a very good case for a digital camera with 3 dials: one for shutter speed, one for ISO and one for exposure compensation-and maybe a lever for manual focus / auto-focus. I think Leica got there first with the M8 (but left off the focus lever with manual focus only). If Leica re-launches a bare-bones 18 to 24MPx rangefinder camera with three dials and a CCD sensor (M9 style) - or Olympus with a minimalist 3-dial 16MPx OM-5ii - they will get the camera industry back on track. Retro is the future!
Thanks for the honest opinion. I am probably, like most, a hobby photographrer. My OMD EM-1 mk 1 and mk 2 still do what I want and they both look great and still bring me alot of joy in my weekend photo outings. I print for myself and family only so 20 MP is plenty. The system and lenses is small, light weight and fantastic for travel. If I ever get into videography it would be a DJI pocket, GoPro or maybe even a pockable camcorder.
Finally updated to a G7. It's way more camera than I need, but still works with my 'old' full sized 4/3 lenses. Still use my Galaxy S23 and my Mini 2 for most shots. They just don't equal a dedicated camera for special purposes. Dedicated controls and the built-in features in the G7 make up for the difference in convenience.
The challenge for camera companies is that the build quality and functionality available these days means that obsolescence is actually a diminishing concern. Hence they have to increase the costs because that one-time purchase now lasts for so long that upgrades really aren't that necessary nearly as regularly as they used to be.
Photography is still about the artistry, compositions, framing and choices. That does not mean that the new tech is bad, harmful or unnecessary. The new tools are for those who need them or it can improve their quality of life, helping them take photos they could not take before. I think what people are going through is the same as what happened when digital surpassed film or the introduction or automatic modes and autofocus - a mix of gatekeeping and fear that the skills they learned were no longer required to take a basic photo. When I want to go slow with photography i just pull out my DSLR or shoot film, that always still available to you and much cheaper too. I see modern cameras as my "work" camera and old ones as my "fun" camera. Still, people need to learn that if they don't need a feature they should not buy it. The camera industry thrives on GAS which is a bad and a good thing. It means continual improvements for those who those features are relevant to and it also allows manufactures to have a consistent income stream. If people only need the most basic camera (MF, sealing, glass) the used market is saturated with those and many are well made and won't need to be replaced for a while. If the manufacturer can't sell what they normally do they may have to step out of the camera market which has already been stifled by smartphones or completely switch to only catering towards expensive high-end/collector products that won't be available to most people. All in all I think people unproductively complain too much about this and instead should focus on getting manufacturers to add the features we want rather than random ones they seem to think we need. I would love to manufactures add safety features so we won't worry about our gear being stolen etc. but none of the major ones have done anything.
just make a small camera with two dials weather sealed with Ibis how hard can it be. They always make them with bits missed off and add stuff we don't need!!!! so frustrating. I think the biggest problem is that they don't listen to the consumers, manufacturers just make stuff they think we might like !. Your right Jimmy
Exactly. I don't mean any offense by saying this, but I don't care about all the AI based subject detect stuff. I don't want it and I don't use it. I would imagine that adds to the cost of the camera. I would love to see a camera company forget that stuff and make a camera out of high quality material, weather sealed (like you said) and a viewfinder. I actually feel like we are seeing lesser quality items for the same (or in most cases more expensive) price. Makes me sad. I picked up an old dslr recently since they were so cheap and it had everything I needed to take photos. I forgot how much I really enjoy using and ovf as well.
@@just_A_Hack You might not need subject detection but some of us do. Different needs = different tech for different people. Having animal detect and high frame rates is helpful when I'm doing wildlife photography. If you don't need that stuff just stick with the cheap old dslr's like you said and be happy you don't have to pay the premiums that we do.
@@just_A_HackI read/heard somewhere that it costs less for companies to integrate their existing technology across the board, than to make cameras where that tech is taken out/not included.
Hey Jimmy great video, been watching your stuff for a long time now and always appreciate your content, I always carry a camera with me and what I'm finding a lot these days is the younger or people in general are amazed that I even bother to carry one with some funny comments and looks etc, it's not only the Camera industry but the whole world has gone crazy, anyway your right about the latest and greatest, I still love my older gear and think all of that low megapixel stuff renders some stunning photos, it's the glass that counts, hey upmost respect to you Man!!
I guess the question is...does one concentrate on creating an image or fascination with gadgetry. For the photographer, the camera is a tool, we select the best one for the task at hand. From the camera manufacturer outlook, I'm not sure what's left for for innovation. Unless your printing your photographs, any flagship cellphone has most folks covered, as you already mentioned. Flagship cameras from all the major manufacturers already do more than most of us ever use. I think anything over 50mpx is overhead.. so I have no idea what's next... As I learned many years ago, upgrading gear didn't make me a better photographer, just made life easier with some of the additional controls and innovations. As always, thanks for the great video and your candid thoughts on the Industry. Cheers!
Wanted a good point and shoot pocket camera for my daughter (canon g7x mk3 or similar) but no stock and no idea when these cameras will be available. Prices are mad! Just bought her an older oly e-pl8 instead. Given up waiting for companies to get their sh*t together 😡
@@kiwipics yep, totally agree. My daughter was after a Fuji originally for the film simulations…must be a bit of a trend amongst the youngsters now that they’ve done the retro film camera thing. Spotted the used oly epl8 with a lens in immaculate condition in white that she liked the look of so we’ll see how that goes instead for less than half the cost of a new Fuji xm5 (which isn’t available for some time yet).
@dingoeatswolf3663 .. The Olympus EP and EPL have custom profile settings in all of their exposure modes. The colour and monochrome settings can be changed via the menu, and those can also be used as a 3 shot burst .. ie: 1@natural 1@vivid 1@b&w ... one shot at each with one press of the shutter button, and you can shoot like that even in RAW plus JPEG. The best option for easy colour profile changes are the Pen F (high prices s/hand) and the EP7, as they have a switch on the front for quick changes in JPEG only mode.
Sounds like a perfect travel kit…OP3, OM5 and a lens or 2! If hard conditions perhaps a Tg7. I often use an Osmo 4 and a Sony Rx100 Vii. Almost perfect for long journeys in mountains, but camera not weatherproof.
You are so right about the pursuit of technology and how it drives the market and gets consumers to buy gear that isn't really needed or has minimal improvement over their current gear. As an amateur, I've kept my costs lower by buying used which means you can save at least half of the original price. My second camera body, an Olympus M10 Mark II is pretty old by today's standards, but it's images are great and very comparable to the ones produced by my M1 Mark II.
I don't think manufacturers don't understand the market. They just try to either blackmail you into spending more money or try to sell you the idea that you need to use their latest project. Now about om-5. It's a really nice camera. The only thing I can see is missing is lightweight prime compact weather sealed lenses to combine it with it.
You started very well touching the sore areas asking how a new generation of "true" photographers - interested in aestgetic questions - could be fostered but then you slided into a gear and social media frenzy that let me assume you had been well breeded by the industry, by our frenzy system. The once enigmatic and unfortunately so prophetic statement of Marshall McLuhan "the media is the message" now becomes a terribly realistic meaning where the reality (whatever that may be) is replaced by multimedia spectacles and their endless reflections in the multimedia multiverse.
And the irony is OM system cameras are packed with features (computational photography) and all the old school photographers have flocked to that system. Maybe they just got fed up using their skills.
Before about 2012, none of my cameras since 1954 had stabilisation, but I learnt to handhold to 1/25 second, and, for night shots I would use a reel of 400ASA film and prop myself and the camera against a doorway, wall or table, and still get about 3 decent shots out of 4. We did get away with very few features. In 2012 I got an DSLR, with some IBIS -- pretty classy! -- just a bit of a burden to carry when I went on holidays. Still I had had a film SLR, which wasn't light and well balanced either. But the DSLR suffered a "cider related incident" a couple of days into an overseas holiday and I bought a 1" mirrorless ICL camera for the rest of my trip, which I loved, even with only the 10-30 (28-80 equiv) lens. I added a screw on 2x converter until I was able to get an 80-300 equiv telephoto, and got quite usable 160mm equiv shots using that. It was not a camera with lots of controls, though you could find a few extras hidden in the menus. The biggest problem with that camera was unreliable lenses and no third party options. It doesn't even work well with adaptors. Had it been reliable, I would probably still be using it. It fitted a jacket pocket with the standard zoom attached, and the telephoto zoom went into the other pocket. It worked quite acceptably under normal street lighting, so, if I went shopping at night, I would take it and get a different kind of street photography: the quiet of a suburb after most shops close. I am currently using an MFT camera which is a trifle larger and heavier than is ideal, though more comfortable with an attached lens than the DSLR. When I have taken my photos, I download them to my laptop, which has a SIM, so I can connect to the Internet in most parts of Australia. I wonder if a travel-sized camera with a SIM option might be a way ahead. Carry a mini BT keyboard in your shirt pocket if necessary!
Very interesting analysis. I have been analysing the camera technology market and companies in this sector for a number of years and there are parallels with other tech sectors, such as mobile phones. The hardware technology has evolved almost to a point where consumers dont really need more ( 4k, 8 k, video, 120fps, 60MP sensors, AF tracking, AI assistance) these are all small differentiators to many photographers rather than essentail features. Cameras have become hybrid still and video devices - whether we need it or not. Sales have declined from a peak of c121M units pa in 2010 to c 8M units in 2023, so manufacturers focus on higher margin, feature rich devices. Keen amateur photographers are currently interested in uniquely designed, quality stills cameras such X100VI, Leica Q3 and I expect we may see a time lag before manufacturers respond. As you pointed out current cameras still lack wider connectivity, an operating system, internal storage and cluncky and irregular firware updates. This doesnt happen with laptops or mobile phones. Perhaps manufacturers need a rethink ..........
I really only have one word to sum up my views on this subject "Agreed". I'm getting sick of all these so-called technological advances that I don't want, don't need and add very little if anything to my photography. I just returned from a five day trip to Marbella, principally for my step-daughter's wedding but also for the opportunity to do some nice walk-around, as Robin Wong calls it "shutter therapy" street photography around the old town and I just took my E-M1 mk1, 25mm f/1.8 and a black mist diffusion filter as an all-round choice and had an absolute blast!. :)
The thing that has killed prosumer cameras is the weight and having to carry it all in a rucksack. The big advantage was the Canon Ixus which was small light weight fitted in your pocket and took excellent photos. I am still using a really old Ixus which I got second hand in a charity shop and its still brilliant.
I bought a Canon Elph 360HS last week to have something I could carry around in my pocket. The Elph 360HS was out of stock for weeks. I got an email from them saying it was back in stock, so I ordered immediately. B&H was out of stock again the next day. So much for there being no demand for small point-and-shoot cameras.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You are right about the manufacturers losing the site of the customers demands. Obviousely the young are still interested in photography and shoot film. Only Pentax came with a new film camera. The truth is that when the trends change it takes some years to produce new camera due to production lines. When the small kameras like Fuji x100 models became popular, only Panasonic and now Fuji responded to what we wanted but only partially looking at the specs. Extra megapixels is not a must but EVF and good and light lenses are for exemple.
Hi Jimmy, I very much enjoyed you "rant" and appreciate your thoughts. I will give you some of mine. Future photographers: I agree that in general we should be worried about the abilities of future photographers. On the other hand though, in recent times I have helped several young people to get full manual analogue cameras (Well frankly I gave them). Some just wanted the analogue look, but most of them wanted to learn the basic of photography to improve the way they take photos. So, there is some hope. Latest gadgets: I absolutely agree that for most photography you do not need the latest and greatest. I use "very" old digital cameras (2004) and really old film cameras (1930's) to take very nice photos. But if you want excellent photos of races and rallies then extremely high frame rates and focusing mechanisms come in very handy. If you want to do macro photography focus stacking is really nice. If you want to do night photography features like Live Time, Live Composite and Starry Sky AF are just brilliant. For landscape photography high-res mode is fantastic. Not everyone does portrait photography. Market: In a conversation with an owner of a local photography shop he said that he believes all Japanese manufacturers have decided together to focus only on the upper market. Remember that that was one of the first things OM System said about their new market strategy. I bought the OM-1 at this shop last year and that camera is rock bottom at his market. People buying real camera gear are spending more and more money. This man sells €6.000 to €10.000 lenses almost by the bucket (in a tiny little shop!). You need to sell 10 to 20 point and shoot cameras for that at a lower profit margin. If you look at what keeps selling in economically difficult times it are Ferrari's, Rolexes and yachts. So, it probably is a wise decision to focus on that upper market. Fuji X-M5: That one irritates me a bit. I remember OM System brought their first camera, the Pen E-P7, and everybody was like: Yeah, quite nice, but not special, it is lacking an EVF and it is too expensive. Now Fuji comes with essentially the same form factor, a bigger sensor but probably less features and a higher price and suddenly everyone (not just you) is boasting about it. So, it would be very nice if in your review you would compare it to a three year old E-P7 from OM System to see how big of a step the X-M5 really is (or how far ahead OM System was).
Very true. But a fact is also, that it takes time to find the camera which is a tool for what you want to do. Personally I have Canon and Nikon and I really like the D5200. But my first Olympus, the M10 Iii, was something very different. Perfect handling. Everything is exactly where I would expect it. Upgraded to the EM1 II, added an EPL 9 in blue and now the OM1 II. With this technology I am very happy and would not need more upgrades like Full Frame or whatever.
Jimmy, you are nail it when you said the market on existing users rather than the new. In fact the industry need to seriously spend more to understand the Gen Z. Their understanding is paramount. Otherwise we may loose great companies that manufacture great photography products. i will not be surprised if Apple, Samsung or any giant consumers mobile phones makers decide to push deeper into photography functions, in that situation, it is definitely be very interesting. In my opinion, imaging giants must begin their journey either to evolves themselves into the mobile and modular (MM), or joint partnership to continue growth. A great example now is Insta360. They very wise. They are not exactly very good in imaging, but they very good in software, AI and mobile technology. (Even DJI can’t get close, in my personal view.) OMG this the original message, only later when watch more into your video than I realise you mention DJI. Hahahaha. Yes, DJI to me is an expert in gimbal industrial on land or in air period. They further developing Lidar. OMG their drones using that navigate through challenging urban or rural conditions. Jimmy, I hope my humble little views can help. 😊 love your content. Thank you very much.
I agree with everything you said in this vid. I have a Nikon Z8 and Z50, both of which I love and have taken wonderful pictures on. But I find that nine times out of ten when I leave the house I'll just grab my old D7100 with Tamron 17-50 2.8 and maybe Nikon 50mm or My Nikon D650 with 85mm and maybe 50 or 35mm. Why? Because the photo quality is still fantastic, they hang nicely in my big hands and one battery easily lasts all day and often several days. Also, I'm not as worried about them and have a huge range of lens combinations I can use.
I understand what you are saying. There are those that love gear and those that love photography. Those that love gear help the camera companies keep going so that photographers like us can have better gear. If a man has a camera he is more likely to discover photography if he already has a camera. Maybe not so bad after all.
As others have said, i guess that’s the marketing machine; numbers are much easier to push…..more this or more that. Feel, ergonomics etc., that is a much harder concept to market. I had an RP, upgraded to the R8……yes, the latter is a way more capable camera from a dynamic range and AF point if view. Did it improve my my photography? No, not at all. I think if you’re a pro and workflow and getting the job done is important, maybe so. For me, i used the RP on safari and took photos of cheetahs running at 70mph; no issues! I just need to dial out of the upgrade path! The dopamine hit we all feel with new gear is very real and hard to fight!
I think when I used my dad's Canon viewfinder that he bought in the late 50's in Occupied Japan you had to be a lot more careful about taking a photo. On a roll of 35 shots you might get 2 that were keepers. Then came the process of loading the film in a canaster and developing it. Then the printing process. Even with studying of af the "Zone System", there was no guarantee you'd get anything. I think because a person with no photography experience and a digital camera can take thousands of pictures and there is no "waste" so to say. You just delete. You can use your Ai setting and oh well ...
Good of you to say so Mr Red35. More and more photographers worth their salt have started to think like you. The answer for me at least, has always been to go back to the basics. I have shot film for over 50 years and in all formats from 110 to 5X7 and still do. It is here that the button pushers are separated from people who have an indepth understanding of the science and craft of photography. Any idiot could point a modern digital imaging device towards any subject and record impressive images, simply because all the microcomputers insode that device are doing all the work. One has to ask from time to time, what exactly was my role in all that, besides paying a huge chunk of money for the latest tech????
AI has a lot to do with this and I agree with you. I have been in photography since 1979 and to be honest nowdays it is not satisfying shooting digital especially with the latest cameras. I bought my first digital camera in 2010 that being Nikon D700 and still shoot with it and I still go back to my Nikon FE and Olympus OM3ti to shoot BW. My son's best friend bought the Nikon ZF and he let me shoot with it for a few days and yes the images SOOC are really gorgeous but there was no effort whatsoever to do so. I am glad I still have my film cameras. I just wish the manufacturers listen and maybe bring out more simple no frills film cameras. Cheers
Although Pentax almost got destroyed by Hoya, they still make traditional SLRs mainly for still photography. However, they are expensive. It's strange that to own a modern camera not just from the Pentax brand that's made mainly for still photography that it is more expensive than one made for video and still photography. That doesn't make sense to me at all. I remember the days when you could get a brand-new Pentax SLR which could perform just as well as any professional cameras
Fascinating, I had a conversation with a professional photographer who mainly specialises in portraits and event photography who relies on the smart features of their kit. Anything outside their comfort zone was avoided.
Dont get me started; I just renewed my cameras; probably for the last time. I cant see anybody making me a camera I would want to buy in the future. AND I blame luvvie US TH-cam reviewers. What I now do with a new camera is spend half a day turning off the "new features" that I dont want and will never use Pictures I take today are no better than I was taking on my brownie in 1957; I still have a couple of those in my online gallery. The last advance in cameras was IBIS. There has been nothing of much value to me since then. I take photos!!! Not video and most people dont take video either; they take snaps. Every camera on the market now seems to have no tilt screen because vlogers cant see themselves!!! They solved this problem with Sony A6600 & Z50. It fell on deaf ears. All cameras since have articulating screens. It would be nice if only video slanted cameras had that yet, the new Z50ii has no tilt screen and I bet the Z5ii will have it despite it being poor for video. Sorry Nikon I will keep my Z5. I would rather have a fixed screen than articulated as its at least robust. I will be able to buy these cameras I now have used, for the rest of my life. Sorry manufacturers; your new cameras suck. I will stick with my current cameras for rest of my old life. Frankly they have brought their decline on their own hands. If they found out what real people want instead of listening to reviewers; most of whom are totally rubbish, then photographers would be much happier buying new product - have fun ;-)
Hey good to see you Vici!! ahah no doubt, everything we buy these days have video features. It's a norm. I don't dislike them, because I make videos, but then again, I am a photographer by heart and really would love to see a 'photographers' camera. Some get close but let's see :)
@@Red35Photography Well I cant see me changing my present lineup which is predominantly Sony (A7ii, A7cii replacing my A6500, A6000 but I have Nikon for my legacy Nikon lens collection which is substantial. I just bought the A7cii to replace my APS camera but, the articulated screen sucks so I wont buy another. I treat it as fixed like my Leica TL2. Its useless for street where a tilt is far more convenient. Whatever, I wont stop taking photos and I canm get great stuff 20yrs old online which at age 73 should see me out. I just need good quality images for my online art installations ;-)
as the Buggles song goes: Video Killed the Radio Star, the same analogy applies to P&S, when Nokia introduced a 0.3 megapixel camera on their phone in 2003 who would've guessed it would sound the deathnell of a whole industry and its offshoots ie holidays snaps printed off at Boots..... Today people have 50k snaps on their phone and have never printed off a single one!!
I agree. But it does liven up the 2nd hand market when new "photographers" sell their kits because they find that the cameras don't quite improve their game from snap-shooters to photographers
I had a Canon 90D and a Canon SL3. I recently sold the 90D and am shooting only with the SL3. Why? The SL3 does everything I need easily and quickly. I often found myself missing shots because I had to change settings on the 90D. Is the 90D more capable? Of course but not in anything I want to do. The SL3 is lighter, smaller and makes it easier for me to use when I am walking around taking photographs.
My 16 year old 5DII still takes exceptional photographs, but I am going to pick up an OM-1 next year because of the computational features it offers. I'll keep my 5DII. On a side note most of the video cameras used to make docs at Sundance 2024 are around 10 years old. So older tech is still useful.
You are so right about the new cameras but this is a camera combo that will really blow your mind in picture quality and is from 2012. Sigma Merrill DP1 to 3, just try them out ;)
My first camera was an Yashica FRII back when I was a teenager in the 1980's. That ought be basics (that came only had aperture priority - not even manual) of composition. Next, I moved to a Contax 167MT and that gave me a whole new set of tools that allowed my knowledge to grow even more! All with manual focus, let alone IBIS, EVF's or "wild" ISO! Modern cameras have many, many more tools, but, like you said... imperfection is chastised in the photography community as opposed to being celebrated (as it was done in the past). Today's pixel peepers would annihilate even Annie Leibovitz if she was shooting digital today with the same style and imperfections of the 80's.
Great Stuff! Add tech as needed but, keep it out of the photogs way. Instant gratification addiction is a big part of the problem. Thanks for this post Jimmy. We're on the same page My friend.
I have been shooting since 1994 when I purchased an Asahi Pentax K1000 at the PX in San Diego...from film to DSLR, I have used a number of bodies...but I just don't see myself making the jump to Mirrorless...those bodies aren't MADE for Photographer but for Videographers...not to mention that the price points for the bodies and lenses are nonsensical! Now companies are making bodies that have features locked behind a PAYWALL!!! I'll stick to DSLR bodies that are now even lower in prices as well as their lenses! Great video!
To me you are still a very young man because 70 is coming up quickly for me. Where I have to disagree is with your statement that cameras have become expensive. My very first SLR was a Yashica TL Electro-X with a 50mm lens. Cost was 156 USD, a sum that took a lot of scrimping and saving. Multiply that by the inflation factor and that was 1200 2024 dollars. Three years later I purchased a brand new Nikon F2 body with a basic prism viewfinder for 425.00 USD. The lens I bought for this new camera was a used 50mm f2 Nikkor-H that cost 40.00 USD. Factor in the inflation factor for 1974 and that was a 3515.40 2024 USD purchase. Had I funds to get the F2 with the Photomic meter prism that was an additional 94.95 USD which with a 7.56 inflation factor means 171.82 2024 dollars. So, todays Z8 with all it's host of added features beyond a simple light meter is actually less expensive than a bare bones F2 with the photomic meter. When you start factoring in Inflation prices for camera gear today it is actually a bit less expensive that it was 20, 30, or even 50 years ago.
Manufacturers chase sales above all else. The pro camera market is strong, but small. Complain about size, incremental updates, etc all you want but pros want the best and camera companies want to put out their top tech to capture that market (and use for marketing). Are these updates needed to take a good photo? Of course not, but they help sell cameras, are products of (albeit slow) R&D progress, and turn more hobbyists into pros. Then there are the devices that prioritize portability, like the Pocket 3 or even OM5. I think they hit their mark fantastically, but again this is just another small piece of the sales pie. The real market shortcoming is the rest, which I think ironically form the opposite of your argument of needing to take things back to the fundamentals, which are the ones that smartphones have taken over, underscored by ease of use. The big slice of that pie needs to focus on things like connectivity, instant editing (LUTs, film sims, Leica looks, whatever), pocketability, physical design beauty, automated features like stacking, and interface. They should be able to be advanced with, but also be able to be dumbed down as far as a smartphone with the sole focus on why would someone carry this with them when they already have a fantastic smartphone that does all those things easier and likely better.
I don't believe photography is at the heart of a camera again for most. Hybrid and connectivity and convenience are key in 2024. As an example, the Pan S9, Sony ZVE1, Nikon Z50ii, Nikon ZF, OM-5 all represent good approximations of what most people want.
Cheers Jimmy , this is Sean in Atlanta! I totally agree with you, my friend! The camera market has gone absolutely bonkers! I am a photographer and I take zero, zero videos. Mybiggest dislike with modern cameras are those idiot flip out screens that I only use as a handle! I get it if you take videos, I do! But I do not and so I absolutely cannot stand the thought of a camera with that type of screen. The second thing that’s out of control are the prices ! If I wanted to spend $4000 to $6000 on a new camera body , I would get a used Leica. And I honestly don’t appreciate having to manually focus every single image I take! And lastly, it’s the mega pixels! Stop, already! We have more than enough! So I am in total agreement with you and I’m sure there will be folks who disagree with me. Fine. I want a camera with a tilt screen, or a fixed screen because that’s how a camera ends up being if it has my hated screen. Sorry! I feel better getting this off “my chest”, whatever that means! Sean
I can understand not having a use for a feature... but there's nothing 'idiot' about flip-screens. I don't shoot video, but i use a flip-screen regularly because it allows me to get my camera into positions for images that are otherwise impossible to achieve. The only alternative for many of the shots would be a remote monitor, but that's an additional piece of gear to manage and would slow my process down. My point is that it all depends on the what and the how of what one shoots, and if a feature facilitates that for a photographer then it's a good thing, and if it doesn't then it may be a nuisance - but the feature is not inherently or universally 'idiotic'. Thankfully, there are enough options out there to please everyone and their preferences.
My thoughts... If any company doesn't sell new cameras which are better in some way than the last camera, they will simply go out of business... I think smart phones have peaked in terms of photography. Camera tech has evolved slowly and I think will be a long time before it peaks. If anyone is genuinely interested in photography, the newest and greatest cameras will still allow them to go back to basics if desired. The point and shoot will return.
Companies make what people buy. 🤷♀️ I just wish more people would choose cameras over phones that produce overly artificial photos. But that’s the reality. One exception: I think there’s a real gap in the market for compact rangefinder-style cameras with APS-C or mFT sensors and small lenses. These could sell quite well.
I totally with you on this issue. I simply cannotn understand why Panasonic has gone FF for videographers. A DJI or even a smartphone is all that 95% of bloggers need to create their content and easily post it online. Those manufacturers that has gone all in into FF and video are chasing the wrong market. Also, I still use older cameras, the newest being introduced in 2018. They are good enough for me and even at 24MP, I lack nothing for heavy crops or large enlargements. Photographers should first learn the exposure triangle, composition techiniques, lighting and mastering the genre they are interested in first. The camera gear is secondary. I no longer watch product videos and have not watched any video of the latest cameras from any manufacturers. They just bore me to death and I simply do not need the latest and greatest gadgets.
Very true!... speaking from 55 years photography experience. And now there is generative AI which makes it possible for future generations to 'make' photos without even needing a camera. Fortunately anyone who loves photography can still have fun making their own unique and (especially) memorable images with a real camera.
0:55 exactly! Why does the X-M5 have to be a hybrid photo/video, the T50 does that, the S20 does that. The X-M1 was photo first the 5 has a flippy screen instant turn off. On connecting to the internet yes they should have been working on this a long time ago.
I have two pocket Sony cameras. They have pop up EVF, 30x zoom, decent controls for something so small -- and one is so full of dust as to be unusable. Even the microphone seems to have acquired dust. It used to be really handy if I was going to a function and wanted records without calling attention to myself. I used to do TH-cam videos with it, but it wasn't great under low light. The other is pristine, designed with exactly the same features as the first, and seems to have corrupted firmware. Of course, you can't get the firmware from Sony's site, and they have never offered an upgrade, either. It's a lovely-looking paperweight. You should be able to get ALL the software on line from the date of the camera's release. If computer manufacturers didn't supply all that stuff they would be out of the market before the next Windows update.
I did like my Lumix G90 a lot, but that crop in video shooting got annoying. But while looking at the market I couldn't find any good "upgrade" for me. I want to stick with M4/3, I like this system's glass so much, but any "upgrade" from the G90 is overkill for me. I looked at the E-M5 iii and OM-5 but I felt that for that money, even used, it wasn't a worthy G90 replacement. So I just found a pretty good deal with a used G9. And I still feel it is overkill. Seriously the G9 from 2017 is a beast ! What I actually want is a G90 without video crop or a better priced (or actually new) OM-5.
In my opinion, digital cameras plateaued about 10 years ago. Except for some niche areas, there has been no real improvement for photography. Therefore the camera makers are moving sideways into other markets, like video.
But this problem is not just to do with cameras/photography… it’s the same for most hobbies etc, people think if they spend a shed load of money on golf clubs it will make them a better golfer, spend a shed load on a more advanced car it will make them a better driver. There is a fundamental thing that is common to all these things we do. As you mentioned it’s understanding and perfecting the basics so one understands how ‘to do’ regardless of what the hobby is or the equipment used.
100% But digital cameras are just computers with a lens slapped on the front and the only way to make consumers keep buying is by offering incremental hardware and software changes. As you say, photographers have been tricked into thinking newer gear means better pictures. What I’d like to see are some still photo-centric offerings. But what we’ll probably get are more colour choices.
Maybe, the camera/lens manufacturers could include useful technology such as retina or finger print security to safeguard expensive equipment and make theft less likely…
I've been trying to get my kids interested in photography but no they are happy with their iPhones! You are right that photography as we know it could die
It is our job to Make Cameras Great Again. Cell phone photos by the majority of people are junk, selfies, group shots and pretty much trash for Facebook. We need to get our children interested in using a camera. A cell phone is like a TV you watch. A camera becomes very personal as you and camera become one. We need to instill that mindset in our new generation of children. I have shot hundreds of thousands of photos in the good ole film days. Loved every minute of it. Digital, when you wrap your head around it, works great. We just skip to the head of the line by not having to deal with film. We do have a connection with the world as our newer cameras connect to our cellphone and we have the next best thing. I suspect cameras will evolve to be as convenient as cell phones.
of course there are things to advance. make a sensor smaller than MFT with tiny pixels that are able to get the clarity and low light/high ISO performance of 10x full frame. put 20ev stops IBIS and put it in a camera the size of say the OM5 or EM10. and then make lenses smaller. with the AI revolution, make small tiny lenses that max out at F4 but have the ability to choose literally any F stop and allow computations to create a photo with that F stop. a lot of ppl will push back saying "this isn't photography anymore" but honestly if you look at what already goes on under the hood of modern cameras and especially smartphones which are replacing the cameras, its already heading in that direction. i predict next gen cameras not about capture a moment, rather it is capture a memory or create art/aesthetic images.
My employers tried the "Everybody just take pictures and videos with their smartphones" approach but not surprisingly the quality of portraits and event photography was not up to scratch. We're back with real cameras again.
That's probably more a reflection of whoever they let take the photos. Some random person vs a photographer that understands exposure, framing and composition. Smartphones can take perfectly good photos for most situations that part of why they crippled the camera market. Nothing beats the feel and experience of a real camera in hand though.
I stopped looking at modern digital cameras a long time ago. All of my cameras are at least 10 years old, a few are 25 years old. eBay is our friend. Whenever I have bought a new/old digicam, mainly for its sensor and JPEG engine, I switch everything off. I dont need any of it. Oh, and by the way, I am a retired professional photographer who everything that was possible in my career to succeed at excellence. We dont need any of this stuff to do excellent work. Just read the manual, switch everything off, and get to work.
@@Red35Photography I feel like the pocket 3 and action cameras dominate the market these days. Those re the modern point and shoot but with video now since video has become the main median
@@Marcus_Visbal I wouldn't disagree but strange that camera makers have all the tools and resources to make their point and shoot mover video friendly, but instead, they just didn't bother and let others eat the market. DJI is almost winning the market themselves, even GoPro is struggling to compete. DJI has built such an eco-system with their mics and drones that it's hard to beat if you are a content creator or into video making.
Picked up a Lumix GF3 for £80 this week for a trip. It's a lovely camera, 13 years old: any decent photographer could use it to make great images. Makes me wonder what everyone's been doing for the last decade!
@@KirstenBayes just went back to an Olympus omd em5 because my photography was somehow better when I wasn't reliant on tech. Composition and understanding light beats tech
0:745 :) I think we'll see a consolidation of camera brands, Sony buying Canon, or more ventures like Panasonic and Leica. Sony seem to make most of the sensors anyway! On prices, MPB are charging way more than RRP on some products now which is a shame.
Cameras as an item today, for most people, are not needed at all, the smartphone is MORE than good enough, and in many ways better for most people and most situations. If one is interested in photography itself, then a camera as a distinct tool is supremely wonderful to have. The various lenses, ISO settings, sensor sizes and performance and the super gigantic used market for all kinds of lenses and cameras make it the golden age for the photographer. The camera companies know the score, Canon saw it and pushed to the more expensive pro end, smart move; Fuji goes where no camera company really goes, apsc and medium format; Pentax is on its own trail; SONY is in it not for photography but money only, not that they all aren't in it for the money, but SONY is kind of "hey sailor" about it; Nikon is committed and not in Japan anymore, so there's that. All in all these are golden times, all kinds of fabulous equipment and software to make your image. Make the most of it, carry a camera and use it; I kind of would like the pocket Ricoh thing.
OM1 owner and its not my favorite camera, they have no soul now, fave camera is an old Olympus E3, its a joy to use, heck I've been gone back to using the only camera i kept from my film days, a 47 year old Praktica, i don't get some of the photos i see on photography fbook pages taken with a camera that can take sharp photos and sharpened to a gross level especially in the sky in post and these get loads of likes !!!!
The thing is that most of the new models actually do not offer a new sensor at all and it could perfectly be a firmware update, for example EM1mkII -> EM1mkIII and OM1 -> OM1mkII. I would happily pay for an update if its worth it but I am definetly not paying thousands for another camera body
Saving that OM-1 to OM-1mk2 involves more & faster memory plus improved focus functions, which are hardware and cannot be done by firmware update. It is not always possible to squeeze a quart into a pint pot. There again, if you are not predominantly shooting wildlife, there seems little point upgrading from one to the other.
Your comment makes me ask, is any camera manufacturer willing to open their camera processor code to third party software developers to have a go at adding capability to that camera?
The BIGGEST mistake of the camera industry - seperating product lines by features even if the models share the same chipset. Instead they should have seperate by things like BUILD QUALITY and WEATHER SEALING. there ARE ways to make current cameras much more attractive - but for that "thinking outside the box" is required. The Alice camera is a good starting point - not because of its hardware, but the SOFTWARE SDK. That could enable a NEW WAY of taking photos and such a NEW kind of photograhpy ART... Somebody WILL MAKE IT, so photography has a bright future, even if seperated into AI-Smartphone/Product-, Documentary and new ART Photography... can't wait for it to happen.
You need to understand the exposure triangle, which is the most important part of photography. Ff you don't you can't really on technology especially the marketing BS from the camera companies. I can sum it up in one quote "The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!." -Ansal Adams-
Preach on, Brother Jimmy! Best video I've seen in ages. I dumb down every digital cam I have to make it as simple as I can.
The upside about all of this is that the cameras that are now seen as obsolete are still pretty damn good and can be bought for a decent price. The EM1.3 is crazy good for 600USD.
I found one for less than $600. Santa has possession of it now, but it will be under the tree on Christmas. Why spend the big bucks for a newer OM model for a few features that you don't need most of the time.
E-M1 III in what condition? Because anytime I look for one that has under 10k shutter count and in good shape is $800+ unless at a lower price in an active auction. The E-M1 III is a beast of a camera.
@@corykphotography Shutter count was 25, 051 and that wasn't an issue for me when the shutter is rated for 400,000 activations. The camera was like new, just a few small blemishes. It came with two Oly batteries and charger, and 2 aftermarket batteries with charger and a cheapie L bracket.
For me, seeing cameras like the D3 and D4 go for prices around the 400 to 850 dollar mark really blows my mind
I am absolutely convinced that these camera manufacturers made a colossal mistake when they decided to put in extra features that photographers never needed and therefore complicated the camera. Over 95% of photographers are actually not capable of ansorbing so much complexity, never mind applying it efficiently. This is where Apple was superintelligent. They incorporated all that and much more into their mobile phones with their powerful processors, and made a simple idiot proof device that appealed to the generation who think that using a flight combat simulator is the same as flying an F4 Phantom in battle. Simplicity is the answer.
Hi Jimmy, I have seen almost all your videos and listened to your talks for many hours. Totally honestly, this is far the best I have seen from you. Respect 👍👍💯💯
Wow, thanks! Glad to hear my friend.
Camera manufacturers don't dare to do anything these days or have become totally unimaginative.
I have a few ideas.
1. Replaceable/interchangeable monitor, foldable/swivelling, or optionally with cable >5 inches or a WiFi module.
2. Interchangeable viewfinders have existed before (prism viewfinder, shaft viewfinder), optionally with cable or WiFi.
3. And why not just have an interface that covers both options, prism hump down, monitor or WiFi module on.
4. Built-in wireless flash control (preferably compatible with Godox or something like that). Hot shoe makes room for point 3.
5. More cross-brand standards such as L-Mount or MFT, hasn't hurt any of the companies involved so far.
6. GPS, every cell phone can do that these days.
7. As far as I'm concerned, the inch indication on the focus scale can disappear (sorry to all the poor Americans).
Okay, I'm just rambling again. Sorry, I'm an electronics engineer. I would have to think about it again for more.
The filmmakers should come up with something themselves.
Love this 100%. Instead of buying a new camera, I have gone and bought an older Pentax k10d, and loving the simplicity of it all. Nothing complicated; just the exposure triangle and "being there". Also got an old E300 to limit myself further. Really enjoying it!
Jimmy, you are spot on. Many photographers today call cameras unusable simple because the autofocus is not the fastest on the market or the tracking and frame rates are not super fast or low light performance doesn't match the grain structure of Kodachrome 25. Sometimes my sarcasm comes out and I wonder out loud how any images were captured back when focus was manual, the fastest motor drives were 5 frames per second and the highest color film was ISO 400 or a very grainy Konica 1000. Yet, there are many iconic images from that era in all categories, wildlife, sports, concerts. How? By today's standards those cameras are unusable to many modern photographers. Photographers needed to anticipate plays in sports. They needed to observe wildlife and anticipate behavior patterns and they didn't have the luxury or shooting 3,000 images during a wedding just to create an album with 24-48 photos. They had to find ways or resolving lighting issues with strobes of other lights. You had to have knowledge and be very selective before pressing that shutter button.
I think manufacturers need the digital equivalent of a Pentax K1000, basic, fully manual exposure and no bells and whistles (okay, maybe keep the autofocus so you can repurpose the lenses when you upgrade). BTW: I have an EP1, an EM1 MKIII and an OM1 MKII.
The fact is... hybrid is not the way to go for most professional work. It's best to invest in a great photo camera and then get a great video camera on the side. You can simply rent a Canon c80 or a Red if you need better video. Hybrid is good in of both worlds but will never deliver the best results. There is a reason Medium format is still the best for a lot of photography. Phase one wont be adding video for a reason.
I think where part of this argument and disconnect comes from is the viewpoint of the photographers in questions. Those photographers that want the highest frame rates, fast autofocus, tracking etc are thinking in a professional sense. They are photographing for work or care more about the output than the process. That means whatever medium can give them the best result is the best and everything else is inferior or in-optimal. If I'm shooting sports or wildlife I probably still have to anticipate plays/movements but if there is someone else there that is shooting at 30fps compared to my 5 fps DSLR then they have a 6 times more likely chance of getting the perfect shot. At the end of the day the person buying the wedding photos does not care whether the photographer took 3k photos or just 50 for the 24-48 album they just want their photos and the best that can be delivered. In other words the process does not matter to the client so it also does not matter to the photographer.
Have no fear. I'm also a woodworker. It goes in cycles. In the 80's and 90's it was just older guys who dabbled in woodworking. Now it's a very diverse / artsy group. I suspect photography will have a phase where a good number of people ditch their cellphones and desire a real camera. They will even make prints!!!!!
Some fantastic points here and I agree the second hand market is full of amazing professional and prosumers cameras that still pack a punch for most people.
Another thoughtful and pertinent commentary. Thanks, Jimmy. I think one photography skill that has really suffered is shot discipline. People no longer have to think about rolls of 24 or 36 shots, how much they cost, and how much processing shots costs. The philosophy of 'shoot a hundred and pick one' makes for lazy craft.
You're so right Jimmy! I love my EM5mk2. I also have a OM1 which I absolutely love the better iso performance & especially the viewfinder as my eyes are getting older. The camera only records what the " photographer " puts into the frame no matter what brand.
A few nights ago my 90D’s battery ran out of energy while doing street photography. I switched to my old and beginner’s Rebel T7 to keep shooting. I was actually amazed at the quality of the pictures. You’re right that knowing or learning what makes a picture a picture is the most important skill. You can take good pictures with any camera as long as you understand how to use them and their limitations. Great video and message!
Enjoyed the vid, very relatable. These days I will only buy another camera if I need it (or get an involuntary fit of the GAS) and it will no doubt be second hand heavily discounted. My best time with digital cams is using adapted manual lenses and just feeling at peace slowly taking some great shots, getting in the zone. I'm just a hobbyist.
I absolutely agree - I have long thought that, in many ways, modern digital cameras have become too complex. They have systems to speed up the process of taking a photograph by giving tracking and auto-everything, but it can often take more time and effort to decide what combination of features to use to take the photos. For some time now I have yearned for a camera that is, essentially, based upon the Olympus OM1 - small and compact is part of it, but the fantastic way that shutter speed, focus and aperture are all controlled with one hand - the one that is supporting the camera body - using controls that are concentric to the lens. This was a superb design decision, and it would be lovely if that could be replicated now. Things like tracking would be nice to have on a control. Iso could be done in much the same way that the OM1 did it - lift and turn a dial to select ISO, and turn without lifting to select compensation. That camera was a master-class in design for usability, and it would be wonderful if we could get something essentially similar. TBH, I would forgo many of the facilities available nowadays - including tracking - for a camera the same size and shape as an om1, full frame, similar size lenses. I'd even forgo autofocus...
You are pointing a problem that is not for the manufacturers. They need to sell cameras as that is their revenue stream. If they dont sell they go broke. Your points may also applies 50 years ago into the 1970's when autoexposure and in the 80's when autofocus came. Professional photographer said that you need to measure the light properly and manual focus the lens. That is the correct skill of photography at that time.
Can you please define the real skill of photography these days?
@ Set the AI autofocus correctly using the sensitivity and speed setting, instead of knowing how to turn the focus ring on the lens for manual focus. The problem is that those critizing about lost skill, needs to understand that with new technology requires new knowledge and skills.
@@angeloplayforone I see, setting the sensitivity on a camera in your mind equates to having skills. A seven year old child could do that man. That is not skill, that is playing video games at the lowest level. You are so full of your own ideas that you have failed to see how dumb photography has become. Lets put it this way, give me a pinhole camera and I promise you that with a probability of over 95% I will produce an image, properly exposed, properly executed. Give me an all singing all dancing imaging computer called a ' digital camera ' and I will do the same. I have no problem with tech, I work in electronics. But, what would you do? Be looking for ever on the pinhole camera for the leg of the chicken focus mode???? It is one thing being ignorant, one can always learn , but it is a monumental fuck up if one was ignorant and also proud of it too.
@@lensman5762Asking loaded Reddit questions is cringe.
@@angeloplayforonei can use my 50 year old camera and my sony a7 , can you do both too?
Well said!
I have the OM 1, and an EM 1 Mark 2, and numerous lenses with a field of view from 18-1200 (2400 with teleconverters). The OM 1 has great stabilization and I’m perfectly happy with its subject detection. I don’t plan to buy the OM 2. It’s not enough of an upgrade. I will take a look at the next upgrade, but I’m not sure I need more technology than I already have.
Hi Jimmy,
Great insights here!
You are making a very good case for a digital camera with 3 dials: one for shutter speed, one for ISO and one for exposure compensation-and maybe a lever for manual focus / auto-focus. I think Leica got there first with the M8 (but left off the focus lever with manual focus only). If Leica re-launches a bare-bones 18 to 24MPx rangefinder camera with three dials and a CCD sensor (M9 style) - or Olympus with a minimalist 3-dial 16MPx OM-5ii - they will get the camera industry back on track. Retro is the future!
Thanks for the honest opinion. I am probably, like most, a hobby photographrer. My OMD EM-1 mk 1 and mk 2 still do what I want and they both look great and still bring me alot of joy in my weekend photo outings. I print for myself and family only so 20 MP is plenty. The system and lenses is small, light weight and fantastic for travel. If I ever get into videography it would be a DJI pocket, GoPro or maybe even a pockable camcorder.
Finally updated to a G7. It's way more camera than I need, but still works with my 'old' full sized 4/3 lenses.
Still use my Galaxy S23 and my Mini 2 for most shots.
They just don't equal a dedicated camera for special purposes. Dedicated controls and the built-in features in the G7 make up for the difference in convenience.
The challenge for camera companies is that the build quality and functionality available these days means that obsolescence is actually a diminishing concern. Hence they have to increase the costs because that one-time purchase now lasts for so long that upgrades really aren't that necessary nearly as regularly as they used to be.
Photography is still about the artistry, compositions, framing and choices. That does not mean that the new tech is bad, harmful or unnecessary. The new tools are for those who need them or it can improve their quality of life, helping them take photos they could not take before. I think what people are going through is the same as what happened when digital surpassed film or the introduction or automatic modes and autofocus - a mix of gatekeeping and fear that the skills they learned were no longer required to take a basic photo. When I want to go slow with photography i just pull out my DSLR or shoot film, that always still available to you and much cheaper too. I see modern cameras as my "work" camera and old ones as my "fun" camera. Still, people need to learn that if they don't need a feature they should not buy it. The camera industry thrives on GAS which is a bad and a good thing. It means continual improvements for those who those features are relevant to and it also allows manufactures to have a consistent income stream. If people only need the most basic camera (MF, sealing, glass) the used market is saturated with those and many are well made and won't need to be replaced for a while. If the manufacturer can't sell what they normally do they may have to step out of the camera market which has already been stifled by smartphones or completely switch to only catering towards expensive high-end/collector products that won't be available to most people. All in all I think people unproductively complain too much about this and instead should focus on getting manufacturers to add the features we want rather than random ones they seem to think we need. I would love to manufactures add safety features so we won't worry about our gear being stolen etc. but none of the major ones have done anything.
Good post.
just make a small camera with two dials weather sealed with Ibis how hard can it be. They always make them with bits missed off and add stuff we don't need!!!! so frustrating. I think the biggest problem is that they don't listen to the consumers, manufacturers just make stuff they think we might like !. Your right Jimmy
+ a decent EVF with PDAF AF - for me. :)
Exactly. I don't mean any offense by saying this, but I don't care about all the AI based subject detect stuff. I don't want it and I don't use it. I would imagine that adds to the cost of the camera. I would love to see a camera company forget that stuff and make a camera out of high quality material, weather sealed (like you said) and a viewfinder. I actually feel like we are seeing lesser quality items for the same (or in most cases more expensive) price. Makes me sad. I picked up an old dslr recently since they were so cheap and it had everything I needed to take photos. I forgot how much I really enjoy using and ovf as well.
@@just_A_Hack You might not need subject detection but some of us do. Different needs = different tech for different people. Having animal detect and high frame rates is helpful when I'm doing wildlife photography. If you don't need that stuff just stick with the cheap old dslr's like you said and be happy you don't have to pay the premiums that we do.
@@AstairVentof Don't get me wrong, I can see where it is helpful in some regards. I am glad it works for you and for those who use it.
@@just_A_HackI read/heard somewhere that it costs less for companies to integrate their existing technology across the board, than to make cameras where that tech is taken out/not included.
Hey Jimmy great video, been watching your stuff for a long time now and always appreciate your content, I always carry a camera with me and what I'm finding a lot these days is the younger or people in general are amazed that I even bother to carry one with some funny comments and looks etc, it's not only the Camera industry but the whole world has gone crazy, anyway your right about the latest and greatest, I still love my older gear and think all of that low megapixel stuff renders some stunning photos, it's the glass that counts, hey upmost respect to you Man!!
I guess the question is...does one concentrate on creating an image or fascination with gadgetry. For the photographer, the camera is a tool, we select the best one for the task at hand. From the camera manufacturer outlook, I'm not sure what's left for for innovation. Unless your printing your photographs, any flagship cellphone has most folks covered, as you already mentioned. Flagship cameras from all the major manufacturers already do more than most of us ever use. I think anything over 50mpx is overhead.. so I have no idea what's next... As I learned many years ago, upgrading gear didn't make me a better photographer, just made life easier with some of the additional controls and innovations. As always, thanks for the great video and your candid thoughts on the Industry. Cheers!
Wanted a good point and shoot pocket camera for my daughter (canon g7x mk3 or similar) but no stock and no idea when these cameras will be available. Prices are mad! Just bought her an older oly e-pl8 instead. Given up waiting for companies to get their sh*t together 😡
I have my Cnn G5X-II always with me; it brings me good quality (raw).
@ would love one but none available either down under…discontinued I think…imports from Japan are commanding AUD$2000! Mad!
The easy answer is buy older tech secondhand... You don't need new or latest tech. Take the X100 VI for example, it's overpriced and not needed.
@@kiwipics yep, totally agree. My daughter was after a Fuji originally for the film simulations…must be a bit of a trend amongst the youngsters now that they’ve done the retro film camera thing. Spotted the used oly epl8 with a lens in immaculate condition in white that she liked the look of so we’ll see how that goes instead for less than half the cost of a new Fuji xm5 (which isn’t available for some time yet).
@dingoeatswolf3663 .. The Olympus EP and EPL have custom profile settings in all of their exposure modes. The colour and monochrome settings can be changed via the menu, and those can also be used as a 3 shot burst .. ie: 1@natural 1@vivid 1@b&w ... one shot at each with one press of the shutter button, and you can shoot like that even in RAW plus JPEG.
The best option for easy colour profile changes are the Pen F (high prices s/hand) and the EP7, as they have a switch on the front for quick changes in JPEG only mode.
Sounds like a perfect travel kit…OP3, OM5 and a lens or 2! If hard conditions perhaps a Tg7. I often use an Osmo 4 and a Sony Rx100 Vii. Almost perfect for long journeys in mountains, but camera not weatherproof.
You are so right about the pursuit of technology and how it drives the market and gets consumers to buy gear that isn't really needed or has minimal improvement over their current gear. As an amateur, I've kept my costs lower by buying used which means you can save at least half of the original price. My second camera body, an Olympus M10 Mark II is pretty old by today's standards, but it's images are great and very comparable to the ones produced by my M1 Mark II.
I don't think manufacturers don't understand the market. They just try to either blackmail you into spending more money or try to sell you the idea that you need to use their latest project.
Now about om-5. It's a really nice camera. The only thing I can see is missing is lightweight prime compact weather sealed lenses to combine it with it.
You started very well touching the sore areas asking how a new generation of "true" photographers - interested in aestgetic questions - could be fostered but then you slided into a gear and social media frenzy that let me assume you had been well breeded by the industry, by our frenzy system. The once enigmatic and unfortunately so prophetic statement of Marshall McLuhan "the media is the message" now becomes a terribly realistic meaning where the reality (whatever that may be) is replaced by multimedia spectacles and their endless reflections in the multimedia multiverse.
And the irony is OM system cameras are packed with features (computational photography) and all the old school photographers have flocked to that system.
Maybe they just got fed up using their skills.
Before about 2012, none of my cameras since 1954 had stabilisation, but I learnt to handhold to 1/25 second, and, for night shots I would use a reel of 400ASA film and prop myself and the camera against a doorway, wall or table, and still get about 3 decent shots out of 4.
We did get away with very few features.
In 2012 I got an DSLR, with some IBIS -- pretty classy! -- just a bit of a burden to carry when I went on holidays. Still I had had a film SLR, which wasn't light and well balanced either.
But the DSLR suffered a "cider related incident" a couple of days into an overseas holiday and I bought a 1" mirrorless ICL camera for the rest of my trip, which I loved, even with only the 10-30 (28-80 equiv) lens. I added a screw on 2x converter until I was able to get an 80-300 equiv telephoto, and got quite usable 160mm equiv shots using that. It was not a camera with lots of controls, though you could find a few extras hidden in the menus.
The biggest problem with that camera was unreliable lenses and no third party options. It doesn't even work well with adaptors. Had it been reliable, I would probably still be using it. It fitted a jacket pocket with the standard zoom attached, and the telephoto zoom went into the other pocket. It worked quite acceptably under normal street lighting, so, if I went shopping at night, I would take it and get a different kind of street photography: the quiet of a suburb after most shops close.
I am currently using an MFT camera which is a trifle larger and heavier than is ideal, though more comfortable with an attached lens than the DSLR.
When I have taken my photos, I download them to my laptop, which has a SIM, so I can connect to the Internet in most parts of Australia. I wonder if a travel-sized camera with a SIM option might be a way ahead. Carry a mini BT keyboard in your shirt pocket if necessary!
Very interesting analysis. I have been analysing the camera technology market and companies in this sector for a number of years and there are parallels with other tech sectors, such as mobile phones. The hardware technology has evolved almost to a point where consumers dont really need more ( 4k, 8 k, video, 120fps, 60MP sensors, AF tracking, AI assistance) these are all small differentiators to many photographers rather than essentail features. Cameras have become hybrid still and video devices - whether we need it or not. Sales have declined from a peak of c121M units pa in 2010 to c 8M units in 2023, so manufacturers focus on higher margin, feature rich devices. Keen amateur photographers are currently interested in uniquely designed, quality stills cameras such X100VI, Leica Q3 and I expect we may see a time lag before manufacturers respond. As you pointed out current cameras still lack wider connectivity, an operating system, internal storage and cluncky and irregular firware updates. This doesnt happen with laptops or mobile phones. Perhaps manufacturers need a rethink ..........
I really only have one word to sum up my views on this subject "Agreed". I'm getting sick of all these so-called technological advances that I don't want, don't need and add very little if anything to my photography. I just returned from a five day trip to Marbella, principally for my step-daughter's wedding but also for the opportunity to do some nice walk-around, as Robin Wong calls it "shutter therapy" street photography around the old town and I just took my E-M1 mk1, 25mm f/1.8 and a black mist diffusion filter as an all-round choice and had an absolute blast!. :)
point and shoot cameras are instant on, ready to capture an image, phones are clumsy and never ready for a fast shoot
The thing that has killed prosumer cameras is the weight and having to carry it all in a rucksack. The big advantage was the Canon Ixus which was small light weight fitted in your pocket and took excellent photos. I am still using a really old Ixus which I got second hand in a charity shop and its still brilliant.
I bought a Canon Elph 360HS last week to have something I could carry around in my pocket. The Elph 360HS was out of stock for weeks. I got an email from them saying it was back in stock, so I ordered immediately. B&H was out of stock again the next day. So much for there being no demand for small point-and-shoot cameras.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You are right about the manufacturers losing the site of the customers demands. Obviousely the young are still interested in photography and shoot film. Only Pentax came with a new film camera. The truth is that when the trends change it takes some years to produce new camera due to production lines. When the small kameras like Fuji x100 models became popular, only Panasonic and now Fuji responded to what we wanted but only partially looking at the specs. Extra megapixels is not a must but EVF and good and light lenses are for exemple.
Of all the tech that is truly useful is image stabilisation.
Hi Jimmy, I very much enjoyed you "rant" and appreciate your thoughts. I will give you some of mine.
Future photographers: I agree that in general we should be worried about the abilities of future photographers. On the other hand though, in recent times I have helped several young people to get full manual analogue cameras (Well frankly I gave them). Some just wanted the analogue look, but most of them wanted to learn the basic of photography to improve the way they take photos. So, there is some hope.
Latest gadgets: I absolutely agree that for most photography you do not need the latest and greatest. I use "very" old digital cameras (2004) and really old film cameras (1930's) to take very nice photos. But if you want excellent photos of races and rallies then extremely high frame rates and focusing mechanisms come in very handy. If you want to do macro photography focus stacking is really nice. If you want to do night photography features like Live Time, Live Composite and Starry Sky AF are just brilliant. For landscape photography high-res mode is fantastic. Not everyone does portrait photography.
Market: In a conversation with an owner of a local photography shop he said that he believes all Japanese manufacturers have decided together to focus only on the upper market. Remember that that was one of the first things OM System said about their new market strategy. I bought the OM-1 at this shop last year and that camera is rock bottom at his market. People buying real camera gear are spending more and more money. This man sells €6.000 to €10.000 lenses almost by the bucket (in a tiny little shop!). You need to sell 10 to 20 point and shoot cameras for that at a lower profit margin. If you look at what keeps selling in economically difficult times it are Ferrari's, Rolexes and yachts. So, it probably is a wise decision to focus on that upper market.
Fuji X-M5: That one irritates me a bit. I remember OM System brought their first camera, the Pen E-P7, and everybody was like: Yeah, quite nice, but not special, it is lacking an EVF and it is too expensive. Now Fuji comes with essentially the same form factor, a bigger sensor but probably less features and a higher price and suddenly everyone (not just you) is boasting about it. So, it would be very nice if in your review you would compare it to a three year old E-P7 from OM System to see how big of a step the X-M5 really is (or how far ahead OM System was).
Very true. But a fact is also, that it takes time to find the camera which is a tool for what you want to do. Personally I have Canon and Nikon and I really like the D5200. But my first Olympus, the M10 Iii, was something very different. Perfect handling. Everything is exactly where I would expect it. Upgraded to the EM1 II, added an EPL 9 in blue and now the OM1 II. With this technology I am very happy and would not need more upgrades like Full Frame or whatever.
Jimmy, you are nail it when you said the market on existing users rather than the new. In fact the industry need to seriously spend more to understand the Gen Z. Their understanding is paramount. Otherwise we may loose great companies that manufacture great photography products.
i will not be surprised if Apple, Samsung or any giant consumers mobile phones makers decide to push deeper into photography functions, in that situation, it is definitely be very interesting.
In my opinion, imaging giants must begin their journey either to evolves themselves into the mobile and modular (MM), or joint partnership to continue growth. A great example now is Insta360. They very wise. They are not exactly very good in imaging, but they very good in software, AI and mobile technology. (Even DJI can’t get close, in my personal view.) OMG this the original message, only later when watch more into your video than I realise you mention DJI. Hahahaha. Yes, DJI to me is an expert in gimbal industrial on land or in air period. They further developing Lidar. OMG their drones using that navigate through challenging urban or rural conditions.
Jimmy, I hope my humble little views can help. 😊 love your content. Thank you very much.
Going even farther in returning to the basics. Film photography. Tons of fun- sunny 16.
I agree with everything you said in this vid.
I have a Nikon Z8 and Z50, both of which I love and have taken wonderful pictures on.
But I find that nine times out of ten when I leave the house I'll just grab my old D7100 with Tamron 17-50 2.8 and maybe Nikon 50mm or My Nikon D650 with 85mm and maybe 50 or 35mm. Why? Because the photo quality is still fantastic, they hang nicely in my big hands and one battery easily lasts all day and often several days. Also, I'm not as worried about them and have a huge range of lens combinations I can use.
I understand what you are saying. There are those that love gear and those that love photography. Those that love gear help the camera companies keep going so that photographers like us can have better gear. If a man has a camera he is more likely to discover photography if he already has a camera. Maybe not so bad after all.
As others have said, i guess that’s the marketing machine; numbers are much easier to push…..more this or more that. Feel, ergonomics etc., that is a much harder concept to market.
I had an RP, upgraded to the R8……yes, the latter is a way more capable camera from a dynamic range and AF point if view. Did it improve my my photography? No, not at all. I think if you’re a pro and workflow and getting the job done is important, maybe so. For me, i used the RP on safari and took photos of cheetahs running at 70mph; no issues!
I just need to dial out of the upgrade path! The dopamine hit we all feel with new gear is very real and hard to fight!
I think when I used my dad's Canon viewfinder that he bought in the late 50's in Occupied Japan you had to be a lot more careful about taking a photo. On a roll of 35 shots you might get 2 that were keepers. Then came the process of loading the film in a canaster and developing it. Then the printing process. Even with studying of af the "Zone System", there was no guarantee you'd get anything. I think because a person with no photography experience and a digital camera can take thousands of pictures and there is no "waste" so to say. You just delete. You can use your Ai setting and oh well ...
Good of you to say so Mr Red35. More and more photographers worth their salt have started to think like you. The answer for me at least, has always been to go back to the basics. I have shot film for over 50 years and in all formats from 110 to 5X7 and still do. It is here that the button pushers are separated from people who have an indepth understanding of the science and craft of photography. Any idiot could point a modern digital imaging device towards any subject and record impressive images, simply because all the microcomputers insode that device are doing all the work. One has to ask from time to time, what exactly was my role in all that, besides paying a huge chunk of money for the latest tech????
AI has a lot to do with this and I agree with you.
I have been in photography since 1979 and to be honest nowdays it is not satisfying shooting digital especially with the latest cameras.
I bought my first digital camera in 2010 that being Nikon D700 and still shoot with it and I still go back to my Nikon FE and Olympus OM3ti to shoot BW.
My son's best friend bought the Nikon ZF and he let me shoot with it for a few days and yes the images SOOC are really gorgeous but there was no effort whatsoever to do so.
I am glad I still have my film cameras.
I just wish the manufacturers listen and maybe bring out more simple no frills film cameras.
Cheers
Although Pentax almost got destroyed by Hoya, they still make traditional SLRs mainly for still photography. However, they are expensive. It's strange that to own a modern camera not just from the Pentax brand that's made mainly for still photography that it is more expensive than one made for video and still photography. That doesn't make sense to me at all. I remember the days when you could get a brand-new Pentax SLR which could perform just as well as any professional cameras
Just bought a "old" EOS 5D Mark IV in mint conditions with only 5000 clicks for 1200 dollar. Will be using that for years to come.
Fascinating, I had a conversation with a professional photographer who mainly specialises in portraits and event photography who relies on the smart features of their kit. Anything outside their comfort zone was avoided.
Dont get me started; I just renewed my cameras; probably for the last time. I cant see anybody making me a camera I would want to buy in the future. AND I blame luvvie US TH-cam reviewers. What I now do with a new camera is spend half a day turning off the "new features" that I dont want and will never use Pictures I take today are no better than I was taking on my brownie in 1957; I still have a couple of those in my online gallery. The last advance in cameras was IBIS. There has been nothing of much value to me since then. I take photos!!! Not video and most people dont take video either; they take snaps. Every camera on the market now seems to have no tilt screen because vlogers cant see themselves!!! They solved this problem with Sony A6600 & Z50. It fell on deaf ears. All cameras since have articulating screens. It would be nice if only video slanted cameras had that yet, the new Z50ii has no tilt screen and I bet the Z5ii will have it despite it being poor for video. Sorry Nikon I will keep my Z5. I would rather have a fixed screen than articulated as its at least robust. I will be able to buy these cameras I now have used, for the rest of my life. Sorry manufacturers; your new cameras suck. I will stick with my current cameras for rest of my old life. Frankly they have brought their decline on their own hands. If they found out what real people want instead of listening to reviewers; most of whom are totally rubbish, then photographers would be much happier buying new product - have fun ;-)
Hey good to see you Vici!! ahah no doubt, everything we buy these days have video features. It's a norm. I don't dislike them, because I make videos, but then again, I am a photographer by heart and really would love to see a 'photographers' camera. Some get close but let's see :)
@@Red35Photography Well I cant see me changing my present lineup which is predominantly Sony (A7ii, A7cii replacing my A6500, A6000 but I have Nikon for my legacy Nikon lens collection which is substantial. I just bought the A7cii to replace my APS camera but, the articulated screen sucks so I wont buy another. I treat it as fixed like my Leica TL2. Its useless for street where a tilt is far more convenient. Whatever, I wont stop taking photos and I canm get great stuff 20yrs old online which at age 73 should see me out. I just need good quality images for my online art installations ;-)
PS. YOu are right about point and shoots - my Pixel 7 has completely replaced my Olympus Tuff 5 as my always carry camera.
as the Buggles song goes: Video Killed the Radio Star, the same analogy applies to P&S, when Nokia introduced a 0.3 megapixel camera on their phone in 2003 who would've guessed it would sound the deathnell of a whole industry and its offshoots ie holidays snaps printed off at Boots..... Today people have 50k snaps on their phone and have never printed off a single one!!
I agree with you 100% and I am hoping the manufacturers listen and make cameras that a photographer can relate to.
I agree. But it does liven up the 2nd hand market when new "photographers" sell their kits because they find that the cameras don't quite improve their game from snap-shooters to photographers
I had a Canon 90D and a Canon SL3. I recently sold the 90D and am shooting only with the SL3. Why? The SL3 does everything I need easily and quickly. I often found myself missing shots because I had to change settings on the 90D. Is the 90D more capable? Of course but not in anything I want to do. The SL3 is lighter, smaller and makes it easier for me to use when I am walking around taking photographs.
My 16 year old 5DII still takes exceptional photographs, but I am going to pick up an OM-1 next year because of the computational features it offers. I'll keep my 5DII. On a side note most of the video cameras used to make docs at Sundance 2024 are around 10 years old. So older tech is still useful.
I love my Pen F with 3 small Olympus primes for my travel & every day camera.
You are so right about the new cameras but this is a camera combo that will really blow your mind in picture quality and is from 2012. Sigma Merrill DP1 to 3, just try them out ;)
My first camera was an Yashica FRII back when I was a teenager in the 1980's. That ought be basics (that came only had aperture priority - not even manual) of composition. Next, I moved to a Contax 167MT and that gave me a whole new set of tools that allowed my knowledge to grow even more! All with manual focus, let alone IBIS, EVF's or "wild" ISO! Modern cameras have many, many more tools, but, like you said... imperfection is chastised in the photography community as opposed to being celebrated (as it was done in the past). Today's pixel peepers would annihilate even Annie Leibovitz if she was shooting digital today with the same style and imperfections of the 80's.
Great Stuff! Add tech as needed but, keep it out of the photogs way. Instant gratification addiction is a big part of the problem. Thanks for this post Jimmy. We're on the same page My friend.
I have been shooting since 1994 when I purchased an Asahi Pentax K1000 at the PX in San Diego...from film to DSLR, I have used a number of bodies...but I just don't see myself making the jump to Mirrorless...those bodies aren't MADE for Photographer but for Videographers...not to mention that the price points for the bodies and lenses are nonsensical! Now companies are making bodies that have features locked behind a PAYWALL!!! I'll stick to DSLR bodies that are now even lower in prices as well as their lenses! Great video!
To me you are still a very young man because 70 is coming up quickly for me. Where I have to disagree is with your statement that cameras have become expensive. My very first SLR was a Yashica TL Electro-X with a 50mm lens. Cost was 156 USD, a sum that took a lot of scrimping and saving. Multiply that by the inflation factor and that was 1200 2024 dollars. Three years later I purchased a brand new Nikon F2 body with a basic prism viewfinder for 425.00 USD. The lens I bought for this new camera was a used 50mm f2 Nikkor-H that cost 40.00 USD. Factor in the inflation factor for 1974 and that was a 3515.40 2024 USD purchase. Had I funds to get the F2 with the Photomic meter prism that was an additional 94.95 USD which with a 7.56 inflation factor means 171.82 2024 dollars. So, todays Z8 with all it's host of added features beyond a simple light meter is actually less expensive than a bare bones F2 with the photomic meter. When you start factoring in Inflation prices for camera gear today it is actually a bit less expensive that it was 20, 30, or even 50 years ago.
Cameras should be more modular. Example: interchangeable sensors - colour, b&w, infrared, low light, high resolution. Uploadable custom menus. Voice command interface. Print paper simulations. Multiple image ratios (2:3, 4:3, 1:1, 6:7, etc.). Digital filters (old style b&w, polarizer, soft focus...).
Manufacturers chase sales above all else. The pro camera market is strong, but small. Complain about size, incremental updates, etc all you want but pros want the best and camera companies want to put out their top tech to capture that market (and use for marketing). Are these updates needed to take a good photo? Of course not, but they help sell cameras, are products of (albeit slow) R&D progress, and turn more hobbyists into pros. Then there are the devices that prioritize portability, like the Pocket 3 or even OM5. I think they hit their mark fantastically, but again this is just another small piece of the sales pie. The real market shortcoming is the rest, which I think ironically form the opposite of your argument of needing to take things back to the fundamentals, which are the ones that smartphones have taken over, underscored by ease of use. The big slice of that pie needs to focus on things like connectivity, instant editing (LUTs, film sims, Leica looks, whatever), pocketability, physical design beauty, automated features like stacking, and interface. They should be able to be advanced with, but also be able to be dumbed down as far as a smartphone with the sole focus on why would someone carry this with them when they already have a fantastic smartphone that does all those things easier and likely better.
I don't believe photography is at the heart of a camera again for most. Hybrid and connectivity and convenience are key in 2024. As an example, the Pan S9, Sony ZVE1, Nikon Z50ii, Nikon ZF, OM-5 all represent good approximations of what most people want.
Yes! Yes! 100% agreed! Upmost respect Man! Cheers from Brazil!
You are 100% right mate!
Cheers Jimmy , this is Sean in Atlanta! I totally agree with you, my friend! The camera market has gone absolutely bonkers! I am a photographer and I take zero, zero videos. Mybiggest dislike with modern cameras are those idiot flip out screens that I only use as a handle! I get it if you take videos, I do! But I do not and so I absolutely cannot stand the thought of a camera with that type of screen.
The second thing that’s out of control are the prices ! If I wanted to spend $4000 to $6000 on a new camera body , I would get a used Leica. And I honestly don’t appreciate having to manually focus every single image I take!
And lastly, it’s the mega pixels! Stop, already! We have more than enough!
So I am in total agreement with you and I’m sure there will be folks who disagree with me. Fine. I want a camera with a tilt screen, or a fixed screen because that’s how a camera ends up being if it has my hated screen.
Sorry! I feel better getting this off “my chest”, whatever that means!
Sean
I can understand not having a use for a feature... but there's nothing 'idiot' about flip-screens. I don't shoot video, but i use a flip-screen regularly because it allows me to get my camera into positions for images that are otherwise impossible to achieve. The only alternative for many of the shots would be a remote monitor, but that's an additional piece of gear to manage and would slow my process down. My point is that it all depends on the what and the how of what one shoots, and if a feature facilitates that for a photographer then it's a good thing, and if it doesn't then it may be a nuisance - but the feature is not inherently or universally 'idiotic'. Thankfully, there are enough options out there to please everyone and their preferences.
My thoughts...
If any company doesn't sell new cameras which are better in some way than the last camera, they will simply go out of business...
I think smart phones have peaked in terms of photography.
Camera tech has evolved slowly and I think will be a long time before it peaks.
If anyone is genuinely interested in photography, the newest and greatest cameras will still allow them to go back to basics if desired.
The point and shoot will return.
Companies make what people buy. 🤷♀️
I just wish more people would choose cameras over phones that produce overly artificial photos. But that’s the reality.
One exception: I think there’s a real gap in the market for compact rangefinder-style cameras with APS-C or mFT sensors and small lenses. These could sell quite well.
I totally with you on this issue. I simply cannotn understand why Panasonic has gone FF for videographers. A DJI or even a smartphone is all that 95% of bloggers need to create their content and easily post it online. Those manufacturers that has gone all in into FF and video are chasing the wrong market. Also, I still use older cameras, the newest being introduced in 2018. They are good enough for me and even at 24MP, I lack nothing for heavy crops or large enlargements. Photographers should first learn the exposure triangle, composition techiniques, lighting and mastering the genre they are interested in first. The camera gear is secondary. I no longer watch product videos and have not watched any video of the latest cameras from any manufacturers. They just bore me to death and I simply do not need the latest and greatest gadgets.
Great advice!
Very true!... speaking from 55 years photography experience. And now there is generative AI which makes it possible for future generations to 'make' photos without even needing a camera. Fortunately anyone who loves photography can still have fun making their own unique and (especially) memorable images with a real camera.
You can't make photos without a camera. AI is computer generating an algorithm with no soul, no skill, and no fun.
0:55 exactly! Why does the X-M5 have to be a hybrid photo/video, the T50 does that, the S20 does that. The X-M1 was photo first the 5 has a flippy screen instant turn off. On connecting to the internet yes they should have been working on this a long time ago.
We have 10-12 years old lenses, but instead of becoming cheaper, they became more expensive. So, yes, the camera industry has gone crazy.
I’m sick of camera company’s not updating old software after 12 months
I have two pocket Sony cameras. They have pop up EVF, 30x zoom, decent controls for something so small -- and one is so full of dust as to be unusable. Even the microphone seems to have acquired dust.
It used to be really handy if I was going to a function and wanted records without calling attention to myself. I used to do TH-cam videos with it, but it wasn't great under low light.
The other is pristine, designed with exactly the same features as the first, and seems to have corrupted firmware. Of course, you can't get the firmware from Sony's site, and they have never offered an upgrade, either. It's a lovely-looking paperweight.
You should be able to get ALL the software on line from the date of the camera's release. If computer manufacturers didn't supply all that stuff they would be out of the market before the next Windows update.
I did like my Lumix G90 a lot, but that crop in video shooting got annoying. But while looking at the market I couldn't find any good "upgrade" for me. I want to stick with M4/3, I like this system's glass so much, but any "upgrade" from the G90 is overkill for me. I looked at the E-M5 iii and OM-5 but I felt that for that money, even used, it wasn't a worthy G90 replacement. So I just found a pretty good deal with a used G9. And I still feel it is overkill. Seriously the G9 from 2017 is a beast ! What I actually want is a G90 without video crop or a better priced (or actually new) OM-5.
In my opinion, digital cameras plateaued about 10 years ago. Except for some niche areas, there has been no real improvement for photography. Therefore the camera makers are moving sideways into other markets, like video.
But this problem is not just to do with cameras/photography… it’s the same for most hobbies etc, people think if they spend a shed load of money on golf clubs it will make them a better golfer, spend a shed load on a more advanced car it will make them a better driver. There is a fundamental thing that is common to all these things we do. As you mentioned it’s understanding and perfecting the basics so one understands how ‘to do’ regardless of what the hobby is or the equipment used.
100% But digital cameras are just computers with a lens slapped on the front and the only way to make consumers keep buying is by offering incremental hardware and software changes. As you say, photographers have been tricked into thinking newer gear means better pictures. What I’d like to see are some still photo-centric offerings. But what we’ll probably get are more colour choices.
Maybe, the camera/lens manufacturers could include useful technology such as retina or finger print security to safeguard expensive equipment and make theft less likely…
I've been trying to get my kids interested in photography but no they are happy with their iPhones! You are right that photography as we know it could die
There are young ones who can't count money. Watching the screen constantly has taken away brains. It's not just a photography problem.
It is our job to Make Cameras Great Again. Cell phone photos by the majority of people are junk, selfies, group shots and pretty much trash for Facebook. We need to get our children interested in using a camera. A cell phone is like a TV you watch. A camera becomes very personal as you and camera become one. We need to instill that mindset in our new generation of children. I have shot hundreds of thousands of photos in the good ole film days. Loved every minute of it. Digital, when you wrap your head around it, works great. We just skip to the head of the line by not having to deal with film.
We do have a connection with the world as our newer cameras connect to our cellphone and we have the next best thing. I suspect cameras will evolve to be as convenient as cell phones.
I use a lumix gx80 and still get some great shots, I must say I would like a newer version of this with good focus
of course there are things to advance. make a sensor smaller than MFT with tiny pixels that are able to get the clarity and low light/high ISO performance of 10x full frame. put 20ev stops IBIS and put it in a camera the size of say the OM5 or EM10. and then make lenses smaller.
with the AI revolution, make small tiny lenses that max out at F4 but have the ability to choose literally any F stop and allow computations to create a photo with that F stop.
a lot of ppl will push back saying "this isn't photography anymore" but honestly if you look at what already goes on under the hood of modern cameras and especially smartphones which are replacing the cameras, its already heading in that direction.
i predict next gen cameras not about capture a moment, rather it is capture a memory or create art/aesthetic images.
My employers tried the "Everybody just take pictures and videos with their smartphones" approach but not surprisingly the quality of portraits and event photography was not up to scratch. We're back with real cameras again.
That's probably more a reflection of whoever they let take the photos. Some random person vs a photographer that understands exposure, framing and composition. Smartphones can take perfectly good photos for most situations that part of why they crippled the camera market. Nothing beats the feel and experience of a real camera in hand though.
“Smart phones are doing the same thing” holly molly, you are so off base… 😂😂😂😂
Better:
The OM-5 is spot on in so many aspects isn’t it. I’m glad you like it too.
I stopped looking at modern digital cameras a long time ago. All of my cameras are at least 10 years old, a few are 25 years old. eBay is our friend. Whenever I have bought a new/old digicam, mainly for its sensor and JPEG engine, I switch everything off. I dont need any of it. Oh, and by the way, I am a retired professional photographer who everything that was possible in my career to succeed at excellence. We dont need any of this stuff to do excellent work. Just read the manual, switch everything off, and get to work.
!Used a Fuji X100 6 and an old Ricoh 500 g film rangefinder.The Fuji was better in every way - but the 500 as more fun 😎
Just to clarify, Is this video not filmed on a pocket 3? A point and shoot video camera made by DJI?
Yes :) A point and shoot video cam (wit still capture but only 16:9)
@@Red35Photography I feel like the pocket 3 and action cameras dominate the market these days. Those re the modern point and shoot but with video now since video has become the main median
@@Marcus_Visbal I wouldn't disagree but strange that camera makers have all the tools and resources to make their point and shoot mover video friendly, but instead, they just didn't bother and let others eat the market. DJI is almost winning the market themselves, even GoPro is struggling to compete. DJI has built such an eco-system with their mics and drones that it's hard to beat if you are a content creator or into video making.
Picked up a Lumix GF3 for £80 this week for a trip. It's a lovely camera, 13 years old: any decent photographer could use it to make great images. Makes me wonder what everyone's been doing for the last decade!
The screen tricks you into thinking it's a bad camera. When in lightroom it's a great little camera...
@Ashkajones I noticed that! The pics were great in LR.
@@KirstenBayes just went back to an Olympus omd em5 because my photography was somehow better when I wasn't reliant on tech. Composition and understanding light beats tech
@@Ashkajones I love my little OMD E-M5 too! A true classic: I really enjoy using it.
0:745 :) I think we'll see a consolidation of camera brands, Sony buying Canon, or more ventures like Panasonic and Leica. Sony seem to make most of the sensors anyway! On prices, MPB are charging way more than RRP on some products now which is a shame.
Cameras as an item today, for most people, are not needed at all, the smartphone is MORE than good enough, and in many ways better for most people and most situations. If one is interested in photography itself, then a camera as a distinct tool is supremely wonderful to have. The various lenses, ISO settings, sensor sizes and performance and the super gigantic used market for all kinds of lenses and cameras make it the golden age for the photographer.
The camera companies know the score, Canon saw it and pushed to the more expensive pro end, smart move; Fuji goes where no camera company really goes, apsc and medium format; Pentax is on its own trail; SONY is in it not for photography but money only, not that they all aren't in it for the money, but SONY is kind of "hey sailor" about it; Nikon is committed and not in Japan anymore, so there's that.
All in all these are golden times, all kinds of fabulous equipment and software to make your image. Make the most of it, carry a camera and use it; I kind of would like the pocket Ricoh thing.
OM1 owner and its not my favorite camera, they have no soul now, fave camera is an old Olympus E3, its a joy to use, heck I've been gone back to using the only camera i kept from my film days, a 47 year old Praktica, i don't get some of the photos i see on photography fbook pages taken with a camera that can take sharp photos and sharpened to a gross level especially in the sky in post and these get loads of likes !!!!
The thing is that most of the new models actually do not offer a new sensor at all and it could perfectly be a firmware update, for example EM1mkII -> EM1mkIII and OM1 -> OM1mkII. I would happily pay for an update if its worth it but I am definetly not paying thousands for another camera body
Saving that OM-1 to OM-1mk2 involves more & faster memory plus improved focus functions, which are hardware and cannot be done by firmware update. It is not always possible to squeeze a quart into a pint pot. There again, if you are not predominantly shooting wildlife, there seems little point upgrading from one to the other.
Your comment makes me ask, is any camera manufacturer willing to open their camera processor code to third party software developers to have a go at adding capability to that camera?
@@jeffslade1892 apart from the bigger memory, I think the focusing modes could be easily ported
@@RWROW not that I know of. I wish there was something like that because being a software engineer myself I would look into it for sure
there are open source firmwares like magic lantern for canon
Good thought and I agree with you. Still, what will the camera industry do.
The BIGGEST mistake of the camera industry - seperating product lines by features even if the models share the same chipset. Instead they should have seperate by things like BUILD QUALITY and WEATHER SEALING. there ARE ways to make current cameras much more attractive - but for that "thinking outside the box" is required. The Alice camera is a good starting point - not because of its hardware, but the SOFTWARE SDK. That could enable a NEW WAY of taking photos and such a NEW kind of photograhpy ART... Somebody WILL MAKE IT, so photography has a bright future, even if seperated into AI-Smartphone/Product-, Documentary and new ART Photography... can't wait for it to happen.
How about the editing software? They ruined everything, you can manipulate the light , omitting things you do not like etc
That is why I am slowly going back to chemical photography!
You need to understand the exposure triangle, which is the most important part of photography. Ff you don't you can't really on technology especially the marketing BS from the camera companies. I can sum it up in one quote "The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!." -Ansal Adams-