Your first G9 video actually got me started with photography. I got one myself and never looked back. I haven't had this much fun with a hobby in forever. Thank you.
In the age of ai image generation, artistic imperfections will increasingly have greater value. that's why film and older cameras will have a huge resurgence. Anything that says `look, this is real, it is not ai` will become valuable again. My first digital camera was a Canon Powershot G10, I still have it and still use it.
Exactly. AI images always look/feel unsettling to me, even the ones that people turn into a funny meme. There’s something to be said about rejecting the fakeness of it with making photos with a real camera and processing it. Better than an app spitting out a prompt, imo.
I don't know if that really makes that much sense. It's a bit ironic because AI images can make extremely good film and imperfect images if that's what you're trying to make.
@@AlFirous I completely disagree, making intentionally grainy images with AI makes it look more authentic, not less. AI sucks at making hyper realistic clear images for now, because it's easier to spot the imperfections.
"Whereas smart phones are fool-proof, and I guess they found their target market" that is some best grade shade to those aforementioned commenters. Hats off to you!
I actually got back to using this camera again after I borrowed it to my mom many years ago and then found it at her home. It was one of my favorite cameras to bring when clubbing or hanging around with friends. Really enjoy using it again
@@GeorgeHolden I try to dabble with street photography, but it rather turns out to be random stuff 😂 I honestly have been shooting so much video for my channel and the Thumbnail photography, that I kinda got rusty shooting day to day. I really want to get back to street photography
i have a few digicams from 2008-2010 that i bought from cash converter a few years ago, each under £30. recently ive started bringing the smallest one, the canon ixus 70, everywhere with me. it fits in my pocket so it's convenient to bring around and I've found that I feel a lot more present when walking around when I have this camera with me, I notice things that could make a nice picture, interesting architecture, moments with friends. I can never get rid of my phone or switch to a "dumb phone" because all of my communication with friends and family is through social media, but having this camera has helped me to step back a little. The fact that if you want to share the images with anyone or post them online you have to wait until you get home to transfer the files feels almost theraputic in such a fast moving world.
Even if I don't understand it, it is fascinating how generations define "vintage cool" differently. Even if I can't go back to those digis. Film yes, but digital imperfections are a different beast than organic imperfections. I love scratches, grain, leaks, but I don't want blown highlights or shadow noise that looks like a Seurat painting. I understand that it is its own third thing. And that's okay. But I personally don't see any romance in it. Glad others do! Definitely agree that its a great alternative to phone photography, however.
people need to realize that you can have the top of the line camera and get the best shots and videos but going back in the past those cameras are what makes memories and what is the most fun
I still work with a Canon 5D MK2 and a 6D. My car/travel camera is eiyer the original EOS-N or a Lumix DMC-TZ60. I do portraits. It's good enough for me, and the FF on even the 5D beats the hell out of every single mobile phone out there. And that is 15 years old. ;)
Oh definitely, even compared to a 1" sensor (the iPhone is 1/1.3", is 33% smaller), you're talking about 7.45x more light hitting that FF sensor at the same apertures. Even modern APS-C sensors just can't beat that as they capture 2.33x less light than FF at the same aperture. Sure the sensors improved, but you still can't beat good old fashioned "just make the sensor bigger" philosophy :) Medium format of course is even better (1.68x more light than FF or 3.92x more than APS-C), but for me anyway just a tad too big/heavy to travel with and misses modern conveniences that seem to make it to full frame first. The 5D MK2 still holds up incredibly well.
Yep. Give a pro a 5D mkii and they'll go take award winning images all the same. It takes a little more skill but once you get familiar, it just works. I went from a 6D to an R6 after the screen died and it's.. just really excessive and I would have done just fine going to get another 6D or maybe a 6d Mk2 or older 5D series.
@@mikafoxx2717 I cracked the screen on my 6D. Love the camera! So I ordered a new one from AliExpress, 75 USD. A lot of small screws. But it took me about 1/2 hour.
Your original videos pushed me to buy a canon g10. It's easily one of the best impulse decisions I've ever made. I've taken some of my favorite pictures with it and while I like to keep my instagram more exclusive to film photos, the g10 gets a free pass because I just love it.
It's not just cameras. I actually went back to my good old Lumia 930 - a Windows phone. Yes, you have some restrictions. But there is a great community around it now and even new apps get released, that you can simply sideload. It certainly is a viable alternative to all those dumbphones out there :)
I like your thoughts that evolution for consumer cameras has come to an end, and that these new features on more expensive cameras cater more to professionals. I also like that the updates on resolutions, and AI tech are also for professionals. Its nice that we're going back to basics, and enjoying technology that isnt super expensive, technical, and just does the trick to capturing memories
I bought a second hand Sony RX100 last year. It has nicks and scrapes but I think that just adds to the charm. It's absolutely tiny, fits in any pocket and the build quality is absolutely fantastic. In fact most people don't even realise its a camera. I absolutely love it. It takes fantastic photographs and is good for video too. Second hand cameras are dirt cheap and its definitely worth investing in them. Hopefully cameras are here to stay.
This is one of your best videos ever George. Thanks so much for sharing it. I can never seem to find the words to explain to friends why they'd want a dedicated camera instead of pulling out their smartphone and tapping twice.
I enjoy shooting with my pocket digicam, but I shoot on my smartphone almost everyday, too. And I almost never use auto mode on my phone. When I open the camera app I switch professional mode and started to recreate what I imagined. I found this way similar like taking a photo with a filmcamera or a digicam.
Yes, yes, yes! I've been in love with photography for over thirty years. I've shot portraits, weddings, real estate, landscape, commercial products, celestial, wildlife, macro, and personal family junk on 110, 126, 35mm, 645, 6x6, 6x7, 6x9, and 4x5. I've shot digital with the tiniest sensors up to medium format sensors. I've used compact cameras, SLRs, rangefinders, TLRs, I've taken classes, I've taught classes; I once made a comfortable living with my cameras. I've almost never used my phone camera for anything beyond, "Is this what I'm supposed to get?" or "This is what's broken, can you tell me what it is?" I like prints, big prints. I have never seen a camera phone print that was anything better than barely acceptable. One of my favorite sports was getting old cameras at yard sales and thrift stores and running a few rolls of film through them. When digital began to supplant film, it grew more difficult to do that because all the small labs died and there was no place to get film processed without resorting to mail. The digital cameras at yard sales and thrift stores usually had no batteries, or no chargers, or were just inoperative. Now that digital has matured, and people have grown weary of not engaging with their own activities, film processing, though not local for me, has become more accessible, and there is now a host of older digital cameras that actually work, that are fun and interesting to explore, and they don't break the bank. I have even stumbled into evidence that some of the old, defunct formats are available again like 828, and 126. This has led to enthusiastic spelunking of the long unexplored caverns of my attic. Hidden somewhere up there is a Minolta Autopak 700 still in good working order. The giddy joy is back for me again. Once more, the idea of going someplace without something with a lens dangling from my neck is unheard-of. Yay!
Makes me glad that I kept my Fujifilm Finepix JX650 for over a decade. I bought it back when I was just getting into photography, before smartphones had cameras with high megapixel counts. I took a lot of b&w experimental photos, especially in urban and outdoor photography. Over time, I started just using my phone’s camera, and I got great results, but there was something about using my JX650 that felt more hands-on, especially when it came to the zoom. So, I got a new battery for it, and in recent outings, I started using it again. The most recent outing that I took it on was a trip to New York. I took so many photos from the passenger side of the car, and a lot of these photos wouldn’t have come out as precise if I used my phone’s camera. I did take my fair share of landscape shots in Central Park with my phone’s wide lens, but the bulk of the zoom-in shots were used with my JX650. With so many compact cameras being sold at higher prices on eBay, it makes me glad that instead of having to outbid someone, I just happen to have my own that I bought a decade ago.
This resonates with me. One of the most truly fun travel-photography experiences i’ve has was when traveling to france taking only the Canon G15 (the only camera i owned at that time). Compact, carried in a little pouch on my belt, immediately available, some moderate zoom range. I’ve been on the hunt for a replacement for the past year.
I went in and bought a G9 after watching your video. Great photo experience for how old the camera is. When using a camera I feel more invested when taking photos.
I couldn't have put it better myself, George. Thanks for saying this. A few years ago, I dusted of my old Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ6 and DMC-FZ8 and bought replacement batteries. I've been having so much more fun with photography again that I just couldn't get from a phone. Apart from far superior macro capabilities, which I really enjoy, there is something about the way these camera capture light and colour that just hits different. While the FZ8 even has a RAW format, whatever automatic processing is in the TZ6 results in nicer photo. And of course there's the element of chance. Sometimes graininess or blurriness creeps in, but this is part of the charm. It's superior to taking 30 "screenshots" of the same scene which you'll never look on again, or you can't decide which to keep.
"Ditch" is an overstatement. But if the question is "Will you enjoy your photography (and maybe your life) more if you do it with something more demanding than a super smart phone?" for me the YES!. Thanks for the video.
Not nostalgic enough to go back to film. I worked at a professional photography lab in the late 70’s. I can still smell the developer. I would recommend people learn to make prints. Then every aspect of the process will be your own creation. The trouble with digital is you can make a perfect file and the imaging device may not be correctly calibrated. With a print if your monitor is calibrated and you have the correct paper profile the viewer will always see your work exactly the way you made it.
I’ve been having loads of fun with my Lumix FZ40 for many reason. Many of the reasons you mentioned are why I take it with me instead of my iPhone or R6 these days. It’s just nice to unplug from the internet and take pictures for the sake of pictures, the experience, and the memories, not for the sake of tack sharp quality.
One thing I’m looking forward to when I ditch my smartphone in the next several months (assuming I really go through with it), is getting back together with my Sony Alpha.
I bought the new Pentax 17. I just got back from a hiking holiday with friends and has so much fun both on the 4 day hike and for street photography in the city we jumped off from. People who get what George is saying in this video will get it but mega pixel chasing tech heads and pros probably won’t. It’s small, light and tactile fun. It’s causal and not serious. The 37mm equivalent lens is sharp and the metering for film accurate and that’s all the tech it needs. I’ve got full frame and APS-C digital cameras as well as an old Leica rangefinder and 70s SLR that are more serious. But thats not necessarily the most fun all the time. I’m so glad I’m not the only one that’s no longer interested in all the latest tech and huge resolutions. The soul of photography and the photographic experience doesn’t reside in technology
Several years ago I was looking to upgrade from an ancient three megapixel compact camera. I settled on the Canon G9X Mark two. Finally over the last six months I realized that I had taken it about as far as it would go photography wise. So I bought a full-size Fuji. And I am loving it. But that little pocket camera still goes with me everywhere, especially when I don't feel like lugging a large camera around. And it is still capable of great pictures, in a form factor that can be described as "a deck of cards." I would highly recommend a compact camera, even for those who already owns a full frame or crop sensor camera. Only the camera you have with you takes pictures at all.
The G9 is a solid choice (literally) - CCD sensor, good res, decent zoom range, metal construction. I have an RX1002 now but the older premium ones are all worth a try :)
My G9 is not a compact, but I digress. I do have a Lumix LX7, a 10.1 mp,12-year-oldd compact. It does not have a touch screen or articulating/tilting. The sensor is not even 1". It does have a fast Leica lens and is great fun to bum around with. I used it recently while walking around a local shopping district. None of the photos I took were particularly "good." But that is on me, not the camera. The shots were clear, in focus, with nice colors. Technically it was great. And yes, you need to pay attention to what you are doing/shooting. But that is the fun of it. Phototherapy. I admit that I will not go back to shooting film. I shot several miles of it over a 30 year, or so period. Unless I am shooting an event, or the rare wedding, most of my photos/videos are my edification, or displayed on the internet. And so it goes.
I remember when I bought my first digital camera in 1996. It was a Ricoh rc1d. I looked at it and said, this is the beginning of the end of photography. How right I was, I now shoot out of Hasselblad X2D and i still enjoy my photography. It’s just a different style of photography with what I grew up with. I still have my Ricoh rc1d, and I still use it.
Aside from the obvious nostalgic element, I feel a big part of the resurgence of point and shoots is the ritual of pulling the photos and going through them. When I was at uni we would always bring a camera with us to the club or anywhere else we went. When you got home or the next day it was always fun going through and reliving, seeing things you didn't and generally just enjoying the photos. With smartphones, it would always be you'd snap a bunch of pictures, post the one to Instagram and then they'd just be rotting in your library. Also some of the features on modern cameras are ridiculous. My brother just got his new camera and there are all these weird in-camera filters that I question why you want. Just give a standard image for those who don't want to tinker and the raw for those who do. Also, some of these features distract from the important stuff like composition with things you can change later.
I grew up on film, in 2000, I bought my first digital camera ( Kodak DC5000, still have it and still works) I still share images from that camera some ask what camera are you using! Puts a smile on my face. Something about early cameras colour rendering. I have several later model zoom point and shoots, they are such a joy. Even use them in professional work. Amazing how we are just looking at these cameras now as something to cherish. Glad I bought when I did about 5 years ago, before the second hand market got crazy with prices. I still shoot film and digital. I like both and it can offer some really fun and sometimes frustrating experiences, but that is part of using vintage cameras and glass. Thanks for sharing!
Now I understand why I have so much fun to use more frequently my old Canon Powershot S50 recently. Pictures have a film camera look with some grain in it.Wow!
I just picked up a g10 from ebay for £90. Fantastic little pocket camera. Loving the feeling of photographing again, miles apart from using the thoughtless phone.
I remember always wanting the best gear to take great photos and good looking videos. But now that I have an a6700 with a tamron 17-70mm f2.8, I just want something fun and compact. And dont get me wrong, I love shooting with my a6700. I just want to use something different when photographing for fun. Maybe just a small lens would be enough for photography. But I also want a dad cam for shooting cool videos. I know I can get pretty much the same results with my phone (s23u) on manual settings and 10x zoom, but it just doesnt have the same feeling as a real camera.
I have almost a dozen older digital cameras. I like shooting with a SONY a6000 with vintage lenses. I also have the Canon G10... there's something I really like about that camera. I love the look and feel of it and the quality of the images. So many cameras... so little time !!
It's great that you mentioned the indie sleaze revival as the catalyst for the digicam trend. I think you're the first one to bring this up! The movement and the artists are growing quickly. For example, I remember that The Dare, one of these new "indie-sleaze" artists, had about 60,000 listeners per month on Spotify in December, and now it's over 1 million.
I’m using my newly acquired compact Infrared converted digital camera, a different manner of capturing the invisible light spectrum from natural light, I also picked up a digital toy camera to shoot imperfections of the plastic lens, over and under saturated images, and using an instax wide printer to output on the fly instant photos, like the old Polaroid development process. The process is new and old at the same moment. iPhones are perfect shots, I’m going for the unique imperfections of unknown results.
Before Covid, you could find many of these “pocket cameras” like the G7X, G9X, RX100, etc. for a few hundred or less. I got my G9X II in 2018 for $230 in good condition used, but now, It’s INSANE. TikTok and instagram ruined the compact camera market. Many of these models were considered niche and there was enough supply, now due to social media, everyone is buying up these 5-10 year old compact cams and it’s jacked up the price to a ludicrous degree. Some of these you’re paying MORE than what they cost retail upon release. Camera companies need to keep up with demand and release more entry, cheap, “pocket” models. The RX100 series and Ricoh are great but most people cannot justify paying close to or more than $1000 for a pocket cam when that money could be WAY better spent on M43 or APS-C body+lenses. The only company you can still find great deals for pocket cams these days is older Lumix models or even more niche Canon models like their ELPH series, s95, s120, or sd100-1000 series.
Amen to that! I have an iPhone 13 mini. Although it is a small device, I miss the dials and tactile feeling of a camera. Hence I always carry with me my E-M10 MkII. I recently purchased a GX8 and made my film simulations, and will go to town try this out for the first time this evening.
What's cool about the iPhone 15Pro is the main camera is equivalent to 16mm f/4 APS-C in terms of light gathering, depth of field, dynamic range, etc and around equivalent to 24mm f/6 on full frame. So if you are thinking to get an APS-C with a kit f/3.5 or f/4 lens, you're not going to see a big improvement and you will be disappointed. Where you will see improvement is if you go for faster primes or if you need those more extreme focal lengths both super wide for architecture (as well as low light) and super tele for wild life.
Not quite ready to dust off my old Canon A-1 or AE-1 [or more likely have them sent out for refurbishment] but I am enjoying my recent old Lumix GM5 around town. Big question is can I afford to carry the extra 7.6oz of the GM-5 along with my OM-1 in the next three weeks as I hike up and down and up and down and up and down the hills and valleys for the Auvergne in France when I might just as well carry my trusty E-M5iii? Every ounce counts in terms of pain and suffering. That little GM-5 sure is cute though, even has a viewfinder and just loves all of my M4/3 lenses. That my reminiserant.
I agree with you, there is hardly any connection anymore with yourself and camera these days. My photography started in 1980 with my brand new Nikon FE + 50mm F1.4 lens and progressed from there with the F90x, Olympus OM3-ti etc up until my Nikon D700 which I still use. Every so often I will shoot a roll of BW with my Nikon FE and do all the processing an printing in my Darkroom. I do have a Canon powershot s50 which I do use on some occasions and the colours are very close to the colour films I used to shoot in the old days. Cheers
What I am really hoping is budget rangefinder camera (film or digital are fine).. Not rangefinder wanna be like fujifilm x-100 or x-pro lineup.. but a proper rangefinder camera.. Currently only Leica and Pixii at the market.. If manufacturer read it, it's a high demand, small competition and high potential profit market :)
When choosing a cellphone my main point or interest is the camera, one of the reasons i bought my Pixel 8. For my next phone i consider the CMF phone 1+ a nice second hands compact camera. Also when i ride my motor i want to have a nice camera with me and not worry about the battery and stuff. Loved the video!
Well said. I'm currently using a Nikon D90 (my first and only camera) and it's just fun. I recently tried a friend's Nikon Z6, and while it clearly took better pictures, I still prefer the experience of shooting on the D90. It makes me think much more about my shots, and everything feels clicky and tactile.
I kept wondering why my iPhone-Shots often just don't look as good as the ones I made with my very first (and every other "classic") digital camera (Konica KD400, 2002). I guess you made the point with the focussing on the process. Plus: Back than, a 128MB SD-Card (not GB!) was a really big expense additional to the camera. You literally thought twice before taking a photo.
I keep going back to the Pentax Q for exactly the reasons you've outlined! Looks slightly silly, is great fun to use and the images have an intangible feel that I love.
My current 3 go to small, fun cameras to use: Canon Powershot S95, Canon Powershot S5iS, and Canon Powershot G5. These are fun cameras to use when I am just casually roaming around.
Last week i just pick up a Nikon P50 Digicam for only 9$, nobody lookin at it in japan. So i just bought 8 Megapix camera, and fantasticly as a CCD sensor camera, color turn pretty nice.
I remember the Minolta Riva AF 35 film camera as being ideal for taking on holiday. I can't remember which exact model but it was totally automatic. Just a shame that film and processing has got so expensive. Nice to see some new compact digital cameras being made though.
There is no perfect camera for each situation! I am old enough to have started photography with film when I was a kid, and now am using a flagship phone, a mirrorless, and a film camera (or more) for photography. I don't really agree with the title of this video, because the smartphone is the magic camera people have dreamed before technology could make it happen. The best camera is the one you have with you, so because most of the time you have your smartphone with you, it is the camera that takes most of the pictures, processed or not. So, nothing can replace that, unless your compact camera can be a good smartphone too. Of course all the points in this video are correct, but what I am saying, nothing beats the convenience of the smartphone. When I am out to take photos, yes, I'll take my mirrorless or even film camera. But I can't carry those with me all the time. An other great thing of the smartphone camera is that you can instantly share you pictures with people miles away, while with a compact, you need all sorts of apps or even have to wait until you get to you laptop to transfer the photos.
Because it is a dedicated device for taking photographs and photography is an experience. Besides computational photography where a lot of decisions are based on an ai is a doubtful depiction of reality.
@@GeorgeHolden The easy answer is light and a medium for light to "write" on. How this logic applies to digital though is beyond my knowledge, photosites I guess class as a physical medium. Content aware ai though I would say no.
If I had to choose between shooting on smartphone or a Canon G9 I'd definitely take the smartphone. Luckily I don't have to choose since I do got an Sony A7iii that does (almost) everything I need while still being lots of fun!
This video is well done! 5 stars. My go to digicam for non professional (and sometimes surprisingly pro quality) is the Fuji X30. I tried all kinds of small sensor cameras (below APS-C and M43) but this is by far the best I ever had. I don't like using my smartphone for photography but for video is pretty decent.
I must be very lucky to have bought and given so much equipment over the years to use and love. Yes, I have Full Frame and APS-C DSLR's with state of the art tech and high grade optics, but I also have some lovely older digital compacts that cost me not much, including, and I find superb, pre-owned M43 digital kit which I have built up to two little bodies and a small number of lenses when I don't want to take the DSLR's. As for film. Same really. Several manual focus SLR's, some compact, and (lucky me) a medium format camera with 3 lenses - Much fun when shooting in street. 🙂As for smart phones, I am still of the opinion that your are better with having a little compact camera with you, as the phone does everything, but is hampered by battery life and more importantly, memory, which is used for everything, and I mean everything, on the phone. You could end up and do run out of space due to apps and of course, running out of power. If you have a dedicated compact camera in your pocket, that is less likely. Case in point, I have the little, yet superb, Canon S95 compact camera. It shoots RAW, it has a proper zoom, it has a larger sensor than 90% of smart phones, it is less likely to run out of charge due to being used for gaming, texting, maps, etc (it does not do those things) and it is more controllable. Oh and it is only the size of a pack of cards.....I rest my case. 🙂 Keep the videos coming, they are great.
Okay, Im all in when it comes to old school point and shoots asf.. But I just cannot wait 3-5 seconds for the camera to focus and take the shot - even the cheapest old film manual focus camera has absolutely NO lag what so ever - when you push the shutter button the picture is taken. So for me, when it comes to digital its either tactile old school manual focus or extremely fast single point AF-S or just nothing at all.
I wish canon would release another good zoom powershot camera with way better night photography, especially with the advances that smartphone cameras made, something with that technology but with a larger sensor would be amazing.
I am always afraid of dropping my cell phone. The darn thing costs $1,000. I bought a Canon R50 with a wrist strap and it works fine, for about $700. I like the grip and many features this camera offers. Sure, the cell phone takes great pictures but what happens if I drop it while shooting? The R50 has 4K and about 30 meg on the RAW files. Being a mirrorless camera, it is small and has many features. Love that I see the histogram in the view finder.
I haven't yet started watching this video, and I would say yes to a pocket camera. I shoot with a Lumix DMC-FH25. I own three, I love them, and never go anywhere without one in my bag.
I shoot 12mp raws in my iPhone and have a bunch of lovely presets as starting points for the look. Very easy to Make that iPhone look like any other file
I pulled out a Kodak EasyShare Z1275 yesterday thinking the same thing. It says 12mp on the side which is probably a massive upscaled exageration. The problem is, these things require expensive Lithium double-A's, and they burn through them fast. Most of them will only fire up for a few seconds on regular AA batteries then shut down. Definitely don't want a film camera, because... I'm not paying to process photos or driving somewhere to drop them off, pick them up. I'm 30 miles away from the nearest town.
I have a nice new Canon R50 that's only a couple of m onths old that replaced my decade old Nikon D3300. However I just bought a used Lumix LX5 & love it. I wanted a small compact camera that I could throw in my manbag so I have a camera on hand everywhere I go. I never use my phone for photography & hate the Smartphone for everything concept.
I have a Panasonic TZ80 which gives excellent pictures, plus I can transfer the images to my smartphone vis their image app, so I get the best of both worlds.
Why yes, your 2024 camera on a chip should take photos just as high resolution as my 2010 14MP D3100, great job! The issue is my 14yo camera has a sensor 5 times larger than your 10 month old phone, I can actually do depth of field without specialized cameras (which will only do that level of DoF), and with the right lens I can zoom in quite far, my entire camera and 18-200mm lens were a total of 320€, was your phone 800€? 1000€? 1600€? I once told a friend: Smartphones capture moments, cameras capture art. You can use both for the other, but there's a clear advantage in both cases, who wants to carry around a DSLR on a walk every time? To the beach? In the rain?
I got my first SLR back in 1967 (Topcon D1, still in my attic). To be truthful, I don't have much nostalgia for film. Though I do like a camera that's small, agile and has a long zoom (animal photos)
I had a CanonG7X a few years ago, which I sold to buy a camera with an APS-C sized sensor. I regretted selling it and have considered buying another one. My concern is that even used ones are not that cheap.
I had the generic basic kodak film camera.. that was my first camera. Took it on a indian monsoon hike. Had to change the film under a grass hut. Hoping that i dont ruin the flim. Well except the first few photos rest of them came out good. I miss those days. Kinda. My canon g7x mark2 is my only solace.
My daughter dug out her old Nikon Coolpix recently for her stepdaughter (aged 7) to use. I was looking at it the other day. It is not exactly a pocket camera, but is a little smaller than a Lumix GX 80 or a bit bigger than a Nikon 1 V1, so you can't put it into a jeans pocket like a Sony HX90, but it would fit a jacket pocket. I think its a 5x or 8x zoom. Even though low light performance is mediocre on a good day with these tiny sensors, most people do most of their photography in daylight or in brightly lit nighttime places. And I am pretty sure that camera has a built in flash. It seems to me very short-sighted that camera manufacturers have ceased making this kind of camera just as the demand for fun photography is returning.
I’ll use anything that doesn’t get in my way. So if a foundation is focus, modern tracking AF allows me to do what I want, which is always composition and lighting criteria. “Sad” to say perhaps, but my low end Canon R8 becomes more important to the desired result than my L lenses I have for it. I’m talking fast action (sports) and portraits. The only time I want to pay any attention to image focus is when using a fully manual focus camera, and that means old film gear. Landscapes. Buildings. Stuff that doesn’t move. I have an Oly ZX-1 that’s fun. I do my best not to get lost in the weeds of its archaic menus and strong limitations. It’s almost as convenient as my phone. But as with any phone, every old digicam was created with the intent of the user either completely using full-Auto, or becoming a masochist when doing any sort of manual setting. Gimme a match-needle meter, a knob for Tv, one for ISO, and a ring on the lens for Av. With available modern AF, ha!
I think there are a lot of things at play with cameras from a non camera guy, We are at a time where most phones have good cameras and the "50MP Sensor" but i think people dont want these extra sharp photos when they are actually taking pictures, and for most people, if they play around with their phone camera, they probably cant take a good shot of anything due to messing up what the phone likes, (unless its a sony phone i guess) they dont want to see that hair they missed in the latest dinner photo they recently taken, and really, a phone camera takes pictures for work documents these days, and when people go out and buy a £50 camera from cashies or something and realize its a 15 year old bit of kit with similar quality photos to their latest phone they just dumped over £1k for, it makes those people question why they even brought it in the first place.
I have an RX100 which takes great photos but honestly what really irritates me about it is that it takes about two and a half hours to charge the battery and my iPhone will charge up in about a half an hour. I just wish that problem could be resolved!
When it comes to disdain for the phone camera, I am thoroughly on board. It occupies a tiny position in my life, all of it utilitarian, none of it artsy or keepsake oriented. But, when it comes to other photography, the better the tech, the better. If I could afford a $3300 Sony RX 1, one would be in my pocket in Walmart or the Post Office. I don't find the tool to be center of my sentimentality, only the results. Great video though, keep 'em coming.
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Your first G9 video actually got me started with photography. I got one myself and never looked back. I haven't had this much fun with a hobby in forever. Thank you.
That has made my day! So happy you're enjoying the camera and photography as a whole, keep on shooting 😄
Whicch one
In the age of ai image generation, artistic imperfections will increasingly have greater value. that's why film and older cameras will have a huge resurgence. Anything that says `look, this is real, it is not ai` will become valuable again. My first digital camera was a Canon Powershot G10, I still have it and still use it.
Exactly. AI images always look/feel unsettling to me, even the ones that people turn into a funny meme. There’s something to be said about rejecting the fakeness of it with making photos with a real camera and processing it. Better than an app spitting out a prompt, imo.
I don't know if that really makes that much sense. It's a bit ironic because AI images can make extremely good film and imperfect images if that's what you're trying to make.
@@SwanChairUh Imperfection made by AI and Human still have difference, at least for now.
@@AlFirous I completely disagree, making intentionally grainy images with AI makes it look more authentic, not less. AI sucks at making hyper realistic clear images for now, because it's easier to spot the imperfections.
oh hey that was my first "serious" camera too!
Great photography is great photography 🙌
Agreed!
Give me a cam pls Canon🥺
Hello, Canon. 🙂
@@BrodyB-pjw 👋
From a vintage camera store owner this makes me so happy ❤
"Whereas smart phones are fool-proof, and I guess they found their target market" that is some best grade shade to those aforementioned commenters. Hats off to you!
Hahaha cheers!
That really made me laugh, what a twist
"Overrated anxiety-brick" is another priceless quote!
I actually got back to using this camera again after I borrowed it to my mom many years ago and then found it at her home. It was one of my favorite cameras to bring when clubbing or hanging around with friends. Really enjoy using it again
That's awesome! What do you use it for now?
@@GeorgeHolden I try to dabble with street photography, but it rather turns out to be random stuff 😂 I honestly have been shooting so much video for my channel and the Thumbnail photography, that I kinda got rusty shooting day to day. I really want to get back to street photography
i have a few digicams from 2008-2010 that i bought from cash converter a few years ago, each under £30. recently ive started bringing the smallest one, the canon ixus 70, everywhere with me. it fits in my pocket so it's convenient to bring around and I've found that I feel a lot more present when walking around when I have this camera with me, I notice things that could make a nice picture, interesting architecture, moments with friends. I can never get rid of my phone or switch to a "dumb phone" because all of my communication with friends and family is through social media, but having this camera has helped me to step back a little. The fact that if you want to share the images with anyone or post them online you have to wait until you get home to transfer the files feels almost theraputic in such a fast moving world.
RX100 user here. This market needs to make a comeback because it's been too long with limited options. Affordable GM5 upgrade would be ideal.
I'm in love with this camera, I'll never get rid of it!
RX100 fo life! 😎
Even if I don't understand it, it is fascinating how generations define "vintage cool" differently. Even if I can't go back to those digis. Film yes, but digital imperfections are a different beast than organic imperfections. I love scratches, grain, leaks, but I don't want blown highlights or shadow noise that looks like a Seurat painting. I understand that it is its own third thing. And that's okay. But I personally don't see any romance in it. Glad others do!
Definitely agree that its a great alternative to phone photography, however.
people need to realize that you can have the top of the line camera and get the best shots and videos but going back in the past those cameras are what makes memories and what is the most fun
I still work with a Canon 5D MK2 and a 6D. My car/travel camera is eiyer the original EOS-N or a Lumix DMC-TZ60. I do portraits. It's good enough for me, and the FF on even the 5D beats the hell out of every single mobile phone out there. And that is 15 years old. ;)
Oh definitely, even compared to a 1" sensor (the iPhone is 1/1.3", is 33% smaller), you're talking about 7.45x more light hitting that FF sensor at the same apertures. Even modern APS-C sensors just can't beat that as they capture 2.33x less light than FF at the same aperture. Sure the sensors improved, but you still can't beat good old fashioned "just make the sensor bigger" philosophy :)
Medium format of course is even better (1.68x more light than FF or 3.92x more than APS-C), but for me anyway just a tad too big/heavy to travel with and misses modern conveniences that seem to make it to full frame first. The 5D MK2 still holds up incredibly well.
@@DigiDriftZone I do agree. :)
ayyyy shoutout magiclantern
Yep. Give a pro a 5D mkii and they'll go take award winning images all the same. It takes a little more skill but once you get familiar, it just works. I went from a 6D to an R6 after the screen died and it's.. just really excessive and I would have done just fine going to get another 6D or maybe a 6d Mk2 or older 5D series.
@@mikafoxx2717 I cracked the screen on my 6D. Love the camera! So I ordered a new one from AliExpress, 75 USD. A lot of small screws. But it took me about 1/2 hour.
Your original videos pushed me to buy a canon g10. It's easily one of the best impulse decisions I've ever made. I've taken some of my favorite pictures with it and while I like to keep my instagram more exclusive to film photos, the g10 gets a free pass because I just love it.
Glad to hear it!
It's not just cameras. I actually went back to my good old Lumia 930 - a Windows phone. Yes, you have some restrictions. But there is a great community around it now and even new apps get released, that you can simply sideload. It certainly is a viable alternative to all those dumbphones out there :)
I like your thoughts that evolution for consumer cameras has come to an end, and that these new features on more expensive cameras cater more to professionals. I also like that the updates on resolutions, and AI tech are also for professionals. Its nice that we're going back to basics, and enjoying technology that isnt super expensive, technical, and just does the trick to capturing memories
I bought a second hand Sony RX100 last year. It has nicks and scrapes but I think that just adds to the charm. It's absolutely tiny, fits in any pocket and the build quality is absolutely fantastic. In fact most people don't even realise its a camera. I absolutely love it. It takes fantastic photographs and is good for video too. Second hand cameras are dirt cheap and its definitely worth investing in them. Hopefully cameras are here to stay.
I like my iphone and all the old digital point and shoot compacts and the film cameras.We truly now have the best of photographic history and the now.
This is one of your best videos ever George. Thanks so much for sharing it. I can never seem to find the words to explain to friends why they'd want a dedicated camera instead of pulling out their smartphone and tapping twice.
I'm so happy you liked it, I was worried it wouldn't land as well as I'd hoped! And yes completely my thoughts as well'
I enjoy shooting with my pocket digicam, but I shoot on my smartphone almost everyday, too. And I almost never use auto mode on my phone. When I open the camera app I switch professional mode and started to recreate what I imagined. I found this way similar like taking a photo with a filmcamera or a digicam.
That's really good! I try occasionally but I just miss the standard controls of a camera
@@GeorgeHolden I can totally understand it, anyway 😁
Recently I started to use my phone as well. Getting a bit tired of carrying a kilo of my DSLR. 😁✌
Yes, yes, yes!
I've been in love with photography for over thirty years. I've shot portraits, weddings, real estate, landscape, commercial products, celestial, wildlife, macro, and personal family junk on 110, 126, 35mm, 645, 6x6, 6x7, 6x9, and 4x5. I've shot digital with the tiniest sensors up to medium format sensors. I've used compact cameras, SLRs, rangefinders, TLRs, I've taken classes, I've taught classes; I once made a comfortable living with my cameras.
I've almost never used my phone camera for anything beyond, "Is this what I'm supposed to get?" or "This is what's broken, can you tell me what it is?" I like prints, big prints. I have never seen a camera phone print that was anything better than barely acceptable.
One of my favorite sports was getting old cameras at yard sales and thrift stores and running a few rolls of film through them. When digital began to supplant film, it grew more difficult to do that because all the small labs died and there was no place to get film processed without resorting to mail. The digital cameras at yard sales and thrift stores usually had no batteries, or no chargers, or were just inoperative.
Now that digital has matured, and people have grown weary of not engaging with their own activities, film processing, though not local for me, has become more accessible, and there is now a host of older digital cameras that actually work, that are fun and interesting to explore, and they don't break the bank.
I have even stumbled into evidence that some of the old, defunct formats are available again like 828, and 126. This has led to enthusiastic spelunking of the long unexplored caverns of my attic. Hidden somewhere up there is a Minolta Autopak 700 still in good working order.
The giddy joy is back for me again. Once more, the idea of going someplace without something with a lens dangling from my neck is unheard-of.
Yay!
Makes me glad that I kept my Fujifilm Finepix JX650 for over a decade. I bought it back when I was just getting into photography, before smartphones had cameras with high megapixel counts. I took a lot of b&w experimental photos, especially in urban and outdoor photography. Over time, I started just using my phone’s camera, and I got great results, but there was something about using my JX650 that felt more hands-on, especially when it came to the zoom. So, I got a new battery for it, and in recent outings, I started using it again. The most recent outing that I took it on was a trip to New York. I took so many photos from the passenger side of the car, and a lot of these photos wouldn’t have come out as precise if I used my phone’s camera. I did take my fair share of landscape shots in Central Park with my phone’s wide lens, but the bulk of the zoom-in shots were used with my JX650. With so many compact cameras being sold at higher prices on eBay, it makes me glad that instead of having to outbid someone, I just happen to have my own that I bought a decade ago.
This resonates with me. One of the most truly fun travel-photography experiences i’ve has was when traveling to france taking only the Canon G15 (the only camera i owned at that time). Compact, carried in a little pouch on my belt, immediately available, some moderate zoom range. I’ve been on the hunt for a replacement for the past year.
I went in and bought a G9 after watching your video. Great photo experience for how old the camera is.
When using a camera I feel more invested when taking photos.
Great to hear!
Found my old Canon 40D and I'm really tempted to just start using it again.
Do it, it is still a great camera
I have a gx9 with the 12-32 kit that replaced my smartphone camera. I was tired of the automation around smartphone cameras. It's incredible
I couldn't have put it better myself, George. Thanks for saying this.
A few years ago, I dusted of my old Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ6 and DMC-FZ8 and bought replacement batteries. I've been having so much more fun with photography again that I just couldn't get from a phone. Apart from far superior macro capabilities, which I really enjoy, there is something about the way these camera capture light and colour that just hits different. While the FZ8 even has a RAW format, whatever automatic processing is in the TZ6 results in nicer photo.
And of course there's the element of chance. Sometimes graininess or blurriness creeps in, but this is part of the charm. It's superior to taking 30 "screenshots" of the same scene which you'll never look on again, or you can't decide which to keep.
"Ditch" is an overstatement. But if the question is "Will you enjoy your photography (and maybe your life) more if you do it with something more demanding than a super smart phone?" for me the YES!. Thanks for the video.
A used, 10 years old compact RX100 costa tiday as much as I paid new 10 years ago. I am ditching caneras for canvas and acrylic paint.
Not nostalgic enough to go back to film. I worked at a professional photography lab in the late 70’s. I can still smell the developer. I would recommend people learn to make prints. Then every aspect of the process will be your own creation. The trouble with digital is you can make a perfect file and the imaging device may not be correctly calibrated. With a print if your monitor is calibrated and you have the correct paper profile the viewer will always see your work exactly the way you made it.
I’ve been having loads of fun with my Lumix FZ40 for many reason. Many of the reasons you mentioned are why I take it with me instead of my iPhone or R6 these days. It’s just nice to unplug from the internet and take pictures for the sake of pictures, the experience, and the memories, not for the sake of tack sharp quality.
One thing I’m looking forward to when I ditch my smartphone in the next several months (assuming I really go through with it), is getting back together with my Sony Alpha.
I bought the new Pentax 17. I just got back from a hiking holiday with friends and has so much fun both on the 4 day hike and for street photography in the city we jumped off from. People who get what George is saying in this video will get it but mega pixel chasing tech heads and pros probably won’t. It’s small, light and tactile fun. It’s causal and not serious. The 37mm equivalent lens is sharp and the metering for film accurate and that’s all the tech it needs. I’ve got full frame and APS-C digital cameras as well as an old Leica rangefinder and 70s SLR that are more serious. But thats not necessarily the most fun all the time. I’m so glad I’m not the only one that’s no longer interested in all the latest tech and huge resolutions. The soul of photography and the photographic experience doesn’t reside in technology
Glad you''re enjoying the Pentax!
I have two phones in my bag, use them for everything except to enjoy photography. For that I whip out my trusty Fujifilm Finepix XP130.
Several years ago I was looking to upgrade from an ancient three megapixel compact camera. I settled on the Canon G9X Mark two. Finally over the last six months I realized that I had taken it about as far as it would go photography wise. So I bought a full-size Fuji. And I am loving it. But that little pocket camera still goes with me everywhere, especially when I don't feel like lugging a large camera around. And it is still capable of great pictures, in a form factor that can be described as "a deck of cards." I would highly recommend a compact camera, even for those who already owns a full frame or crop sensor camera. Only the camera you have with you takes pictures at all.
The G9 is a solid choice (literally) - CCD sensor, good res, decent zoom range, metal construction. I have an RX1002 now but the older premium ones are all worth a try :)
The most solid camera!
My G9 is not a compact, but I digress. I do have a Lumix LX7, a 10.1 mp,12-year-oldd compact. It does not have a touch screen or articulating/tilting. The sensor is not even 1". It does have a fast Leica lens and is great fun to bum around with. I used it recently while walking around a local shopping district. None of the photos I took were particularly "good." But that is on me, not the camera. The shots were clear, in focus, with nice colors. Technically it was great. And yes, you need to pay attention to what you are doing/shooting. But that is the fun of it. Phototherapy. I admit that I will not go back to shooting film. I shot several miles of it over a 30 year, or so period. Unless I am shooting an event, or the rare wedding, most of my photos/videos are my edification, or displayed on the internet. And so it goes.
I remember when I bought my first digital camera in 1996. It was a Ricoh rc1d.
I looked at it and said, this is the beginning of the end of photography.
How right I was, I now shoot out of Hasselblad X2D and i still enjoy my photography.
It’s just a different style of photography with what I grew up with.
I still have my Ricoh rc1d, and I still use it.
Aside from the obvious nostalgic element, I feel a big part of the resurgence of point and shoots is the ritual of pulling the photos and going through them. When I was at uni we would always bring a camera with us to the club or anywhere else we went. When you got home or the next day it was always fun going through and reliving, seeing things you didn't and generally just enjoying the photos. With smartphones, it would always be you'd snap a bunch of pictures, post the one to Instagram and then they'd just be rotting in your library.
Also some of the features on modern cameras are ridiculous. My brother just got his new camera and there are all these weird in-camera filters that I question why you want. Just give a standard image for those who don't want to tinker and the raw for those who do. Also, some of these features distract from the important stuff like composition with things you can change later.
I grew up on film, in 2000, I bought my first digital camera ( Kodak DC5000, still have it and still works) I still share images from that camera some ask what camera are you using! Puts a smile on my face. Something about early cameras colour rendering. I have several later model zoom point and shoots, they are such a joy. Even use them in professional work. Amazing how we are just looking at these cameras now as something to cherish. Glad I bought when I did about 5 years ago, before the second hand market got crazy with prices. I still shoot film and digital. I like both and it can offer some really fun and sometimes frustrating experiences, but that is part of using vintage cameras and glass. Thanks for sharing!
Now I understand why I have so much fun to use more frequently my old Canon Powershot S50 recently. Pictures have a film camera look with some grain in it.Wow!
I just picked up a g10 from ebay for £90. Fantastic little pocket camera. Loving the feeling of photographing again, miles apart from using the thoughtless phone.
I remember always wanting the best gear to take great photos and good looking videos. But now that I have an a6700 with a tamron 17-70mm f2.8, I just want something fun and compact. And dont get me wrong, I love shooting with my a6700. I just want to use something different when photographing for fun. Maybe just a small lens would be enough for photography. But I also want a dad cam for shooting cool videos. I know I can get pretty much the same results with my phone (s23u) on manual settings and 10x zoom, but it just doesnt have the same feeling as a real camera.
have been doing this with a a6100 and it's amazing, really makes you want to get out and take some shots instead of sitting on your phone at home
I have almost a dozen older digital cameras. I like shooting with a SONY a6000 with vintage lenses. I also have the Canon G10... there's something I really like about that camera. I love the look and feel of it and the quality of the images. So many cameras... so little time !!
I found a near perfect G9 after your recommendation last year and it's been one of my EDC's ever since 👊🏻
Great to hear!
It's great that you mentioned the indie sleaze revival as the catalyst for the digicam trend. I think you're the first one to bring this up! The movement and the artists are growing quickly. For example, I remember that The Dare, one of these new "indie-sleaze" artists, had about 60,000 listeners per month on Spotify in December, and now it's over 1 million.
It's really everywhere! Maybe it won't last but who knows, music is entering a new cycle
I’m using my newly acquired compact Infrared converted digital camera, a different manner of capturing the invisible light spectrum from natural light, I also picked up a digital toy camera to shoot imperfections of the plastic lens, over and under saturated images, and using an instax wide printer to output on the fly instant photos, like the old Polaroid development process. The process is new and old at the same moment. iPhones are perfect shots, I’m going for the unique imperfections of unknown results.
Before Covid, you could find many of these “pocket cameras” like the G7X, G9X, RX100, etc. for a few hundred or less. I got my G9X II in 2018 for $230 in good condition used, but now, It’s INSANE. TikTok and instagram ruined the compact camera market. Many of these models were considered niche and there was enough supply, now due to social media, everyone is buying up these 5-10 year old compact cams and it’s jacked up the price to a ludicrous degree. Some of these you’re paying MORE than what they cost retail upon release. Camera companies need to keep up with demand and release more entry, cheap, “pocket” models. The RX100 series and Ricoh are great but most people cannot justify paying close to or more than $1000 for a pocket cam when that money could be WAY better spent on M43 or APS-C body+lenses. The only company you can still find great deals for pocket cams these days is older Lumix models or even more niche Canon models like their ELPH series, s95, s120, or sd100-1000 series.
The next trend will be shooting with older android camera
Wow I can't believe Im a trendsetter with my old phone because I have no choice 😅
Already saw someone photographing a wedding on an Iphone 2g
Amen to that! I have an iPhone 13 mini. Although it is a small device, I miss the dials and tactile feeling of a camera.
Hence I always carry with me my E-M10 MkII. I recently purchased a GX8 and made my film simulations, and will go to town try this out for the first time this evening.
What's cool about the iPhone 15Pro is the main camera is equivalent to 16mm f/4 APS-C in terms of light gathering, depth of field, dynamic range, etc and around equivalent to 24mm f/6 on full frame. So if you are thinking to get an APS-C with a kit f/3.5 or f/4 lens, you're not going to see a big improvement and you will be disappointed. Where you will see improvement is if you go for faster primes or if you need those more extreme focal lengths both super wide for architecture (as well as low light) and super tele for wild life.
the point ------>
you
This video is special. 4:46 got me emotional even. George the fuck are you doing you weren't supposed to make me shed a tear.
I'm so glad you appreciated that moment, it wasn't supposed to be like that but in the edit it came together
Love your videos! Love the way you shot the video in this one. And your storytelling is so good!
Thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed this one, I'd like to do more like this soon
Not quite ready to dust off my old Canon A-1 or AE-1 [or more likely have them sent out for refurbishment] but I am enjoying my recent old Lumix GM5 around town. Big question is can I afford to carry the extra 7.6oz of the GM-5 along with my OM-1 in the next three weeks as I hike up and down and up and down and up and down the hills and valleys for the Auvergne in France when I might just as well carry my trusty E-M5iii? Every ounce counts in terms of pain and suffering. That little GM-5 sure is cute though, even has a viewfinder and just loves all of my M4/3 lenses.
That my reminiserant.
I agree with you, there is hardly any connection anymore with yourself and camera these days.
My photography started in 1980 with my brand new Nikon FE + 50mm F1.4 lens and progressed from there with the F90x, Olympus OM3-ti etc up until my Nikon D700 which I still use.
Every so often I will shoot a roll of BW with my Nikon FE and do all the processing an printing in my Darkroom.
I do have a Canon powershot s50 which I do use on some occasions and the colours are very close to the colour films I used to shoot in the old days.
Cheers
What I am really hoping is budget rangefinder camera (film or digital are fine)..
Not rangefinder wanna be like fujifilm x-100 or x-pro lineup.. but a proper rangefinder camera..
Currently only Leica and Pixii at the market..
If manufacturer read it, it's a high demand, small competition and high potential profit market :)
When choosing a cellphone my main point or interest is the camera, one of the reasons i bought my Pixel 8.
For my next phone i consider the CMF phone 1+ a nice second hands compact camera.
Also when i ride my motor i want to have a nice camera with me and not worry about the battery and stuff.
Loved the video!
Well said. I'm currently using a Nikon D90 (my first and only camera) and it's just fun. I recently tried a friend's Nikon Z6, and while it clearly took better pictures, I still prefer the experience of shooting on the D90. It makes me think much more about my shots, and everything feels clicky and tactile.
I kept wondering why my iPhone-Shots often just don't look as good as the ones I made with my very first (and every other "classic") digital camera (Konica KD400, 2002). I guess you made the point with the focussing on the process. Plus: Back than, a 128MB SD-Card (not GB!) was a really big expense additional to the camera. You literally thought twice before taking a photo.
I keep going back to the Pentax Q for exactly the reasons you've outlined! Looks slightly silly, is great fun to use and the images have an intangible feel that I love.
I love compact digicams!!! I like the raw unfiltered aesthetic they produce 👍👍👍
My current 3 go to small, fun cameras to use: Canon Powershot S95, Canon Powershot S5iS, and Canon Powershot G5. These are fun cameras to use when I am just casually roaming around.
Last week i just pick up a Nikon P50 Digicam for only 9$, nobody lookin at it in japan. So i just bought 8 Megapix camera, and fantasticly as a CCD sensor camera, color turn pretty nice.
Very nice!
I remember the Minolta Riva AF 35 film camera as being ideal for taking on holiday. I can't remember which exact model but it was totally automatic. Just a shame that film and processing has got so expensive. Nice to see some new compact digital cameras being made though.
Bedankt
Thank you!
This video can be called as love lust towards old cameras❤
I hope the market introduces more affordable budget friendly options in the future
There is no perfect camera for each situation! I am old enough to have started photography with film when I was a kid, and now am using a flagship phone, a mirrorless, and a film camera (or more) for photography. I don't really agree with the title of this video, because the smartphone is the magic camera people have dreamed before technology could make it happen. The best camera is the one you have with you, so because most of the time you have your smartphone with you, it is the camera that takes most of the pictures, processed or not. So, nothing can replace that, unless your compact camera can be a good smartphone too. Of course all the points in this video are correct, but what I am saying, nothing beats the convenience of the smartphone. When I am out to take photos, yes, I'll take my mirrorless or even film camera. But I can't carry those with me all the time. An other great thing of the smartphone camera is that you can instantly share you pictures with people miles away, while with a compact, you need all sorts of apps or even have to wait until you get to you laptop to transfer the photos.
Because it is a dedicated device for taking photographs and photography is an experience. Besides computational photography where a lot of decisions are based on an ai is a doubtful depiction of reality.
It brings back the question: "what is a photo?"
@@GeorgeHolden The easy answer is light and a medium for light to "write" on. How this logic applies to digital though is beyond my knowledge, photosites I guess class as a physical medium. Content aware ai though I would say no.
If I had to choose between shooting on smartphone or a Canon G9 I'd definitely take the smartphone. Luckily I don't have to choose since I do got an Sony A7iii that does (almost) everything I need while still being lots of fun!
This video is well done! 5 stars. My go to digicam for non professional (and sometimes surprisingly pro quality) is the Fuji X30. I tried all kinds of small sensor cameras (below APS-C and M43) but this is by far the best I ever had.
I don't like using my smartphone for photography but for video is pretty decent.
I must be very lucky to have bought and given so much equipment over the years to use and love. Yes, I have Full Frame and APS-C DSLR's with state of the art tech and high grade optics, but I also have some lovely older digital compacts that cost me not much, including, and I find superb, pre-owned M43 digital kit which I have built up to two little bodies and a small number of lenses when I don't want to take the DSLR's. As for film. Same really. Several manual focus SLR's, some compact, and (lucky me) a medium format camera with 3 lenses - Much fun when shooting in street. 🙂As for smart phones, I am still of the opinion that your are better with having a little compact camera with you, as the phone does everything, but is hampered by battery life and more importantly, memory, which is used for everything, and I mean everything, on the phone. You could end up and do run out of space due to apps and of course, running out of power. If you have a dedicated compact camera in your pocket, that is less likely. Case in point, I have the little, yet superb, Canon S95 compact camera. It shoots RAW, it has a proper zoom, it has a larger sensor than 90% of smart phones, it is less likely to run out of charge due to being used for gaming, texting, maps, etc (it does not do those things) and it is more controllable. Oh and it is only the size of a pack of cards.....I rest my case. 🙂 Keep the videos coming, they are great.
Thanks for sharing and watching!
Okay, Im all in when it comes to old school point and shoots asf.. But I just cannot wait 3-5 seconds for the camera to focus and take the shot - even the cheapest old film manual focus camera has absolutely NO lag what so ever - when you push the shutter button the picture is taken. So for me, when it comes to digital its either tactile old school manual focus or extremely fast single point AF-S or just nothing at all.
I hate it when a camera starts "breathing" or focusing in and out and I lose a shot.
I wish canon would release another good zoom powershot camera with way better night photography, especially with the advances that smartphone cameras made, something with that technology but with a larger sensor would be amazing.
Kinda insane I saw some kid brought a point and shoot style camera in a youth program recently. I'm not sure this a win or backwards 😂
I am always afraid of dropping my cell phone. The darn thing costs $1,000. I bought a Canon R50 with a wrist strap and it works fine, for about $700.
I like the grip and many features this camera offers. Sure, the cell phone takes great pictures but what happens if I drop it while shooting? The R50 has 4K and about 30 meg on the RAW files. Being a mirrorless camera, it is small and has many features. Love that I see the histogram in the view finder.
I haven't yet started watching this video, and I would say yes to a pocket camera. I shoot with a Lumix DMC-FH25. I own three, I love them, and never go anywhere without one in my bag.
почему вы боитесь GF5/g3/EpM1/EpL6/NXmini/nx300 + pancake?
What is a good way for amateurs to store photos? Main advantage of phone cameras is the cloud storage, especially for life memories.
Cloud storage is available on any device, so you can upload your camera photos to your cloud service of choice
I shoot 12mp raws in my iPhone and have a bunch of lovely presets as starting points for the look. Very easy to
Make that iPhone look like any other file
I pulled out a Kodak EasyShare Z1275 yesterday thinking the same thing. It says 12mp on the side which is probably a massive upscaled exageration.
The problem is, these things require expensive Lithium double-A's, and they burn through them fast. Most of them will only fire up for a few seconds on regular AA batteries then shut down. Definitely don't want a film camera, because... I'm not paying to process photos or driving somewhere to drop them off, pick them up. I'm 30 miles away from the nearest town.
That’s why I shove an a7CR with a little 24mmG on it into my pocket as I walk out of the door …
That's awesome!
I have a nice new Canon R50 that's only a couple of m onths old that replaced my decade old Nikon D3300. However I just bought a used Lumix LX5 & love it. I wanted a small compact camera that I could throw in my manbag so I have a camera on hand everywhere I go. I never use my phone for photography & hate the Smartphone for everything concept.
Since becoming a TH-camr, I decided to live without a smartphone, and.... I feel fantastic!
You're braver than me!
I have four Panasonic GF1. They cost nothing. They are very good lens rear caps and they take better images than compact cameras.
Brilliant video, couldn't agree more. I've been shooting my PowerShot S70 more than my Fuji X-T4 as of recent.
I had a G5 but I always wanted an S70, I just love the form factor.
@@koobs4549 yeah I think that Is maybe why I am shooting it more, because I can just pocket it, it doesn't get in the way
That's awesome!
I have a Panasonic TZ80 which gives excellent pictures, plus I can transfer the images to my smartphone vis their image app, so I get the best of both worlds.
Why yes, your 2024 camera on a chip should take photos just as high resolution as my 2010 14MP D3100, great job! The issue is my 14yo camera has a sensor 5 times larger than your 10 month old phone, I can actually do depth of field without specialized cameras (which will only do that level of DoF), and with the right lens I can zoom in quite far, my entire camera and 18-200mm lens were a total of 320€, was your phone 800€? 1000€? 1600€?
I once told a friend: Smartphones capture moments, cameras capture art.
You can use both for the other, but there's a clear advantage in both cases, who wants to carry around a DSLR on a walk every time? To the beach? In the rain?
I got my first SLR back in 1967 (Topcon D1, still in my attic).
To be truthful, I don't have much nostalgia for film. Though I do like a camera that's small, agile and has a long zoom (animal photos)
I went from a Sony/fuji user to only film cameras, I enjoy film photography because I feel like it’s more about the art, less about the gear
I use a DSLR Nikon to take photos....it's another level as compared to a smartphone!!!
I think there is a gap in the market right now. Hopefully one or another company decides to fill it.
Ok, you know that ground glass shot was fantastic...
Not sure which shot that is but thanks!
@@GeorgeHolden when you opened your camera viewfinder and had the video playing in your ground glass…
I had a CanonG7X a few years ago, which I sold to buy a camera with an APS-C sized sensor. I regretted selling it and have considered buying another one. My concern is that even used ones are not that cheap.
I had the generic basic kodak film camera.. that was my first camera. Took it on a indian monsoon hike. Had to change the film under a grass hut. Hoping that i dont ruin the flim. Well except the first few photos rest of them came out good. I miss those days. Kinda. My canon g7x mark2 is my only solace.
you're fun, man. glad i discovered your channel.
Thanks for stopping by!
My daughter dug out her old Nikon Coolpix recently for her stepdaughter (aged 7) to use. I was looking at it the other day.
It is not exactly a pocket camera, but is a little smaller than a Lumix GX 80 or a bit bigger than a Nikon 1 V1, so you can't put it into a jeans pocket like a Sony HX90, but it would fit a jacket pocket. I think its a 5x or 8x zoom.
Even though low light performance is mediocre on a good day with these tiny sensors, most people do most of their photography in daylight or in brightly lit nighttime places. And I am pretty sure that camera has a built in flash.
It seems to me very short-sighted that camera manufacturers have ceased making this kind of camera just as the demand for fun photography is returning.
I’ll use anything that doesn’t get in my way. So if a foundation is focus, modern tracking AF allows me to do what I want, which is always composition and lighting criteria.
“Sad” to say perhaps, but my low end Canon R8 becomes more important to the desired result than my L lenses I have for it. I’m talking fast action (sports) and portraits.
The only time I want to pay any attention to image focus is when using a fully manual focus camera, and that means old film gear. Landscapes. Buildings. Stuff that doesn’t move.
I have an Oly ZX-1 that’s fun. I do my best not to get lost in the weeds of its archaic menus and strong limitations. It’s almost as convenient as my phone. But as with any phone, every old digicam was created with the intent of the user either completely using full-Auto, or becoming a masochist when doing any sort of manual setting.
Gimme a match-needle meter, a knob for Tv, one for ISO, and a ring on the lens for Av. With available modern AF, ha!
Agreed on that needle meter!
I think there are a lot of things at play with cameras from a non camera guy, We are at a time where most phones have good cameras and the "50MP Sensor" but i think people dont want these extra sharp photos when they are actually taking pictures, and for most people, if they play around with their phone camera, they probably cant take a good shot of anything due to messing up what the phone likes, (unless its a sony phone i guess) they dont want to see that hair they missed in the latest dinner photo they recently taken, and really, a phone camera takes pictures for work documents these days, and when people go out and buy a £50 camera from cashies or something and realize its a 15 year old bit of kit with similar quality photos to their latest phone they just dumped over £1k for, it makes those people question why they even brought it in the first place.
I have an RX100 which takes great photos but honestly what really irritates me about it is that it takes about two and a half hours to charge the battery and my iPhone will charge up in about a half an hour. I just wish that problem could be resolved!
When it comes to disdain for the phone camera, I am thoroughly on board. It occupies a tiny position in my life, all of it utilitarian, none of it artsy or keepsake oriented. But, when it comes to other photography, the better the tech, the better. If I could afford a $3300 Sony RX 1, one would be in my pocket in Walmart or the Post Office. I don't find the tool to be center of my sentimentality, only the results. Great video though, keep 'em coming.