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Good morning Chiang Mai News September 06

Photo Envisions

by Steve Kramer

DOES THE CAMERA HAVE A FUTURE?

“Do not go gentle unto that good night.” When Dylan Thomas wrote those words, was he talking about people? Or perhaps he may have been talking about the demise of camera film? Certainly they seem to be getting less and less shelf space in the local stores these days. I wonder if perhaps he was talking about cameras themselves?

”Don’t look now darling, but there’s a man over there pointing his phone at us............!”

With the current conversion rate from film to digital cameras, it would seem that everyone can now carry a camera in their pocket or a little pouch on their belt. (Perhaps you’ve noticed that as more and more people are carrying pocket cameras, there are less and less reported sightings of UFO’s or BigFoot?) Still, some people complain that carrying ANY camera is a bother, but at the same time, would like to be able to take a picture now and then.
I’ve just had the pleasure (?) of looking at a Nokia telephone that of course has a camera built into it. Not just any old camera, but a 3.5 megapixel camera (which is higher resolution than most digital cameras were just 2 years ago!) that took beautiful pictures. It also shot video, played music, had games, could connect to the internet, and, interestingly enough, could also make phone calls! It was smaller than a pack of cigarettes.
The owner of this Sci-Fi StarTrek invention had about 30 very well composed photos stored in his camera and told me that they print out perfectly as 5x7 size, with just a slight bit of digital noise when printed at 10x14. So what the hell am I doing carrying around 15kg of camera gear?!? His telephone can make longer videos using computer software, and there are even competitions going on around the world for the best cell phone photos and best cell phone videos! Cash prizes!

Taking pictures with phones, getting free phone calls through my computer and cars with TV sets - it’s all commonplace these days. What next? Will I be able to cook my dinner in the washing machine?

Megapixels are going up and up. Pocket digitals are up to 10 megapixels now, with 7-8 M being the norm. Every week another manufacturer puts out a camera with more and more megapixels, and every week more and more people fall for this incredible marketing ploy. Who NEEDS 10 megapixels? I’m a professional photographer and get along just fine with 6 megapixels. I’ve got along with 6 for the past 3 years, and so far, not one magazine has said that the quality of the images was lacking. So why do I need to spend more money and buy a camera with 10 or 16 megapixels?
In fact, why do I need to buy another camera? In another year or 2, all new cell phones will have between 5-10 megapixel cameras built into them, and a cell phone certainly doesn’t weigh 15kg. Are we witnessing the demise of the camera itself, seeing it relegated to the use by professionals only needing special lenses or lighting? Will the cell phone of the future (next year!) be able to spit out prints too?
I have a Sony-Erickson phone that has a camera built into it. I bought it because it was a tri-band phone and I could use it anywhere in the world by just getting a local sim card. I don’t really need the camera part as I almost always have a larger camera with me, and I prefer to listen to the sounds of my environment when I’m walking around rather than Credence Clearwater Revival. But every time I’m in a tourist venue with my students I see more and more visitors shooting their snapshots with their telephones. When they get home, they just call their friends and send them all copies of their photos with just a push of a button!

“Take our photo quickly please, before the camera rings!” That’s my wife and I having fun with one of these little dual purpose things.

“Beam me up, Scotty!” StarTrek’s communicator is now in everyone’s pocket. But we’ve gone one better and mated the communicator with the tri-corder and the computer so it can take better pictures than our old Brownie or Kodak box cameras. In fact, these phones now take better pictures, with less skill needed, than most of the pocket digitals, while playing our favorite tunes! Film isn’t dead. It never will be. Cameras aren’t dead, and they never will die either. But the rate of development of the camera cell phone is faster than the growth rate of the digital camera, and it’s a larger market simply because it plays to a larger audience.
What will the next few years bring? Will our multiple-communications devices (can’t call them just ‘phones’ any more!) get smaller so we can wear them as finger rings or watches? After all, they tell the time and work as an alarm clock as well as function as a project calendar. Will they project holographic images onto the table top for those of use who need our reading glasses?
Is film dead? Not an issue any more. The real question should be ‘are cameras going to be the next dinosaur.’ Smile. I’ve got your number!