What Matters: Why the Camera Industry is in The Dumper And What Can be Done About It

Nesster · 03-24-2014, 09:15 AM

jogiba · 03-24-2014, 09:25 AM

Quote:

As people begin to value sharing their images in fast, convenient ways, the era of digital cameras is on the verge of extinction. Digital cameras could completely disappear within the next ten years. Look in your pocket, purse, backpack, or the palm of your hand. According to the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life project, 80 percent of adults age 18-34 own smartphones. Smartphones are replacing the need for separate cameras.

Consumer digital camera sales are down 36 percent this year alone. Research from EOSHD.com says smartphones are the biggest cause for the decline. Daniel Coburn, an assistant photo media professor at the University, said advanced technology is going to be the death of digital single-lens reflexes (DSLRs). “In my opinion, non-professional grade cameras will ultimately disappear and be replaced with mirrorless digital cameras,” said Coburn.

Coburn explained that since so many amateur photographers are documenting their daily lives with their phones, new technology has been created to convert smartphones into more developed devices.

Smartphones replace digital cameras for many consumers | The University Daily Kansan

Wake up people and stop living in the past because the times are changing.
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/76-non-pentax-cameras-canon-nikon-etc/255...0-display.html
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/76-non-pentax-cameras-canon-nikon-etc/240...uhd-video.html

Kunzite · 03-24-2014, 09:26 AM

Joe: yes, a camera is a camera; but the U2 spy plane is not a camera - even though it can take better pictures than a point&shoot. My laptop is not a camera either.

FYI properly identifying an object is not "living in the past". Having the common sense not to assume all smartphones being sold will be used as "cameras" is not "living in the past" either. But it's suitable for those wanting to make wild claims without properly investigating - like your Kansan link, for example.

Of course, many are using smartphones as cameras. But all smartphone users?

jogiba · 03-24-2014, 09:32 AM

Originally posted by Kunzite

Joe: yes, a camera is a camera; but the U2 spy plane is not a camera - even though it can take better pictures than a point&shoot. My laptop is not a camera either.

FYI properly identifying an object is not "living in the past". Having the common sense not to assume all smartphones being sold will be used as "cameras" is not "living in the past" either. But it's suitable for those wanting to make wild claims without properly investigating - like your Kansan link, for example.

Of course, many are using smartphones as cameras. But all smartphone users?

And the camera industry is in the dumper because people are using what instead of cameras ? Are they using laptops to shoot their photos ? Are they using U2 spy planes to take their photos ? What exactly is this thread about ?

Kunzite · 03-24-2014, 10:46 AM

Until someone will investigate things instead of making assumptions, I guess we don't really know what's happening?

TRex1123 · 03-24-2014, 11:09 AM

Smart phones could very well be a jump off point for some "photographers." Not that I am a professional in any sense of the word but I started off taking pictures using my iPhone, went to a micro 4/3rds, and now a Pentax K-5IIs. Not that I represent a huge majority but there are people out there that do move up the food chain seeking better formats.

What happened to the best camera is the one you have on you?

philbaum · 03-24-2014, 11:16 AM - **1 Like**

NEWS BULLETIN: Smart phone users don't care about whether Pentax Forums defines their devices to not be cameras.

I know thats a great shock to all of us.

NEW BULLETIN 2: Nothing needs to be done about the fact that camera sales are in the dumpster. The world will go on

**Rondec** · 03-24-2014, 12:08 PM

I guess the question I have is which segment of the camera market is in the dumper? Is just point and shoots and bridge cameras? Because, if that's all it is and those segements are being edged out by smart phones, then no big deal. If, on the other hand, people really are not buying decent cameras because they are satisfied with the cameras in their smart phones, then that could be problematic for the market.

The professional market isn't going to be effected by smart phone cameras. There are fifty reasons why a wedding photographer wouldn't use a smart phone to photograph a wedding. But, professionals alone will not support the current market.

Kunzite · 03-24-2014, 12:09 PM

Smartphone users don't mind being called smartphone users

mecrox · 03-24-2014, 12:09 PM

Originally posted by jogiba

What exactly is this thread about ?

A spot of denial, perhaps?

You don't need fancy gear to take good photographs unless you are doing something very specialized (and these days being a full-time professional photographer is very specialized).

On the other hand, no one is going to become an instant Cartier-Bresson (or Steve McQueen) just because they own the latest model of smartphone.

What you need in either case is learning, knowledge, practice - the old saw that getting good at anything at all takes at least 10,000 hours of application.

In the meantime, I do wonder whether it's really worth spending a lot of money on high-end camera equipment. The companies that make it , or some of them, don't look very well, do they. Perhaps we're in the phoney war stage at the moment. But if the sales forecasts don't pan out, the investors start selling and the plant closures start to be announced, then the real shock will set in and the camera industry really will change. I guess 2014 might be quite an important year.

So this could be a year to mark time with a nice body (a K3 or K5IIs perhaps), 2-3 good but not overly costly primes, and wait it out for a while. Spending a year shooting only 2-3 focal lengths, or even only one, is quite a good discipline probably. And think of the $$$ you'll save.

jogiba · 03-24-2014, 01:00 PM

Originally posted by Rondec

If, on the other hand, people really are not buying decent cameras because they are satisfied with the cameras in their smart phones, then that could be problematic for the market.

Bingo

Kunzite · 03-24-2014, 01:21 PM

All right, but what exactly is the impact on the different market segments? "If" and "could" are meaningless unless we have a clue about likelihood and impact.
I have yet to see an article properly treating this subject.

jogiba · 03-24-2014, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Tamron knows it is in trouble. "Smartphones pose a threat not just to compact cameras but entry-level dSLRs as well," said general manager Tsugio Tsuchiya. Nikon and counterpart Canon blamed the slower shipments on a weak global economy, but that's not the only factor at play.
An old saying goes, "the best camera is the one you have with you." For an increasing number of smartphones buyers, that will always be their mobile device.

Smartphones Destroying High-End Camera Sales - InformationWeek

jon404 · 03-24-2014, 03:46 PM

For my next Mexican wedding, will definitely take a smartphone. Wisdom of the crowd... crowd sourcing? If 200 guests take 10 pictures each, bound to be some keepers. You could choose the keepers in real-time, and the picture-taker would instantly be rewarded with another shot of tequila. Pavlov goes Cancun!

Kunzite · 03-24-2014, 03:59 PM

Yeah, a tabloid article. "Smartphones Destroying High-End Camera Sales", and we have a Tamron manager admitting "smartphones pose a threat not just to compact cameras but entry-level dSLRs as well" while Nikon and Canon believe it's more about the economy. Ricoh's Takashi Arai believes the ILC market will level out.
And a nice chart showing the T3i being about as popular as ever.

03-24-2014, 09:25 AM	#137
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	Smartphones replace digital cameras for many consumers Quote: As people begin to value sharing their images in fast, convenient ways, the era of digital cameras is on the verge of extinction. Digital cameras could completely disappear within the next ten years. Look in your pocket, purse, backpack, or the palm of your hand. According to the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life project, 80 percent of adults age 18-34 own smartphones. Smartphones are replacing the need for separate cameras. Consumer digital camera sales are down 36 percent this year alone. Research from EOSHD.com says smartphones are the biggest cause for the decline. Daniel Coburn, an assistant photo media professor at the University, said advanced technology is going to be the death of digital single-lens reflexes (DSLRs). “In my opinion, non-professional grade cameras will ultimately disappear and be replaced with mirrorless digital cameras,” said Coburn. Coburn explained that since so many amateur photographers are documenting their daily lives with their phones, new technology has been created to convert smartphones into more developed devices. Smartphones replace digital cameras for many consumers \| The University Daily Kansan Wake up people and stop living in the past because the times are changing. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/76-non-pentax-cameras-canon-nikon-etc/255...0-display.html https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/76-non-pentax-cameras-canon-nikon-etc/240...uhd-video.html

03-24-2014, 03:07 PM	#148
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	Smartphones Destroying High-End Camera Sales Quote: Tamron knows it is in trouble. "Smartphones pose a threat not just to compact cameras but entry-level dSLRs as well," said general manager Tsugio Tsuchiya. Nikon and counterpart Canon blamed the slower shipments on a weak global economy, but that's not the only factor at play. An old saying goes, "the best camera is the one you have with you." For an increasing number of smartphones buyers, that will always be their mobile device. Smartphones Destroying High-End Camera Sales - InformationWeek Last edited by jogiba; 03-24-2014 at 03:12 PM.

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03-24-2014, 09:15 AM	#136
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072

03-24-2014, 09:26 AM	#138
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	Joe: yes, a camera is a camera; but the U2 spy plane is not a camera - even though it can take better pictures than a point&shoot. My laptop is not a camera either. FYI properly identifying an object is not "living in the past". Having the common sense not to assume all smartphones being sold will be used as "cameras" is not "living in the past" either. But it's suitable for those wanting to make wild claims without properly investigating - like your Kansan link, for example. Of course, many are using smartphones as cameras. But all smartphone users?

03-24-2014, 09:32 AM	#139
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	Originally posted by Kunzite Joe: yes, a camera is a camera; but the U2 spy plane is not a camera - even though it can take better pictures than a point&shoot. My laptop is not a camera either. FYI properly identifying an object is not "living in the past". Having the common sense not to assume all smartphones being sold will be used as "cameras" is not "living in the past" either. But it's suitable for those wanting to make wild claims without properly investigating - like your Kansan link, for example. Of course, many are using smartphones as cameras. But all smartphone users? And the camera industry is in the dumper because people are using what instead of cameras ? Are they using laptops to shoot their photos ? Are they using U2 spy planes to take their photos ? What exactly is this thread about ?

03-24-2014, 10:46 AM	#140
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	Until someone will investigate things instead of making assumptions, I guess we don't really know what's happening?

03-24-2014, 11:09 AM	#141
TRex1123 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 31	Smart phones could very well be a jump off point for some "photographers." Not that I am a professional in any sense of the word but I started off taking pictures using my iPhone, went to a micro 4/3rds, and now a Pentax K-5IIs. Not that I represent a huge majority but there are people out there that do move up the food chain seeking better formats. What happened to the best camera is the one you have on you?

03-24-2014, 11:16 AM - 1 Like	#142
philbaum Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Port Townsend, Washington State, USA Posts: 3,659	NEWS BULLETIN: Smart phone users don't care about whether Pentax Forums defines their devices to not be cameras. I know thats a great shock to all of us. NEW BULLETIN 2: Nothing needs to be done about the fact that camera sales are in the dumpster. The world will go on

03-24-2014, 12:08 PM	#143
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,663	I guess the question I have is which segment of the camera market is in the dumper? Is just point and shoots and bridge cameras? Because, if that's all it is and those segements are being edged out by smart phones, then no big deal. If, on the other hand, people really are not buying decent cameras because they are satisfied with the cameras in their smart phones, then that could be problematic for the market. The professional market isn't going to be effected by smart phone cameras. There are fifty reasons why a wedding photographer wouldn't use a smart phone to photograph a wedding. But, professionals alone will not support the current market.

03-24-2014, 12:09 PM	#144
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	Smartphone users don't mind being called smartphone users

03-24-2014, 12:09 PM	#145
mecrox Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oxford, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,375	Originally posted by jogiba What exactly is this thread about ? A spot of denial, perhaps? You don't need fancy gear to take good photographs unless you are doing something very specialized (and these days being a full-time professional photographer is very specialized). On the other hand, no one is going to become an instant Cartier-Bresson (or Steve McQueen) just because they own the latest model of smartphone. What you need in either case is learning, knowledge, practice - the old saw that getting good at anything at all takes at least 10,000 hours of application. In the meantime, I do wonder whether it's really worth spending a lot of money on high-end camera equipment. The companies that make it , or some of them, don't look very well, do they. Perhaps we're in the phoney war stage at the moment. But if the sales forecasts don't pan out, the investors start selling and the plant closures start to be announced, then the real shock will set in and the camera industry really will change. I guess 2014 might be quite an important year. So this could be a year to mark time with a nice body (a K3 or K5IIs perhaps), 2-3 good but not overly costly primes, and wait it out for a while. Spending a year shooting only 2-3 focal lengths, or even only one, is quite a good discipline probably. And think of the $$$ you'll save.

03-24-2014, 01:00 PM	#146
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	Originally posted by Rondec If, on the other hand, people really are not buying decent cameras because they are satisfied with the cameras in their smart phones, then that could be problematic for the market. Bingo

03-24-2014, 01:21 PM	#147
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	All right, but what exactly is the impact on the different market segments? "If" and "could" are meaningless unless we have a clue about likelihood and impact. I have yet to see an article properly treating this subject.

03-24-2014, 03:46 PM	#149
jon404 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Photos: Gallery Posts: 696	For my next Mexican wedding, will definitely take a smartphone. Wisdom of the crowd... crowd sourcing? If 200 guests take 10 pictures each, bound to be some keepers. You could choose the keepers in real-time, and the picture-taker would instantly be rewarded with another shot of tequila. Pavlov goes Cancun!

03-24-2014, 03:59 PM	#150
Kunzite Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Romania Posts: 15,132	Yeah, a tabloid article. "Smartphones Destroying High-End Camera Sales", and we have a Tamron manager admitting "smartphones pose a threat not just to compact cameras but entry-level dSLRs as well" while Nikon and Canon believe it's more about the economy. Ricoh's Takashi Arai believes the ILC market will level out. And a nice chart showing the T3i being about as popular as ever.