When did cameras get so DAMN complicated? Like seriously, why do I have to get a degree in electrical engineering or nuclear physics just to understand what the specifications mean on the product page for a digital camera?
Every time a new camera is released its praised for its amazing new AI features (not that I asked for them), or the latest technological advancements, but how does any of that help me understand what it’s talking about?
I need a 30-60 minute video to explain the features to me, and if they’re introducing 10 new features, that could easily take 10 hours. I don’t have time for that.
I just want a camera that works, and takes better photos, otherwise, why would I bother buying the new one?
And, the thing that I literally have no interest in: video.
If I want to record video, I’d use a camcorder, or the modern-day equivalent, my mobile phone.
But stills photography feels to me, like the last safe space for true photography, uninterrupted by social media, selfies, and video, which is apparently ALL that matters now.
Nobody was going around being “content creators” in the 70s, yet so many great things were created.
Yet, it doesn’t seem to matter where you go on the internet: Facebook, Twitter/X, and even Instagram, and it’s now all about video, even though it used to be for PHOTOGRAPHY (especially Instagram).
At what point did camera manufacturers switch from making cameras for photography, to making cameras for video?
Canon’s own 5D Mark II, introduced full HD video, and this was seen as a huge success, but it was still, primarily a camera for photographers.
Now it feels like cameras are made for video, and stills photography is a secondary thought.
If camera companies didn’t spend so much money on developing video features, perhaps cameras would be cheaper?
If camera companies didn’t need the sensor to be constantly exposed, perhaps we would still be shooting with DSLRs (with the mirror in place for true through-the-lens shooting), rather than shooting with mirrorless cameras.
And another thing, why have Canon (and Nikon) abandoned DSLR users? According to recent news on AP, Canon sold MORE DSLRs than Olympus, Panasonic and Fujifilm’s mirrorless cameras combined (in 2024), and they’ve given up on that market? It doesn’t make sense.
So ultimately, what I want from a camera is two-fold: I want a DSLR camera that is designed for stills photography, and I want a camera brand to STICK behind that product, and continue support for it, with new lenses, new accessories, and more.
But instead, I’m supposed to switch to mirrorless? At great expense? And lose one of my favourite features: the optical viewfinder.
Unfortunately, I’m left with no option, other than stocking up on second-hand DSLRs, or looking for a Pentax DSLR. Here’s to Pentax continuing to make cameras for the foreseeable future.
The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of Amateur Photographer magazine or Kelsey Media Limited. If you have an opinion you’d like to share on this topic, or any other photography related subject, email: ap.ed@kelsey.co.uk
