We've been telling you in previous posts about these newer cameras, especially the new Olympus PENs & from our blog post below, the Sony new NEX cameras. Their attempts to "rethink the problem" has resulted in cameras that have "electrified the photographic community" according to Mr. Pogue by incorporating large sensors into smaller sized cameras to achieve professional results and cool extras like HD video, articulating screens and built in special effect modes. (Sony Nex-3 photo courtesy of Sony)
The attempts to make cameras smaller & easier to use is as old as photography itself. In 1925, Leica came up with a compact camera that was loaded with photosensitive film as opposed to heavy glass plates, the precursors to their current M Series cameras. Four years later, Rollei came up with a completely new camera (the Rolleiflex) that offered a viewfinder that didn't require the photographer to hold the camera to their eye. Both allowed for greater flexibility & compactness and these cameras strive for the same in a unique 21st century manner.
These cameras & the whole system, for that matter is in it's infancy. And there's no guarantee that it will be long lasting or successful (APS, anyone?). However, initial reviews & test results show that these cameras are achieving what the manufacturers have set out to do. And we, the photo public are the big winners! So, when we, the camera sellers show you these cameras when you ask to see a DSLR, keep your mind open to what will quite possibly be the next chapter in easy, convenient picturetaking.
As for the boy in Pogue's story, he embarks on his journey with only a small water flask on his back. When his master warned that he would die of thirst, he remarked "I'm not too worried, old man. Technology has a way of making all things possible" . We'll see, young man...
Ah, The Possibilities...
In Oliver Stone's upcoming sequel to his award winning film Wall Street, Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) is checking out jail to return to the outside world. Before exiting the jail, he's given back the 5 items he checked in before entering 23 years ago: a silk hankerchief, a watch, cuff links, a money clip (with no money in it) and finally, his 23 year old 1st generation mobile cell phone. Anyone who sees the trailer bursts into laughter when the phone appears, for it is HUMONGOUS and humorously shows the advances that have microsized cell phones since 1987 ( I mean, even the antenna is huge!)
David Pogue, in his New York Times article today illustrates the point in a photographic context(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/20/technology/personaltech/20pogue.html?src=me&ref=technology) by telling a "centuries -old" tale of a young Japanese boy who struggles with the amount of water he must bring for a long trip & the size of the barrel he must use to store it. His master commends his student's wisdom, then tells him that he now " understands the trade off between digital SLR cameras & pocket cameras" . The master must be VERY wise for him to recognize the differences centuries in advance (the boy's next question was probably "Master, what's a camera???"), and he also must realize that the day is coming when the gap between these two types of cameras will be very slight and in the (near) future, non existent.
We've been telling you in previous posts about these newer cameras, especially the new Olympus PENs & from our blog post below, the Sony new NEX cameras. Their attempts to "rethink the problem" has resulted in cameras that have "electrified the photographic community" according to Mr. Pogue by incorporating large sensors into smaller sized cameras to achieve professional results and cool extras like HD video, articulating screens and built in special effect modes. (Sony Nex-3 photo courtesy of Sony)
The attempts to make cameras smaller & easier to use is as old as photography itself. In 1925, Leica came up with a compact camera that was loaded with photosensitive film as opposed to heavy glass plates, the precursors to their current M Series cameras. Four years later, Rollei came up with a completely new camera (the Rolleiflex) that offered a viewfinder that didn't require the photographer to hold the camera to their eye. Both allowed for greater flexibility & compactness and these cameras strive for the same in a unique 21st century manner.
These cameras & the whole system, for that matter is in it's infancy. And there's no guarantee that it will be long lasting or successful (APS, anyone?). However, initial reviews & test results show that these cameras are achieving what the manufacturers have set out to do. And we, the photo public are the big winners! So, when we, the camera sellers show you these cameras when you ask to see a DSLR, keep your mind open to what will quite possibly be the next chapter in easy, convenient picturetaking.
As for the boy in Pogue's story, he embarks on his journey with only a small water flask on his back. When his master warned that he would die of thirst, he remarked "I'm not too worried, old man. Technology has a way of making all things possible" . We'll see, young man...
We've been telling you in previous posts about these newer cameras, especially the new Olympus PENs & from our blog post below, the Sony new NEX cameras. Their attempts to "rethink the problem" has resulted in cameras that have "electrified the photographic community" according to Mr. Pogue by incorporating large sensors into smaller sized cameras to achieve professional results and cool extras like HD video, articulating screens and built in special effect modes. (Sony Nex-3 photo courtesy of Sony)
The attempts to make cameras smaller & easier to use is as old as photography itself. In 1925, Leica came up with a compact camera that was loaded with photosensitive film as opposed to heavy glass plates, the precursors to their current M Series cameras. Four years later, Rollei came up with a completely new camera (the Rolleiflex) that offered a viewfinder that didn't require the photographer to hold the camera to their eye. Both allowed for greater flexibility & compactness and these cameras strive for the same in a unique 21st century manner.
These cameras & the whole system, for that matter is in it's infancy. And there's no guarantee that it will be long lasting or successful (APS, anyone?). However, initial reviews & test results show that these cameras are achieving what the manufacturers have set out to do. And we, the photo public are the big winners! So, when we, the camera sellers show you these cameras when you ask to see a DSLR, keep your mind open to what will quite possibly be the next chapter in easy, convenient picturetaking.
As for the boy in Pogue's story, he embarks on his journey with only a small water flask on his back. When his master warned that he would die of thirst, he remarked "I'm not too worried, old man. Technology has a way of making all things possible" . We'll see, young man...