Jorgen Udvang
Subscriber Member
It's not my expression, I read it in an article by Erwin Puts from 2007, "The changing character of photography in the age of the electronic media." (Changing_character-photography_2007 | Rangefinder). He has been proven right, and the difference between what was (film) and what is and will be (computer science) is increasing.
I'm trying to follow a discussion on the medium format forum around the 100MP Fuji monster. If I didn't know that the discussion was about a camera, it could mostly have been about any computerised device. I feel totally disconnected, which is fine. It's not a camera that I need or will need. And I'm not an engineer.
There's another side of this that is fine too: the further digital imaging technology advances, the more relevant film becomes. The distance between the two methods is already so large that I won't hesitate to call them different art forms. While they, like painting and drawing, are both visual forms of expression, the technical perfection of modern digital images, particularly the vast post processing options, increases this gap almost on a daily basis. So I'm using more film, and thereby reducing the time in front of the computer, making me even less of an engineer.
I've been shooting a bit with "old" devices the last few days, Fuji S3, Olympus 7070, Nokia 808, and I'm surprised to see how far technology has developed in less than 15 years. There's no reason to believe that the development won't be even faster the next 15. For a long time, I resisted the idea that photographers, also professionals, will shoot with devices the size of a mobile phone or small tablet in the future. I now see that I was wrong. That is exactly what will happen, and although there will be traditional cameras available, they will be niche products. Like the Fuji monster and other specialised equipment.
Recent high end cameras are selling used for dimes on the dollar as manufacturers and photographers struggle to keep up with the development, and that process is going faster too. I will probably buy one of those dinosaurs at some stage. They are still great devices and fun to use. But I'll probably also buy an Xperia 1 to shoot 21:9 format 4K video, not for hobby but for professional use. Less than 200g and $1K including three lenses, a great display and full wireless communication. If that is where we're going, I'd better start converting. I'm too old to wait.
Just a few thoughts in the middle of the night. Please don't take it too seriously.
I'm trying to follow a discussion on the medium format forum around the 100MP Fuji monster. If I didn't know that the discussion was about a camera, it could mostly have been about any computerised device. I feel totally disconnected, which is fine. It's not a camera that I need or will need. And I'm not an engineer.
There's another side of this that is fine too: the further digital imaging technology advances, the more relevant film becomes. The distance between the two methods is already so large that I won't hesitate to call them different art forms. While they, like painting and drawing, are both visual forms of expression, the technical perfection of modern digital images, particularly the vast post processing options, increases this gap almost on a daily basis. So I'm using more film, and thereby reducing the time in front of the computer, making me even less of an engineer.
I've been shooting a bit with "old" devices the last few days, Fuji S3, Olympus 7070, Nokia 808, and I'm surprised to see how far technology has developed in less than 15 years. There's no reason to believe that the development won't be even faster the next 15. For a long time, I resisted the idea that photographers, also professionals, will shoot with devices the size of a mobile phone or small tablet in the future. I now see that I was wrong. That is exactly what will happen, and although there will be traditional cameras available, they will be niche products. Like the Fuji monster and other specialised equipment.
Recent high end cameras are selling used for dimes on the dollar as manufacturers and photographers struggle to keep up with the development, and that process is going faster too. I will probably buy one of those dinosaurs at some stage. They are still great devices and fun to use. But I'll probably also buy an Xperia 1 to shoot 21:9 format 4K video, not for hobby but for professional use. Less than 200g and $1K including three lenses, a great display and full wireless communication. If that is where we're going, I'd better start converting. I'm too old to wait.
Just a few thoughts in the middle of the night. Please don't take it too seriously.