tturner Loc: Savannah Ga

Here's an idea: Stop talking about taking pictures and get out and actually take pictures with your DSLR.

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

That was a pretty comprehensive post NorthPacific... and you bring up SEVERAL important points.

whitewolfowner

I hear you. The difference is the role the parent plays. My son too, has good moral Christian values because I gave them to him. I saw this early when he was in grammar school. I would stop in and help out as a parent. Every student that was doing good and learning, behaved well in class and kept up, had parents behind them that were involved in their child's education. Those that were not, were sometimes so neglected at home that they had no idea how to behave (most were unruly, poor grades and falling fast behind). One of the tasks I would do is take a student in the hallway, that got no attention at home and read to them. I have yet to see a kindergartener to second grader that doesn't love to be read to. The only problem I had was that some of these children stunk so bad, I could hardly stand being next to them and many had their teeth rotting out. A child in early grammar school that comes to school with bad hygiene is not the fault of the child. Of course the same parents that take part in their child's education make sure that they get their soul taught too; something the school's today are forbidden to do by the government.

You will find that children that are brought up with guidance and love; no matter how different their views are culturally, they will always be able to get along with other people no matter how differently they view things. It's the very principal the President Eisenhower went off of when he started people to people back when in his Presidency. To this day, they seek out children that have it together and recruit them to spend part of their summers overseas meeting children (ages 12 to 18) from other countries hoping to help bring about peace in the world. It's amazing how children from all over the globe that have been brought up right can play and get along; it's the adults that can't. So your nephew and my son are a few of those who may have a chance of saving the American way when wea re long gone.

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

Just a story. I was with my daughter in Monterrey, CA when she was confronted with a potential shot of a beautiful doe and baby. She had her cellphone and took the shot. It was "almost" great. She could only crop it later in the cellphone and even then the crop was limited. I saw what she did, added it to some other similar photos and realized that she was a natural photographer. She has been wanting a DSLR for years. This time, it was her birthday present, a D3300. The quality of her work has improved 500% because of this camera--and she only uses it as an advanced point and shoot. As she learns more and more about exposure and other things, she will get even better.

The cellphone is ubiquitous, but also iniquitous. In a year or two, she will have improved beyond the D3300, but for now, it has changed her from a snapshooter to a photographer.

The next iteration will be MILC, but CanNik have already dropped the ball on this.

tomad Loc: North Carolina

My wife has a good quality point and shoot that I bought for her and an Apple phone. She only takes photos with the I-phone to post on Facebook. To her there is no other reason to take a photograph. She's in her mid 40's so it's not only young people who are deserting dedicated cameras.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

I spent some of my early professional years as an educator. My nephew-in-law is Norwegian. So we're maybe talking a world view more than the American way here. The global perspective gets even more interesting than American Christian values. How does it reasonably involve our Iranian Muslim, Indian Sikh, Hindu, African friends, Asian, or others and their cultures? We work and live with them on a daily basis and the moral values seem fine, we just have to respect and accommodate the cultural differences.

Life gets complicated in a global interconnected society, geographically, ethnically, and generation wise.

BebuLamar

If you own or work for camera manufacturers then it would be bad news. But as consumer why do YOU care? Don't we have enough cameras already. Why do we have to continue buying cameras?

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

It's not just generational.

In the 1980's, I had a Pentax Super Program, a teacher friend of ours had a Pentax K-1000, my Mother had a Canon AE-1, and my brother had a Canon AE-1. Today, I have a Pentax K-30, that teacher friend in the 2000's went to a point-and-shoot digital and then to a cell phone, my Mother in the 2000's went to a point-and-shoot digital and then to nothing, and my brother in the 2000's went to a point-and-shoot digital which he has stuck by. I don't remember what one of those SLRs cost in the 1980's, but I'm guessing that the average person today doesn't see that much advantage to the $$$$ we have to spend to get a DSLR.

whitewolfowner

Oh yes it does. And I avoiding bringing that into the mix to keep the peanut gallery from blowing up on this.

whitewolfowner

The really own sound, logical and sane reason to buy another camera (besides a real need for a back up) would be because it will do something the one you now have will not do. Any other reason is insanity by definition; "To keep the same thing and expecting a different result." And if course we can't ignore the EXCUSE of having GAS. When I have gas, I feel better and there is no need to buy something too. The relief of good gas is more than enough.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

I feel out of place. I still shoot film exclusively, and I do not own a DSLR. I admit, that under the right conditions, my cell snaps look halfway decent. But I use the cell for quick grabsnaps. When out shooting, it's the SLR.

Bill_de Loc: US

That explains some of your posts.

Sorry, the Devil made me do it.

--

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

I don't recall the average person thinking that way then either. An Instamatic was plenty good enough for most people back then. The smart phone more than fills that market niche, and does a much better job.

The market is changing and we need to navigate those changes. Photography matters, equipment and vendors much less so.

BebuLamar

The AE-1 is no longer available in 1985 so I used price in 1981.
In 1981 the AE-1 body is $186.95 and $256.90 with a 50mm f/1.8. In 1985 the replacement, the AE-1P, is less expensive with body only at $153.00 and $189.00 with the 50mm f/1.8 lens.
The Pentax K1000 is also more expensive in 1981 than in 1985.

If you take into account of inflation they are around $500-$600 with the lens.
In 1981 the K1000 body is $95.00 and $139.00 with the 50mm f/2.0
In 1985 the K1000 body is only $75.95 and it was only $109.50 with the 50mm f/2.0.
The Pentax Super Program body only in 1985 was $169.00 and it was $219.00 with the 50mm f/1.7.

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

While you personally may never want to buy a new camera, there are plenty of others who do wish to buy new cameras.

Not just existing camera owners, but people wishing to expand their photography beyond what is available with a cell phone or a point and shoot.

The fewer choices we have, the worse off those people will be.

And contrary to what some may believe or think, you can do MUCH more with a camera TODAY than you could 10 years ago. And you can do more with a 10 year old DSLR than you can with a brand new state of the art Cell Phone Camera.

So there is a very good reason why we camera owners would want the industry to continue, as well as continue to innovate and remain competitive in this new market dynamic.