Most Innovative Camera Company (Page 2): Lots of YouTubers use cell phones for their videos.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

n4jee wrote:

More people are taking pictures with more cameras then ever before in history. I think the cell phone manufacturers get a nod for innovation. I recently saw a television camera crew using an iPhone to film a news segment.

Lots of YouTubers use cell phones for their videos.

StanMac Loc: Tennessee

DHooch wrote:

It's interesting that when photographers mention cameras, especially those that (are/were) innovative, they never mention Pentax. Pentaprism, TTL metering, etc.

I hear ya! I’m a Pentax fan from way back. Here’s a Wikipedia article that includes the innovations the Pentax brand has made:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_cameras

Despite all that, I recently acquired an S1a - as basic an SLR as one can have. No built in metering, no image stabilization, no auto focus, no auto anything, no split image focusing. It’s getting back to basics for sure (which I seem to need).

Stan

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

n4jee wrote:

More people are taking pictures with more cameras then ever before in history. I think the cell phone manufacturers get a nod for innovation. I recently saw a television camera crew using an iPhone to film a news segment.

The question as posed was directed at dedicated cameras. There is no question that there is a ton of innovation going on with cell phone cameras, but I interpreted that to be out of the scope of the OP's question.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

flip1948 wrote:

Is putting a Hasselblad label on your drone cameras simply because you purchased the company really innovative or fresh thinking?

There certainly might be some bragging and marketing going on with that. Based on my experience with a $400 DJI drone and reviews from this week's new model, they are using some serious Hasselblad technology. Part on the innovation I'm seeing is getting 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch and 1 inch sensors to get images with the right kind of color and detail. Could it be DJI got some of that from Hasselblad?

stanikon Loc: Deep in the Heart of Texas

n4jee wrote:

More people are taking pictures with more cameras then ever before in history. I think the cell phone manufacturers get a nod for innovation. I recently saw a television camera crew using an iPhone to film a news segment.

More pictures are now taken in one minute than were taken in all of the 19th century.

Rab-Eye Loc: Indiana

jerryc41 wrote:

I saw a review of that yesterday. Although it looks fantastic, I won't be getting one. After using it for an hour, it would just sit in a closet.

I’m with you, Jerry.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

zug55 wrote:

One could make the argument that Sony is that company--their innovation is far beyond "steady and incremental." They have driven innovation in the full-frame market for a decade and continue to do so. Their mirrorless full-frame bodies completely changed the market and forced Canon and Nikon to abandon their DSLR camera systems and to try to match Sony's mirrorless technology.

Sony has driven a firm spike in the technology arena. My joint checking with my wonderful wife suffered because of it. She ditched her gear and bought recent versions of both a Sony RX100 and Sony RX10. It can be a pisser when you go home, compare photos taken in the same spot and find hers are better. Worse, she relies on Sony's amazing automatic settings.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Jeffcs wrote:

Your forgetting about Olympus with the omdem1mk2,3 & OM1. The computational abilities and lens & body stability with the AF second to that seems Sony
Just my 2 cents

I should have put Olympus on my list! The TG series is loaded with design and engineer innovation! (I have a TG-5!)

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Red6 wrote:

You are correct in that DJI has been a very innovative company and has produced some exciting technology. I have owned several DJI photography drones and some exciting shots are possible. I even have my FAA part 107 certificate so I can use my drone for commercial purposes. However, the truth is, and this is never addressed in the ads, drone photography is risky for several reasons.

Restrictions on where and when a drone can be flown are increasing. In many locations, where you really would like to take drone images, drone operations are severely restricted or prohibited such as city, state, and national parks. Cities, tourist areas, beaches, and many other photography-rich areas often have laws restricting drone use. In addition, there are other FAA restrictions that prohibit or restrict drone operation near airports which include hospitals where helicopters routinely operate. Countries outside the US are often even more restrictive and often have penalties far harsher than here.

Then there are the public responses to drones. Drone operators have been attacked and had the police called on them for operating drones around people or places of business. Drones have even been shot at while photographing property or scenes near people's houses.

These ads showing drones being flown around city parks, beaches, and other popular locales are largely fiction and most likely were staged. The entertainment industry uses camera drones and obtains special permits and permission to fly their drones to film their scenes. Something that most everyday photographers would not be able to do. Do people fly their drones in these areas? Sure, often illegally and risking fines or confiscation of their drones and worse. You can find a few places to fly them and shot images. You can drive out into the country and fly around in circles and shoot but that gets old and uninteresting quickly. From up to 400 ft above ground (the FAA altitude limit) one forest or field looks pretty much like any other.

I finally gave up and no longer fly drones. It is just not worth the stress and hassle.

You are correct in that DJI has been a very innova... (show quote)

I got my 107 ticket in January. I've been an airplane pilot for 55 years. The system is evolving. Both the recreational and professional use rules are more clear and understandable. There is a well done mapping and clearance system for areas near airports called LAANC. It does take some work to get it figured out.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

billnikon wrote:

And each year there are more restrictions on where you can use them. Generally not a good investment.
Lot fewer restrictions on camera's.

Very true that some areas are increasingly restrictive. There are plenty that are not! I don't see any high technology device as a long term investment. Computers, phones and cameras all age out. My wifes sewing machine lost its "motherboard" this week. It costs more than a new, current machine!

Gear is not longer an investment. It is an expense for something that will work well for somewhere between a few and several years.

Fredrick Loc: Former NYC, now San Francisco Bay Area

bsprague wrote:

Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji, Panasonic all move forwa... (show quote)

The most innovation I’ve seen the last few years has come from smartphone cameras. In less than 10 years they will replace most traditional cameras for the masses … except for the remaining folks on this site.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

larryepage wrote:

The question as posed was directed at dedicated cameras. There is no question that there is a ton of innovation going on with cell phone cameras, but I interpreted that to be out of the scope of the OP's question.

Cell phone innovation counts! A lot.

I can go for a walk with my DJI Aerial Camera and take a picture. My cell phone is involved as a screen with the handheld controller as part of the system. Since it is, and I use Adobe's Photography Plan, that image is on my computer, in Lightroom (both of them) by the time I walk back home. If I was in a rush, I could have transmitted it directly to my granddaughter on the other side of the state before I get home.

What other cameras have integrated and embraced cell phone systems?

zug55 Loc: Naivasha, Kenya, and Austin, Texas

bsprague wrote:

Worse, she relies on Sony's amazing automatic settings.

Yeah, this really adds insult to injury!

BebuLamar

bsprague wrote:

Sony has driven a firm spike in the technology arena. My joint checking with my wonderful wife suffered because of it. She ditched her gear and bought recent versions of both a Sony RX100 and Sony RX10. It can be a pisser when you go home, compare photos taken in the same spot and find hers are better. Worse, she relies on Sony's amazing automatic settings.

And they said it's the guy behind the camera. People don't give their equipment the credit they deserve.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

DHooch wrote:

It's interesting that when photographers mention cameras, especially those that (are/were) innovative, they never mention Pentax. Pentaprism, TTL metering, etc.

What was innovation 50 years ago is no longer innovative.