Just Shoot Me Loc: Ithaca, NY

I'm with ya on that one.

Bill_de Loc: US

Professionals buy what they need to get the job done. Hobbyists don't have to need something, they just have to want it. It's great to be retired and have a few hobbies.

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belden32

I think there are times when we “upgrade”
When we should be learning more about what we have and how to use it.

SS319

I chuckle when I see some of our folks complaining about filling up storage cards and drives with high MegaPixel images. A TB Drive will hold 10,000 100MB Images, and a storage rack holding 20 10TB drives (2 million images) will easily set on top of (one of) the five drawer file cabinets we have a few thousand images stored in.

stanikon Loc: Deep in the Heart of Texas

CaliforniaDreamer

"I chuckle when I see some of our folks complaining about filling up storage cards and drives with high MegaPixel images. A TB Drive will hold 10,000 100MB Images, and a storage rack holding 20 10TB drives (2 million images) will easily set on top of (one of) the five drawer file cabinets we have a few thousand images stored in."

And that storage can be a RAID 5 storage so the failure of a single drive will not loose any information.

Bigmike1 Loc: I am from Gaffney, S.C. but live in Utah.

I can't even conceive of 100 megapixels. I can't conceive of a need for it.

CWGordon

That is probably true, but some people probably said that about tri-x and 10 megapixels and every other “advance. I was super happy at 36 megapixels; never thought there would be a need for what the D850 brings to the table. Still, it is pretty cool what it will do. If medium format can do 100 it is only a matter of time until they can put 100 into FX at an unreasonable, but somewhat affordable price. First, of course, they will need to take us through another bunch of transitional levels. 60, 65,75,80,83.5,9097,etc. until we have replaced all our camera bodies a few more times. An alternative for some will be to unretire and go back to work. Those babies ain’t gonna be cheap.
I may not need more’n I already have, but there is a market out there for it. Was a Leica really necessary? Some of their lenses had been made by mere mortal companies, like Nikon. Still, there were those who hadda have the Leica, despite or because of the price. The original “Dr.s camera” as it was called in the camera shops. A true status symbol showing a person had arrived. I am not knocking Leica or their quality. It is of the highest order. Merely making the analogy that most people hardly need the 36-45/50 megapixels of today, just as most people did not need the level that Leica provided. As someone recently contributed, the professional needs all he can get, the enthusiast wants all he can get.

Bigmike1 Loc: I am from Gaffney, S.C. but live in Utah.

Amen. I personally neither need it nor can afford it. I am happy with what I am using right now.

Spirit Vision Photography Loc: Behind a Camera.

Yikes. I’m still shooting semi-professionally with film cameras exclusively. 😬

CWGordon

I am happy to hear someone in your position still shoots film. I rarely manage to get out with my old canon F1. I loved darkroom and miss it. That said, I love the advances and the quality of the newer stuff, too. It can be very exciting to see your images right away, without waiting to develop or have developed film and prints. One of the great things of the film era was that only real enthusiasts and professionals could really pro vide quality work on a consistent basis. I once read someone said once the the D40 came out every one was a Pro photographer or thought he was. I am glad that better inexpensive cameras are now available for anyone interested in producing better images. The cellphone is another concept altogether. Is it good or bad. If camera manufacturers cannot sell lower end cameras because of cell phone competition, how will that affect the bottom line for manufacturers, especially companies such as Nikon who don’t have large divisions dedicated to copying machines, etc. How will this effect competition at other ends of the market, technology and price? It is an interesting time and one that bodes change of all kinds for the industry and us over the next few years. Any other input or insight regarding this is sought. Food for thought!

radiojohn

The low-end designers packed in features that their target audience (at least in the USA) did not want or have the patience to learn about. I know this firsthand from teaching a class for beginners. They wanted great results (often in impossible lighting) with absolutely no effort on their part. And the did not want to learn about exposure. They did want to know how to replace the batteries.

Most took their camera to a store to have the card taken out and unedited prints made. Some who were computer literate edited photos with some easy software.

Only at the very end did we find Coolpix and Powershot cameras with virtually all controls removed. No M, S, A or P. No metering choices, no ISO settings, just scenes. But it was too late. The comment was "Why do a need to carry a camera when my phone has one?"

These are the folks who shot Instamatics and had trouble getting 35mm film attached to the take-up spool.

CWGordon

Yes, there are a lot of non-enthusiasts out there. We cannot change that. The scene has and is different. I only hope that the younger new people to the field will have more interest in producing better images and memories for themselves and their children.

Bill_de Loc: US

To that end there should probably be more classes/tutorials on how to take better pictures with a cell phone. The technology will continue to make getting the mechanics right. It will not help with things like composition.

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radiojohn

Sadly, the future (for now) seems to be 99% video. But still photography will be "discovered."