The future of SLRs
TL;DR Mobile phones are already replacing point-and-shoot cameras. Android offers the SLR industry a way to remain competitive.
Canon G7 + LA-DC58H + Kenko CPL (Photo credit: Lin1000.tw)
A few years ago, my iPhone 4S permanently replaced my point-and-shoot. More recently, I've been increasingly reluctant to use my SLR. While size and weight are certainly a factor, it's simply more fun to take pictures with my phone:
- It's more creative. Filters, color correction, red-eye removal and selective blur offer quick enhancements. Multiple photographs can be combined for HDR, panoramas, or cinemagraphs.
- There's an instant feedback loop. An internet connection encourages immediate sharing. Comments and likes provide positive feedback. Accurate timestamps, GPS matched with geodata, and facial recognition produce rich metadata.
And yet, barring a major breakthrough in optics, SLRs will take better pictures for the foreseeable future. Larger sensors means bigger pixels spread further apart, which improves low light sensitivity and reduces noise (grain). Larger lenses with multiple elements reduce distortion and produce nicer bokeh.
There is an elegant way to unlock the power of phones: make every SLR an Android device. Imagine an SLR that could run Instagram or Camera+. Camera manufacturers are already adding GPS, Wifi and touchscreens – all that is missing is software. Android is open-source and optimized for low power-consumption. Existing APIs would allow existing apps to run with few modifications, while more advanced APIs could control exposure settings or even access raw sensor data.
Connectivity raises some interesting choices. Wifi is a good solution for syncing large photos, while a cellphone with mobile hotspot functionality might provide connectivity on the go. As data prices decrease, a SIM card might even make sense as part of a shared data plan.
At the end of the day, Canon and Nikon's core advantage is designing great image sensors and great lenses. Switching to Android would unlock the full potential of their hardware, and position them well for the future.
