Make it simple

Recently on The Online Photographer a debate was taking place.  The subject of which was basically why don’t camera manufacturers make a simple camera that is of good quality design, affordable, produces reasonable images and is notable by its distinct lack of program modes, video and other adornments that never get used.  It would appear that people want a camera that is as simple as those found on mobile phones.

Personally, I want a mobile phone to be a mobile phone and I want a camera to be a camera, after all that is what I bought a mobile phone for and I’ve bought various cameras (compacts and SLR’s included).

The strength of opinion demonstrates that there is a need for a piece of technology that fills this niche.  If there weren’t then this debate wouldn’t be taking place.  However, there is also another issue here and that is one of which of which camera, we as photographers, choose to do a particular job.

Let’s take the landscape photographer as a point in case.  Generally, this photographer purchases a full frame sensor DSLR, a couple of nice heavy lenses, a set of very expensive filters and a lovely tripod that weighs more than the brick of the camera.  He/She then spends half a morning puffing and panting up a hill to spend twenty minutes to an hour setting up to spend five minutes catching sunrise.  This is if they haven’t broken their leg trying to find their way up a mountain in the dark!

There is an alternative to this.  That is a high end compact camera.  These cameras are ideal for landscape photographers.  They’ll fit in a pocket, the majority will shoot in RAW, they have functions like self timers and some will even emulate Fuji Velvia film.  The other benefit is that due to the lens and sensor set up the resulting image will be sharp from front to back.  Of course, you can still use a tripod however, as the camera is smaller and lighter you only need a smaller and lighter tripod.  The RAW capability also means that you can add a graduated filter in Lightroom (or other software) later.

Image by Nick Turpin

Another example is street photography.  The good street/documentary photographers get close to their subjects without using telephoto lenses.  Excellent examples of this include Nick Turpin and Martin Parr’s Last Resort.  The end result is a lot more intimate and a much more telling story.  The photographer also has the advantage that he/she is less likely to get stopped using a compact type camera than when using a DSLR.

Of course there are exceptions to this.  Some wildlife photography and sports photography would be difficult with a compact camera but there are still opportunities even in this field.

I think Fujifilm was really close with its X-Series cameras.  They are nicely designed but still have too many refinements and are expensive.  I do believe there is a need for the simple camera, possibly something on the lines of an Olympus Trip 35 but I also think that as photographers that we need to consider our equipment choices more carefully instead of going for the obvious.

Oh!  Hang on, I must go, my camera is ringing!