The purpose of this article is to have a discussion about today’s online photography community, hardware flame wars and some toxic behaviors that I see, all while trying to be as impartial as possible.
Hopefully this will lead to a good discussion by respectfully listening to opposing views from a new perspective.
Now that the purpose is explained, if you’re still reading, here’s a little about myself: I’m a keen photographer from Japan, I’ve been filming for almost 35 years since I was a kid, and I’ve done some paid concerts, but I try to stay as my main hobby
I organize a couple of great photographic “walking” communities, where we guide Japanese and foreigners alike to walk in and around Tokyo, day or night, to share the love of photography, events, and socialization, regardless of whether one is a professional or a complete hobbyist with just a smartphone.
These communities are great for people to socialize and also talk / teach each other about techniques and evolve together.
I’ve been lurking in western online photography sites and communities for years, but I’ve never posted anything by myself. One main reason is, unfortunately, that photography communities really toxic. Especially in discussions about camera specs, those who view the camera as a simple “still” photography tool belittle people who want “tricks” like videos. Or their attitudes towards “less worthy” smartpers.
It would be (maybe) understandable to have this behavior on a video game forum due to age range, but in my opinion older photographers should behave more respectfully and welcome anyone to enjoy the “art” of photography , including progress and changes in usage and trends.
In my opinion, when a person chooses to “take” tons of photos on their phone, that does not mean they do not have a genuine love for photography and that some of their photos are not taken with the same great care and love that any photographer applies. .
So instead of avoiding them, why not be more welcoming and teach techniques? After all, the well-known mantra is “the team doesn’t matter”, isn’t it?
Below, I will share a few arguments that I have seen repeated across every generation of cameras in recent years (and repeated in recent Canon R5 / R6 announcements) to provide some counterarguments:
“I don’t use the X function, so no one should need it.”
When people complain about the lack of a certain feature, it means that the camera is not good enough to meet their needs and will not be sold either.
If sales are low, companies have less money to invest in upcoming versions and improve their R&D, leading to outdated specifications. Or, the company files for bankruptcy entirely. Here in Japan, most of the old camera companies and stores have completely disappeared, and even the big companies are in the red and are rumored to be unable to endure a bad couple of years before leaving the photography business and focusing in other fields like medical devices.
So be open-minded to other people’s needs – needs that, if met, will not only not hurt you, but will benefit everyone when sales continue.
Who needs video? This is a fixed camera. “
This comes up often, and the answer is simple: Ever since smartphones hit the market, DSLRs lost more than 86% of their market (2009-2019) while compact ones lost almost 90%. Meanwhile, the smartphone audience grew dramatically, with the number one feature being the camera in photo and video mode. At the same time, vlog and photo / video apps exploded in popularity. We have even seen a new market for action cameras.
So I guess there is They are People who need videos and, in addition to those who choose low-budget phones, could have been on DSLR if companies understood user needs and did better marketing.
“4K Uncut / 8K / Better Codecs / etc.?, A camera is made for still images, buy the cinema version if you want better videos.”
I understand that for some people, just being able to take photos is enough; For some people, phones should be able to make calls. But times change, technologies advance, and people’s needs evolve.
First, the market for a professional non-studio camcorder is extremely small. It is too expensive even for serious enthusiasts, and it is too disappointing for large studios that need support for the entire production line.
Therefore, there is no point in “protecting” a small audience cinema line by making a potentially best-selling camera unappealing.
Second, we shouldn’t ignore the market these cameras compete in: For years, almost all smartphones under $ 500 have captured 4K 60p stabilized in HDR without major problems taking great photos, especially when we include the new photography computational to improve quality, resolution and even some effects (portrait modes, etc.).
We also have new action cameras that, at a price of $ 500, offer 4K + stabilized video capture at high frame rate and in extreme weather conditions.
So when we have a new generation of flagship DSLRs, which lasts a few years before the next update, that’s over $ 3,000 for the body alone … people have (IMHO) the right to criticize at least the lack of these specifications and features, especially for a device that only takes photos / videos and that should be somewhat prepared for the future since people do not change cameras annually.
“Bluetooth, GPS, etc. are just tricks, there is no point in being present on a camera.”
Again, if we look at the market that cameras are competing against, smartphones offer the extremely great advantage of connectivity and the ability to instantly edit photos and share them with everyone (via the Internet or even wirelessly in a social setting) .
The cameras, while perhaps not suitable for embedding, for example, an Android operating system with apps, should at least have enough connectivity to quickly share with multiple devices.
By simply looking at action cameras, power banks, people with multiple phones, etc., some people would be willing to carry multiple devices, even buying a cheaper phone and a good camera if the workflow were better.
These are the main points that I wanted to address without this becoming a rant article. To summarize, the views that I would like people to consider are:
- Don’t forget the market that cameras compete against when you see rants. If the price is several times higher than other competing platforms, the specs should follow suit or even be better.
- Other users are not the “enemy”. In fact, if more people are satisfied and return to the camera market, it will survive and prosper. Otherwise, you will be doomed.
- Let’s not scold and belittle people who don’t wear specific gear by classing them as less worthy. The whole younger generation starts with smartphones today, and they can switch to cameras when they reach the limits of their equipment. But they will be alienated if faced with toxicity and a degrading community.
Thank you for reading.
About the Author: Suvip is a photography enthusiast based in Japan. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
