Nikon shuts down camera factory in China, blames 'the rise of smartphones'

[Sirius Glass]

I find even that hard as phone isnt exactly the most ergonomic camera, then you can have glare off screen so its not simple to see if its under or exposing. Touch screen focus point is cool though. Once youve battled through that then there is the processing apps and different apps that can override cameras automatic functions if you want max control. Phone photography is an art in itself - those committed to it can do really nice work but like subminiature, 35mm compact photography, or low end digital compacts you have to believe in the artform to maximise it.

I just take the image and I am done. I do not have the time nor the desire to fool around with that crap.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Why does anyone want to take a picture of their lunch and post it to Facebook?

When one does not have a life, they do stuff like that to get attention.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Haven't you ever traveled somewhere and had a fantastic meal, and when you get home, you tell your friends about it and they glaze over because they can't imagine what it was actually like? Now you have proof.

I agree with this. But really, food porn is a tired, tedious, overdone genre. My two globe-trotting nieces never stop photographing cocktails set against infinity pools, street food in Vietnam and the latest and greatest of Asian epicure on offer at Changi. All of it goes to Fakebook of course and goodness, how people queue to swoon and gasp and ooh and ahh and fawn and fuss incessantly over a pretty bloody average snap. What is wrong with them!? There is so much else in the world to photograph than a plate of food set down in front of you. All things being equal, go for it as a keepsake and move on.

 

[Colin Corneau]

I agree with this. But really, food porn is a tired, tedious, overdone genre. My two globe-trotting nieces never stop photographing cocktails set against infinity pools, street food in Vietnam and the latest and greatest of Asian epicure on offer at Changi. All of it goes to Fakebook of course and goodness, how people queue to swoon and gasp and ooh and ahh and fawn and fuss incessantly over a pretty bloody average snap. What is wrong with them!? There is so much else in the world to photograph than a plate of food set down in front of you. All things being equal, go for it as a keepsake and move on.

BUT...why not? These images are essentially disposable, and the people making them know it. They appear as a brief flash or glimmer and then fade away to make room for the next one.
Pictures that are more permanent will always be available to us...to me, mobile phone photos open up new avenues of creativity and don't take away from anything or anyone else. I shoot more film than ever before, but I love what my iPhone can give to me and do for me. I even use it to make images for permanent crossover art in the Real World...I like blurring the lines between digital and real life and creating something new.
Anyway, don't mean to make a sermon here but phones are a good tool and frankly for the type of photography they do, they're better tools than compact digital cameras. For different types of photography there's different kinds of tools.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I agree with this. But really, food porn is a tired, tedious, overdone genre. My two globe-trotting nieces never stop photographing cocktails set against infinity pools, street food in Vietnam and the latest and greatest of Asian epicure on offer at Changi. All of it goes to Fakebook of course and goodness, how people queue to swoon and gasp and ooh and ahh and fawn and fuss incessantly over a pretty bloody average snap. What is wrong with them!? There is so much else in the world to photograph than a plate of food set down in front of you. All things being equal, go for it as a keepsake and move on.

+1

 

[DREW WILEY]

From the standpoint of ergonomics, Smartphones are outright stupid. And they certainly aren't a substitute for a real camera. They are good for starting fires, apparently.

 

[Rudeofus]

From the standpoint of ergonomics, Smartphones are outright stupid. And they certainly aren't a substitute for a real camera. They are good for starting fires, apparently.

This is not about smart phones vs. my RZ67, this is about smart phones vs. entry level P&S digital cameras. The amount of incompetence and outright idiotic design decisions I have seen made in compact P&S cameras is breath taking: Cameras, which were unable to focus in normal room light if the person photographed wears a black robe. Cameras, which are unrepairable after a drop from one meter onto a wood surface. Cameras which try to flash in a huge concert hall, although they know from autofocus module that it's pointless to flash. At least two of these things happened to me personally with Nikon compact P&S cameras.

These are all things I have never seen/heard/experience with smart phones, and compact digital P&S makers are rightfully obliterated by smart phones until they get their act together.

 

[Poisson Du Jour]

Just as a side observation, the iPhone X went on sale here in Australia yesterday (Friday). The scenes of clammering, hysterical people in long snaking queues making a front-page-worthy story (somehow!!) of getting the first of these things was truly bizarre and disturbing. It is a sad reflection on society when people put more value in electronic gadgets -- phones in this case, than more worthwhile pursuits. The Telcos are rubbing their hands with glee.

 

[removed account4]

BUT...why not? These images are essentially disposable, and the people making them know it. They appear as a brief flash or glimmer and then fade away to make room for the next one.
Pictures that are more permanent will always be available to us...to me, mobile phone photos open up new avenues of creativity and don't take away from anything or anyone else. I shoot more film than ever before, but I love what my iPhone can give to me and do for me. I even use it to make images for permanent crossover art in the Real World...I like blurring the lines between digital and real life and creating something new.
Anyway, don't mean to make a sermon here but phones are a good tool and frankly for the type of photography they do, they're better tools than compact digital cameras. For different types of photography there's different kinds of tools.

thank you colin
i couldn't have said it better !

 

[mgb74]

I agree with this. But really, food porn is a tired, tedious, overdone genre. My two globe-trotting nieces never stop photographing cocktails set against infinity pools, street food in Vietnam and the latest and greatest of Asian epicure on offer at Changi. All of it goes to Fakebook of course and goodness, how people queue to swoon and gasp and ooh and ahh and fawn and fuss incessantly over a pretty bloody average snap. What is wrong with them!? There is so much else in the world to photograph than a plate of food set down in front of you. All things being equal, go for it as a keepsake and move on.

It's not photography in the sense of an image that has inherent value, it is a documentary device. I have many photographs of my grandchildren that have no inherent value to anyone except a small group of close family. So yes, I can understand a photo of street food in Vietnam (except perhaps to those who regularly experience Vietnamese street food). But not the cocktails set against infinity pools. If the photo is, as they say, really worth a thousand words go for it.

Are all the "oohs and ahhs" really about the photo, or about the experience it represents?

Now I do take personal issue with the idea that what happens to or by me - or by 99.9% of the worlds population - is of such value that it has to be shared with the world. But I appear to be spitting into the wind on that issue.

 

[FoidPoosening]

I'm going to duct tape my phone to my Crown Graphic.

That's a large filter on that iphone you got there.

 

[skorpiius]

Just as a side observation, the iPhone X went on sale here in Australia yesterday (Friday). The scenes of clammering, hysterical people in long snaking queues making a front-page-worthy story (somehow!!) of getting the first of these things was truly bizarre and disturbing. It is a sad reflection on society when people put more value in electronic gadgets -- phones in this case, than more worthwhile pursuits. The Telcos are rubbing their hands with glee.

Reminds me of the line ups for Windows 95.

 

[benjiboy]

My new smartphone has a 12 MP camera with 2 f 2 lenses and has a professional mode that you can select the shutter speed aperture and white balance with, it was a present my sons bought me that I only got yesterday, and I haven't had a chance to see what it can do yet, but it won't replace my Canon F1's.
. I can understand why "the man in the street" sees less and less need to own a camera, certainly, my children's generation of my family who are all in their forties all have top of the range smartphones and don't own cameras. they often send my wife and I some lovely pictures and videos of their children on Google Hangouts that are of very acceptable quality, and it's so convenient. for everyone.

 

[skorpiius]

My new smartphone has a 12 MP camera with 2 f 2 lenses and has a professional mode that you can select the shutter speed aperture and white balance with, it was a present my sons bought me that I only got yesterday, and I haven't had a chance to see what it can do yet, but it won't replace my Canon F1's.
. I can understand why "the man in the street" sees less and less need to own a camera, certainly, my children's generation of my family who are all in their forties all have top of the range smartphones and don't own cameras. they often send my wife and I some lovely pictures and videos of their children on Google Hangouts that are of very acceptable quality, and it's so convenient. for everyone.

Definitely for 'snapshots' you don't need a camera any more. And you also don't need a camera for higher quality photos and video, if you're willing to trade the lack of ergonomics and physical button control with the portability and 'always on you' ease.