Think there will ever be "vintage digital cameras?

[Hawaii Five-O]

Do you think todays digital cameras will last long enough ,durability wise to be sold on ebay in 30 years as vintage cameras? Similar how we buy old 70's canons today?

 

[tirediron]

Sure, probably not many in working condition, given how poorly they are made today compared to the SLR bodies of the 60s and 70s, but the sheer number be pumped out of factories today says to me that some will last.

 

[FDSA]

Yes they'll last but they will be worthless because of improving technology.

 

[Hawaii Five-O]

haha yeah maybe someday someone will take a working vintage rebel xsi to Mars for a vacation .

 

[danjchau]

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[usayit]

I think it is a possibility...

A camera producing 8+ mp is more than capable of prints 11x14 (and up). This is fine now and will still be fine years from now for most photographers. Basically, any camera after the mpixel war slows down will be a viable years later. We are already observing a slow down in the push for more megapixels.

This is different from vintage computers as the push for more power has continued on and on and on.. year after year.

Now will cameras of today still be operational.... now thats a good question.

 

[Montana]

I think that they will still be around, but being they contain electronics they may no longer be working. Electronics tend to last longer if used. If you were to buy a new digital camera and never use it and get it out 30 years from now, it my not even turn on. Capacitors and other electronic components need usage occasionally. just my thoughts.

Derrick

 

[Moglex]

I think that they will still be around, but being they contain electronics they may no longer be working. Electronics tend to last longer if used. If you were to buy a new digital camera and never use it and get it out 30 years from now, it my not even turn on. Capacitors and other electronic components need usage occasionally. just my thoughts.

Whilst what you say is generally true, I think the situation might be different for cameras.

The problem with most electronics that refuses to function after a long period of no use is that the electrolyte in the electrolytic capacitors dries out (or in extreme cases leaks).

Electrolytic capcitors are used in most mains powered equipment for the power supplies.

Because Cameras operate from batteries they should not contain electrolytic capacitors so there should not be a problem with them drying out.

I still have calculators that date back over 30 years and work perfectly.

 

[Bifurcator]

Well vintage by definition implies a time period in which especially high quality product was produced. It's actually a winery or vineyard specific term. So, within that usage of the word no, there will never be vintage digital cameras - as the components in older models will probably never be considered high quality by the time they are called old.

If we change the meaning of "vintage" to mean interesting, antiquated, and collectable then for sure there will be! There already are! There were some really neat digital camera designs that are already gone and forgotten. Some were very interesting are now antiquated, and definitely collectable.

 

[usayit]

So lets add to this discussion. Which digitals (if any) will have the potential to be collectors items?

I'll go first,

Epson R-D1. (first digital rangefinder. best blend of classic and new design concepts)
Kodak DC40 (Early digital camera. Probably just a display item by now)
Sony Mavica
Leica M8
Canon 5D (affordable full frame, long-running success)
Canon G1 (One of the early players of high end P&S)
Minolta 7D (I think.. first in body IS DSLR)

 

[Bifurcator]

Kodak 1881 Locket Camera.
Minox Rolleiflex Digital.

 

[sarallyn]

unless there is a nuclear holocaust in the next 30 years, then yes.

 

[Bifurcator]

Next 3 years...

 

[Hawaii Five-O]

:shock: !

 

[JerryPH]

Sadly, we live in a disposable world, where once the shine off of something new fades, its time to replace it with the latest and greatest.

There are many digital cameras that existed that could be considered "vintage" but they would not be 50-60 or 70 years old, but something closer to 10 or so. The discontinued Kodak pro line comes to mind rather easily. A little ahead of their time, a lot behind in other ways... still, they set the pace in many an area.

We move so fast in this area that things change on a yearly basis that I think cameras that get old enough to be considered "vintage" (30 or more years, perhaps?), won't mean the same thing like picking up a Nikon F2a would be today.