Will digital cameras ever be classic?

[carolinajack]

From what I can see, there are plenty of "classic" film cameras and, in some ways, film itself is kind of classic. With the barrage of new cameras coming out all the time and the fact that some components just don't last forever, will any digital cameras ever be classic? I can't, personally, forsee any way that digital would be usurped by another medium. Will there be people 20 years from now still using the cameras we use now for their nostalgia or for the style of pictures they produce?

 

[cgipson1]

Laser hologram cameras will be the next thing.. full 3d capability, realistic color and depth... and the display and editing possibilities will be endless!

When they are mainstream for a couple of years, our beloved DLSR's will become classics!

 

[rexbobcat]

Yes.

 

[gsgary]

NO

 

[MLeeK]

Absolutely. If you believe that anything will be a forever technology you are pretty delusional.
Kind of like people will never fly...

 

[carolinajack]

Absolutely. If you believe that anything will be a forever technology you are pretty delusional.
Kind of like people will never fly...

I didn't mean to imply I thought digital would be forever, just that I had no idea what was next.

 

[unpopular]

Laser hologram cameras will be the next thing.. full 3d capability, realistic color and depth... and the display and editing possibilities will be endless!

Or nano particles that change their position or electrical or quantum characteristic accordance to wavelength and intensity, permitting direct chromatic recordings at a molecular resolution from "lenses" in the shape of a solid rod of glass which change in optical character regionally according to electrical fields, permitting terrapixel lightfield 3D imagery without the need of primitive 20th century "holographic" technology - buying lenses would be a matter of pressing the "download" button. This latter concept is closer than you'd think...

At any rate, Gipson is right. There is no reason to assert that our current approach to photography is the end-game. Truly, there is plenty to improve upon, and plenty of romantics who will long for the days of CMOS and DIY "alternative photographers" building crude sensor devices in their garage, sputtered onto silicon by canabalized microwave ovens.

 

[cgipson1]

Laser hologram cameras will be the next thing.. full 3d capability, realistic color and depth... and the display and editing possibilities will be endless!

Or nano particles that change their position or electrical or quantum characteristic accordance to wavelength and intensity, permitting direct chromatic recordings at a molecular resolution from "lenses" in the shape of a solid rod of glass which change in optical character regionally according to electrical fields, permitting terrapixel lightfield 3D imagery without the need of primitive 20th century "holographic" technology - buying lenses would be a matter of pressing the "download" button. This latter concept is closer than you'd think...

At any rate, Gipson is right. There is no reason to assert that our current approach to photography is the end-game. Truly, there is plenty to improve upon, and plenty of romantics who will long for the days of CMOS and DIY "alternative photographers" building crude sensor devices in their garage, sputtered onto silicon by canabalized microwave ovens.

OMG.. can I get that in writing? (wait.. I just did!)

 

[Rick58]

Will it become old technology...yes... a classic camera, No.
There's a huge difference. I used to own a Linholf Press 23 with a 100mm Zeiss Planar lens. There isn't a new camera made that has the craftsmanship of that camera. Asking if there will ever be a classic digital camera is like asking if there will ever be a classic DVD player, radio or TV.

Linhof Technika Press

This camera was made in the 40's. Where will the digitals be 60-70 years from now?

 

[carolinajack]

Will it become old technology...yes... a classic camera, No.
There's a huge difference. I used to own a Linholf Press 23 with a 101mm Zeiss Planar lens. There isn't a new camera made that has the craftsmanship of that camera. Asking if there will ever be a classic digital camera is like asking if there will ever be a classic DVD player, radio or TV.

I think there are classic radios. There are plenty of those enormous radios from pre-1950 that people collect even though the sound quality is sub-par. Or at least that's what I have seen on The History Channel, haha.

 

[Rick58]

"I think there are classic radios. There are plenty of those enormous radios from pre-1950 that people collect even though the sound quality is sub-par. Or at least that's what I have seen on The History Channel, haha."

Well, You got me there.

 

[cgipson1]

Will it become old technology...yes... a classic camera, No.
There's a huge difference. I used to own a Linholf Press 23 with a 100mm Zeiss Planar lens. There isn't a new camera made that has the craftsmanship of that camera. Asking if there will ever be a classic digital camera is like asking if there will ever be a classic DVD player, radio or TV.

Linhof Technika Press

This camera was made in the 40's. Where will the digitals be 60-70 years from now?

It all depends on how you define classic! To your great, great grandchildren.. the Digitals may well be classics! We have no way of knowing, do we?

 

[unpopular]

OMG.. can I get that in writing?

It's not that I am opinionated. It's just that in my opinion most people are wrong nearly all the time.

 

[Rick58]

It all depends on how you define classic! To your great, great grandchildren.. the Digitals may well be classics! We have no way of knowing, do we?

That's true Charlie, except in my eyes today's camera's are like most other things. They are made to last a certain time period, then be discarded. I can still get my 40 year old F2's easily repaired. I would doubt the same will apply to a 40 year old digital...Ahhh.. The film vs digital debate goes on... ; )

 

[unpopular]

Don't forget this thread started by one of our youngest members:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...ducts/294737-look-what-video-cam-i-found.html