World's last DSLR

[briancmo]

so Canon announces the "CANON 0". 50 megapixels, lens calibration, FF or crop (user selectable), grip, 2,000,000 pixel screen, raw, jpg, flash controller built in, you name it!

Does it ever end here? Will we still be demanding 70,80, 100 megapixel cameras? What would be the point? 12 s already enough for 90% of what most people do. 20,30,40 is already overkill a lot of the time. What would the incentive be when iso is "noiseless" at 25,000 iso?

[midget]

at that point people would just demand that iso 50,000 be "noiseless". there's always room for improvement.

[dan_1337]

some people like a bigger body, some like it smaller and lighter.

[KenjiS]

We'll just probubly hit the point film cameras hit

They'll start improving on the rest of the camera instead of the damn sensor..

you know, like the AF system...-cough cough hint hint-

[angryhampster]

It's already out:
http://i17.tinypic.com/6cyqf68.jpg

[FlyingPhotog]

It's already out:
http://i17.tinypic.com/6cyqf68.jpg

LOL...

I love the "Inspiration" dial on the front. Gotta get one of those...

[dan_1337]

LOL...

I love the "Inspiration" dial on the front. Gotta get one of those...

i wonder if it only works with photography or can it provide inspiration on more fronts? :lol:

[FlyingPhotog]

i wonder if it only works with photography or can it provide inspiration on more fronts? :lol:

I'd settle for just photography... :cool:

[Pete-eos]

There is always room for improvement, not necessarily in MP count. Higher cleaner ISO is always a bonus but I think we'd all love to see improvements in dynamic range, I'll be happy when my camera can match the range of my eyes and I don't need to use Grad filters or HDR.

[freo]

Sounds like the statement:

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." Bill Gates, 1981

1MB, who would have thought of it? Why would you need that much power? same with 50MP.
Cameras could, and probably will, always keep improving as computing power increases. They will never be good enough to satisfy the consumer, we like our new toys too much :)

[Duncs]

It's already out:
http://i17.tinypic.com/6cyqf68.jpg

Yeah, but I'd like to see it with a printer and a pop-up flash. And that Windows Vista reset button would have to be reinforced, it'd be the most used button on the whole camera

[Scott McLoud]

so Canon announces the "CANON 0". 50 megapixels, lens calibration, FF or crop (user selectable), grip, 2,000,000 pixel screen, raw, jpg, flash controller built in, you name it!

Does it ever end here? Will we still be demanding 70,80, 100 megapixel cameras? What would be the point? 12 s already enough for 90% of what most people do. 20,30,40 is already overkill a lot of the time. What would the incentive be when iso is "noiseless" at 25,000 iso?
Well i use my hasselblad H3D 39 and 50, and while it is enough, id still like improvments. Same with canon, id love more improvments so it wont just "end" like that.

[dr_morbius]

In the future we will have camera devices that capture the environment in 3D, which later can be recreated in our home entertainment system. In real time we will be able to move about in this virtual environment.

I think there is still some room for development... :cool:

[Lowner]

Now that is a good idea. Create a 3D virtual environment around which I can prowl after I get home. A change in viewpoint sir? No problem. Where would you prefer to shoot from? A different time of day? Again, no problem. Maybe the software would throw versions up for us to choose from.

It means I could stay in bed and not have to keep getting up before dawn ever again.

[FlyingPhotog]

Yeah, but I'd like to see it with a printer and a pop-up flash. And that Windows Vista reset button would have to be reinforced, it'd be the most used button on the whole camera

Maybe you've seen this little ditty elsewhere around these parts:

[adam8080]

After I get the 5Dmk2, I'll be good for many years to come. The only thing I would want is a better focus system, but for 95% of what I do, it will be fine.

[Jim G]

It'll plateau eventually - maybe then more of the focus will be on improving lenses... what about all those liquid lenses and other odd and incredibly cool things Chuck Westfall was talking about a while back? Having cheap, high quality lenses is a pretty big draw to a system once all the camera specs get the same...

[doctorgonzo]

There is always room for improvement, not necessarily in MP count. Higher cleaner ISO is always a bonus but I think we'd all love to see improvements in dynamic range, I'll be happy when my camera can match the range of my eyes and I don't need to use Grad filters or HDR.

I agree, it seems that dynamic range and ISO are things that could continue to be improved.

[FlyingPhotog]

It'll plateau eventually - maybe then more of the focus will be on improving lenses... what about all those liquid lenses and other odd and incredibly cool things Chuck Westfall was talking about a while back? Having cheap, high quality lenses is a pretty big draw to a system once all the camera specs get the same...

Lens elements that could morph and do Tilt/Shift without the need for mechanical joints?

How about lenses that could zoom with no moving parts? Just more or less magnification by the elements themselves...

[FlyingPhotog]

I agree, it seems that dynamic range and ISO are things that could continue to be improved.

And they certainly will be...

[Wilt]

My idea for the next improvement beyond pixel count, is for dynamic range...since the sensors now are limited, overcome that limitation by using 'dynamic compression' to take the brightest and dimmest parts of the scene and 'fit them' within the limitations of the sensor.

Home theater amplifiers already have that for sound (the 'late night' mode), so why not light?!

[FlyingPhotog]

After I get the 5Dmk2, I'll be good for many years to come. The only thing I would want is a better focus system, but for 95% of what I do, it will be fine.

So you've used the camera then?

[bandic00t]

It will never end. As long as things come out touting the "new and improved" moniker, people will buy them. I'll be sure to be there when those people sell their old gear though.

[Jethro790]

I could really use a camera that would take the pictures for me. I really can't be troubled with that nuisance anymore.

[adam8080]

So you've used the camera then?

Um no?

[FlyingPhotog]

Um no?

Ok, so you might only get 93% out of it?

But, you might get as high as 97.5% out of it as well, right? ;)

IOW, let's all wait and see before throwing out "hard" statistics...

[adam8080]

If you wanted real stats, it would be closer to 96.18875638%. 95% is a little quicker to type.

[JBlue]

It's already out:
http://i17.tinypic.com/6cyqf68.jpg

HAHA but why are they still using DVDs? So old technology. We need a new format!

[FlyingPhotog]

If you wanted real stats, it would be closer to 96.18875638%. 95% is a little quicker to type.

Oh c'mon now...

Everyone knows that 87.6% of all statistics are made up... :lol:

[adam8080]

"98% of us will die at some point in our lives."

"60% of the time, it works every time."

[FlyingPhotog]

"98% of us will die at some point in our lives."

"60% of the time, it works every time."

90% of baseball is half mental...

[DStanic]

The last SLR may be sooner than you think. First will be getting rid of the mechanical parts like the shutter and mirror, having HD electronic viewfinders (with the ability to view the menu and control the camera with your eye pressed to it) and HD LCDs with improved live view. Improved autofocus with unlimited AF points, perhaps bring back eye control focus! One thumb dial, and the rest touch screen like a iPhone.

Next will be improvements on the lenses- increasing focal lengths (like a 17-300mm full frame lens) with high aperture, faster autofocusing and increasing IS performance while reducing overall size. There will be alot less swapping of lenses, pros will only own a few.

Of course with the 5D mkII you now throw HD video in the mix, with the stills from the video looking very impressive, soon we won't be limited to 10fps for sports. :)

[chauncey]

It won't be a DSLR, it'll be a P&S with an electronic zoom lens, something like 20-1000mm, 'bout the size of a current P&S,
with setable electronic controls and a range of various settings for all situitions and a DR equal to our eyes.

[Jim G]

Lens elements that could morph and do Tilt/Shift without the need for mechanical joints?

How about lenses that could zoom with no moving parts? Just more or less magnification by the elements themselves...

I think that was something along the lines of what the liquid lenses were meant to be... I forget precisely now. Something about being able to change the lens characteristics depending on what state the elements were in.


Maybe Google has the answer..

[briancmo]

I used the 5d mkii on the weekend. Got to play with one of the beta versions and it was pretty nice. I can honestly say I won't be getting one and will stick to my current 5d.

[Jim G]

http://www.pcphotomag.com/features/featured-articles/where-are-digital-slrs-going_3.html

"Westfall: There are several demonstrated technologies. These are things that are more than just theories as many of these things have developed into working prototypes. One of them is liquid lenses. Basically, there’s a combination of water and oil. When electricity is applied to certain parts of the container that holds this liquid, the shape of the droplet of liquid is made to act as a lens. By changing the shape of the water, you can use it as a lens to help make an image. It has also been possible to make multiple droplets work in conjunction with each other and thus change the apparent focal length of the lens.

PCPhoto: What advantage would such a lens design provide?

Westfall: They’re relatively solid state. There are no moving parts. There are a lot of interesting ideas of how liquid lenses can be made relatively less expensively, but also be more robust than a conventional lens. There are many possibilities with this technology."

etc... interesting stuff!

[FlyingPhotog]

The last SLR may be sooner than you think. First will be getting rid of the mechanical parts like the shutter and mirror, having HD electronic viewfinders (with the ability to view the menu and control the camera with your eye pressed to it) and HD LCDs with improved live view. Improved autofocus with unlimited AF points, perhaps bring back eye control focus! One thumb dial, and the rest touch screen like a iPhone.

Next will be improvements on the lenses- increasing focal lengths (like a 17-300mm full frame lens) with high aperture, faster autofocusing and increasing IS performance while reducing overall size. There will be alot less swapping of lenses, pros will only own a few.

Of course with the 5D mkII you now throw HD video in the mix, with the stills from the video looking very impressive, soon we won't be limited to 10fps for sports. :)

And of course there will be a similar exponential curve upward in battery technology to power all of this... ;)

[DStanic]

And of course there will be a similar exponential curve upward in battery technology to power all of this... ;)

I'm amazed at how the iPhone/iTouch with it's giant screen, built in speaker etc can last with the tiny battery it has! Batteries will become more powerful, and electronics more efficient.