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They're not for everyone, but I think you're overlooking quite a bit. The larger sensor is crucial in low-light situations, and a smaller phone camera just won'

They're not for everyone, but I think you're overlooking quite a bit. The larger sensor is crucial in low-light situations, and a smaller phone camera just won't handle that. The "horrible UX" is faster by a significant margin, partly by being a dedicated device, partly by having a lot of dedicated buttons, and partly because the response time on pressing the shutter release button is extremely short. If you want to carry a camera for capturing events or moments quickly, I'm not sure that a phone will do that for you. And yes, the high-end full-frame DSLR costs are on par with high-end laptops, but IMO you get 90% of the benefit for a fraction of the cost with an entry- or mid-level crop sensor. As for the UIs, I'll definitely acknowledge they could stand some updates, but the way you describe it sounds like an overstatement. What would you improve, exactly?

deleted 8y ago
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woolvalley 8y ago
A photo management UI on par with smartphones. Fast, easy to use and easy to do edits and sharing with. Along with GPS, WiFi & LTE connectivity that doesn't suck. Maybe direct app integration with instagram and other apps. Put an OLED screen on the back, not just the viewfinder. Basically slap a fucking android phone on the back when browsing photos. Make it a separate CPU if necessary. Embrace the 'casual camera' body style more. The viewfinder should not be a big chunky thing in the center, but on the side and a pop up if necessary. Get rid of grips and make them a uniform rectangle, and add a battery grip in the box to make it slr grippy. People are scared of slr style bodies, while they are not scared of casual camera bodies. They will continue serving the standard pro market who want the big chunky slr style bodies, this is how they can capture the 'high quality life memory / instagram influencer' market better.
- Trombone12 8y ago
  Are you actually, and unironically, suggesting that cameras should be replaced by smartphones? I mean, edit on a camera? If that is a serious use case for you then you can make do with your smartphone, you don't actually need the accuracy of dedicated hardware and optics.
- frostburg 8y ago
  Zeiss of all companies is going to make something like that (zx1). I even like some aspect of the design.
- frankchn 8y ago
  The mass market casual camera today is a smartphone, which comes with what you describe. Canon, Nikon, and others have long decided they can’t and won’t compete with smartphone makers and are increasingly moving up-market to the prosumer and professional markets who want “big chunky SLR body styles”, and they use specialized software like Capture One and Photo Mechanic to view/edit/organize photos anyway.
  - LorenPechtel 8y ago
    While I will agree SLR body styles are easier to use we don't want them, it's that we accept that the size and weight are the price we need to pay for the performance that you simply can't get out of a phone. These days when the shot is easy the phone is at least in the ballpark with the big guys. When the shot is hard the phone isn't even in the running.
    - staticautomatic 8y ago
      There's also the whole world of non-SLR pro cameras.
- myself248 8y ago
  What's funny is that Samsung actually made an Android DSLR several years ago, called the Galaxy NX. It ran full Android, you had all your file management, Bluetooth and wifi, could play games if you felt like. Could encrypt the filesystem, too, which I think is super important for journalists. Basically nobody noticed or cared.
waddlesworth 8y ago
I'm very familiar with the staggering difference in image quality between a smartphone and a DSLR - I have a full-frame myself. In terms of the UI however, it's definitely very out of date. When I upgraded my camera, one of the advertised features of the new one was that they added an extra digit to the internal intervalometer. Instead of being able to go between 0-999, the new one could go from 0-9999. The fact that this couldn't be a simple software update still astounds me.

deleted 8y ago

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woolvalley 8y ago

A photo management UI on par with smartphones. Fast, easy to use and easy to do edits and sharing with. Along with GPS, WiFi & LTE connectivity that doesn't suck. Maybe direct app integration with instagram and other apps. Put an OLED screen on the back, not just the viewfinder. Basically slap a fucking android phone on the back when browsing photos. Make it a separate CPU if necessary. Embrace the 'casual camera' body style more. The viewfinder should not be a big chunky thing in the center, but on the side and a pop up if necessary. Get rid of grips and make them a uniform rectangle, and add a battery grip in the box to make it slr grippy. People are scared of slr style bodies, while they are not scared of casual camera bodies. They will continue serving the standard pro market who want the big chunky slr style bodies, this is how they can capture the 'high quality life memory / instagram influencer' market better.

Trombone12 8y ago
Are you actually, and unironically, suggesting that cameras should be replaced by smartphones? I mean, edit on a camera? If that is a serious use case for you then you can make do with your smartphone, you don't actually need the accuracy of dedicated hardware and optics.
frostburg 8y ago
Zeiss of all companies is going to make something like that (zx1). I even like some aspect of the design.
frankchn 8y ago
The mass market casual camera today is a smartphone, which comes with what you describe. Canon, Nikon, and others have long decided they can’t and won’t compete with smartphone makers and are increasingly moving up-market to the prosumer and professional markets who want “big chunky SLR body styles”, and they use specialized software like Capture One and Photo Mechanic to view/edit/organize photos anyway.
- LorenPechtel 8y ago
  While I will agree SLR body styles are easier to use we don't want them, it's that we accept that the size and weight are the price we need to pay for the performance that you simply can't get out of a phone. These days when the shot is easy the phone is at least in the ballpark with the big guys. When the shot is hard the phone isn't even in the running.
  - staticautomatic 8y ago
    There's also the whole world of non-SLR pro cameras.
myself248 8y ago
What's funny is that Samsung actually made an Android DSLR several years ago, called the Galaxy NX. It ran full Android, you had all your file management, Bluetooth and wifi, could play games if you felt like. Could encrypt the filesystem, too, which I think is super important for journalists. Basically nobody noticed or cared.

waddlesworth 8y ago

I'm very familiar with the staggering difference in image quality between a smartphone and a DSLR - I have a full-frame myself. In terms of the UI however, it's definitely very out of date. When I upgraded my camera, one of the advertised features of the new one was that they added an extra digit to the internal intervalometer. Instead of being able to go between 0-999, the new one could go from 0-9999. The fact that this couldn't be a simple software update still astounds me.