7 ms·

As per the general context of the article, it should be that the "smartphone with a camera" should be today's Kodak Brownie camera. Nothing the iPhone does in

As per the general context of the article, it should be that the "smartphone with a camera" should be today's Kodak Brownie camera. Nothing the iPhone does in particular is highlighted. Taking a picture, even before the iPhone, on earlier smartphones was exactly the same process. Navigate to an icon / menu item, select "camera", click photos.

simonh 6y ago
iPhones totally dominate the rankings for most used cameras on Flickr, and also dominate as the phone of choice for most top instagram accounts. So considering people for whom photography is a primary distinguishing feature, as against an incidental feature, it's probably correct.
- bbarnett 6y ago
  The point of the brownie isn't "people who are into photography". It's for every-person. Those who aren't into photography, and just want to have pictures to remember things. There are two points here. Who initiated the trend, and what the trend is now. If initiate the trend is to be discussed, that is, who started the social change, Blackberry was a behemoth in the smart phone market, before the iphone ever even existed. And they had cameras, messaging apps, their own ecosystem, and people shared photos with one another lavishly and often. If one is to discuss now, then Android phones are far more numerous than Apple devices, and frankly, more used by people just needing a cheap phone. And the brownie was cheap, quick and easy to use, and even very cheap Android phones today have "good enough" cameras. Just like the Brownie. "Good enough". Not sure why the author ties this to iphones. I can only assume it is like Kleenex.
  - simonh 6y ago
    OK, I think that's fair.
    - bbarnett 6y ago
      What? No! You cannot agree, you have entirely and completely broken my brain. This is the Internet! The Internet. Right or wrong, correct or not, you are supposed to argue your point relentlessly. God help us all, if more of you appear, and we actually discuss things, back and forth, using logic and reason. What shall become of us all? Edit: Immediate downvote. The above was sarcasm, a comment on our times, and an attempt to applaud simonh's frank and honest "OK, that's a fair point" type of response. simonh's response is rare. It shouldn't be. I'm wrong, everyone's wrong from time to time. So it's refreshing to see honest discourse. Downvote away?!
      - skyyler 6y ago
        Your tone is very off-putting. It comes off as out of touch, patronising, and smarmy.
        bbarnett 6y ago
        Does my edit at least clarify, that my intent was not so? I prefer that, over comment removal...
        smichel17 6y ago
        You can lose a maximum of 4 karma per comment, relax. It's fine to be downvoted here and there.
        bbarnett 6y ago
        Didn't know about the max down votes, but it wasn't that. I didn't want simonh to have the wrong impression, or others. But thanks for the info.
- kumarvvr 6y ago
  As a vehicle of introduction to photography, the whole smartphone market,with its wide spectrum of devices is responsible. iPhone is just popular, and that too in the developed world. I most of developing world, the iPhone is still a luxury. And you ha e millions of other brands that are used for pics.
ChrisMarshallNY 6y ago
The iPhone was the difference, though. I worked for one of the world’s leading photographic equipment manufacturers for decades. When the iPhone first came out, I showed it to one of the senior marketing managers, and said “this could be trouble.” They laughed, and talked about the low resolution, depth of field, bad lenses, insensitive sensor, etc. Well...here we are...
- kumarvvr 6y ago
  All those are still true. Sure, latest iPhones may have put a dent in the beginner DSLR marlet,and have definitely sunk the point and shoot market, but nowhere are they replacing the professional stuff. Would you want your wedding to be photographed with an iPhone? For that matter, thos egoing on vacations might prefer taking a proper DSLR rather than just the iPhone.
  - ChrisMarshallNY 6y ago
    Yeah, I agree, but the people who want to use DSLRs are fewer and farther between. Even news organizations are laying off their pro shooters, and telling their print/video newspeople to use smartphones. Also, computational photography is a big deal. This is something that smartphones are uniquely positioned to do.
    - kumarvvr 6y ago
      I am surprised Canon, Nikon and the likes did not introduce this (Computational stuff) into their DSLR lines. With the battery space and lesser constraints than a mobile, they have more space to add such enhancements. Heck, they could release an iPhone companion app that does the same with low res pics from the camera. Add detailed lens info that they have and other data about their cameras, they could build a photo super machine. They could have added depth sensors, lidars, etc to accentuate their DSLR lines.
      - ChrisMarshallNY 6y ago
        Tell me about it... I did try, but these folks are very conservative. I have also participated in efforts to develop software-driven cameras. It is not easy. Apple makes it look easy, but there's a lot going on, under the hood, and their vast financial resources are a big help.
izacus 6y ago
But then it wouldn't be able to do double duty as an Apple ad right?

simonh 6y ago

iPhones totally dominate the rankings for most used cameras on Flickr, and also dominate as the phone of choice for most top instagram accounts. So considering people for whom photography is a primary distinguishing feature, as against an incidental feature, it's probably correct.

bbarnett 6y ago
The point of the brownie isn't "people who are into photography". It's for every-person. Those who aren't into photography, and just want to have pictures to remember things. There are two points here. Who initiated the trend, and what the trend is now. If initiate the trend is to be discussed, that is, who started the social change, Blackberry was a behemoth in the smart phone market, before the iphone ever even existed. And they had cameras, messaging apps, their own ecosystem, and people shared photos with one another lavishly and often. If one is to discuss now, then Android phones are far more numerous than Apple devices, and frankly, more used by people just needing a cheap phone. And the brownie was cheap, quick and easy to use, and even very cheap Android phones today have "good enough" cameras. Just like the Brownie. "Good enough". Not sure why the author ties this to iphones. I can only assume it is like Kleenex.
- simonh 6y ago
  OK, I think that's fair.
  - bbarnett 6y ago
    What? No! You cannot agree, you have entirely and completely broken my brain. This is the Internet! The Internet. Right or wrong, correct or not, you are supposed to argue your point relentlessly. God help us all, if more of you appear, and we actually discuss things, back and forth, using logic and reason. What shall become of us all? Edit: Immediate downvote. The above was sarcasm, a comment on our times, and an attempt to applaud simonh's frank and honest "OK, that's a fair point" type of response. simonh's response is rare. It shouldn't be. I'm wrong, everyone's wrong from time to time. So it's refreshing to see honest discourse. Downvote away?!
    - skyyler 6y ago
      Your tone is very off-putting. It comes off as out of touch, patronising, and smarmy.
      - bbarnett 6y ago
        Does my edit at least clarify, that my intent was not so? I prefer that, over comment removal...
        smichel17 6y ago
        You can lose a maximum of 4 karma per comment, relax. It's fine to be downvoted here and there.
        bbarnett 6y ago
        Didn't know about the max down votes, but it wasn't that. I didn't want simonh to have the wrong impression, or others. But thanks for the info.
kumarvvr 6y ago
As a vehicle of introduction to photography, the whole smartphone market,with its wide spectrum of devices is responsible. iPhone is just popular, and that too in the developed world. I most of developing world, the iPhone is still a luxury. And you ha e millions of other brands that are used for pics.

ChrisMarshallNY 6y ago

The iPhone was the difference, though. I worked for one of the world’s leading photographic equipment manufacturers for decades. When the iPhone first came out, I showed it to one of the senior marketing managers, and said “this could be trouble.” They laughed, and talked about the low resolution, depth of field, bad lenses, insensitive sensor, etc. Well...here we are...

kumarvvr 6y ago
All those are still true. Sure, latest iPhones may have put a dent in the beginner DSLR marlet,and have definitely sunk the point and shoot market, but nowhere are they replacing the professional stuff. Would you want your wedding to be photographed with an iPhone? For that matter, thos egoing on vacations might prefer taking a proper DSLR rather than just the iPhone.
- ChrisMarshallNY 6y ago
  Yeah, I agree, but the people who want to use DSLRs are fewer and farther between. Even news organizations are laying off their pro shooters, and telling their print/video newspeople to use smartphones. Also, computational photography is a big deal. This is something that smartphones are uniquely positioned to do.
  - kumarvvr 6y ago
    I am surprised Canon, Nikon and the likes did not introduce this (Computational stuff) into their DSLR lines. With the battery space and lesser constraints than a mobile, they have more space to add such enhancements. Heck, they could release an iPhone companion app that does the same with low res pics from the camera. Add detailed lens info that they have and other data about their cameras, they could build a photo super machine. They could have added depth sensors, lidars, etc to accentuate their DSLR lines.
    - ChrisMarshallNY 6y ago
      Tell me about it... I did try, but these folks are very conservative. I have also participated in efforts to develop software-driven cameras. It is not easy. Apple makes it look easy, but there's a lot going on, under the hood, and their vast financial resources are a big help.

izacus 6y ago

But then it wouldn't be able to do double duty as an Apple ad right?