8 Predictions on the Future of Photography

By Mike Panic on 9 Mar 2010 in Random[ 17 Comments ]

Over the last 150 or so years that photography has been in our lives, it didn’t undergo much change until twenty years ago. While film sizes and developing techniques had minor changes, it wasn’t until the 80′s when the first glimmer of the future of photography started to appear with auto-focus camera’s and faster frames per seconds. Then digital came and has forever changed our lives.

Here’s a look at what predictions could be forthcoming in the future of photography, some more realistic then others, all are somewhat plausible though.

In camera HDR.

High dynamic range photography has been more of a curse then a blessing as most photographers see it. Most over-use the ability and create more art images compared with a true photography, layering and layering until what they have more closely resembles a digitally created image, not a photograph. If a camera can have the ability to do HDR on the fly, in camera it could open up the door for better, more equally exposed images.

Unlimited ISO. High end DSLRs now seem to be able to shoot in near total darkness, however the blacks still tend to go green in hue. Working towards better chips that don’t get as hot will lead to better night images without flash.

Simulated grain.

Grain is not a bad thing! 25 years ago photographers chose film based on the grain type, fine, coarse, etc., and the location being shot and how the subject was being shot. Something about the grain structure in a 3200 speed film shot at noon on a sunny day produced some amazing results. Digital has noise which is different from grain, so the quest has been to eliminate it; all fine and good. While post processing techniques can add grain to images, having it in camera would cut down on post processing and allow more creativity while shooting.

3g equipped cameras. There are already Wi-Fi enabled SD cards, however you must be within a certain distance of an established network with a properly configured router for the transfer of files to a computer work. Having 3g built into cameras, DSLRs and point and shoots would allow for instant uploads to blogs, photo sharing sites and social media networks.

GPS equipped cameras.

GPS attachments are available for a few of the higher end DSLRs abut the ability to geo-tag your images would allow for better sorting during post-production.

Polaroid film comes back to life. The original instant feedback medium prior to every camera having an LCD monitor on the back was Polaroid. Hopefully Polaroid will be coming back to life shortly and the company will establish more consumer friendly cameras to utilize instant print technologies. They can be immensely fun and a nice distraction from digital now and again.

Universal batteries. For whatever reason, camera manufactures like to create a new battery type for each and every camera they make. There is virtually no difference in quality between the original Canon 5d battery and the 5d mkII battery, other then a huge price increase and very limited availability when the camera was initially released. One battery shape for all DSLRs and another for point and shoot cameras will allow third party manufactures a chance to make better, cheaper batteries and cross compatibility for all camera owners.

The everything lens.

The dream is a fast zoom lens that covers wide to telephoto, is compact and doesn’t weigh a ton. Think 15-250mm f/1.8, 2.5″ long and under 10oz. in weight, with macro capabilities. Every photographers dream!

The future of photography will change, that much is fact, but will manufactures listen to the demands of their customers?

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the RSS feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Tags: future, hdr, predictions, zoom

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

17 Comments

Ian Thraves:

agree!

March 9, 2010 at 3:05 pmReply
GRTaylor2:

Nice post. I agree HDR is a blessing and a curse! Unlimited ISO would probably be useful but I am sure people will shoot at 200000 iso (random number) just cuz.

March 9, 2010 at 3:39 pmReply
rhphotoprints:

On regards to the lens, im sure that the technology is already here to make it possible, BUT if they start producing them then they'll be no profitable business for anything else lens related, its all a monopoly game, lol Oh well, lets just wait and see what happens, hopefuly and wont cost us an arm and a leg, oh and an eye and an ear etc…, lol and awesome forthe rest of the ideas.

March 9, 2010 at 3:41 pmReply
PaulHeck:

I suspect that polymer technology will have an impact on lens design & that glass will be replaced by electrostaticly configured glass, which will allow for the 'everything' lens.
Electrostatic technology will eventuall allow the photographer to dial up a fish-eye through to long range zoom, macro to telephoto & probably even dial up a filter as well.

March 9, 2010 at 4:13 pmReply
Mark Finney:

I think the fundamental trend will be that software (first in post-processing and then some years later) will increasingly compensate for the shortcomings of cameras and photographers. This will allow for smaller, simpler, cheaper cameras – even though by today's standards they'll contain a specialized computer.
Examples of use will include:
User selectable correction of focal plan (after shooting).
Repositioning of the photographer's position after shooting (proof of concept of this has already been demonstrated.).
Grain will be selectable – from none to golf ball size.
3D images from single lens cameras.
Still images will actually be short videos (think Hogwarts paintings).
Resolution will be increased by stacking images in camera.
All distortion and CA will be removed as a matter of course.

On the other hand improvements in physical cameras will slow. I would not expect the “everything lens” (though much of this will happen in software), nor universal batteries (unless regulators step in like they have with mobile phone chargers).

March 9, 2010 at 10:42 pmReply
Michael Shilling:

We're already seeing HDR functions in compact cameras such as the AgfaPhoto OPTIMA 104 and 105.

It seems manufactures like to test out some of these more quirky features in their compacts first (GPS as been an addition to a handful of 'bridge' cameras).

I'd have to disagree about the difference between the 5D and 5DMkII battery power but good point. Why can't we have a retrofit upgrade?

March 10, 2010 at 1:16 amReply
Paul:

Very interesting – I definately like the idea of the 15-250mm f1.8 lens – wow! if only.

March 10, 2010 at 8:01 amReply
Link Roundup 03-13-2010:

[...] 8 Predictions on the Future of Photography Light Stalking [...]

March 13, 2010 at 11:58 amReply
Alexander Evensen:

I think this is a myth “High dynamic range photography has been more of a curse then a blessing as most photographers see it. Most over-use the ability and create more art images compared with a true photography, layering and layering until what they have more closely resembles a digitally created image, not a photograph.”

Yes, there is a lot of bad, but a lot of landscape photographers use is very well, so well that you won't see it. So it's hard to know what there are the most of really. It's like with any new technique, it's over used, then it becomes just another tool to get what you want.

The 15-250mm 1:1.8 is a pipe dream, it won't happen before some new ways of manipulating light is discovered :P When I talk about the dream lens I usually say 10-300mm 1:1.4 :P Same thing applies of course :)

How photography will continue to change is impossible to know, but I'm sure it will be good. And lots of the old ways (already old now and old in the future) will remain as well.

March 16, 2010 at 9:47 amReply
phoenixleo:

agree!

March 16, 2010 at 10:28 pmReply
Pyro:

I hope it doesn't change to much i really enjoy my bag full of goodies, all with a specific purpose and function.

March 19, 2010 at 11:51 amReply
PhotoExtremist:

Your forgot OPEN SOURCE CAMERAS.

March 19, 2010 at 9:23 pmReply
JanRob:

the future of photography (as of now) will be the past…the basic. 10 or so years on will be another story. Art goes in cycles, music the most apparent. photography being one form will have no other course to take

October 30, 2010 at 2:53 pmReply
michelle:

doing a school paper what do ya’ll see for the economic future for the photographer

October 31, 2010 at 6:52 pmReply
ItsToodleswithaTdamnit!:

this should be retitled ……gear/equipment/gadget predictions.

You have mentioned nothing about content or industry economics…

And a return of Polaroid???? You must be kidding.

This article lacks any real vision farther than a year or two out. As well, there is not thought to software innovation.

Fast lenses are largely a holdover and largely irrelevant when you can now just keep jacking up the ISO. In fact. why would you want to keep limiting you DOF?

There will always be new games such as HDR. They serve the industry very well… to keep moving product by giving consumers new tricks and models of invention to aspire to and evolve.

As for the battery play. It’s a game unto itself as it stands as another revenue stream. If anything I could see batteries worsening in durability.

The big game changer was simply (which is huge of course) digital and the accompanying elements. The next 10 years will be sub-fragments founded on this technology. Motion on top of stills, CGI on top of motion, everything will become a wireframe which will be finished with skins as needed.

Increasingly we will leave behind the physical space for capturing content invented and imagined.

We’re already on the full postmodern “Simulacre”

And so on, and so on, etc.

December 14, 2010 at 7:41 amReply
- Leon O.:
  
  Very interested to hear your forecasts on where you think the future of making money in photography will go for commercial and art photographers.
  
  January 25, 2011 at 11:19 amReply
- James:
  
  In regards to Polaroid, have you checked out http://www.the-impossible-project.com/ ?
  
  March 25, 2011 at 5:43 pmReply