Digital Cameras Become More Affordable

I read an article on MSN Money this morning that gave me chills and almost made me choke. The title of the article was "12 Things That Will Cost Less in 2011". This is a must read for everyone but there was one particular category that caught my attention. See below...

Full-size digital SLR camera

2009 lowest: $346, Pentax K2000 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm lens from Meijer ($8 shipping)

2010 lowest: $319, Canon EOS Rebel XS 10MP Digital SLR Camera with lens from Barnes & Noble ($5.49 shipping)

2011 prediction: $299

Why? In 2011, these high-powered cameras will start to cost what point-and-shoots cost a few years ago. Why go for ridiculously high mega pixel counts in a digital camera when you can get a great SLR instead?

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After further investigation, these low prices were available during the "Black Friday" mayhem. But what scares me the most is that the digital photography industry isn't as complex any more. I'm a Canon professional line user (1Ds M3 and 5D M2) but what I'm finding out is that as the economy gets tougher to survive in thereby making it harder for families to get ahead financially, the DSLR industry is placing some of the professional technology in the lower-end consumer cameras. The only thing left for a photographer is "creative style". I've been shooting long enough to remember when brides/clients would come into the studio during a consultation and ask the photographer what type of camera he/she uses. When I started photographing, my first camera was a Pentax K1000 then gradually worked towards to owning a Bronica ETRS 645 and a Mamiya RB67. After several years, I transitioned to the digital world of Canon in 2001. A photographer was labeled a professional by the type of equipment he/she used. Well, that day an age has passed away since the camera makers are keeping up with the demand of the consumers and including some of the same digital processors that are in the professional cameras into the consumer cameras. What does this do to the professional? Not much, from what I can tell. Digital flash cards, digital media, lenses, dedicated flashes, and camera bodies are becoming more affordable which now forces the professional photographer to prove their creative style regardless of what kind of DSLR they use.

My only advice to my readers is to focus on the photographers creative style, image quality, product, and personality. Photography is an art and should be treated as such. ◦

Digital Cameras Become More Affordable