What happened to camera viewfinders?
Hi Folks
Have you noticed that the majority of 'happy snapper' cameras no longer have viewfinders? Have you also noticed that good camera holding technique, which should be one of the first skills taught to DSLR users, seems to have also disappeared? It is really weird to me, a pro of over 25 years and a workshop tutor, to see people aiming their cameras with their arms outstretched rather than with the camera pressed close to their faces.
How can people holding their cameras like that possibly hope to obtain a sharp picture? What happened to holding the camera as steady as possible? The answer of course lies in the latest technology.
With the introduction of image stabilisation into cameras a few years ago some bright spark at the manufacturers came up with the notion that it wasn't necessary to have camera viewfinders any more. The technology would correct the fuzzy image resulting from camera shake produced by holding the camera at arms length. Genius! Or is it?
Of course, producing cameras without the additional expense of incorporating a viewfinder is also somewhat less expensive for the makers and so costs are down and profits are up. Sceptic? Me!?
It has always been obvious to me and many other serious photographers that camera manufacturers care little about 'photography' but care more about selling cameras to people who know nothing about photography and probably don't want to. All these millions of consumers want is to be able to do is record their activities, no matter how poor the resulting picture is, without having to learn new skills.
The serious photographer market is much smaller than the mass consumer one and always suffers as a result of 'innovation' (read 'nail in the coffin') in the consumer market. How long will it be I wonder until the essential camera viewfinder is removed from serious DSLR cameras to be replaced by the 'hold the camera at arms length while the image stabilisation tries to correct this basic mistake' technology. Once this happens we might see a new breed of camera; gone will be the DSLR to be replaced by the ALBP model (Arms Length Blurry Photo).
The reality is, and this is very sad to have to say, camera manufacturers rely upon the lack of knowledge and skill of the consumer market. Knowing that the average consumer knows virtually nothing about photography allows the manufacturers to be arrogant enough to dictate the features incorporated into their cameras rather than provide those features the end users really need. Innovation or simply cost cutting? You decide.
Cheers
Les
