ItĄ¯s difficult to walk by a park, shopping mall or a tourist destination today and not come across people clicking pictures. More pictures are taken in a short period every day than in the entire history of humanity combined.
Just think about it. A decade and a half ago, if someone had said that cameras will one day become one of the most important considerations in a consumerĄ¯s smartphone buying decision, most would have looked at this person with disbelief. Yet, here we are, almost in 2017, discussing how smartphones have made every user a photographer.
Sharp J-Phone sported the first camera on a smartphone ever
It started as an experiment in the early 2000s when a smartphone featured a now-difficult-to-imagine 0.35 megapixel camera that had to be connected to a computer in order to allow photography. While now obsolete, having a primary camera as basic as this was a novelty at the time. Of course, sceptics were unsure about the purpose of a camera on a phone then, but the grainy pictures captured the imagination of the users and soon there were phones offering 1.3 megapixel cameras that could function without the aid of any external device. The sheer possibility of being able to carry a portable camera that was integrated into the phone without the need of two separate gadgets was a dream come true for many. And this is when the concept of a camera-phones started gaining popularity.
Keep in mind that the concept of a selfie camera still did not exist and we were still relying on camera timers or the help of a friendly stranger to take our pictures. That, and a fervent prayer hoping that our cameras were able to capture us the way we wanted them to or that the stranger was actually friendly and wouldnĄ¯t scoot off with our camera or phone! But once introduced, this empowered users even more ¨C they no longer had to settle for badly framed selfies, they had complete control over the frames, posture and expression.
By the 2010s, smartphones had moved away from their intended purpose of making calls anytime, anywhere. They were the userĄ¯s gateway to a world of opportunities. In fact, a 2012 survey done by a UK-based mobile services provider mentioned that making calls was not among the top 3 uses of a smartphone for an average user. While the survey may be a little dated now, it highlights a very important fact that users were looking to amalgamate their various needs into one tiny, sleek gadget ¨C a fact that most mobility companies seem to have worked on in the past few years, and camera specifications were among the first to be improved upon.
It is common for even budget smartphones today to feature at least an 8 megapixel primary camera and a 2 megapixel front facing camera. As we go towards the mid-range and premium segments, these specifications only increase, with most mid-range smartphones offering primary cameras that range from 13 to 16 megapixel and front facing cameras ranging from 5 to 16 megapixel. The premium category boasts of even 23 megapixel primary cameras! However, underneath all those numbers and hardware specifications, a major change is taking place.
We are now witnessing an ongoing shift towards smartphones offering additional camera features that go beyond the hardware to enhance the userĄ¯s photography experience. A few years ago, a mild shake of the hand while taking a picture would have meant a blurry image and could have resulted in the moment being lost forever. This changed with the inclusion of OIS or Optical Image Stabilization in smartphone cameras. Features like laser auto-focus made things even simpler, in fact, way simpler for smartphone photographers than those who depended on traditional means. Users no longer had to wait for a moving object to stop or settle for ghost-like images of fast moving objects. Things could be captured in-the-moment. Other upgrades like shooting modes ¨C manual, automatic, beauty etc.; filters, depth of field control, to name a few, brought smartphones closer to a traditional camera. On second thoughts, such upgrades actually gave smartphones an edge over other cameras ¨C at least for an everyday user.
The smartphoneĄ¯s capabilities are not just limited to still photography now. With the introduction of EIS or Electronic Image Stabilization, multiple shooting modes, 4K recording capabilities, slow motion videos, etc. smartphones are on their way to becoming the video recorder of choice. I am increasingly hearing of web series being shot on smartphones and not to mention, the umpteen number of Facebook Live videos that we come across on a daily basis. Which brings me to my next point ¨C the correlation between a camera and the smartphoneĄ¯s ability to connect users to their social networks.
We click pictures to freeze a moment and post it on our social media pages on Twitter, Facebook, Storehouse, Instagram, 500 pixels, Tumblr etc., to share it with the world. ItĄ¯s true ¨C take a look at an average userĄ¯s gallery and it will be difficult to come across a picture that hasnĄ¯t been uploaded on either one or all of their social media platforms. Smartphones fulfilled this inherent human desire to tell the world what we are doing, where we are and what we are eating by giving us the option of capturing these moments and immediately posting them online, without any lag whatsoever. The Europe trip, the amazing Parisian pastries, the lab ¨C BrunoĄ¯s latest shenanigans, the drunken birthday party, are there for all to see. It is our way of ensuring that the entire world is a part of our life events. And you canĄ¯t ignore the single most important factor: you always have your phone with you.
This is a bold prediction, but itĄ¯s clear to me that over the next several years, the standalone still camera will disappear from the hands of everyone ¨C with the exception of a few high end professionals. Professional photographers (if they still exist thenĄ and I think many, or to be honest some will) will continue to make photographs with DSLR/ Medium format and perhaps mirror less still cameras ¨C but the vast majority of photographers will continue the exodus towards smartphones.
Inauguration of the Pope inside Vatican City in 2013
It is a technological joy to look at how far we have travelled in the last 15 years and how far we are yet to go. As we stand at the cusp of a new year, we can safely assume that our smartphones are only going to glide further in their photography conquests, and help us all become more professional smartphone photographers. Till then, letĄ¯s take more pictures this holiday season and inundate the social timelines with food, decorations and festivities! Happy clicking everyone!
Peter Chang is the Regional Head, South Asia & Country Manager of ASUS India