A small reality check on the State of the digital camera :: PYKtures Point of View

Today, digital photography has evolved to a point where the difference between consumer and semi-professional camera bodies isn’t significant anymore. We have arrived at an era where image quality from daylight to low light has been achieved and perfected. In the mildst of the Holiday season lets take a look at the generalities of the end of 2010.


State of the cropped sensor dSLR (1.6x, 1.5x)

The useable ISO performance of a dSLR goes up to 3200

This means we can shoot in low light now. When we use an f/1.8 lens at ISO 3200, we can nearly see as good as the human eye in the dark. People can stop panicking now.

One type of sensor powers the entire range of bodies
This means, regardless of entry-level or semi-pro body size of the same brand, all will produce the exact same image quality. It is usually the semi-pro bodies that receives the technology upgrade first then you can be sure than the entry-level camera will inherit the exact same technology. For example, the Canon T2i will produce the same exact image quality as the Canon 7D.


The 10 megapixels barrier has been breached (today’s lowest resolution is 12,3 megapixels and climbing)
This means image quality for quality 12x18 prints is guaranteed. A higher resolution won’t change a thing. Besides, most consumer digital photographers will not print their pictures as they rather prefer stocking them in hard drives, uploading them on photo sharing website like Flickr or Facebook where the picture will be displayed in low-resolution or at worse, display them full screen on electronic screens of max 1080p.


Any lens, regardless of zoom or aperture, is sharp enough for most consumer purposes.

shot with a Nikkor AF-S 18-105mm VR (the ones would wrote the lens to be unsharp are blind fools)

This also applies to image stabilized from 18-55mm up to 18-135mm kit lenses. When the proper photography technique is applied, they produce images that are clear enough to be uploaded in low-resolution on the web or printed at 4x6, 8x10, 12x18, etc… the extra things that other more expensive lenses will offer are

• - Bigger practical range that go from 18-200mm up to 18-270mm (resulting in bringing less lenses for a daylight photo outing)
• - F/2.8 apertures for low light shooting (resulting in smaller range pro-level zooms)
• - Aperture of f/2.0 or lower for incredibly thin depth of field (resulting in prime lenses)

State of the high-end compact camera

Almost all high-end compact camera are using a 10 megapixels CCD sensor
Canon S95, Canon G12, Samsung EX1 and Nikon P7000 use the same sensor. Main benefits are useable images up to ISO 1600. The difference is in the lens and operation speed.

• The S95 sports an f/2.0 lens for very low light shooting but heavily distorts when using RAW. Use only JPGs on this camera.
• The G12 has a slower lens (F/2.8) and doesn’t distort when using RAW (it stands today as the only Canon camera with useable RAW files)
• The EX1 has the fastest lens (F/1.8) and an amazing AMOLED flip screen but its operation speed borders on the ridiculously slow.
• The P7000 has the most versatile lens (28-200mm) but is as slow as the Samsung EX1 to operate

oh Canon S series RAW distorsion, we love you!

The Lumix LX series are still the only all-round RAW capable compact cameras

With camera ergonomics and sophistication that feel perfect in the hands of photographers, it has a fast super wide 24mm f/2.0 leica lens with no distortion and perfect edge-to-edge sharpness. Image quality offers a useable ISO range up to 800, pusheable to 1600. With its fast operation, it's the best compact camera ever for photographers.

State of all digital cameras

Weather sealed or not, Magnesium alloy or not, any camera of a decent brand (Canon, Sony, Lumix, etc...) can withstand ridiculously shitty weather conditions for at least an hour.
Honestly, I feel that cameras can withstand shooting in intense conditions a lot more than most photographer I know. Let me just present you some of the projects I did over the past 3 years in intense freezing snowstorms and cold pounding rain. CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO VIEW :)