For today's cameras, digital is more than a catchphrase

For today's cameras, digital is more than a catchphrase

Burhanuddin Abe, Contributor, Jakarta

It was not too long ago when many people thought
"semiconductor" and "microchip" were a part-time orchestra
conductor and extremely small snacks.

With the extensive use of semiconductors and microchips in
most of today's advanced gadgets, the words have become part of
everyone's daily vocabulary.

Today's cameras have also undergone a huge change.
Sophisticated, practical, compact and reasonably priced digital
cameras are more than threatening the existence of conventional
cameras, which are often regarded as out-of-date.

Similarly, ink-jet and laser printers are also overtaking
dot-matrix printers, though they are still useful for certain
purposes.

"While some people may be resistant to anything new, including
to digital cameras and scanners, with the fast pace of
technological advances and the lower prices, I think it won't be
too long before even the most resistant consumers will succumb
and shift to these high-tech gadgets. It's the only way to go, in
my opinion," said one distributor of cameras and accessories in
the Mangga Dua shopping complex in West Jakarta.

For certain jobs, conventional cameras will still be needed
for the next couple of years. However, he added, with the
sophisticated features being incorporated in digital cameras, it
won't be long before conventional cameras, the negative film used
in them as well as printers become exhibits in some museum.

The world of photography, now more than 150 years old, has
indeed experienced numerous astounding developments. From the
huge, impractical earliest cameras that could only produce
reasonably acceptable pictures to today's miniature digital
cameras that give sharp, high-resolution images printable to a
very large size, like the size of a newspaper page, for instance,
the progress is indeed miraculous.

Just like with any technology, some developments had a short
lifespan, like Polaroid cameras or Auto Program Search System
(APSS) film, which have been made obsolete by compact and
practical digital cameras.

Digital technology is also incorporated in every kind of
gadget, from computers to watches and clocks, from televisions to
telex and facsimile machines, fixed and cellular phones, video
and audio systems, and so on. The list is almost endless. For
photography, meanwhile, digital images and processing are almost
like magic wands that create and transform pictures exactly to
your command.

In the very first days of digital cameras, the innovation was
not enthusiastically welcomed, as the initial results were still
a bit disappointing. The cumbersome processing and storing
procedure, along with the small number of processing shops that
were available at the time did not kindle too big a hope among
professional photographers.

But that was then. Today, the keyword in the world of cameras
and photography is digital.

Leading manufacturers of reputable conventional cameras have
also for some years now been producing equally high quality
digital cameras.

Kodak, which for decades here in Indonesia was almost a
generic word for cameras, has produced quality digital cameras
with megapixels ranging from 2 to 6.1 that even novices can use
easily: the CX7220 priced at about US$190 and the DX7630 with a
price tag of $530.

A relatively newcomer in digital cameras, Casio offers highly
innovative and yet not-too-costly products that carry the slogan
"stylish and speedy": EX-P600, QV-R51 and QV-R41, with
resolutions that range from between 4 and 6 megapixels.

Another major maker of cameras, Olympus, meanwhile, diligently
conducts road shows at malls in Jakarta to promote its digital
products. Among its special offers is the "Bring in your old
camera, any brand, and we'll give you a reasonable price to
exchange it with our digital Olympus".

For professional photographers, Olympus has the sophisticated
Pro E-1 SLR digital camera, which is actually the first single-
lens-reflex (SLR) camera for professionals. The resolution is
five megapixels. The camera, which was introduced recently at the
Photo Marketing Association in Las Vegas, United States, carries
a retail price tag of $2,199.

To lure professional photographers, Olympus has incorporated
the famous Zuiko digital lens and plenty of unrivaled features.
Another plus point is that the E-1 lens has been designed from
its very initial stage as a true lens for the digital format.

The E-1 is also the first digital camera that uses the Four
Thirds System, which refers to a certain charged coupled device
(CCD) standard that is flexible and accepts both Kodak and Fuji
products. The Four Thirds System also covers certain
specifications of CCD cameras -- currently produced by Kodak --
as well as those of lens mounts. This means even other lens
makers can produce lenses and lens mounts that fit the E-1 or
other cameras that apply the Four Thirds System.

A major name in audio, video and cellular products has also
entered the digital camera market: Sony. With innovative, high-
tech features, Sony's digital cameras instantly captured the
market and posed a serious threat to the established players like
Nikon, Canon, Olympus and Kodak. Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-P150, with
a resolution of 7.2 megapixels has created huge ripples in the
market.

The ultra-light, pocket-size camera uses the world-famous Carl
Zeiss Vario Tessar zoom lens. Next to its auto-focus and auto-
exposure features, the camera can store 310 images. It sells for
about $500.

Other major manufacturers of electronics, such as Sanyo, ITT,
Samsung and LG, are also jumping on the digital camera bandwagon.
It seems that digitalization is certainly not another short-term
fever or craze.

It is simply a must for any electronic product. It is new
blood for sustaining the life cycle of electronic products or,
better, to ensure their rejuvenation. Otherwise obsolescence may
be the order of the day, or so say most marketers and marketing
experts, based on the history of successes and failures of
numerous product innovations.

A long life cycle depends on keeping up with the times and,
most importantly, demands of consumers. It is only too obvious
that disgruntled customers won't make your cash register ring
that often.