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priced digital cameras are more than threatening the existence of conventional cameras, which are often regarded as out-of-date.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.