# Will digital cameras ever be classic?



## carolinajack (Aug 15, 2012)

From what I can see, there are plenty of "classic" film cameras and, in some ways, film itself is kind of classic. With the barrage of new cameras coming out all the time and the fact that some components just don't last forever, will any digital cameras ever be classic? I can't, personally, forsee any way that digital would be usurped by another medium. Will there be people 20 years from now still using the cameras we use now for their nostalgia or for the style of pictures they produce?


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## cgipson1 (Aug 15, 2012)

Laser hologram cameras will be the next thing.. full 3d capability, realistic color and depth... and the display and editing possibilities will be endless! 

When they are mainstream for a couple of years, our beloved DLSR's will become classics!


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## rexbobcat (Aug 15, 2012)

Yes.


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## gsgary (Aug 15, 2012)

NO


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## MLeeK (Aug 15, 2012)

Absolutely. If you believe that anything will be a forever technology you are pretty delusional. 
Kind of like people will never fly...


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## carolinajack (Aug 15, 2012)

MLeeK said:


> Absolutely. If you believe that anything will be a forever technology you are pretty delusional.
> Kind of like people will never fly...



I didn't mean to imply I thought digital would be forever, just that I had no idea what was next.


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## unpopular (Aug 15, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> Laser hologram cameras will be the next thing.. full 3d capability, realistic color and depth... and the display and editing possibilities will be endless!



Or nano particles that change their position or electrical or quantum characteristic accordance to wavelength and intensity, permitting direct chromatic recordings at a molecular resolution from "lenses" in the shape of a solid rod of glass which change in optical character regionally according to electrical fields, permitting terrapixel lightfield 3D imagery without the need of primitive 20th century "holographic" technology  - buying lenses would be a matter of pressing the "download" button. This latter concept is closer than you'd think... 

At any rate, Gipson is right. There is no reason to assert that our current approach to photography is the end-game. Truly, there is plenty to improve upon, and plenty of romantics who will long for the days of CMOS and DIY "alternative photographers" building crude sensor devices in their garage, sputtered onto silicon by canabalized microwave ovens.


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## cgipson1 (Aug 15, 2012)

unpopular said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > Laser hologram cameras will be the next thing.. full 3d capability, realistic color and depth... and the display and editing possibilities will be endless!
> ...



OMG.. can I get that in writing?   (wait.. I just did!)


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## Rick58 (Aug 15, 2012)

Will it become old technology...yes... a classic camera, No.
There's a huge difference. I used to own a Linholf Press 23 with a 100mm Zeiss Planar lens. There isn't a new camera made that has the craftsmanship of that camera. Asking if there will ever be a classic digital camera is like asking if there will ever be a classic DVD player, radio or TV.

Linhof Technika Press

This camera was made in the 40's. Where will the digitals be 60-70 years from now?


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## carolinajack (Aug 15, 2012)

Rick58 said:


> Will it  become old technology...yes... a classic camera, No.
> There's a huge difference. I used to own a Linholf Press 23 with a 101mm Zeiss Planar lens. There isn't a new camera made that has the craftsmanship of that camera. Asking if there will ever be a classic digital camera  is like asking if there will ever be a classic DVD player, radio or TV.



I think there are classic radios. There are plenty of those enormous radios from pre-1950 that people collect even though the sound quality is sub-par. Or at least that's what I have seen on The History Channel, haha.


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## Rick58 (Aug 15, 2012)

_"I think there are classic radios. There are plenty of those enormous radios from pre-1950 that people collect even though the sound quality is sub-par. Or at least that's what I have seen on The History Channel, haha." 

_Well, You got me there.


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## cgipson1 (Aug 15, 2012)

Rick58 said:


> Will it become old technology...yes... a classic camera, No.
> There's a huge difference. I used to own a Linholf Press 23 with a 100mm Zeiss Planar lens. There isn't a new camera made that has the craftsmanship of that camera. Asking if there will ever be a classic digital camera is like asking if there will ever be a classic DVD player, radio or TV.
> 
> Linhof Technika Press
> ...



It all depends on how you define classic! To your great, great grandchildren.. the Digitals may well be classics! We have no way of knowing, do we?


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## unpopular (Aug 15, 2012)

cgipson1 said:


> OMG.. can I get that in writing?



It's not that I am opinionated. It's just that in my opinion most people are wrong nearly all the time.


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## Rick58 (Aug 15, 2012)

_It all depends on how you define classic! To your great, great grandchildren.. the Digitals may well be classics! We have no way of knowing, do we? 

_That's true Charlie, except in my eyes today's camera's are like most other things. They are made to last a certain time period, then be discarded. I can still get my 40 year old F2's easily repaired. I would doubt the same will apply to a 40 year old digital...Ahhh.. The film vs digital debate goes on... ; )


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## unpopular (Aug 15, 2012)

Don't forget this thread started by one of our youngest members:

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...ducts/294737-look-what-video-cam-i-found.html


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## rexbobcat (Aug 15, 2012)

Rick58 said:
			
		

> It all depends on how you define classic! To your great, great grandchildren.. the Digitals may well be classics! We have no way of knowing, do we?
> 
> That's true Charlie, except in my eyes today's camera's are like most other things. They are made to last a certain time period, then be discarded. I can still get my 40 year old F2's easily repaired. I would doubt the same will apply to a 40 year old digital...Ahhh.. The film vs digital debate goes on... ; )



I own a "suitcase" laptop that runs on MS-DOS and those giant record sized floppy disks. It's from the mid-eighties. 

Digital is just as durable as analog if cared for correctly.


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## cgipson1 (Aug 15, 2012)

unpopular said:


> cgipson1 said:
> 
> 
> > OMG.. can I get that in writing?
> ...



Very appropriate avatar!


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## unpopular (Aug 15, 2012)

Though, some DSLRs will be more valuable than others, the Leica Monochrome will be outlandishly valuable in 60 years, as will the Contax N-digital, X-Pro 1 and EOS 1d mk 1, though perhaps not as much.

The original 3mos DSLRs from Minololta/Agfa likely already are.

What will become a classic likely depends on how common or available they are now, their historic significance, uniqueness and less - but not excluding - quality of build. Obviously EOS Rebels won't be too sought after, mass produced, popular items are never collectable.


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## cgipson1 (Aug 15, 2012)

unpopular said:


> Though, some DSLRs will be more valuable than others, the Leica Monochrome will be outlandishly valuable in 60 years, as will the Contax N-digital, X-Pro 1 and EOS 1d mk 1, though perhaps not as much.
> 
> The original 3mos DSLRs from Minololta/Agfa likely already are.
> 
> What will become a classic likely depends on how common or available they are now, their historic significance, uniqueness and less - but not excluding - quality of build. Obviously EOS Rebels won't be too sought after, mass produced, popular items are never collectable.



Yay! D800 for the win!  

(on a side note.. I just realized I busted 9k posts this morning! I spend too much time on here! lol)


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## Railphotog (Aug 15, 2012)

Well if this isn't a classic digital, I don't know what would be:




My first digital, about ten years ago.  HP215, with all of 1.3MP, fixed lens, 1" (or so) LCD.  CF card.  Battery eater.  Paid around $325.00 for it at the time (ouch!).   This is actually a copy of my original, which I gave away.  Almost new anyway, first photo I took with it was number 62.


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## KmH (Aug 15, 2012)

unpopular said:


> Don't forget this thread started by one of our youngest members:
> 
> http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...ducts/294737-look-what-video-cam-i-found.html


The OP didn't start the thread you linked to.

Today's consumer electronic digital cameras are quite a bit different from the classic film cameras. While there is no doubt will be what are considered classic digital cameras, I don't think they will engender the same level of reverence that classic film cameras enjoy.


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## MLeeK (Aug 15, 2012)

Well, my kids consider the original digital rebel a classic already and won't shoot with one. I call them spoiled brats, but that's another post altogether.


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## unpopular (Aug 15, 2012)

KmH said:


> The OP didn't start the thread you linked to.



nor did I say that he did... just illustrating that what merits a "classic" is defined by future generations. I'd never consider an old sharp Hi8 - arguably the worst format since VHS - to be a classic, though young Josh seemed pretty fascinated.


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## cjland (Aug 15, 2012)

That won't be classic, like 35mm film cameras are today, because the real media format will most likely stay as digital.


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## Rick58 (Aug 15, 2012)

_" I call them spoiled brats"

_And here  thought I was the only one with those.


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## usayit (Aug 15, 2012)

I think the U10 from Sony would someday be a classic....


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## MLeeK (Aug 15, 2012)

Rick58 said:


> _" I call them spoiled brats"
> 
> _And here  thought I was the only one with those.


I've got 4 I'll give anyone who wants them. Only 2 of them still live at home!


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## Rick58 (Aug 15, 2012)

4 here also...all grown thank god!


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## Jaemie (Aug 15, 2012)

MLeeK said:


> Well, my kids consider the original *digital rebel* a classic already and won't shoot with one. I call them spoiled brats, but that's another post altogether.



You rang?!


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## carolinajack (Aug 15, 2012)

I have to agree with unpopular. "Classic" is a relative term that is determined by the person who uses it. Nevertheless, I kind of feel like there is a paradigm about certain things being "classic" that holds true for most people. Certain cars, record players or other things are likely considered "classic" by everyone. 

That being said, I feel like, similar to what others have said, that most of our DSLRs are not very likely to be considered classic the way film cameras are. It's just technology that will be outdated. No one gives a hoot about laser discs or cassette tapes anymore and I would guess that there are very few people who miss them.


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## Derrel (Aug 15, 2012)

I will now entertain bids on my "classic" Nikon D1, which comes with two dead batteries, a worn out 1-gigabye IBM Microdrive memory device, and a battery charger and an AC adapter. Pretty sweet!


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## KmH (Aug 15, 2012)

unpopular said:


> nor did I say that he did...


And I didn't say that you did. It's unfortunate you communicated your point so poorly that a prod was needed to foment an additional post from you in the hopes you would add some clarity.

I sold my 'classic' 5.2 MP D1x.


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## Rick58 (Aug 15, 2012)

Derrel said:


> I will now entertain bids on my "classic" Nikon D1, which comes with two dead batteries, a worn out 1-gigabye IBM Microdrive memory device, and a battery charger and an AC adapter. Pretty sweet!



My mint 3 1/4 X 4 1/4 Crown Graphic...To me...Priceless


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## unpopular (Aug 16, 2012)

KmH said:


> It's unfortunate you communicated your point so poorly that a prod was needed to foment an additional post from you in the hopes you would add some clarity.



i think you'll survive, kmh.


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## gsgary (Aug 16, 2012)

rexbobcat said:
			
		

> I own a "suitcase" laptop that runs on MS-DOS and those giant record sized floppy disks. It's from the mid-eighties.
> 
> Digital is just as durable as analog if cared for correctly.



Rubbish non of my film cameras need batteries


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## Fred Berg (Aug 16, 2012)

How things will look in the future is difficult to ascertain, however, I seriously doubt that the generic, jelly-mould cars we drive round in nowadays will ever become classics. Ditto digital cameras; they lack the longevity of analogue.

I honestly think people will still be shooting film long after digital is pushing up the pixels.


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## KaPOWitsCHRIS (Aug 16, 2012)

Well, mirrorless is the future apparently, so dSLRs will become classics...


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## Rick58 (Aug 16, 2012)

gsgary said:


> rexbobcat said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Well, I do have several high tech F2A's that take a battery.....for the METER! But ya know what's nice. My meter dies and I pull out the 'ol faithful handheld and keep on shootin'. Hmmm? I wonder how many shots the digital boys (and girls) get off after their battery dies.


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