Brianna Woyach
Mr. Reuter
Economics A2
6 December 2016
Compacts Vs. Smartphones
Cameras are a great tool to have, whether it’s going on vacation, going to a family gathering, or just relaxing at home, you can use it to take a snapshot of almost any moment in time and be able to cherish it forever. Let’s take a look back in 1888 when George Eastwood created the first compact camera in which he called the “Kodac”. Eastwood created a camera that was easier for everyone to take on-the-go so they could later print those photos and keep them as memories since it was created with a film developing and printing service. After his invention of the Kodac, many more digital cameras were later created by brands such as Philips, Pentax, Samsung, and so on. The popularity of these digital cameras then increased over time resulting in an increase in demand for them.
Just as compact cameras were becoming more and more popular, the first ever camera phone was invented in 2000 in Japan which automatically sparked interest in millions of people around the world. As the amount of popularity rose for camera phones, or, smartphones, the amount of sales for compact cameras declined since people lacked interest. In 2007 the amount of camera shipments for compact cameras reached its peak at 149MM, although, in 2008 the amount of smartphone units shipped was more than the amount of compact cameras shipped. The amount of smartphone units shipped then increased dramatically in 2009, while the amount of compact cameras shipped gradually decreased over time which caused an increase in the supply of smartphones.
Later in the first nine months of 2014, global compact camera shipments from Japanese manufacturers dropped by a third. According to BT’s article titled, “Smartphone Cameras Vs Compacts: Is it Still Worth Buying a Compact Camera?”, Hannah Bouckley stated, “ The biggest drop saw fixed-lens cameras – compacts – fall 38.1% year on year. The larger DSLR shipments fell 23.7%, while in volume terms sales of compact system cameras rose by 10.5%”. Since the demand of compacts have dropped over the years, the costs have dropped as well. It’s depressing knowing how greatly smartphone cameras impacted compacts. It’s even more depressing knowing that compacts actually have a lot of positive tools that smartphones don’t have such as picture quality, lens versatility, manual control, and cost. Although, since smartphones include texting and social media, people can share your photos within the click of a button and therefore customers substitute smartphones for compacts.
It may seem like compacts are hardly used anymore but they are most definitely used by photographers and are used a lot at family events, weddings, vacations, holidays, and so on. Smartphones just come in the lead with their high speed sharing, or who knows, maybe people are just too lazy to drive all the way to the store to print their photos from their compact camera. Overall, cameras have made a huge impact on the economy and they will continue to impact our economy as new cameras get invented in further years.
Works Cited:
"Worldwide Smartphone vs Standalone Compact Camera Shipments." MyBroadband Worldwide Smartphone vs Standalone Compact Camera Shipments Comments. Rudolph Muller, 4 Dec. 2012. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.
@sonyalpharumors. "Photokina Agency Debunks Some Myths: Premium Digital Camera Market Is Increasing. - Sonyalpharumors." Sonyalpharumors. N.p., 05 June 2014. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.
@bt_uk. "Smartphone or Camera? Is It Still worth Buying a Compact Camera?" BT.com. Hannah Bouckley, 10 Oct. 2016. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.
I can fully understand why there is a decrease in the sales of compact cameras. Personally, I find it pointless to get a compact camera because I already have a smartphone that is basically a compact camera and a phone. You discussed how the quality of compact cameras are better than that of smartphone lenses, but if I'm going to get a camera based on the quality of the picture, I would get on of those canon cameras.
ReplyDeleteYes compact cameras are definitely decreasing in demand since smartphones were introduced. Which makes sense, because why spend money and carry around another device when you can have a camera, a phone, social media, and more on just one? Especially since the newer generations of smartphones have specifically upgraded their camera to be as strong as a compact camera. Not to mention people are probably more used to smartphone cameras than they are compact camera, so learning how to use it takes less time. Worrying about shutter speed and exposure and frame rate is no longer a burden because smartphones do it all for you!
ReplyDeleteCameras are very useful to capture meaningful moments, but as substitute products, such as smartphones, continue to advance, the need for cameras is going to decline. I feel as if people will always continue to buy cameras, as their quality continues to increase as well, creating higher quality photos. Smart phones are much more convenient than having to carry a camera around; since most people already have smart phones, they don't want an extra thing to carry around. Smart phones are also advertising the quality of their cameras more and more. Anytime Apple releases a new IPhone, there is always a commercial featuring a change they have done with the camera that allows for higher quality photos. Both types of technology will continue to advance in order to compete with one another. The need for a camera over a phone, I feel, really depends on how often you use a camera and what you use it for. Someone taking wedding photos or senior portraits is not going to take them on a smart phone, but someone who just takes pictures when they see something interesting could stick to the camera on their phone.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, there is a trade-off in place, convenience versus quality. With a digital camera you will usually get higher quality pictures, because that is their only focus. Whereas, with a phone, the camera on it is only a small portion of the product- and so the camera feature lacks compared to a typical camera. However, as you can see, since camera demand is shifting left and phone demand is shifting right, convenience is usually the thing that trumps all others. It is much easier to pull your phone out of your product and snap a picture instead of lugging along a whole other product, making sure that product is charged, making sure you have the necessary lenses, SD cards, and a bag to put it in. Sure, a camera might produce a more quality picture, but Americans usually pick the easiest thing available. As another example the demand for cars has gone up greatly and the demand for horse and buggy and has decreased. Sure, the horse and buggy is more eco-friendly but the car is faster, easier.
ReplyDeleteIt's no surprise that compact cameras are being substituted by smartphones. Our society likes to be on the go and conveniently have everything in one place, so its more practical to use the camera on your phone than haul a compact around. Like Brianna said, the other big thing is the instant sharing. Once you snap a picture on your phone it can be sent anywhere from Instagram and Facebook, directly to a person via text, or right to a Walgreen's app to be developed and picked up. With the convenience this offers its safe to say compacts wont be making a comeback as a common item to have on your person.
ReplyDeleteBecause smartphones are not only seen by many as a substitute for compact cameras, but a superior product with similar enough results, the demand for compact cameras has clearly decreased. One strategic move for camera companies could be investing more time and money in developing high-quality professional cameras. Since social media is a simple platform on which amateur photography can be posted and accessibility to editing software has increased, people are still interested in photography and consequently buying traditional cameras. Polaroid cameras and well-known camera brands, such as Canon, are faring comparably well because they have found a niche market that still has high demand for their products.
ReplyDeleteThe compact was around long before a smartphone so it makes sense that the compact was so popular when it first came out. It was an huge advancement of new technology and allowed people to take pictures and print them off to their convenience. Now a days I think people are all about smartphones and all the different features. People find smartphones more practical than compacts, therefore compacts will eventually die out because of lack of demand.
ReplyDeleteAs consumers venture into the photography world, they need to weigh the opportunity cost of buying a compact camera or simply using a smartphone. It is true that the compact has more capabilities, but they must decide if those features outweigh the conveinence and simplicity of smartphones. I think that there will always be a need for both cameras and phone cameras because everyone has different needs and lifestyles.
ReplyDeleteBeing a consumer of cameras, I prefer both compact and smartphone cameras because they both have their own unique characteristics in taking photos. In our modern world, everyone wants products that are fast and convenient to use and smartphones are one of the kind. Since the demand for smartphones increased, the firms produce more of these smartphones. Firms also produce these smartphones because they are easier to make than a professional camera, the inputs needed will be much lesser than the compact cameras. When firms and consumers gain what they need, the production of smartphones are obviously going to increase. On the other side, compact and professional cameras are used by certain people on the cause of these cameras being prestigious than smart phone cameras. So therefore, these two cameras have their unique ways of demands which in turn makes firms to produce according to the demands.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the key differences between the two products, I feel that smartphones are the most efficient product to purchase and reduce the opportunity cost of choosing a compact camera. Phones are becoming readily cheap and are the more affordable and convenient option. Also, there are cell phones that can shoot photos much better than most compact cameras, making compact cameras only a necessity for those who are professional photographers or are true enthusiasts of photos. Sooner or later, phones may be able to compete with DSLR cameras, as those still remain in an indirect market to smartphones. In the end, I feel that smartphones are more superior and am part of the increase in demand for better smartphone cameras.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with Evan on the topic as I believe that phones are becoming even more available to everyone throughout the world. Although cameras are an important tool to capture moments you want to remember forever but with the new technology today companies like Apple have come to find ways to improve smartphones by adding the very best cameras. This way you no longer need a compact as well as a phone because you save space having it all in one and you can do much more with the photos when on smartphones. Because of this I believe the smartphones are going to continue to stay superior to compacts and will continue to increase in demand as they continue to improve.
ReplyDeleteComing from a (beginner) photographer, the different cameras have their pros and cons. One of the pros of having a DSLR camera, or a big camera, is that it captures the target with lots of clarity, and lets a lot more light into the picture than a phone camera. The biggest con about big cameras is the price, around $1000 for the camera itself, then hundreds of dollars for lenses. Also, most people carry their phones with them where ever they go, making the cell phone camera easier to access. Overall, the phone camera and DSLR cameras are two different products, and they are hard to compare.
ReplyDeleteI agree, that more people are using their phone camera rather than a camera. Like you said, some people may be too lazy to print out pictures when it comes to a camera. For instance, it is a lot easier to upload pictures to social media and it takes less time. Personally for me, When it comes to family events or whatever, there are still pictures that haven't been printed for years; and at that point, it's just nicer taking a picture on a phone so it's actually beneficial and one can do something with it; as the processing takes a shorter amount of time.
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