Configurable Cameras

[JerseyT]

Having recently bought an Olympus PEN E-PL2, I'm now interested in micro 4/3 cameras.  I like the Olympus, but the menu of options is overwhelming.  Many items of are no interest to me, and I suspect the same is true for any owner (but with individual lists of "don't cares").  It occurred to me that since cameras now are really small computers with specialized peripherals, their set of features should be configurable.  I'm thinking that you could buy a camera such as my PEN with the standard firmware.  The manufacturers (or third-party suppliers) could then offer optional firmware sets tailored to different classes of users - beginner, advanced, street shooter, landscape shooter, etc.  These would be sold like any other accessory, and the camera's personality could be changed at any time by loading new firmware.

Is this a workable idea, for both users and vendors?

[BernardLanguillier]

Is this a workable idea, for both users and vendors?

At least Thom Hogan seems to think it is...

http://www.bythom.com/design2010.htm

This is a bit long and has a broader scope than what you suggest, but scroll down to the "The camera redefined" section for an in depth view of what cameras could become in terms of customization. Thom met Nikon executives in 2010 and delivered this presentation to them. No results so far but at least they did listen.

Cheers,
Bernard

[JerseyT]

Thanks for the reference.  It was interesting reading.
I think we both have the same basic idea, although I was thinking not of different cameras produced by the manufacturers, but of the possibility of users changing the characteristics of their cameras by loading new firmware. Rather than hoping a manufacturer will produce a camera to fill a niche need, a user could select a camera with the closest set of physical attributes, then load specific firmware to tailor that hardware to a specific niche need.
Ultimately manufacturers might tend toward producing rather generic hardware, then offering different firmware to adapt the camera to specific needs.  It's certainly technically feasible, but is it desirable and marketable?

[Justinr]

Would it be fair to suggest that the best photography is done on the simplest cameras?

[stamper]

The camera manufacturers would have to reveal their programming code for this to happen. If they allowed this to go ahead and then something went wrong with the implementation who would be to blame and who would be responsible for fixing it.

[RobSaecker]

The camera manufacturers would have to reveal their programming code for this to happen. If they allowed this to go ahead and then something went wrong with the implementation who would be to blame and who would be responsible for fixing it.

How would this be any different than the current state of computers? Take the ongoing Epson/Adobe/Apple color management squabble for example.

[250swb]

I'm not sure how this idea is any different to using the user presets available in modern cameras. If you still need to go through a list ticking boxes, so to speak, why not use the cameras menu and save a couple of your favourite profiles to the cameras memory? Its not hard to imagine how it would be configured for street shooting, or landscape, you don't need any special programmes to do it.

Steve

[JerseyT]

I'm not sure how this idea is any different to using the user presets available in modern cameras. If you still need to go through a list ticking boxes, so to speak, why not use the cameras menu and save a couple of your favourite profiles to the cameras memory? Its not hard to imagine how it would be configured for street shooting, or landscape, you don't need any special programmes to do it.

Steve

That is one way to approach what I was thinking about, but I think it's heading in the wrong direction.  Digital cameras are already too complicated, i.e. loaded up with everything the marketing department has dreamed up.  I want to go in the opposite direction.  Give me well featured hardware, then let me pick a firmware set that makes the camera well suited to what I want to do with it.  To avoid the propriety issues mentioned above, perhaps only the camera manufacturer would provide the firmware sets.  Just imagine, they could give us "less" and charge more for it!

[hjulenissen]

Perhaps an Apple "iCam" running iOS would be the answer? In that case, you should be able to download (purchase) apps that extended/complemented the functionality of the included software, while running in a sand-box that did not allow apps to ruin the hardware.

I am positive to this idea, simply being able to redefine the interpretation of any hardware button and defining a simple one-page display would enable new, interesting (potentially crazy) ways of using your camera.

-h