The most revolutionary camera designs in photo history... suggest your top 3!

[Theodoros]

LINHOF MASTER TECHNIKA

MINOX M.D.C

NIKON COOLPIX SQ

I agree the Linhof should be considered, but why should the Minox or the Coolpix?

[Paulo Bizarro]

OK... Up to now the suggestions include Voightlander Prominent, Fuji GX-680, Sinar M system, the Polaroid instant film, the Kodak Brownie, the first folding camera (does anybody know if it is the Zeiss Ikonta?), the first hand held camera with movements (is it the Linhof?), the Nikon F (because of its completely modular design with finders, screens etc), the Nikon F3 AF (the camera that introduced AF), the original Nikonos & the Pentax Spotmatic (for introducing TTL metering)....

I think we should drop Nikon D1, EOS 30D, the digital Kodaks and the various phones, since there is no revolution introduced for picture talking other than being digital, ergonomics & image quality (which are are all different to revolution in picture taking) and we should also reject the Hasselblad ELM (because the motor is ergonomics, it doesn't affect one's photography)... but I also think we should include the first modular MF ever (was that the Hasselblad 1000?), or consider Hasselblad 500c since it added leaf shutter & polaroid back on top...

If there are no objections, that leaves us with what is on the first paragraph & the Hasselblad 500c added... I think that there are more that can be added, please contribute your knowledge on revolutionary cameras!

So you do not consider the move from silver halide gelatin to silicon wafers to be a revolution???

[Paulo Bizarro]

Many insist on suggesting the 30D or the D1 for being revolutionary on picture taking, but none bothers to explain in what why ones photography was revolved because of them... Price or IQ are not revolving picture taking... only implementing extra abilities on the design does...

Well, you can read Michael's review of the Canon 30D, and how he considers it to be a revolutionary product. It was basically the first digital camera that equalled or surpassed 35mm film results. I would consider it to be revolutionary... you know, bringing high image quality to the hungry masses and all that...

Sometimes, the simple ideas are the best ones: all Canon did was put a digital sensor on the Canon EOS 10 camera:)

[Paulo Bizarro]

Going from film to digital is a revolution of technology, not a function (by itself) that affects the process of capturing images... Neither the process of picture taking is affected by the price of a product.

Are you serious? Going to digital was what fostered the implementation of EVFs, live view, video shooting on a stills camera, do I need to go on?

[scooby70]

Are you serious? Going to digital was what fostered the implementation of EVFs, live view, video shooting on a stills camera, do I need to go on?

How about the ability to take more pictures than allowed by a roll of film (without stopping and changing the roll) and the ability to change ISO from shot to shot. Do those things count? They're big things for me

[Theodoros]

Are you serious? Going to digital was what fostered the implementation of EVFs, live view, video shooting on a stills camera, do I need to go on?

You seem not to understand the difference between revolution of techology and revolution on a process (capturing is a process, not technology and a camera is used for capturing despite its technology) ...never mind, ...peace! Still the O/P asks for camera design, irrelevant of technology! 

[Paulo Bizarro]

You seem not to understand the difference between revolution of techology and revolution on a process (capturing is a process, not technology and a camera is used for capturing despite its technology) ...never mind, ...peace! Still the O/P asks for camera design, irrelevant of technology! 

I do understand. I just think that one does not exist without the other. Wouldn't you say that digital photography has revolutionized the way you capture the image? Just look at the smartphone boom for photography... technology developments allow engineers to design cameras (and lenses) in a different way.

And it had a great impact in camera design too, just look at how small cameras today pack a lot of image quality potential. Plus all the new designs like the Light 16, DXO One, etc.

[Hulyss]

I agree the Linhof should be considered, but why should the Minox or the Coolpix?

Because the OP speak about Camera Design.

[Theodoros]

Because the OP speak about Camera Design.

Revolutionary.... camera design! it means having revolutionary solutions applied that affect the picture taking process... I guess being small affects portability but doesn't affect the process.

[tnargs]

Revolutionary.... camera design! it means having revolutionary solutions applied that affect the picture taking process... I guess being small affects portability but doesn't affect the process.

Not really. The box brownie for instance was 'a camera design', and it caused a revolution by bringing photography to the people. So it was a revolutionary camera design.

The AE-1, which introduced microelectronics to cameras, was conventional in physical design and the photographic process when using it was conventional, but it spawned the idea of camera 'performance', which now has its own section in DPR reviews, where cameras became faster, changed their own settings, display information in the viewfinder or on screens, and ultimately offer a range of automation types.

The iPhone, with its touchscreen that made the smartphone truly a trend device, from day 1 provided instant camera access with a double-click of its home button, then added the front-facing camera that made selfies easier than ever, made the online sharing of photographs so quick and easy compared to using a dedicated camera.

[Theodoros]

Pentax Spotmatic.   First SLR with TTL metering.

Also, my first real camera.

Aaaah... the Spotmatic is out of consideration! First with TTL metering was the Topcon RE super!!! ...I guess Nikon F is also out as the same Topcon is also the first 35mm modular with interchangeable finders!

[Theodoros]

My bad! The Nikon F is back... The Topcon pioneered the TTL metering, but the Nikon F everything else!  How about the Rollei SL 2000? should this be considered? ...I don't know any other film cassette camera with dual finders (both prism & WLF) and interchangeable film backs, I think it should be considered.

[TSJ1927]

Photoshop .....  The backside for most modern digital cameras.
Sinar Cameras
The DSLR

[tho_mas]

Rollei 35
Polaroid SX-70
Agfamatic 4000

[Peter McLennan]

Aaaah... the Spotmatic is out of consideration! First with TTL metering was the Topcon RE super!!!

The Topcon RE Super is news to me, never heard of it.  But according to Wikipedia the RE Super was introduced in 63.  The Spotmatic, introduced in 64 had demonstrably orders of magnitude more effect on the photo market than the Topcon, which seems to be relegated to the dustbin of history.  My recommendation for the Pentax stands. 

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

Yes, it is an interesting suggestion. It was really the first integrated AF SLR system camera. It was also quite a feat, as Minolta introduced it as a complete system, with a lot of new lenses. At the same times it was not compatible with the original Minolta system.

I was one of the early buyers of that system and I am still living with it. But, I feel it was a significant evolution and not a revolution.

For me, the evolution steps were:

- 135 format, defining modern photography
- SLR, giving "what you see is what you get" view
- Conversion to digital

Regarding myself, my conversion to digital began with a digital Ixus at 2 MP I bought from a friend. Next it was a 5 MP camera with long zoom capability from Sony called the Dimage 7. Once I had the Dimage 7 I was mainly on digital. For me, the Dimage 7 even killed medium format film, as it was actually good enough.

But, at that time digital meant small sensors as sensor surface was very expensive. The Canon 30D was first affordable APS-C and first camera with CMOS having low noise image capability.

Next major step of evolution may have been the Canon 5D, offering full frame at a reasonable price.

The 5D2 (and Sony Alpha 900) increased resolution to > 20 MP, while Nikon pricing gave rise to this video: https://youtu.be/tnwf2RShNV0

The Nikon D800 finally offered high resolution at reasonable price.

On the MFD side, live view and moder technology arrived with the Sony CMOS sensors represented by Pentax 645Z, Phase One IQ-250 et al.

Best regards
Erik

I am amazed that nobody has suggested the Minolta 7000.

[Deep]

Fun game!  I'll play, though it would be much easier to pick four...

In chronological order, I'd pick an early Leica (but which one?) because it brought quality photography down to a portable platform and revolutionised what had been a specialist hobby - even though the revolution may not have been immediate, 35mm became so common that many people today refer to digital sensors of that format as "full frame" (sic).

Next is the Olympus E330 because it changed the now-ancient film-based approach to making digital cameras, as it was the first to offer practical live view in an affordable system camera.  Today's so-called "mirrorless" all stem from that and they are going to take over the (enthusiast/professional) world.  A revolution we are witnessing now.  Interestingly, the E330 and cousin Panasonic/Leica L1 didn't actually have the classic SLR shape either, though they still were SLRs.  That is also a feature of "mirrorless" - not needing a hump allows for creative design.

Last has to be the iPhone because it has utterly changed the world of photography like no camera has ever done before and it defines "revolutionary" more than I can imagine any other camera ever will!

I'd love to put in a fourth, probably the Pentax Spotmatic because it revolutionised the concept of SLR and made it accessible and popular (SLR cameras were a revolution in their own right.)  But I'm only allowed three.

[LesPalenik]

Respectable group of shooters has found Casio Exilim TRYX EX-TR100 revolutionary:

Casio Exilim TRYX EX-TR100

[tnargs]

Respectable group of shooters has found Casio Exilim TRYX EX-TR100 revolutionary:

Casio Exilim TRYX EX-TR100

That's really interesting, actually. Maybe it shows there is a future for compact cameras if you are innovative.

And I see that Deep agrees with my suggestion of the iPhone: surely the biggest revolution since the Brownie.

[Peter McLennan]

Are we limiting ourselves to still cameras?

If not, I offer the Mitchell BNC, the Arri IIC and the Eclair NPR.