Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Digital Camera?
- Thread starter arn
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
kishba
macrumors 6502a
although i see your points about apple not introducing a digicam i believe they should. i am in desperate need for a camera. i have looked at all the specs and just do not trust other companies because they have so many options. the current digicam situation makes me think of how apple simplified its line into the four basic computer quadrants that exist to. if apple could make a solution for each of its "digital lifetyle" apps i would be in heaven. i need a camera and am waiting on buying one simply because apple can do it better.
after all... everything is easier on a mac
after all... everything is easier on a mac
edenwaith
macrumors 6502a
If this is true, I might even look into this for my first digital camera. However, I agree that there should be Windows support also available so there will be a wider market to sell to. If the camera went for $400 or less, I think this would be somewhat reasonable.
While filling up 5GB of space of just pictures would be very difficult to do, it would be useful in making small videos. But I would still love having the space and not worrying about running out. I was at my friend's wedding, and the digital camera I was borrowing took a few shots, and then it started making a 'not-going-to-do-it' error sound. I thought the batteries kept dying and I replaced them, but the problem was the camera was full!
While filling up 5GB of space of just pictures would be very difficult to do, it would be useful in making small videos. But I would still love having the space and not worrying about running out. I was at my friend's wedding, and the digital camera I was borrowing took a few shots, and then it started making a 'not-going-to-do-it' error sound. I thought the batteries kept dying and I replaced them, but the problem was the camera was full!
elgruga
macrumors 6502
apple digicam - NOT!
5 gigs worth of pictures? NO.
An average pic is 300 - 500k. - thats over 15000 pics on 5 gigs. And anyway the point is to store them on your computer (the digital hub concept, remember?), not in the bloody camera!
The iWalk is much more likely than this one........
5 gigs worth of pictures? NO.
An average pic is 300 - 500k. - thats over 15000 pics on 5 gigs. And anyway the point is to store them on your computer (the digital hub concept, remember?), not in the bloody camera!
The iWalk is much more likely than this one........
AmbitiousLemon
Moderator emeritus
sure the average picture is 300k if you are taking crumby pictures. Have you ever used a megapixel camera? Probably not. Each picture take about 12mb with a 6megapixel camera. I would assume a 4 megapixel camera would be similiar to this. the 128k chip allows you to store a whopping 10 pictures. oooh fun.
Ok so you rarely shoot at full quality but you still shoot at quality over a couple megabytes. And the thing with a camera is when you are using it you are usually shooting LOTS of pictures.
I shot 5 rolls fo film when i moved into my last apartment (before i got my digital camera) just taking pictures of the apartment so i could get my security deposit back when i moved out... guess what i got that deposit.
When you are on vacation you shoot tons of pictures. And you dont have a computer nearby to drop yours pictures off everytime you fill the 128k.
A short family vacation of one week could easily use a nice gig drive. If you have kids, better toss in another gig or two (parents take lots of pictures of their kids). And then the big one... grandparents. Anyone who takes five pictures of a kid a christmas with each and every present the kid gets can easily fill a 5 gig harddrive.
But the most brilliant part of an apple digital camera (although i think it would be likley to fail since the market has a lot of nice cameras) is the firewire. I hate transfering files off my camera with usb. it takes forever. And if you have a firewire digital camera you can hook it up to your ipod. Ok not a big deal since the camera has a 5 gig drive and a 2 inch lcd, but maybe it will inspire other companies to make firewire cameras. So even if the apple camera fails if it inspires sony, olympus, and fuji to make fireiwre cameras then id say it was a sucess because now apple has created a market for cameras that will be of a use to someone who wants iphoto on their ipod.
Ok so you rarely shoot at full quality but you still shoot at quality over a couple megabytes. And the thing with a camera is when you are using it you are usually shooting LOTS of pictures.
I shot 5 rolls fo film when i moved into my last apartment (before i got my digital camera) just taking pictures of the apartment so i could get my security deposit back when i moved out... guess what i got that deposit.
When you are on vacation you shoot tons of pictures. And you dont have a computer nearby to drop yours pictures off everytime you fill the 128k.
A short family vacation of one week could easily use a nice gig drive. If you have kids, better toss in another gig or two (parents take lots of pictures of their kids). And then the big one... grandparents. Anyone who takes five pictures of a kid a christmas with each and every present the kid gets can easily fill a 5 gig harddrive.
But the most brilliant part of an apple digital camera (although i think it would be likley to fail since the market has a lot of nice cameras) is the firewire. I hate transfering files off my camera with usb. it takes forever. And if you have a firewire digital camera you can hook it up to your ipod. Ok not a big deal since the camera has a 5 gig drive and a 2 inch lcd, but maybe it will inspire other companies to make firewire cameras. So even if the apple camera fails if it inspires sony, olympus, and fuji to make fireiwre cameras then id say it was a sucess because now apple has created a market for cameras that will be of a use to someone who wants iphoto on their ipod.
Foveon
Hopefully apple has or will get a hold of this http://www.foveon.com/X3_vps.html
This would work perfect with a 5 gig drive in the camera. Hold a ton of images and a hole lot of video, you could probably pick the size too. The first still and video cam in one. Sounds nice to me.
Hopefully apple has or will get a hold of this http://www.foveon.com/X3_vps.html
This would work perfect with a 5 gig drive in the camera. Hold a ton of images and a hole lot of video, you could probably pick the size too. The first still and video cam in one. Sounds nice to me.
Most digital camcorders have still picture options, so that you can take regular pictures. I believe these are called hybrids... Check out Sony's TRV line of camcorders/cameras
Battery life?
It seems to me that the only reason for making a camera with a 5 or 10 gig hard drive built in would be if it were indeed meant to record video, not just still pics. This sort of beast, however, would face some daunting power consumption issues:
1) A 2.5" color LCD viewfinder would suck up tremendous amounts of power, severely limiting the battery life.
2) Unlike the iPod, which only needs to spin up the hard drive for a few seconds every 20 minutes or so (since the MP3 files are cached and played from RAM), recording video would necessitate a constantly spinning drive. This, combined with the juice needed to power the viewfinder LCD, would create a massive double hit on the battery.
It wouldn't make much sense to be able to store 10 gigs of video if the battery runs out before you can record 10 gigs. So unless the battery is somehow going to be vastly superior to the (already state-of-the-art) iPod battery, this dog ain't gonna hunt.
Hope I'm wrong, cause it would be an awesome product, especially if it were as small as the iPod so it could be carried around in your pocket for spur-of-the-moment use. But unless I'm missing something here.... I just can't see this rumor panning out.
It seems to me that the only reason for making a camera with a 5 or 10 gig hard drive built in would be if it were indeed meant to record video, not just still pics. This sort of beast, however, would face some daunting power consumption issues:
1) A 2.5" color LCD viewfinder would suck up tremendous amounts of power, severely limiting the battery life.
2) Unlike the iPod, which only needs to spin up the hard drive for a few seconds every 20 minutes or so (since the MP3 files are cached and played from RAM), recording video would necessitate a constantly spinning drive. This, combined with the juice needed to power the viewfinder LCD, would create a massive double hit on the battery.
It wouldn't make much sense to be able to store 10 gigs of video if the battery runs out before you can record 10 gigs. So unless the battery is somehow going to be vastly superior to the (already state-of-the-art) iPod battery, this dog ain't gonna hunt.
Hope I'm wrong, cause it would be an awesome product, especially if it were as small as the iPod so it could be carried around in your pocket for spur-of-the-moment use. But unless I'm missing something here.... I just can't see this rumor panning out.
sorry guys but remember the little statement apple made about a month ago that they wouldn't be releasing any new hardware for the next few months (probobly up to MWNY).
kishba
macrumors 6502a
the statement said "no new CPUs"
don't believe me? read the maccentral article:
http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/0202/11.applehardware.php
um... just a little observation -- they probably will release another digital hub device for tokyo if no new CPUs are coming out... It's Japan -- the perfect place to release a digital hub device.
Digital Camera again
I don't really put much weight in the rumor, but as has been pointed out here. This is NOT a new market for Apple. In fact, wasn't Apple was one of the earliest of the digital camera marketers?
I think it is possible that Apple could make an extremely cool firewire digital camera. It would have to be small, lots of storage capacity, so you could capture video, with sound. The important thing is that it has to offer features that make it unique. In terms of price, it doesn't have to be cheap. Digital Cameras and especially DV cameras are pricey. Apple does not need to go after the consumers who want something cheap and simple. They need to go after those who want the features and making it firewire is a good start. USB was great early on - it downloaded pictures much more quickly than serial equipped cameras, but these days, camera memory capacities are large and USB downloads are getting increasingly time consuming.
IF Apple were to make a camera, it would have to be simply that - a camera. Not something that is a mediocre conglomeration of digital devices. However, as long as it is recording to perhaps a hard disk (which would also make it stand out), and you want to be able to record sound with your video, it might as well also be able to record a sound-only file in .wav or .mp3 format.
I don't really put much weight in the rumor, but as has been pointed out here. This is NOT a new market for Apple. In fact, wasn't Apple was one of the earliest of the digital camera marketers?
I think it is possible that Apple could make an extremely cool firewire digital camera. It would have to be small, lots of storage capacity, so you could capture video, with sound. The important thing is that it has to offer features that make it unique. In terms of price, it doesn't have to be cheap. Digital Cameras and especially DV cameras are pricey. Apple does not need to go after the consumers who want something cheap and simple. They need to go after those who want the features and making it firewire is a good start. USB was great early on - it downloaded pictures much more quickly than serial equipped cameras, but these days, camera memory capacities are large and USB downloads are getting increasingly time consuming.
IF Apple were to make a camera, it would have to be simply that - a camera. Not something that is a mediocre conglomeration of digital devices. However, as long as it is recording to perhaps a hard disk (which would also make it stand out), and you want to be able to record sound with your video, it might as well also be able to record a sound-only file in .wav or .mp3 format.
lewdvig
macrumors 65816
...more
I don't doubt that Apple may want to do a camera...
I just don't think this new ydi 'site' has any more info than any of us. Why risk your job to bring traffic to a rinky dink site?
The Foveon X3 part is a dead give away - the only camera announced with this so far is the new Sigma. It will cost at least $2000, perhaps more.
I don't doubt that Apple may want to do a camera...
I just don't think this new ydi 'site' has any more info than any of us. Why risk your job to bring traffic to a rinky dink site?
The Foveon X3 part is a dead give away - the only camera announced with this so far is the new Sigma. It will cost at least $2000, perhaps more.
why by a powerbook if the ibook is just as good, or they might pull the imac deal again, but i dont want my powerbook to become useless, also they just updated the ibook to 14 inch screen.
screw that...I WANT A G4 IBOOK~!
katchow
y'know they've really got to phase that G3 out sometime...when you consider how much they've pushed for os x and how much they've said about it being built to take advantage of the G4 chip...
screw that...I WANT A G4 IBOOK~!
katchow
y'know they've really got to phase that G3 out sometime...when you consider how much they've pushed for os x and how much they've said about it being built to take advantage of the G4 chip...
Here are a couple of reasons Apple could make a digital camera and why it would not fail.
1. People say Apple would or would not make a digital camera: as far as I know, Apple doesn't "make" anything. They design and engineer things. Then they purchase the components from manufacturers and pay an assembler to put them together. That's just what they would do with a digital camera. Either buy components from, e.g., Sony, or just do it as a joint venture with a great camera company. Not a great finacial risk, but loads of potential payoff.
2. Some say it would fail because there are lots of other nice cameras out there: look, if there was no Apple in existence, everyone would be pretty satisfied with their beige boxes with blue screens, and if a new company tried to get in the game everyone would say it would fail because there are lots of nice boxes out there. Same thing for LCD monitors...there is no lack of product available, but yet Apple succeeds in this market, too.
3. Before iPod came out (in fact, for a while after it came out) everyone thought the exisiting MP3's were fine. So Apple came out and redefined the market.
That is just what I think Apple can and will do with photography, combining a dig cam with iPhoto. Also, anyone who thinks a 64 or 128mb card is good enough just doesn't understand. But I don't think the hard drive HAS to be in the camera...just give me a way to download the images to an iPod while in the field so I can keep shooting. When I get back to my computer they go into iPhoto. I'd bet the farm Steve will do it, and I'd bet that when the product is out it will be so good everyone will wonder why we ever doubted it.
Oh well, I have a mediocre camera and am trying to hold for a great one. Come on Apple!
1. People say Apple would or would not make a digital camera: as far as I know, Apple doesn't "make" anything. They design and engineer things. Then they purchase the components from manufacturers and pay an assembler to put them together. That's just what they would do with a digital camera. Either buy components from, e.g., Sony, or just do it as a joint venture with a great camera company. Not a great finacial risk, but loads of potential payoff.
2. Some say it would fail because there are lots of other nice cameras out there: look, if there was no Apple in existence, everyone would be pretty satisfied with their beige boxes with blue screens, and if a new company tried to get in the game everyone would say it would fail because there are lots of nice boxes out there. Same thing for LCD monitors...there is no lack of product available, but yet Apple succeeds in this market, too.
3. Before iPod came out (in fact, for a while after it came out) everyone thought the exisiting MP3's were fine. So Apple came out and redefined the market.
That is just what I think Apple can and will do with photography, combining a dig cam with iPhoto. Also, anyone who thinks a 64 or 128mb card is good enough just doesn't understand. But I don't think the hard drive HAS to be in the camera...just give me a way to download the images to an iPod while in the field so I can keep shooting. When I get back to my computer they go into iPhoto. I'd bet the farm Steve will do it, and I'd bet that when the product is out it will be so good everyone will wonder why we ever doubted it.
Oh well, I have a mediocre camera and am trying to hold for a great one. Come on Apple!
Hard Drive
I think that Apple definately will not outfit a camera with a hard drive. They will make it compatable with the iPod so that you can use that as your larger storage.
I think Apple will be more interested in selling iPods and digital cameras to people rather than covering the same ground with two devices.
I think that Apple definately will not outfit a camera with a hard drive. They will make it compatable with the iPod so that you can use that as your larger storage.
I think Apple will be more interested in selling iPods and digital cameras to people rather than covering the same ground with two devices.
I think you are right. It will keep the camera cost lower plus encourage the purchase of both the camera and iPod. Which I would be willing to do!
BTW, if I was using the dig cam in video mode could you record direct to the iPod by firewire?
Or is that not possible? Cause if you could, would the Apple camera serve both purposes and save some people form having to buy both still camera and a mini dv? The hard drive could hold quite a few minutes of video.
(I now expect to be flamed by someone cuz thats a dumb idea, for technical reasons...)?
BTW, if I was using the dig cam in video mode could you record direct to the iPod by firewire?
Or is that not possible? Cause if you could, would the Apple camera serve both purposes and save some people form having to buy both still camera and a mini dv? The hard drive could hold quite a few minutes of video.
(I now expect to be flamed by someone cuz thats a dumb idea, for technical reasons...)?
OK, so i have my doubts that they would ever make a camera, but...
the idea about having to have an ipod to download your pictures to when your away from your computer is just silly...y'know not everyone has an ipod. Not everyone wants one (though i do). To require people to buy an mp3 player they may or may not have use for just so they can have portable storage for their Apple digital camera doent make much sense...
and the argument about how no one thought we needed anymore mp3 players is faulty too..that market was hardly as saturated as the dig cam one.
And to be honest, firewire and a large HD on an mp3 player was the next logical step (thank Apple for hitting it first, and doing it so elegently).
katchow
if they did happen to make a camera the HD would be its best selling point...
the idea about having to have an ipod to download your pictures to when your away from your computer is just silly...y'know not everyone has an ipod. Not everyone wants one (though i do). To require people to buy an mp3 player they may or may not have use for just so they can have portable storage for their Apple digital camera doent make much sense...
and the argument about how no one thought we needed anymore mp3 players is faulty too..that market was hardly as saturated as the dig cam one.
And to be honest, firewire and a large HD on an mp3 player was the next logical step (thank Apple for hitting it first, and doing it so elegently).
katchow
if they did happen to make a camera the HD would be its best selling point...
There would be some memory....
katchow,
I don't mean that the camera would need the iPod to work. The iPod would just supplement the camera for those who don't feel like dealing with a smart media card or other removable storage.
Steve Jobs can tout the camera alone for all its virtues, and then say that those people with iPods can also use it as a traveling photo storage device.
Regarding SJS's comments about the still/DV camera... I'm not sure what the tech specs are for the Toshiba drive in the iPod, but it may not be quick enough for DV. Maybe some other lower res though... 320x240 @10 fps?
katchow,
I don't mean that the camera would need the iPod to work. The iPod would just supplement the camera for those who don't feel like dealing with a smart media card or other removable storage.
Steve Jobs can tout the camera alone for all its virtues, and then say that those people with iPods can also use it as a traveling photo storage device.
Regarding SJS's comments about the still/DV camera... I'm not sure what the tech specs are for the Toshiba drive in the iPod, but it may not be quick enough for DV. Maybe some other lower res though... 320x240 @10 fps?