Should Apple make an "iCamera"?

[gamecube117]

So I'm looking to buy a digital camera when I go out with friends, trips, etc. Not looking for a professional camera, just a "fun" camera. And I was just thinking... Apple should tackle on this project. The iPhone 4S already shoots better than some digital cameras out there, so why not make an iCamera? I don't want to buy an iPhone 4S just for the camera, but if they were to make an iCamera I would definitley be getting it.

 

[miles01110]

They already make a very popular camera. It's called the iPhone.

 

[James L]

Been there done that:

 

[scottness]

I seriously hope they don't dilute their offerings to include cameras beyond what's in their iPhones already.

 

[TSE]

The iPod Touch, iPad, and iPhone cameras will improve in quality with each refresh, soon getting good enough to the point where it's "good enough" for most consumers.

 

[Macman45]

With Nikon, Canon, Fuji et. al. being experts in the field, and all having their share of the market, the idea of Apple producing a high end (or even a compact) camera seems a little far fetched to me. They are best at innovating and producing the products that have brought success to the company.

I have several high end cameras...WOuld I buy an Apple icam or whatever they called it? No.

 

[ejb190]

Look at the digital camera marked as a whole. Point-and-shoot camera sales are waaaaay off in the last two years. Cell phones are filling the void. Given that Apple produces one of the most popular cell phones, why would you enter a market segment that you have had a strong hand in killing?

 

[darngooddesign]

I recommend the Canon S90/95/100.

 

[ChristianVirtual]

Too much lens in my cabinet ...no way that apple would pull me away for them; plus I'm quite happy with my Canon 1DM3 ... Hard for Apple to beat; not impossible but unlikely

 

[Macky-Mac]

I've read that phones with cameras are already blamed for taking sales away from the lower end of the "fun" cameras market.

 

[snberk103]

Interestingly - this is the something like the 3rd thread on this topic in past couple of weeks.... that I know of.

Perhaps Apple is "seeding" the forums, trying to whip up some excitement for a 'yet-to-be-announced' product? Hmmmm......

Yes... I know that they don't actually do that .... far as we know...

 

[Huntn]

Does anyone think that a phone is an adequate substitute for a point and shoot camera? I've not checked out the iPhone abilities, but my Sanyo Inconito is very limited in what light conditions produces a halfway acceptable picture.

 

[dmr727]

Does anyone think that a phone is an adequate substitute for a point and shoot camera?

My Canon point and shoot takes better pictures than my 4S, but the iPhone is close enough that I find myself leaving the Canon at home more often than not. It's just so much nicer to not have to carry another device.

So yeah, I don't see myself purchasing another point and shoot camera. If I suddenly desire better pictures than what my iPhone provides, I'll get a DSLR and spend some time to learn how to use it properly.

 

[rhett7660]

With Nikon, Canon, Fuji et. al. being experts in the field, and all having their share of the market, the idea of Apple producing a high end (or even a compact) camera seems a little far fetched to me. They are best at innovating and producing the products that have brought success to the company.

I have several high end cameras...WOuld I buy an Apple icam or whatever they called it? No.

I have a feeling the phone companies were saying the same thing.....

Having said that, I don't for see them going back to that segment. I think they will up grade the iphone camera more and more with each release.

I have a feeling they are putting a big hurt on the big camera companies, especially on their low end camera's.

 

[Huntn]

My Canon point and shoot takes better pictures than my 4S, but the iPhone is close enough that I find myself leaving the Canon at home more often than not. It's just so much nicer to not have to carry another device.

So yeah, I don't see myself purchasing another point and shoot camera. If I suddenly desire better pictures than what my iPhone provides, I'll get a DSLR and spend some time to learn how to use it properly.

Honestly I need to play with my wife's iPhone. Based on past experience with other phones, getting decent pictures in shade, or having bright and dark contrasts is tough. I just don't think a phone camera has enough controls, but I could be wrong about new phones.

 

[gamecube117]

Interestingly - this is the something like the 3rd thread on this topic in past couple of weeks.... that I know of.

Perhaps Apple is "seeding" the forums, trying to whip up some excitement for a 'yet-to-be-announced' product? Hmmmm......

Yes... I know that they don't actually do that .... far as we know...

Well I'm looking for a new camera to buy and I don't know which one. Because I'm not tech savy, the only "technology" brand I know are Apple and Blackberry. iPhone has fantastic camera quality but I'm not getting an iPhone just to have the camera, that's too pricey. I have an iTouch but as you know the quality isn't that awesome.

I'm sure if they created an iCamera it would dominate in that field too. They've already dominated the music industry (iPods/iTouch), phones (iPhones), and "invented" a new category (tablets) and dominating in that field as well. What's left to dominate? All they're doing is improving what they have. Like Blackberry, they said the reason why they are doing so bad is because they always tried to improve what they had instead of thinking about the future. That's what Apple did, they thought ahead of time (OK, we made an iPod, what should we do now? How about an iPhone? etc).

But like someone said, phones with cameras are already reasons to blame for digital camera sales. If Apple released an iCamera, I'm sure companys would erupt and get more upset.

 

[kolax]

As smaller lens keep getting better, there will no need for a dedicated camera for most people, as the smart phone will be more than adequate. So, Apple will never release a compact camera. The iPhone and iPod touch are the compact cameras.

Also, Apple will never enter the DSLR market. There is strong leaders already out there, and there is little to "revolutionise" other than the ability to quickly get your photos off your camera via WiFi (though we have WiFi SD cards now).

Apple is clearly a consumer company, with little interest in catering to the professional market anymore (Mac Pro future unclear, Final Cut Pro X release, lack of antiglare options for monitors, MacBook Pro's GPU's etc). DSLRs are professional cameras, and even for the sake of the argument that they did make a camera, it certainly wouldn't be an SLR.

 

[snberk103]

Well I'm looking for a new camera to buy and I don't know which one. ....

I'm sure if they created an iCamera it would dominate in that field too.....

The best place to get camera advice is from a good camera store. You may not get the best price, but if you take your time finding a sales associate who knows their stuff you will get the best camera for you. We're lucky where we are - we have a good choice of stores that know their stuff. One is a pharmacy/general goods chain that has shops in big and small towns.

A good sales associate will spend the 1st few minutes asking you about what kind of photos you want to take.... not telling you that brand X has great specs. There is a reason why there so many different models of cameras.... they are for different kinds of users.

Apple already makes a camera that dominates the segment. It's called an iPhone. I don't see them ever needing to put out an iCamera. I could see them putting out new iPod Touch that has a better camera than the iPhone.... but it won't be primarily a camera.... but it could be pretty good camera regardless.

 

[Demosthenes X]

I can see Apple improving the camera in the iPod touch and marketing it as an iPod + gaming machine + camera, but I have difficulty seeing them producing a camera. Apple is trending away from single-use products like the iPod classic and towards convergence devices like the iPod touch.

Plus, the best point-and-shoot cameras are made by companies that already produce some of the best lenses in the world. Apple would be buying lenses from someone, so they'd always be behind the competition on that front.

The best place to get camera advice is from a good camera store. You may not get the best price, but if you take your time finding a sales associate who knows their stuff you will get the best camera for you. We're lucky where we are - we have a good choice of stores that know their stuff. One is a pharmacy/general goods chain that has shops in big and small towns.

London Drugs? I bought two cameras there, both times the experience was fantastic. We don't have them in Ontario, which is a real shame. :/

 

[h1r0ll3r]

Since the 4S already shoots better than some P&S shoots out there, from Apple's perspective, why would they want to make just a camera? Their purpose is to get multifunctional products out there, not single use products. Now if they could make an Airplay capable, touch screen printer? That might be of some interest as that's really the only piece of office equipment they don't make. That and probably an iShredder. Touch screen interface, bluetooth/WiFi enabled shredder You could load all your papers to shred and schedule a time to have the shredder destroy them all whilst playing Angry Birds on the touchscreen.

 

[Mousse]

Too much lens in my cabinet ...no way that apple would pull me away for them; plus I'm quite happy with my Canon 1DM3 ... Hard for Apple to beat; not impossible but unlikely

Use your lenses with your iPhone. Personally, I'd rather stick with my ancient 20D. The teeny, tiny sensor on cell phones just doesn't cut it for me.

A 1DmkIII, color my jealous. Maybe when the finally screw falls out of my 20D, I'll get the latest xxD variant or a 5DmkXIII.