I am witnessing this year's Photokina fair as one of the busiest in record. Each day there is no shortage of new product launched, range from consumer to professional and enterprise level. As a shutterbug hobbyist, this is the next best place outside Heaven.
Reality strikes when you start looking at the bottom line. The so-called Prosumer-level best-of-the range camera varies between two and half to five and half grant US, depending on the brand. With that amount, it is enough to pay up your full tuition of uni or buying yourself a second-hand car.
Don't get me wrong. These are great cameras, with huge mega-pixel, high ISO setting, wide dynamic range, best performed with high-end optical and fast speed lens. IMO the pricing is, perhaps too aggressive, not unreasonable.
I often ask this question. Does camera gear really justify their existence and worth. They are essentially single-task technology. The latest iPhone, which can perform lot more task, cost just over $700 upfront.
Ming Thein has the answer in his popular blog,
"One of the reasons why the photographic industry is still growing despite passing saturation point some time ago is because of the photographers themselves: they don’t know when to stop."
The saturation point that Ming refers to is the optimal quality of print/size, in terms of mega-pixel, relative to human eyes. When it comes to choosing the right gears, "Photographers" are blind-folded by the marketing of the industry. Ming refers, I believe, particularly to the young (photography age) guns. I don't think that he refers to those who has experience in film photography, where you learn to be more discipline and critical in making photographic decision.
