The array of cameras available to the average Joe is somewhat dizzying. It is a market saturated with unbelievable cameras in every price, whether it is point-and-shoot camera, DSLR cameras, smartphones with megapixels coming out of every megabyte. Great cameras are everywhere, and great cameras are accessible and cost-effective, which is why we can
take an educated guess and say that you probably have a great camera. Usually, that would stump us and halt us seeing the need in taking this blog any further. However, the standard cameras we just mentioned are not the only great cameras out there. As such, why not add a little something special to photography arsenal, a something a little different and interesting.
In a world where every square-foot has been photographed, the chance to see the world (and capture it) in a different way has become increasingly popular. So much so the market for specialist cameras has skyrocketed in recent years. Of course, you can be entirely content with going toe to toe with other photographers by getting a longer lens, but why not take your hobby in another direction and take photographs that are like nothing else out there, like nothing else on Instagram. It is a brave new world chock full of weird and wonderful cameras, but don’t just take our word for it; have a look for yourself.
Light Field Cameras
There was a time when this was just a rad concept and a more recent time when it failed to deliver on what we all expected. But both those epochs have passed because incredible Light Field Cameras are now achieving incredible feats of photography. We forgive you if you haven’t heard of them as they are relatively new to the mainstream but, essentially, what they do is capture an image as well as the direction the light is moving within the image. Still lost? Let us break it down again. These cameras take, what can only be described as, a three-dimensional picture, allowing you to refocus the photograph after it has been taken. Yeah, we know, the future is full on here, and the future is awesome.
Build Your Own
Lomography have been kicking around for some time now, offering their customers piggies (points) as a way to keep the market constantly aware of their innovative approach to the photo game. And, well, they haven’t disappointed with their build your 35mm SLR camera, aptly called the Konstruktor. Of course, it is a reaction to the sudden rise of our Hipster culture, but that doesn’t make it any less cool. You get to build your camera, your fully-functioning SLR camera and for not a lot of money. Sod handing down a generic Canon from the classics range; give your kids something you made.
Drones
Whoever says drones and Quadcopters are not cameras is just jealous that they a) don’t have one and b) didn’t come up with this idea that is now transforming the way the industry shoots and scouts. It is all a matter of perspective. Some see them as mini helicopters with cameras attached, while other see them as flying cameras. We lean toward the latter. As long as you are a Skilled Flyer, you can shoot some seriously impressive footage and take pictures from angles and vantage points never before possible. That’s cool.
Vlogging
Selfies and vlogging have become a part of everyday life now. Some people do it for fun, some do it to document their lives and thoughts, and others have constructed empires off the bag of a YouTube channel that now makes hundreds of thousands a month. And the camera industry has taken note of this, especially Canon, who have now brought out a permanently inward facing camera. It is called the Legria Mini X and it has everything you could need to turn your bedroom/living room/world into a studio. You may not agree with it, but it is here, and it delivers.
What do we call this?
The social-media-slash-smartphone dominated world we live in has come under scrutiny since it started. The reason is, people now look at the world through a periscope instead of looking at the world with their own eyes. We stare at screens. We no longer enjoy moments for what they are; instead, we try and capture them on our phones so we can upload them to Instagram and increase our social status. If you didn’t get a photo of it, it didn’t happen. That seems to be the motto. However, the Autographer allows us to do both; enjoy the moment with our own two eyes and capture it. How? Because it hangs around your neck and takes images and video of anything, it deems to be worthy.
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