The Online Photographer

You know what I'm most nostalgic for?

No, not film; not the intrepid globetrotting hero photojournalists of yore (no one ever took those away from us, even if the heroes now are Instagrammers and influencers); not the image coming up on fiber-base paper in the developer tray; not for metal, manual, mechanical cameras; not for Contax or Bronica or Konica or Olympus-made Olympuses. I'm nostalgic for the peak years of the digital "frontier market," the years on either side of 2012. I was there.

Back then, digital cameras were white-hot-selling products. Everybody wanted one, and then another one—they were hip and happening, and fun, and popular. Waves of traffic arrived on photo websites everywhere from shoppers, alongside the mavens and the veteran Photo-Dawgs and the enthusiasts. And almost every time anyone held a sale, a digital camera was featured right at the top of the list. Sometimes the only thing in the sale. And sometimes they sold out before the sale was over. Nostalgic sigh.

Cooler than a camera? I think not.

Well, it's Amazon Prime Day today—for another 12 hours or so—and on the Prime Day pages I had to go to the bottom of page three before I got to any photo stuff. (Yes, I'm going to post a few links, but I'm still a bit grumpy about this.) Cameras used to be featured at or very near the top of all the pages of deals. This year, they list Apple watches, Dyson vacuum cleaners, computer monitors, DeWalt power tools, WiFi6 and mesh systems (which are great, by the way), battery-powered lawnmowers and garden tools, Vitamix blenders, portable iPhone recharging batteries, Gillette razors (I love the Fusion5 shavers even though I decided I can't afford them), Instant Pots (yay), personal DNA tests (these are fun—I found out I'm 12% Spanish, which came out of left field), and Google Nest thermostats before they finally get down to "Camera Essentials from Top Brands." Bah. We used to be cool! I wish I had known enough to enjoy those days more. I didn't realize they were going to go past us so fast.

But still, I've got the camera I love, and that's enough for me.

Mike

P.S. And by the way, B&H Photo is fighting back with a great sale on M2 MacBook Airs.

P.S.S. Also by the way, most of the links are to things I use, have tried, or have written about before.

Original contents copyright 2023 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below or on the title of this post.)

Featured Comments from:

Sinan Çakmak: “Re 'I'm nostalgic for the peak years of the digital "frontier market," the years on either side of 2012. I was there.' Me too! Looking back on those years I can’t help but think of the late Michael Reichmann. He was a great advocate for all things new! But not only that; It was also through his website that I got acquainted with your articles. I feel your blog is the only connection I have left to those (good old?) days when I was making a living with the kind of photography I loved, in Turkey, the country that I loved. I don’t photograph and I don’t live in Turkey anymore. But I read you. I hope you keep writing for a very long time!"

Mike replies: Thanks Sinan, and I hope so too!

Albert Smith: "Last year on Prime Day, I bought on a whim an Invicta Pro Diver automatic watch for $59. It's 200 meters submersible, has a Seiko movement (4R35) and it cost less that some of the straps that I put on my nicer watches. It is a true beater and I abuse it without fear, yet it maintains flawless operation and has accuracy that shames many of my multi-hundred-dollar watches. This year, it is $48. I bought two just to throw in the cupboard. I never would have known about it without Prime Day."

robert e: "I know what you're really missing. Those were the days when we were fielding half a dozen questions a day from friends, family, clients, even random strangers—about what to buy, about how to use what they bought per your advice (or against your advice), about how does this photography stuff work, anyway? etc.

"We were heroes! Gurus! We were needed. Because many cameras in those days were awful. And the good ones required skills.

"Now? The crappy cameras are gone (except the ones that are intentionally crappy for aesthetic reasons). The good cameras have more expertise than any single person ever had, and do it all for you. No one needs us to show them how to get good exposure and focus. No one needs those cameras anyway because the cameras in their phones are so good and just as smart. Or because they're still happy with the camera you advised them to buy ten years ago, when they can be bothered to fish it out of the closet.

"For all those reasons, few people need to shop for a camera, and if they do, they don't need much help or advice.

"I dunno. I'm kinda grateful for the peace and quiet, and the extra reading time. Especially since, for pretty much the same reasons that no one needs my help shopping for a new camera, today's cameras just aren't a lot of fun."