Who needs a smartcamera, anyway

First we have the smartphone. Then we have the smartTV. Now cameras are evolving into "smartcameras" as manufacturers race to add Android and wifi and internet features to their new cameras.

I was also caught up in that hype myself. I thought that it would be nice to be able to publish or email the images as soon as they are captured, all without going through a PC. I almost bought the Nikon S800C (Android camera) when it was first released. I was totally sold on the idea... until now.

With reference to my previous blog, it is all too easy to use an Android smartphone or tablet to view images from the memory card directly. This is more sensible than building Android capability into the camera. Putting Android into a camera adds cost but little benefit to a photographer who has a smartphone or a tablet. I would rather have a conventional camera. If I am away from home, I would prefer to use a tablet to view the images after a shoot. And I can still do everything I would have been able to do with a smartcamera (i.e. edit, email, share). Yes, all on a bigger screen than that of a camera.

How about wifi-enabled camera? I think there is also limited use for this. I was also quite enthused about the idea before. However, it takes several seconds for even a small file to appear on a remote screen after the camera snaps the picture. With a tethered cable, it is a bit faster, but again it is not instantaneous enough. I would rather view the images after a shoot, and selectively download what I want to keep. The rest is trash.