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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JSO" data-source="post: 1636746" data-attributes="member: 63939">This piece brings to mind Mark Twain's comments on hearing reports that he died: "news of my death is exaggerated."  Anytime someone gazes into the crystal ball he/she risks getting it wrong.  As others here have pointed out, technology will change how images will be made.  But, to declare one set of tools dead is probably going to far.  The easiest example is to look at film.  Digital photography hasn't rendered film dead.  Kodak, for example, while ending one line of film (kodachrome) has released seven new professional films over the last three years. <a href="http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/films/catalog/kodachrome64ProfessionalFilmPKR.jhtml" target="_blank">http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/films/catalog/kodachrome64ProfessionalFilmPKR.jhtml</a>Remember the Polaroid land camera.  A company has purchased polaroid's equipment to ensure that film for the old polaroid cameras are still available.  As for DSLRs, last year the New York Times reported that DSLR sales have been expanding, and that sales weren't expected to peak until 2012 (I won't speculate on the effect of the current economic crisis).  see <a href="http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/dslr-sales-go-up-as-prices-go-down/" target="_blank">http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/dslr-sales-go-up-as-prices-go-down/</a>Do we go a step further (which you can get out of the article) and say that even a simple point and shoot is now obsolete with electronics that serve more than one function.  Apple's Iphone is the prime example.  Chase Jarvis' new book points out what can be done.  See The Best Camera Is The One That's With You: iPhone Photography by Chase Jarvis. The article that generated this discussion left out an important component.  That is, the differences between the purchasers of the the small point and shots, the superzoom cameras, and DSLRs (nevertheless, those who shot solely with film, cell phones, etc.).  The manufacturers, I am sure, are well aware of the differences between purchasers of the DSLRs, the point & shoots, and the other purchasing options.  Until there is a vast sea change in the technology, they are going to produce and market cameras that will increase their revenue.  Thus, every year or so Canon and Nikon will come out with a new entry level DSLR.  There will also be several new point & shoot cameras.  A new superzoom that will have greater reach than last year's model.  And, if the manufacturers are lucky, we will buy them and debate the merits and flaws of these cameras until new ones come along, and the cycle will continue.While the technological changes are interesting, to declare the death knell over one tool is an over simiplication.</blockquote>

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