According to Flickr’s “camera finder” feature, the iPhone 4 is heading towards becoming the most popular “camera” used to submit images to the photo-sharing site. Is the iPhone (and other smartphones with improved camera features) disrupting the point-and-shoot market?
Flickr’s camera finder provides a graph detailing the most popular cameras in the Flickr community, with the Nikon D90 currently at the top. However, the iPhone 4 is on the rise, while traditional point-and-shoot cameras are steadily declining. If the trend continues, the iPhone is poised to take the lead in the near future.
This isn’t the first time a phone may prove more popular than a traditional camera on Flickr. PC World reports that in August 2009, the iPhone edged by the Canon Digital Rebel XTi as the most popular (back when the best iPhone camera only featured 3.2-megapixel resolution).
We recently reported that Cisco had shut down production on the popular Flip camera line, possibly in response to smartphones’ ability to shoot HD video. Is the iPhone still proving disruptive, four years after its initial release? According to GigaOM: “The takeaway is that smartphones are nearing the tipping point in terms of camera quality when it comes to the needs of most average users (professional and prosumer DSLRs continue to do well), and the iPhone 4 is leading that charge. Phones provide a much more convenient on-hand camera experience than do dedicated devices, and the trade-offs in terms of quality and feature are becoming less significant all the time.”
Related PC World story: “iPhone 4 About to Be Most Popular Camera on Flickr” (4/18/11)
12 Comments
It’s not just Apple but smartphones and now tablets both seem to be eliminating the need for a separate point-and-shoot.
Will low end DSRLs and Flip-type cameras be next?
It’s not just Apple but smartphones and now tablets both seem to be eliminating the need for a separate point-and-shoot.
Will low end DSRLs and Flip-type cameras be next?
Definitely a pattern here…
Definitely a pattern here…
Is it that the increase of pictures to flickr from phones, really has to do with the connectivity and ease of upload? I think that’s a huge part of it.
Is it that the increase of pictures to flickr from phones, really has to do with the connectivity and ease of upload? I think that’s a huge part of it.
I agree with Bryan about the immediacy of instant uploads. I don’t expect that traditional cameras will be abandoned.
I agree with Bryan about the immediacy of instant uploads. I don’t expect that traditional cameras will be abandoned.
Another aspect to this trend is people are starting to shoot “movies” on Canon’s EOS 1D Mark IV (which offers a variety of HD settings including 1920×1080, and has an external microphone jack).
Another aspect to this trend is people are starting to shoot “movies” on Canon’s EOS 1D Mark IV (which offers a variety of HD settings including 1920×1080, and has an external microphone jack).
I agree that convenience is key. We see often that people will sacrifice quality for convenience. And a few MP doesn’t matter much when your shooting those simple, fun life events…
I agree that convenience is key. We see often that people will sacrifice quality for convenience. And a few MP doesn’t matter much when your shooting those simple, fun life events…
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