Smartphone: The Death Knell of Cameras?
If you’re a person who likes upfront conclusions & feels like doing something different rather than going down a rabbit hole of information, here’s the answer for you: No! The camera will not be dead by the existence of a smartphone, at least for the foreseeable future.
But if you’re interested in this kind of stuff, let’s dive straight into it. Shall we?
The Backstory:
To be honest, the story doesn’t go as far into the past as it’s quite a recent buzz.
If you’re someone who has gone through the multiple phases of development of tech, especially smartphones, then you might have noticed that the advancement in smartphone cameras is very recent. And the debate discussing the fate of dedicated cameras feels pretty superficial. Even the iPhone X, which is still considered as a pivotal point in the world of technology, after the release of its predecessor 10 years before it, didn’t focus on being the best camera phone by a margin of thought. Instead, it represented a general viewpoint of advanced technology.
If this is the case by a long shot, then why we’re bombarded with the statement of the smartphone camera being superior to a dedicated camera like a Mirrorless, DSLR or DSMC (Digital Stills & Motion Camera) Camera in the first place? Even though dedicated cameras have the upper hand of having a longer span of research and development process (more than 130 years). Right?
This is where the term “Computational Imaging” emerges.
Computational Imaging:
The word was first coined in the late 70s or early 80s, but it completely re-evaluated the concept of photography we envision in today’s world. Not only it has created a landmark for existing phone cameras but is proving itself to create a new path of its own while merely destroying the others.
Basically, the concept is all about forming images indirectly from measurements using algorithms that rely on a significant amount of computing. In layman’s terms, it’s the process of creating an ideal image using computers on top of a physically exposed image. This process served as a great boon for the smartphone industry as it allowed them to make strides with the cameras inside smartphones, which would otherwise be borderline unacceptable.
We know that the basic and only requisite to expose an image is light. And more the amount of light enters into a camera sensor, the better the composition is, but to achieve it, a larger sensor is also required but due to space limitations in smartphone packaging, it is not feasible. This is where, manufacturers use the concept of computational imaging, where they use a special chip inside the processor called ISP (Image Signal Processor) to enhance pictures as per the trained data to replicate the feel and quality of a larger dedicated camera.
The Endgame:
If the main objective of computational imaging was to enhance images from smartphones, then why does the question of the camera being demolished in the future comes in the first place? This is all because of the recent advancements in the space of computational imaging where more & more elements are iterated, which mimics the physical quality of a dedicated camera. Also, hype is the other reason.
Before breaking down the matter into an objective answer, let’s take a look at these images:
If you’re not a pixel-peeper, then it’s obvious, that you might have thought both of the pictures to be similar apart from the slight variation in the pose, but still, you might have gravitated towards the second image, as it feels more natural in the first place. This is where the differences start. The second image was captured using a professional camera, while the first was shot on an iPhone. The differences are subtle, but there’s still an edge to the dedicated system as it will be consistent with its output, as it’s based on physical optics, while the smartphone relying upon the algorithm, might not be able to do so.
But as soon as we go to a professional environment, this subtle difference leads to chaos in the development process of a product cycle. This is where reliability and standards are king & dedicated cameras have proven their worth on that front. But don’t get me wrong here, smartphone cameras are great, especially for those who want to experience the thing for the first time or want to have a pinch of everything at their disposal.
