Photographic icons - a reflective moment

[simpo two]

In the days of film, certain cameras achieved an iconic status for various reasons. Their practical lifespan was 10 or 20 years - arguably indefinite - and they could become entrenched in photography lore.

With the move to digital, cameras have become just 'fast moving consumer goods'; each model being replaced within 12 months. Will we look back in the future and see any 'digital icons' or just a pile of worthless obsolete junk that's rendered worthless by the hyper-pixel auto-everything device that overtook it? Will people be fighting over D2Xs and 1DSMk2s in 20 years time, or will they be laughed at?

[740i]

Sadly I cannot see anything technological achieving an iconic status in our digitally enhanced world. I use to get that nice consumer buzz buying a new piece of equipment whether it be Goldring turntable, an Olympus Trip,or my first Ford Capri.
I almost have a feeling of guilt buying anything now (latest purchase a 20d) in the knowledge it will soon be outdated and worse still knowing I will bow to manufacturer hype and buy the next must have gizzmo.
I guess the nearest we get to an iconic item in recent times is the Ipod, but that has no more than a two or three year lifespan at best, and will soon be forgotten about.

Just glad to be of a certain age and will always fondly remember Concorde, the microwave, Appollo space missions, and of course my 2.8 Ghia Capri!

[Vipers]

I have been collecting old cameras for years now, got a bunch of folding Kodaks' a box brownie which took, the now defunct, 620 spool, (negs the size of postcards-didnt need enlargers then, just a light box), and for £30 I picked up a 5" x 4" MPP plate camera, like the ones the old wedding guys used, black cloth over the head, and it still works.

Theese old cameras, some dating back to early 1900's feel so good, but digital! I use a Canon, but I dont see me collecting any............

Bit like classic cars I think, what today would be a classic car, say in 50 years time? I am sure there will be some suggestions, but I just dont see going to a car museum in 50 years time, and seeing it full of todays cars! do you?

Mind there will always be someone who does collect digital camers, like everything else, there are always collectors!.

[cirks]

despite none of my film SLR kit being iconic models, at least my Pentax Super-A etc still feels, 20 years later, that it would last another 20 years. Now with me looking at moving to DSLR, the Canon 350D, Nikon D50 and the Minolta 5D, all felt like I'd be lucky if they last 5 years let alone 20.

Not only is technology moving at such a pace (together with the associated marketing hype) that there won't be digital icons but do others agree that almost no manufacturers these days are actually interested in making their products last long enough to be iconic ?

[trackcar]

I too have a small collection of older cameras .. nothing special in there particularly, a kershaw penguin that'd probably fetch a tenner at a car boot sale, a voigtlander bessa, a lovely zeiss contina 2a that my dad bought on national service in Cyprus and a few other small-time 120roll cameras that I've bought on impulse just cos i like the look of them. I like them all .. and I like my OM3 that saw me through college, it has great sentimental value - some of the most beautiful people and places I know have cast light through that camera.

I also like my fuji2800 digizoom thingy too .. but only because it's practical and convenient. It's far from stylish, and far from desirable.

In fact the only recent(ish) stylish comodity I have any attachment to is my motorola V70 .. the most stylish mobile phone ever created and I love it to bits.

Iconic status though finished 30 years ago. I can't think of one modern icon.

Sad really.




edited to add piccie of contina 2a, isn't it just stunning?

>> Edited by trackcar on Friday 21st October 08:57