Video Cameras?

I'm glad I don't manufacture or sell video cameras. Actually I'm glad I don't depend on any hardware, the lesson I learnt years ago in the mainframe computer industry is just how hard it is to compete in the global hardware market. Of course IBM sold its once all conquering PC business to the Chinese company Lenovo and just this last week it is said Sony have found a buyer for their laptop product line. Not so long ago I saw Sony as the Microsoft based alternative to Apple, with well designed hardware almost as attractive as the Mac product line.

Then, yesterday, I saw the 30th anniversary video on the Apple website. The subject matter is a glossy, colourful and (in fashion terms) exciting catwalk show. Lots of trendy people, lots of swishing clothes. The subject matter didn't interest me, what impressed me is that the whole movie was shot on a collection of iPhones. Believe me the video lacks nothing, it is broadcast quality with lots of clever tricks. As the movie develops you get snippets of the way iPhones were used - clamped to standard tripods, hoisted on clever poles, mounted in pairs and groups, pointed and fired simultaneously. With great results.

Some years ago I was party to producing a business plan for a small video business - weddings, local business promos. The cost of decent cameras was the main item. A few years ago a passable video camera was £1500. How many iPhones would you get for that? Four, five? then there was the cost of video editing software, and training.

Do you think in a few years time we'll be thinking about buying dedicated video cameras? Or perhaps using multiple iPhones to work alongside or maybe even replace the now standard video recorder? Yes, today I'm glad I'm about to fire up the computers and start work on our photo scanning service.