INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
It's fair to say the camera world has changed a bit in the last decade
Back in 2010, our idea of a cameraphone was the Nokia N8 and drones were still military aircraft.So which photographic trailblazers have got
us the most excited in the last ten years? It's a tough choice that had be narrowed down from a longlist of dozens of contenders, but after
a fiery debate we've narrowed them down to this list. Whether they stood out for their design, innovative features or all-round
performance, these are the 12 that really rattled our shutters, sharpened our snaps or generally inspired us to reach for questionable
photographic hyperbole.The great camera evolution (2010-2020)Before we head into the list, it's worth looking at exactly where we've come
from since 2010. At the start of the decade, we still relied on compact cameras for our everyday snaps, while getting excited about
features like 3D video and inbuilt projectors (yes, really), which have since fallen by the wayside. First appearing in 2008, the
mirrorless revolution was only just beginning in the early part of this decade
By the end of it, it’s fair to say that while they haven’t quite killed off the DSLR just yet, the diagnosis is pretty
terminal. There's also been the unstoppable march of the smartphone
Early cameraphones like the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 and Nokia N8 were surprisingly capable in a hardware sense, with 8MP and 12MP sensors
respectively and features like 720p video at 30fps. But it's the computational photography spearheaded by Google's Pixel phones that has
really taken smartphones well beyond compact cameras and into the territory of so-called 'enthusiast' cameras
Of course, there are still many reasons to buy a dedicated camera, whether it's DSLR or mirrorless, not least the image quality when viewing
or printing photos at larger sizes than a phone screen
Over the next decade, though, we expect smartphones to further challenge the traditional camera, DSLRs to become a thing of the past, and
for prices to come down as the technology starts to plateau. Until then, here in chronological order are the 12 cameras, phones and drones
that have taken photography to new heights in the last decadeSamsung NX10 (2010)(Image credit: Future)Why it was exciting: Big sensors come
to small mirrorless camerasYou’d be forgiven for forgetting that Samsung was once a big player in digital cameras
You’d also be forgiven for thinking that it was Sony who pioneered the mirrorless APS-C format. But it was Samsung's APS-C mirrorless
cameras that paved the way in this area
The NX10 was the first, bringing a 14.6MP sensor and HD (720p) video recording in a form factor that was reminiscent of DSLRs. It doesn’t
sound like much on the verge of 2020, but in 2010, it gave us a taste of what was to come – even if eventually Samsung bowed out of the
market altogether with its last released in February 2015.Up until then, mirrorless cameras made use of smaller sensors that were inferior
to DSLRs – Samsung showed us that a smaller body didn’t necessarily need to be a compromise.Fujifilm X100 (2011)(Image credit:
Future)Why it was exciting: Well, just look at itBack at the very start of the decade, Fujifilm was stuck in the doldrums
Once a giant of film photography, it had lost its way and was pushing underwater compact cameras, 3D technology and other niche
products. Introduced at Photokina in September 2010 and released in early 2011, the X100 is the camera that changed it all for
Fujifilm. Yes, it was still niche – an APS-C sensor in a “compact” camera with a fixed lens and a high asking price – but it
showed what the company was capable of
It demonstrated the fantastic image quality that the rest of the X-series has since demonstrated, as well as showing off new technologies
that the company had developed, including a hybrid optical / electronic viewfinder.Today, the X range boasts a large number of different
options, which have rightly proved hugely popular with both hobbyists and pros
The X100 is where it all started.Sony RX100 (2012)(Image credit: Future)Why it was exciting: The compact camera was rebornNamed as one of
the best inventions of 2012 by Time, the original Sony RX100 was a true innovation when it first came to market. It featured a one-inch
sensor inside a pocket-friendly compact camera – something that had not been before
Until then, image sensors inside compact cameras had always been small and low in power.At this point, Canon had pretty much sole control of
the 'premium compact' market, with its popular G and S series models
Here was a new rival which promised to make it much less of a compromise between high image quality and portability. Such was the
popularity of this camera, we’re now in its seventh iteration with the Sony RX100 VII, with a new version turning up pretty much once a
Over the years, various other innovations have been made, including 4K video, super-fast frame rates, a longer lens and an inbuilt
retracting viewfinder – but to this day you can still buy and make good use of the original RX100. Nokia Lumia 1020 (2013)(Image credit:
Future)Why it was exciting: It was the big bang moment for today's cameraphonesIf you were expecting to see a Pixel or iPhone in this list,
we don’t blame you, but it’s arguably the Nokia Lumia 1020 that was the original cameraphone game-changer.Where the likes of iPhone,
Google, Huawei and Samsung now tread very familiar territory in pushing their phone camera tech, we can trace a lot of that back to the
Nokia Lumia 1020.It used PureView technology, which works by oversampling pixels to bring out finer detail and work better in low light
The sensor was a whopping 41 megapixels at a time when others were barely going above 8 (in fact, the iPhone is still only 12), and also had
a Carl Zeiss lens. Easily considered the most advanced 'cameraphone' (a phrase we don't hear so often these days) at the time, it was
perhaps the first nail in the coffin of dedicated compact cameras.Leica Q (2015)(Image credit: Future)Why it was exciting: A magical
combination of full-frame and fixed lens compactFujifilm had already proved there was a big appetite for super-large sensors in compact
The next logical step – a full-frame sensor – came courtesy of the Sony RX1, just a year later, but it was the Leica Q that made the
concept truly desirable.By including features like optical image stabilization in the 28mm lens, a touch-sensitive screen, a very usable
electronic viewfinder and fast autofocus, it jumped to the top of every street photographer’s wishlist.It’s only recently that the
original Leica Q has been replaced with the Leica Q2, while the latest Sony variant is the Sony RX1 II
But the original Leica Q still stands tall as one of the decade's classic cameras.Canon EOS 5DR (2015)(Image credit: Future)Why it was
exciting: Super high-res sensors go mainstreamBy the middle of the 2010s, mirrorless was the big story in cameras, but Canon clearly hadn't
got the memo. It was still mainly devoting its attention to DSLRs and, keen to show that there was still life in the old format yet, it
launched an exciting duo of full-frame models that broke the 50 megapixel barrier for the first time. It was only recently that this
barrier was broken by the 61MP Sony A7R IV in 2019, with the Nikon D850 coming fairly close with its 45.7MP sensor (see below).The Canon EOS
5DSR showed the world that super high-resolution sensors were truly achievable in bodies that weren't professional-only bricks.Olympus PEN F
(2016)(Image credit: Future)Why it was exciting: Micro Four Thirds becomes goes big on desirabilityThis one’s a slight curveball, but the
Olympus Pen F has made our list for one reason – it marked the point when we started to take Micro Four Thirds cameras as serious 'main'
cameras, rather than backup or travel models.Arguably, the first really good compact system camera was the Olympus E-M5 Mark II, which
brought with it some truly appealing specs and even made professional photographers sit up and take notice.But it was the PEN F that showed
us it was not only possible to include a range of high-end specs, but also to make the design of the camera a key selling point. Panasonic
GH5 (2017)(Image credit: Future)Why it was exciting: A truly brilliant video/stills hybrid cameraA camera that appealed to videographers
but also held lots of goodies for stills shooters, the Panasonic GH5 is still a great option a couple of years on. With a durable build and
plenty of 4K video recording capability (including being able to shoot at 60fps), it was – and still is – the ideal model for the new
breed of 'content creators' that aren’t strictly tied to one type of output. Later, a sister-model for the GH5, the GH5S, was announced
as an even-more video-centric model, with its expanded 4K options including the ability to shoot DCI 4K at higher frame rates.Nikon D850
(2017)(Image credit: Future)Why it was exciting: It was, and still is, the best DSLR ever madeIn a world that's rapidly moving away from
DSLRs, the Nikon D850 remains resolutely popular camera, particularly among professional photographers. Launched on Nikon's 100th
anniversary, it included a 47.5MP sensor that answered the demands for high-resolution photos, while at the same time being more than
capable at capturing fast-moving action
It also became the first DSLR to achieve a score of 100 points from independent analysts DxOMark.A durable and well-built body met the
demands of working professionals, while it also offers the kind of battery life that, as yet, mirrorless cameras can only dream of.DJI Mavic
Air (2018)(Image credit: Future)Why it was exciting: It put pro-level aerial photography in the hands of non-prosIt’s hard to remember a
time before drone photography and videography being an everyday part of the media landscape
Hardly a TV production these days seems to be complete without a dramatic overhead shot. Where once you’d have had to hire a helicopter
and crew for the day, ever-accessible drones brought this kind of shot to the masses. And for those without film budgets, the DJI Mavic Air
bought that same capability into the hands of us ordinary consumers, too
Hitting the sweet spot between affordability and high image quality, it’s still one of the best drones you can buy if you fancy trying
your hands at aerial photography. Sony A7 III (2018)(Image credit: Future)Why it was exciting: It brought full-frame to the
massesFull-frame sensors were once the reserve of professionals – or at least those with plenty of disposable income. Sony’s A7 III
changed that, bringing the large sensor to an audience that previously might have found it out of reach. A 'basic' or 'entry-level' model
with all the image quality of something far more complex, it shows that you don’t always need to invest huge wads of cash to get something
that produces fantastic image quality. There’s also a range of options that would once have attached extra zeros to an asking price,
including 4K video, in-body image stabilization and a very capable AF system. Fujifilm GFX100 (2019)(Image credit: Future)Why it was
exciting: We can think of 102 reasons We finish our list with a medium format camera that was announced at Photokina in September 2018,
making its way into stores earlier this year. Not content with having a sensor that's 1.7x bigger than its full-frame rivals, this
supersized beast also gives you a huge 102 megapixels to play with
And to think that we once considered 24 megapixels to be a high-resolution offering.It’s true that this is hardly a camera for the average
person, but it’s certainly not as expensive as you might assume
For working professionals producing billboard-sized imagery, it’s a good contender, while it also gives well-heeled enthusiasts huge
bragging rights too. 9JjHbYamVdSjRLSmUcrBxm.jpg?#
