Types of Cameras: The Camera Belief System

The modern camera today has grown in droves and styles to the point that the object has grown its own belief system. The emergence of new ways to capture light has caused the creation of denominations among many of its enthusiasts, many frantic, many fanatical over the culture heralded by their choice of camera.

Your soul is mine...
For Instagram purposes

Cameras and the spiritual have had ties since the very beginning, where many people once believed that having your picture taken meant having your soul literally stolen from you.

Below are some of the types of cameras, based on their established denominations as well as the myths and legends behind them; cooked up by the minds of Point and Shoot (Satyr Warning).

After that, be sure to try our Camera Denomination Quiz

 SLR Guys

"Bigger is Better"

The SLR Guys pride themselves as king of the sensor wars. One of the oldest denominations of photography in this list with over a hundred years in existence, they pride themselves as the few who have lived through the ages of the darkrooms and film.

SLR Guys have types of cameras that bodies that are as heavy and rugged as they come.  With a century of existence also comes the widest range of lenses and accessories among all denominations.

SLR’s have a broad history in them. One of which is their battle and eventual triumph over the twin reflex cameras of days gone by.

Many fundamental traditionalists of photography, as well as serious photographers can be seen bearing the SLR banner.  The large base of following for SLRs have both played roles in uniting, as well as dividing this large denomination.

One such division can be attributed to the “purist” revolution of photography.

The digital-purist revolution (False Renaissance) occurred sometime during the early days of the arrival of digital photography and The Great Price Drop. Both aforementioned events caused an increase in young individuals to join the SLR following. Many traditionalists believed that the Great Price Drop and the Digital Revolution were threats to the very balance and traditions that their SLR’s stood for, eventually leading to the Purist Revolution. 

Some believe that the SLR and DSLR following should be separated entirely because of this.

Today, SLR  Guys enjoy their peak in the realm of professional photography, holding the title as the number 1 gear of choice. Many new photographers are initiated into the SLR belief, but the rise of new denominations of photography has recently contributed to a decline in the olden tradition with the emergence of new types of cameras.

The Mirrorless People

"Life Without Mirrors" 

Though not as new as many may think, the Mirrorless People take their ties from the early rangefinder cameras during the film era.  The term mirrorless grew in popularity though in the digital age during the mid 2000’s with their father camera, the Epson RD-1.

Unlike SLRs,These types of cameras draw their belief and strength by harnessing a balance between portability and sensor size. They have been preaching that one day, technology will evolve, eventually bringing down the SLR market.

“A day will come, when image sensors shall no see no more bias in size, age or camera brand signaling forth the birth of a new age of camera without Mirrors” – Mirrorless Prophecy

These prophets profess this mainly through the arrival of many state-of-the art smaller cameras that offer full frame capabilities without the use of mirrors.

The Go Pro-er

"Worshipers of Action and Movement"

To the Go Pro-er, idle hands are the devil’s workshop. For them, living the moment is equally as important as capturing it.

Not since Mcguyver have you ever seen versatility come from such a small gadget such as the GoPro. The belief is so impactful that these types of cameras are the only denomination in this list confined to one brand.

The youngest of the belief systems here, Go Pro-ers are the men and women of adventure and action. Legend has it that it’s founder Nick Woodman was approached by the Australian surf goddess of the sea during one of his vigils, and it was there that he was endowed with the knowledge and wisdom to create a system suitable and pocketable enough to capture the waves and its surfer’s in the most up-close manner possible.

Today, Go Pro-er’s capture extremes far beyond the seas as many have taken upon the skies, the air and even dark caves.

Compact Wielders

"Portability and Simplicity"

Compact Wielders compose a majority of the photo followings of picture takers ever since the first Great Price Drop.  Compacts have gained a following by many of the common folks primarily for its portability, practicability and price range.

These types of cameras have gained a massive following. Though not as devout as the other denominations in our list, amassed a large crowd from the late 60’s to the late 90’s, reaching a point where virtually any urbanite owned or used at least one compact camera in his/her lifetime.

Almost everyone growing up under the Compact Era, whether they admit it or not, started out as a compact wielder, eventually moving to other systems of belief when they reached the age of maturity. (The age when you can buy your own stuff).

Dark Age of Compacts

Alas, the standard held by the compact wielder as the best selling type of camera was rivaled in 2000 with the advent of the camera phone, making many compacts to never see the light of day as they were shelved in the darkest corners of closets or bargain stores collecting dust.

Reemergence of the Compact Wielder

The compact camera has seen a reemergence these past few years with the aid of technology. Though no longer holding the top shelf as the number one camera for the average person, it has taken on a mid-ground in between enthusiast and hobbyist.  Compact Wielders pride themselves in the affordability and compatibility that today, draw the line between Iphonographers and Mirrorless People.

Though the Compact Wielder’s glory days have past, it still has a following large enough for a belief system.

Iphonographers

"Everything at your tips" 

Though these types of cameras is not limited to the late Steve Job’s Iphone, the term quickly grew more steam in 2007 primarily for being one of the first camera phones to capture camera worthy images.

The father of camera phones was SCH-V200 of Samsung, which was capable of taking up to 20 photos at .35 megapixels. The invention was the first mark of the compact downfall. In time, the mobile phone gained the favor of technology and soon enough, cameras were the new staple to mobile phones.

Iphonographers emerged with the rise of the Smart Phone Era, where the combination of affordable mobile internet connection, better camera sensors and Instagram all played a part in creating the Iphonographer system of beliefs.  

Iphonographers are the worshipers of technology. It has birthed their generation, and though that, they prosper in droves. The trend has gained popularity in quick and easy documentation as well as notoriety from what many critics mark as the end of privacy.

The Iphonographer today is what the Compact Wielder was in the past. Ask a child to bring you a mobile phone without a camera and they will be dumbfounded. Regardless, it is a popular term around the world, even enjoying a Wikipedia article referencing its namesake.

What other types of cameras created a following big enough for a religion? Got any more that we've missed? hit us on the comments or contact us.  We'll do our best to add to our list.