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If you’re a photographer hoping for exciting camera announcements at CES 2025, you might want to adjust your expectations. Digital Camera World’s latest piece cuts through the usual tech hype with a straightforward look at what photographers can (or can’t) expect from this year’s biggest tech show.
The truth is, CES 2025 is shaping up to be another reminder that the photography industry is changing fast. Camera manufacturers seem more interested in showing off AI tech and VR gadgets than new cameras and lenses. It’s not that there won’t be any photography gear at CES 2025 – there will be – but it’s definitely not the main attraction anymore.
Take Nikon, for example. Instead of launching a new mirrorless camera, they’re showing off a pretty wild mix of tech. They’ve got a specialized camera for NASA’s lunar missions (which is cool, but not exactly useful for your average photographer) sitting next to a robot system that helps restaurants track food orders. It’s like Nikon’s trying to tell us, “Hey, we’re not just a camera company anymore.”
Sony’s booth this year tells a similar story. While they might have some photography gear tucked away somewhere, they’re putting most of their energy into PlayStation stuff. And Canon? They’re going all-in on mixed reality applications, which might be interesting for tech enthusiasts but doesn’t help photographers looking for their next camera body or lens.
This shift isn’t coming out of nowhere. Camera sales have been dropping for years as smartphones get better at photography. The big camera brands are basically doing what they need to survive – branching out into more profitable tech areas. But for photographers who’ve been attending CES for years, it’s a pretty big change.
What’s particularly interesting about Digital Camera World’s take is how they point out this isn’t just about companies chasing trends. The article suggests we’re watching a fundamental transformation of the photo industry. These companies aren’t just adding AI features to cameras anymore – they’re reinventing themselves as broader technology companies.
For photography enthusiasts, this means we might need to start looking elsewhere for our gear news. Photography trade shows like CP+ in Japan might become more important for actual camera announcements. CES 2025 seems more focused on showing us where these companies are headed in the future, rather than serving photographers’ current needs.
The article wraps up with some real talk: if you’re a photographer primarily interested in cameras, lenses, and traditional photo gear, you might want to skip following CES 2025. You’re probably better off waiting for photography-specific events where companies are more likely to announce gear that actually matters to photographers.
Want to dive deeper into what this means for the photography industry? Head over to Digital Camera World’s website for their full analysis. It’s a good reminder that while technology keeps moving forward, it doesn’t always move in the direction we expect – or want.
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