Working in the Digital Age

In 2008, the Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera (DSLR) was improved in its ability to capture not only good quality still photographs but in its ability to capture high definition video in the invention of hybrid still/video cameras. Canon came out with this model called the 5D Mark II, in its advertisement, it reads the “compact, lightweight and with environmental protection, EOS 5D successor boasts a newly designed Canon CMOS sensor, with ISO sensitivity up to 25,600 for shooting in near dark conditions.” Professor Nordell emphasizes in his video titled Working in the Digital Age “with one camera you have this ability to do stills and video. The imagery from this camera, it’s a 21-megapixel camera- so a lot of detail there… could just produce really high quality.”

Image of 2008 Canon 5D Mark II
Photo Source: https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos5dmarkii

As opposed to the previously mentioned Leica 35mm camera (refer to post titled “Pre-Digital Photographic Technology for more information) which was invented in 1924 and ran off of 35mm film the Canon 5D Mark II captured in pixels. In the era of utilizing film cameras, the photographer or photojournalism would have to bring multiple rolls of film to continually capture photographs. The Leica had the ability to capture 24-36 pictures before needing to replace the film with an empty one which took longer than the replacement of a disc in the digital era. When replacing the compact memory card (which could be reused once the photos were developed), it was a simple insert of the card rather than having to wind the film to ensure that it was in the reel before they took it out. Another advancement that the hybrid still/video camera possessed was that it took quality color photographs that did not have to be still like the black and white photographs taken with the Leica camera.

Film VS. Digital
Photo Source: https://nofilmschool.com/2013/12/film-digital-go-head-to-head-in-this-stop-motion-video

Although there were numerous differences that the advancement in the hybrid still/video camera and the Leica 35mm camera entail, there are similar qualities that both these cameras held. As Professor Nordell describes the Leica camera in his video Before There Were Pixels Part 2, “more surreptitious” allowing for the picture taken to be hidden the same concept could be applied when using the Canon 5D Mark II. The Leica camera definitely more petite but both cameras are portable to be used and made transportation of technology much easier. In doing this, these cameras allowed photojournalists to be able to document events in real-time and make for better unbias evidence of an event. Another similarity that both of these cameras held was that they both utilized a single lens. Professor Nordell explains the lenses used in a DSLR camera in his video Working in the Digital Age Part 1, as “when I look through the viewfinder, I’m looking directly through the lens so I can see or know exactly what I’m going to get when I’m framing the picture.” Allowing photojournalists the quicker ability to take a photograph that was worthy of sharing instead of continuously blindly capturing photos until they took a quality photograph. The lens in the Canon 5D Mark II was in fact a DSLR, the Leica camera had a single lens as well. This single lens in the Leica 35mm was the first of these cameras that had a lens that could not be changed.


Overall the Canon 5D Mark II camera shifted photojournalism in adding the ability to capture well rounded photographic images still and in motion. Not only on the technological end of the digital era impacted photojournalism, but it also changed the mindset of these photojournalists as well. Much of the work produced was done much quicker with the use of digital cameras and also went from cutting and pasting to put together physical products for assignments to the ability to upload and outline the assignment online. The transition from film to digital cameras held negative and positive effects on the job market. The production of these hybrid cameras made for the photojournalism industry more competitive to capture the best image and to get media jobs to hire. In fact, photojournalist Edmond Terakopian in his interview with canon states, “I had never been interested in video and had even lost work as a result.” A positive and or negative in the job market that was affected by these cameras was included as Professor Nordell points out that the hybrid still/video cameras “are now being used to make Hollywood movies.”