If you think that you have a high-tech camera that can do practically anything, just wait until you see what the future holds. Camera developers are working on features that will make it easier than ever for amateurs to take high-quality photographs. In fact, you’ll probably see some of these four technologies in the near future.
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Instant Tagging
Tagging your pictures is a good way to keep them organized so you can find the ones you want later. You don’t even need fancy software to do this. With something as simple as Windows Photo Gallery, you can tag the objects and people in your images before you upload them to social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. Of course, you can keep the tagged photos on your hard drive instead of sharing them with the world.
While tagging photos is useful, it takes some time and effort, since you have to add the tags manually. In the near future, though, it’s likely that your camera will tag images automatically. If software knows how to identify common objects like flowers and buildings, then it can create applicable tags without your help. Eventually, your camera may even use facial-recognition software to tag photos of your friends.
Wi-Fi Connectivity
Today’s digital cameras rely on cables to connect them to your computer. This wired connection makes it possible for devices to exchange large amounts of information quickly. Soon, though, you won’t need that cable, since there will be plenty of powerful Wi-Fi digital cameras available.
At the moment, adding Wi-Fi connectivity to a camera would make it too big for consumers to use comfortably. As technology improves, though, expect to see more Wi-Fi cameras appear on the market. This will make it possible to download files to your computer from anywhere within your network’s range. It could also mean that you can use your laptop, smartphone, or computer monitor as a viewfinder while recording video. Instead of trying to use a small LCD viewfinder, the camera will stream video directly to a larger screen. However until this is possible, there are still plenty of digital cameras with large viewing screens available now.
Voice and Biometric Commands
You may think that point-and-shoot cameras couldn’t get much easier to operate. As the name suggests, all you have to do is point the lens and click a button. But what if you didn’t even have to click the button? That’s what voice and biometric commands would offer.
Cameras with biometric and voice command features would make it possible for you to take pictures without so much as putting your finger on a button. Instead, you would just wink your eye to take a picture or squint to zoom in.
Taking pictures could be so much easier, especially for people living with disabilities. Instead of struggling to push a button while holding a camera still, users could simply say “snap” or a similar command.
This technology would also be useful for people without disabilities. If you have ever rushed to join a group photo before the shutter clicks, then you can imagine how much easier it would be just to tell the camera to take the picture when you’re ready.
Take Pictures in the Dark
Taking pictures in low-light conditions has always been a challenge. As long as you have complete control over your camera’s shutter speed and other variables, you can theoretically take pictures in the dark. Getting a good image, however, often requires leaving the shutter open for anywhere between several seconds and several hours, depending on the light conditions and the subject.
You can also use infrared technology to take pictures in the dark, but those cameras are prohibitively expensive. Besides, they don’t really take the kinds of pictures that you would want to share with friends since they’re usually grainy and lack color.
As camera manufacturers strive for better light sensitivity, it’s likely that future cameras will be able to take color photos in the dark without the extra effort. There are already prototypes that do this, but no one has developed an affordable solution. Eventually, though, someone will find the right combination of features to make this possible.
While it’s impossible to predict exactly when cameras will use these emerging technologies, it’s almost certain that they will eventually become commonplace. In the meantime, keep your eyes open for advanced features that will make cameras easier to use.
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