Sony Interview at Cameradiner

[alphaomega]

Frankly I think that questioning Sony about any more A-mount DSLRs is futile. It would appear that they are frantically working on improving the current EVF quality (if this rumour has any validity)

(SR3) New 3,8 Million dots EVF for the NEX-7n?

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/38-milli ... he-nex-7n/
So if the NEX-7 upgrade has such an EVF it will follow in a successor to the SLT-77 and 99 plus whatever Sony releases at the higher end of the scale.
Sony is a funny outfit. They bring out these fine models and get awards for design here http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/plenty-o ... -for-sony/
and at the same time they put a plastic mount on the A58 to save a few pennies. Truly amazing. There is no true upgrade path and an understandable range of products. The NEX-6 comes out with the new universal flash mount and excellent video, but no external mike although the mount apparently has sound provision. I am still waiting for a mike and wondering when Sony start becoming coherent in what they do. My guess is that I will still be waiting in five years time.

[Atgets_Apprentice]

I remember this live "Q&A" starring guess who

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRcHz9oHQ3Y

To be fair to the guy I don't know him at all, I'm sure he's a nice bloke. I asked questions before and I know DK knows Paul pretty well. Stony silence on things as per expected. I get the impression that most Japanese companies are just like this, pretty bad at connecting with customers/users. Just about every Q&A avoids answering the questions you want to hear, that goes beyond Sony to other makers too. But right now I suspect Sony are the maker who is least in tune with it's customers.

I think it's honestly the way they work, they do xyz...and if you don't like it tough luck!

That's the very one!

[David Kilpatrick]

Cameradiner offers free video material on the web, including live shows, and actually has more than one person doing it (Paul works with a camera operator) and some investment in gear. Paul is an ex-Sony executive who presumably was on £40-50k a year.

There's only two ways a Cameradiner programme gets made - Paul makes it for fun, for free, and earns nothing significant (50,000 view on YouTube means very little - I have one single video with over 45,000 views and I have yet to earn my fortune from YouTube ads... maybe £100 or so a YEAR from everything I've ever done!); OR Paul charges sponsors to be the subject of vidcasts.

Since he is still looking reasonably well-fed and happy, I have to assume that people pay to appear on Cameradiner, and not just as advertising support, but actually to do the show. Like a trade B2B magazine advertorial feature.

From this all other conclusions follow.

David

[Greg Beetham]

In light of that David it does seem a little strange judging from other people's descriptions, (I don't have the download capacity to watch it) that the Sony guy seemed to be ill at ease, you'd think if Sony hired cameradiner to do a presentation they would be really enthusiastic in the whole thing.
Greg

[bfitzgerald]

Maybe he was having a bad day the Sony guy!
It didn't come across that well if we are honest.

Watch the Fuji guy in the previous video, calm, relaxed seems mostly on the ball with his knowledge much more enjoyable (and useful for watchers)
On the Sony video Fuji had ads so obviously they would have paid for those.

[David Kilpatrick]

It's possible that the Sony one was an early pilot using his contacts with Sony. Also - I don't know who is making Sony's own pretty mediocre video dems... Paul was before he left Sony.

All I can say is that I don't understand his income model. Compare his figures to Peter Bargh's ePhotozine and they are nowhere - but even ePhotozine has had real problems trying make video clips pay. It's also as hard as trying to make a living selling photographs on the web. When you are outnumbered ten to one by people doing it free, getting fees able to support a couple of staff becomes extremely difficult.

David

[bfitzgerald]

I think I understand it the model. He knows he needs to get xyz no. of viewers (probably quite a lot) then more advertising which is easier with more views you can charge higher rates with big viewing numbers. It's a gamble of sorts but then so is every business.

If you wanted to open a shop you have to re-fit it, stock it with whatever you are selling, pay the rent/rates, bills etc. Requires quite a substantial investment and most will go to the bank for that. Then you need xyz no. of people in the door to break even and over that it's your profit. With a photo studio you have a similar issue you get more revenue with increased presence in the high street, but have costs to maintain it. One reason I think most photographers now work from home, you have low overheads your expenses bar some equipment are mostly advertising and basic stuff like phone/internet, maintaining a web presence is not costly either.

With cameradiner I think it's probably located where he lives (maybe an outdoor building or in the house) he worked at a fairly senior position in Sony so we assume he got paid well for that and got a decent redundancy so that covers the cost of the video gear and fitting out the place to shoot easily. Some folks also have multiple sources for an income it might not be the main source at the moment.

I look around and see a few people who do seem to be doing ok. Jared Polin's (http://froknowsphoto.com/) site sells clothing and he charges for appearances at events, he has referrals for well known purchasing sites, sells DVD's with tutorials etc. I find him a bit annoying but he gets views and probably manages to live off that no problem.
Youtube can be funny at times, I see one working photographer from Australia who is doing photo reviews and thatnikonguy etc etc. Obviously he's probably not quite as busy as you might think for a working photographer (else he's not have the time to do those videos)

A college professor once told me if you can't earn a living doing something (ie photography/video or whatever) then earn one teaching people how to do it! I've seen many photographers broaden their field to try to get additional income and that is one way of doing it. But there are quite a few doing it that's the problem. I suspect DPR don't make a profit (they can't with their staff costs alone) With cameradiner it's really a numbers game for him.

[Birma]

The last two Camera Diner shows, featuring Focus On Imaging, have been really interesting. These are special shows; Sunday and Monday night, with two more, tonight and Wednesday. In the roughly hour long show each night there have been 4 or 5 looks at different stands from the show, featuring things like lighting, backdrops, supports etc. rather than camera bodies. Interesting enough to make me go and investigate the firms further on the web (never heard of FLM tripods before!).

Scott Kelby has obviously made his online TV show work, but I guess he is driving business toward his training stuff.

[Chris Malcolm]

I suspect that Sony haven't decided what the future of the A mount should be, and feel it would not be proper managerial behaviour to say so.

[bakubo]

A college professor once told me if you can't earn a living doing something (ie photography/video or whatever) then earn one teaching people how to do it!

Yes, a time tested formula. Just take a look at all the books, videos, seminars people put on to teach people to make tons of money in the stock market, real estate, or some other way to get rich. The people who do these things, the successful ones, are often rich, but they usually got rich from teaching people, not from doing what they are teaching. Anyone thinking of spending money on these things should keep that in mind.

[David Kilpatrick]

I met Paul at the start of Focus when he was doing the Sigma stand. He was working with one cameraman using a Fig Rig and DSLR, but Cameradiner itself is equipped with eight consumer type small Sony video cameras. I'm not sure if it is his spare bedroom or not.

I was wrong about my figures - my video on the Sony NEX mount adaptors is up to over 80,000 views. That's the problem. It took me exactly the time to make, that it takes anyone to watch it, and it cost exactly nothing in facilities or staff. I guess if I find myself with nothing to do I can go down that route but make it work better (I've bought a tungsten video studio kit).

Do people really watch or view things which have a fixed transmission time before being accessible as recordings? I've never once watched any of these webinars or live casts (except to check what they are) but I watch many recordings and visit many websites - at times of my own choosing, with planned intentions or a pressing need for info. Sop far all of Paul's Csmeradiner broadcasts have been on when I have been doing something else - which is about 90% of my waking time anyway!

He's now remarried (or re-unmarried, not sure, as she still uses her own name) to a lovely lady from Croatia, who was I think a member of Sony's team there at the time of the NEX launch I attended in Split. She's in the UK with him and I've never asked, but she may well be working for Sony Europe as the company is very flexible with mobility between countries. He seems a lot more cheerful than he ever was when working for Sony and clearly happy with his business plan. So it must either be supporting him OK or running on schedule to build a high value brand. I like his graphic identity for it.

David

[bfitzgerald]

I watched some of his new focus on imaging videos (only parts not all of them) and they are quite useful/interesting. I have not had a chance to watch that many of the shows overall so it's possible the Sony guy one was a bit of a blip or one of the weaker ones.

I would not watch live shows often. I do subscribe to Netflix (and yes on demand is where things are going no questions about it) but it's not a problem with watching videos on youtube later on. I've not registered on his site either (not sure there is a reason to either)
Actually I do like the format, the opening is slick with the video and mood with the guitar music. No problems with the "Diner" aspect even if it's a bit USA slant ish I appreciate his audience might not be just the UK.

It could take off, but it will take time and I hope it works out for him. I've always felt people should do what "they love doing" and if he's into this and enjoys it then I wish him the very best. There is nothing more tedious in life than being in a situation where you are working and get nothing from it for some folks working for yourself is the only way to go.
I would assume the "live show" aspect is simply to get questions/comments from people who are watching the show.

[bakubo]

The only live thing I have ever watched on the internet is the 1 hour Adobe/Blurb bookmaking webinar a couple of weeks ago. The only reason I even bothered was because it turned out to be at a perfect time for me here in Hawaii. It was in the morning at just the time I tend to spend some time at the computer doing email, reading news, etc. Also, I didn't know that it would be available later for viewing -- something they said right at the end.

No problems with the "Diner" aspect even if it's a bit USA slant ish I appreciate his audience might not be just the UK.

Maybe, Camerapub would be good.

I respect people who try to make a go of their own business and I wish him the best of luck. Paul, David, and others have to work hard and have lots of motivation to make a living. There are lots of others and even the person many love to hate (KR) gets respect from me in this regard. Unfortunately, when you are your own boss it is sort of hard to do the following when you are unhappy with your job:

Johnny Paycheck - Take This Job and Shove It

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzGoDtmTllg

[Wes Gibbon]

Interesting enough to make me go and investigate the firms further on the web (never heard of FLM tripods before!).

I saw the FLM tripods at the show and I was impressed. I don't know where you can get to see them now that the show's finished - I tried following up their suppliers in the UK but couldn't find any that stock the tripods though the ball heads were imported before. The distributor is Snapperstuff.

Regarding the main topic of this thread - I doubt if you will get anyone from a traditional Japanese company like Sony to give out any information at all without authorisation by a VERY HIGH LEVEL COMMITTEE. Once they've ALL agreed, no individual will get the blame if it turns out to have been an error of judgment. The Sony guy in the interview would only be allowed to regurgitate what's already been agreed and is in the public domain.

[DrScottNicol]

For those wondering how Paul is making money off Camera Diner, apparently he isn't! In a rather strange but honest segment on the show at the end of March, he spoke live on air about the fact that he had failed to bring in enough advertising revenue to cover costs (including staff) and he was going to take a short break to look at his business model and decide if it was viable or not - he hoped to be back on air soon but also stated that these last few episodes might be the end of Camera Diner.

I liked Camera Diner (and Paul seemed a nice enough chap) but always struggled to see how it was going to be viable (short of it becoming a breakout sensation and receiving hts in the 100s of 1000s on a weekly basis). It sat in an awkward space between 'bloke with webcam' and proper low budget TV show - clearly better (and costlier) than the former but not quite reaching 'true' TV production standards. The shows were mainly infomercials but were at times quite useful and normally entertaining.. but very niche. For example, I learnt a bit about 3rd party inks and what the differences between paper types were from the fotospeed show but an hour show devoted to that is not exactly going to threaten (insert your favourite primetime TV show here) in the viewing ratings .

I wish him all the best - being made redundant is never pleasant but he took that blow as an opportunity to try and take his passion for photography and make a business of it by trying something different - and hope he is able to keep it going in some shape or form but I suspect the current format just isn't commercially viable.

Scott