Consumer camera makers must be frightened by the smartphone industry. This year we've seen the release of phones with amazing built-in cameras—the new Apple iPhone 4S and HTC Amaze 4G come to mind—that will undoubtedly convince their users to leave their stand alone digital cameras at the crib. So what's a company like Canon or Nikon to do when people would rather use their phones than a point-and-shoot? We think they should holler at Artefact Group.
The Seattle-based design firm dedicated to "creating a preferable future for humanity" has come up with an interesting take on the future of stand-alone digital cameras. The WVIL (Wireless Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) concept. It combines the touchscreen interface and application platform of current smartphones with the interchangeable SLR lens model. What you get is a device that looks like an iPhone mixed with a Sony NEX-5.
Watch the video and head to the Artefact Group website for more info.
[viaGigaom]
