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People already have cameras in their smartphones, and if one really wants a premium camera you're probably going to buy a dedicated camera and not a modular deck one.
If you are already interested in the benefit that having changeable lenses bring- there is already dedicated hardware that is significantly better than anything Valve would cobble together. Just get a mirrorless or an old DSLR.
Honestly if you want to make a film, and have no budget- your phone is a great tool to get started. If you have a small budget, there are prosumer and used equipment available for purchase/rental. If you just want a novel toy using open sources- checkout CinePi.
As far as the modular bit- it's not a bad thing to hope for, but you should remember that the only reason a Nintendo Switch can work in that form factor is because it is using a mobile phone chip technology that was brand new a decade ago. The chip they use was already several years old by the time the first switch got into consumer hands.
Steam Decks will get better and smaller, but it will be several years before they could do something like the switch without getting a lot bigger, or removing a lot of its current capability.
im not considering the "camera addon" as part of the "normal kit", but as a "luxury accessory", because a camera with the option to use pro lenses would need expensive optics and hardware.
The cost of the camera itself could be, maybe, a bit less expensive than most pro cameras (which usually are above 100 dollars, and cost as much if not more than a steam deck), but if it follows the open hardware approach, and valve helps providing documentation like they have done previously with steam controller and steam deck, that could allow the possibility of new and more original "hardware hacks", which could allow also using the "camera addon" with mini-pcs or other diy projects (maybe robotics?).
so, imo i think the potential is huge, even if the audience would be smaller at the beginning. if the camera accessory could work as an "expensive webcam" (with optional lenses), that could also be attractive for many people doing video streaming, for entertainment or education, meaning this could also help to make it more viral and successful.
contradicts this one:
+ Laptops are not very portable. The steam deck maybe is less portable than some small tablets, but is a rather powerful mini-pc with a lot more ram and a fast processor,
+ For diy (usually low budget), film making and small "home studios", is usually very valuable, which is why it has become popular to use compact mirrorless cameras as substitutes for typical webcams, which may be at best barely better than the cameras included in a laptop, or typical tablet.
+ some phone may have optics almost as good a "normal" (standalone) cameras for photography, but thei hardware limits a lot what can be done with them, specially for photography and video.
Now, considering that, if you had something that is maybe a bit bigger than a common webcam, as portable and lightweight as a phone, more portable than most mirrorless cams, and that could be either be used as a standalone camera (linked through a cable to steam deck or another minipc), or placed elsewhere to use it as a webcam, maybe now you can get why it could be perceived as valuable by many people.
Read again what i wrote in previous paragraphs:
my idea isnt about Valve making lenses, or focusing in selling additional accesories for the camera (at least in the biginning).
is about making a camera, following a similar design approach used for the steam deck: most important hardware parts, are made by other companies (cpu, gpu, "disk", etc). If they made the "outer ring" compatible with already commercial lenses used by mirrorles cameras made for canon cameras, and other companies, then if you already own one or more of those you could reuse it (them) with this "accessory".
Mirrorless cameras, and most dslr cameras, share a common flaw: they rarely work great when used for recording long videos and sometimes also for streaming without a few modifications (either physical or in software), which makes the amount of models useful for that purpose small and very limited. The first obvious problem is overheating, because even if they can record video, they are made mostly for static photography (so they rarely have significant improvements in cooling methods, and most are hermetic and never use external air for cooling).
the second obv limitation is both hardware and software limitations that lead to overheating: not very powerful cpu, limited ram cache, and even smaller internal space that, again, for obv reasons never include external air flow for cooling (they are deisgned to be used in open spaces).
the design of the camera im suggesting has significant differences: it would include air flow for helping cooling itself and the steam deck through heat transferring with metal and air, and would be focused for in-door use (so the risk of exposing internal components to water and dust would be extremely low).
Been there, and it isnt true. A phone is never a good option, unless you can afford an expensive one with good optics and decent video quality, which would cost as much or more than a proper second hand mirrorless or dslr, which is why those are hunted by students and hobbyists.
in hardware design is usual that "function follows form", rather than the other way around, at least because of two things: technical limitations, and intended selling price.
the reason the nintendo switch uses a phone chip, is mostly the second: is about as selling as expensive as possible, and producing as cheap as possible. they didnt used more powerful chips, or hardware, not because the form factor wouldnt be viable, but because it would be so expensive it wouldn't be attractive for their intended audience.
The intended audience for this idea im suggesting are not only those students and hobbyists interested in having a more versatile camera for video and indoor use, but also for pro and semi-pro people that want another gadget in their toolbox that could allow more things that cannot be done even with hacks with the hardware available.
maybe you never checked this project:
https://www.apertus.org/axiom
read about it, to understand whats the point of "open hardware". what im suggesting is something that could allow a middle point, a lot less expensive, but similar to "axiom cam" (because the computing power would be provided by the steam deck, or other mini-pc)
it seems you are also unaware that the form factor (in steam deck oled) already has improved significantly internal air flow, which means that if they could improve just a bit more that aspect, adding a few extra ports and cables shouldnt be a issue. the modular design is already viable.
Valve Steam Deck OLED vs. LCD Tear-Down
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jhRh11bTRA
Nintendo Switch Teardown & Disassembly (*7 years ago)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obz5tE1mdV0
Nintendo Switch Joycon Teardown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFRRS-nRZuU
Those features are just gimmicks in gaming handhelds, totally niche, and generally not used by it's user base.
The deck (yes even the oled) is already heavy enough as is, the last thing it needs is another chunking camera on top
Thats was a low resolution toy, never intended for serious use: read what i wrote, before comparing things that are opposite in the intended audience and use.
You are commenting without reading.
Thats not what im suggesting.
Adding a camera functionality adds complexity and cost to a device/system that already has pretty low margins. Building a separate add on would be an even bigger commitment of time, materials and effort.
Valve gets to profit from the steam deck by focusing it on the games they sell. Just like any other console manufacturer, they can sell their console at a loss knowing they will recoup in game sales. What are the amazing camera or filmmaking apps that Valve is selling to offset that hardware?
Davinci is free because black magic wants to sell you control surfaces and cameras. Even their pro license is the cheapest in the game for what it does.
If this is such an obvious and good idea, please explain how valve will make money from getting into this new market? It doesn't seem like they have made VR profitable, and that is tech directly related to everything they had done up to today.
Are you trying to troll me? lol.
i never suggested anything like that: what i suggested is a product they can sell, and be useful for many people. if done well, maybe could sell more units alone than steam decks (ie used with other mini-pc or compatible system).
it could also help to increase the presence of their brand and therefore help sell more steam decks. there are no downsides, in relation to that.
I didnt, and i dont.
i think you misunderstand when to use "niche". what im suggesting here, is for a very big audience, which is used to spend money in expensive gadgets.
The accesory im suggesting is also, if you skipped some sentences, for a different version of the steam deck that would be more modular (therefore also easier to package and transport).
According to who? the steam deck oled is consequence of good sales.
in traditional console market, third party hardware and accesories help to boost sales of consoles. steam deck isnt part of that console market, but is closer to traditional pc market, which has more possibilities beyond gaming.
valve still makes and sells vr technology which is for an actual "niche audience", because to be able to use it you need to own a lot of expensive hardware.
the accesory-gdget im suggesting would be an expensive device, but not as much as a steam deck, and if properly integrated via software, a very useful tool for many people that may not care to play games at all, but still spends money in technology for their work or hobby.
Nope, thats wrong:
they cared first in making a reliable device that could be easy to adopt, even when there are still people trying to install windows in it without trying to learn how to use it first.
Valve was willing to take that risk because they focused in making the technology and the os reliable, using stuff that already existed and had a good record of working.
You are still making the wrong assumption: the reason the steam deck was designed and promoted different to typical consoles, was precisely because valve learn that approach doesnt work and wasnt useful for their own goals (which orbit around selling pc games from other devs).
I dont get how that relates to anything i wrote before. Maybe you think "open source = free stuff".
"open hardware" doesnt mean you cannot sell the hardware. are you crazy? did you cared to read the content of the link i provided, about a similar idea (but more expensive since its focused in pro film making technology),
i have already covered that. you obv also comment without reading or trying to analyse and understand the arguments....
If anyone at Valve actually reads this thread and finds your sales pitch and defense compelling, maybe you will get what you want. I have done my part here- and I don't think anyone who has money, and wants to make more money will find this idea compelling or one that will make them any money.
But I'm dumb and wrong about plenty of stuff. For your sake I hope there is an army of smart folks just like you who want this thing, so you might get it. I don't think so. I promise that Valve worker that I have never met anyone who wants their portable gaming console to also be a camera that can fit expensive lenses. and I promise that Valve worker that I will NOT buy this nonsense if they make it because I already have a couple of good cameras that work great with my expensive lenses. They aren't open source, or made by Blackmagic- but I do use DaVinci (the free version) to do my edits because I'm a cheap fool w/ no budget.
it seems you skpped again some of answers i wrote.
take a fistful of dirt: most people will see only "dirt", but ask a geologist (or someone interested in beginning to study that) maybe would care to see if theres something interesting in that dirt. if that person begins to talk which things could be interesting in there, and you become bored and dont listen, thats on you. You are not "compatible with that topic".
You seem to get things backwards:
no matter the topic, theme, object, etc., to be able to find if theres or not something useful or logical, you need to first start "dissecting it". thats how analysing works: is never a "first glance = i already know if its worthy or not".
To be able to care in doing that for whatever someone presents, specially when you want to criticise something related to it, depends only on you.
You see, if you are unable to do at least that, you are only judging superfluously something, and when you skip sentences and arguments, whatever you comment based in the small fraction you cared to browse, wont be useful to actually point anything relevant or objective, here or elsewhere.
I never ask others to invest in my idea: thats a wrong assumption. I share an idea, in case someone finds it interesting, as is able to read full sentences without skipping, and cares enough to follow what im describing.
My previous answer already proved you commented about things i adressed, but you didnt cared to read. You just assumed something, and commented.
If this was a site like youtube, what you did would be like commenting about the content of a video without watching it completely. That is worse than having poor basic comprehension skills, because you are missing data, rather than only misreading or misinterpreting whatever you actually cared to read.
If thats true, and you have already express you didnt cared to ready everything, then you didnt really care in the first place: you only commented here because what you imagine, from a first glance, was enough to try to shoot down whatever i commented.
you were only invested in telling me how silly my idea was, without caring to visualise it, or understanding where it comes from or the arguments i offered to support it.
Again, thats because you skipped and misunderstood, simple things like confusing or assuming "open hardware = free stuff" rather than what that philosophy is about, which is about helping in improving things related to "the right to repair" and "private ownership for end-users".
Also, i was forced to mix the theme of the "modular steam deck", with the original topic of the "semi-pro camera addon" i started with, because it seems you were unable to understand how a modular form factor based in old technology that already accomplished it, with bigger and less efficient components, is not only viable but obvious.
You are only dum because you choose to act dumb by skipping arguments, and just sharing judgment without first caring to understand the arguments, and searching the meaning of words or concepts you are not familiar with.
again, open hardware is something different to open source, even if related, and free software, in the case of davinci, isnt actually "free software": their model of business is called "freemium", which means you get a limited version of a program with full features when you buy a license to use it.
"free software" is usually open source, which is whi most people confuse and assume the second is always the first one, but thats a mistake: you can make commercial software that is open source, because your business in a service provided throught that program, and you want to allow people to inspect the code to help with bug hunting or learn you are not adding "sketchy stuff" for data mining or worse.
In "open hardware" you are allowing people to get schematics and documentation that helps repairing or making diy variants, without actually losing the monopoly of the original version. you can still be the main source of distribution of the product, and you can limit how third parties can act related to it. So it is also about reducing costs of production, and distribution (because specialised materials and machines to produce precise parts are usually expensive, and not what most people would care to invest, just to make their own special version based in something they downloaded).
im not an expert on any of those themes, but what i already understand comes from caring enough to read the basics, which you obv also skipped.
missing a bolt sometimes can lead to breaking a lot earlier a machine. lose more than one, and you can expect problems sooner.
thats closer to what im suggesting:
imagine than you could take advantage of the computing power of the deck, with a camera that could allow you stuff like recording more frames in less time, useful for slow motion, but without having to spend in a more expensive "slowmo" camera, because you already own half of the expensive parts which are for computing the data.
then if the accessory is compatible with any pc, you could make you own special mount to hold everything as a regular video or photo camera, but which unlike others, you can repair for less money and upgrade or tweak depending in whatever you want to do with it.
You could buy two, and then pair both cameras for making 3d video, or incorporated them to a robot,among other things.
then, related to the parallel topic of the steam deck with a modular design similar to nintendo switch, the main body of the deck would be obv a screen holder, or integrated with the screen, maybe with spaces for swappable modules (similar to the "framework modular laptop"). so, in less words, it would look like a "tablet + removable controller (+ extras)" rather than the current "controller with a screen integrated, as a mini-pc chassis".
so then, if the main body of the deck is part or even a "separate module" that attaches to the screen, then you can optionally use something different to the "removable steam controller" parts for input, and integrate that to other body as holder. That form factor could also easily allow an additional "cooling method" for both the camera and the main body-screen of the computer, sandwiched between them.
meaning the deck would invade a bit the minicomputer market more directly, and be more attractive for people that dont want to announce everyone they are holding a "game console" (because some people worry about stuff like that in a "professional ambient").
also you are asking others to invest in your idea. You are spending a lot of time and effort to convince a tech manufacutrer to make a new product just for you and what you say is a great and big market, but I think is just you and a few others.
Get a CinePi and write an app to use your steam deck to control it. or hack your steam deck and turn it into a CinePi. Then you don't need valve to do anything for you to have what you want.
You apathy about reading my arguments, and properly addressing them, is your own deal.
Im not asking anyone anything: im just sharing an idea that i think is viable and worthy.
If you fail to understand its value, and assume im asking something i never did, thats also your own deal.
Unlike you, i have shared more ideas to valve and steam just because i think it could help improve my experience and of others. i dont and have never expected money from doing that, and i care little to nothing if many are unable to read what im writting, because is meant for those that do read.
Also. unlike you, and to my surprise, some of old suggestions i made to improve steam ui were adopted more or less recently (the notepad like mini app in steam overlay), and im sure it was based in my comments, because i think only another user suggested similar features to what i described. the mini-app does a bit more than what i suggested, which is cool.
Also unlike you, weeks before the steam deck was confirmed, and most people were speculating about a new steam controller, i described how valve could and should make something that matched the description of the deck (a minipc with the form aspect of a controller with a screen integrated, similar to other devices that already existed, like the "sega game gear")
So, what im suggesting here, is just following the same approach: taking an idea that already exists in other context, and remix it a little with something i think make sense, and which i have supported with similar arguments (btw, most people also tried to shoot down my suggestion or wish that valve should make something like the steam deck, until it became real, so again, i dont mind you are from the group that dont like to visualise things).
Am i really doing that? Can anyone here claim is a "tech manufacturer"? Why you keep making new comments, if you dont care about my arguments, lol.
Lol. this is a public forum, that devs hardly care to read, or waste time in. If anyone happens to find this specific thread, and find anything useful in what i commented, i think thats great, if not, i dont mind:
im just sharing my opinion without silly expectations. May influence someone, maybe not: is just like a message in a bottle.
You are still missing the point, because you are only reading fragments rather than full sentences.
btw, i write, because it entertains me, and i like to occasionally find new ideas and comments from people that like to think about stuff, rather than just discarding or shooting down something they cannot understand.