A well thought out article from a real Pro, Ming Thein ...and read all the comments!
http://blog.mingthein.com/2013/08/24/the-demise-of-the-dslr/
http://blog.mingthein.com/2013/08/24/the-demise-of-the-dslr/
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ALL DSLR's- will soon be as dead as the Dodo bird
- Thread starter DavidH202
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DSLRs are here to stay. They're just not for everyone, and for those who prefer something smaller, lighter and more discrete, M4:3 is a nice solution. Much better than a point and shoot.
But DSLRs have value and qualities that outweigh (pun intended) their so-called disadvantages. There is nothing ... absolutely nothing ... like shooting with a well-thought out DSLR, particularly full frame. The best of the best micros don't even come close to the shooting experience and image quality of even a Canon 5D Classic.
Roger Engelken
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The article is indeed well written, the same can not be said of the title of this thread. If someone prefers a smaller or mirrorless body, that is their choice. Likewise, if someone prefers a larger body, that too is their choice. Making a pronouncement in the thread title such as you did is at best disingenuous. The author in his article makes a sound and reasonable argument for his position, as he sees it. That is good. It will not sway everyone, no argument ever does. But proclaiming something dead as a dodo bird, well that serves no purpose than to antagonize and incite others.
For the record, I am trying out the E-P5 this coming week, and I am looking forward to the release of the EM-1 in the coming months. There are many opportunities where carrying around lighter and versatile equipment would be a blessing. In the end, to each their own, try and recognize that, it will make life much more enjoyable and rich.
Craig from Nevada
Forum Pro
The question is whether Olympus will make one?
Seems that question had already been answered. Besides, that's NOT the question. The question is more general than that and, as stated in my post, DSLRs are certainly here to stay. If for no other reason: big hands weren't made for M4:3 and little hands weren't made for E-5s.
Craig from Nevada
Forum Pro
I agree that the question has probably been answered regarding DSLR. My heart hopes for one more for some of the users here. My head says such a step by Olympus would be complete folly.
More important, the answer has been provided to the most important question--there appears to be a decent path for FT users to upgrade their cameras and continue to make full use of their lenses. This path is not a DSLR and it doesn't have to be.
daddyo
Forum Pro
Your reply is a very well stated and reasonable response.
Folks are way too uptight about this whole issue, and the OP's subject line certainly invites abrasive responses.
God Bless,
Greg
www.imagsimphotos.com
www.mccroskery.zenfolio.com
www.pbase.com/daddyo
Folks are way too uptight about this whole issue, and the OP's subject line certainly invites abrasive responses.
God Bless,
Greg
www.imagsimphotos.com
www.mccroskery.zenfolio.com
www.pbase.com/daddyo
Is Olympus the only manufacturer that is on the verge of producing a smaller smarter camera that can shoot it's legendary lenses as good as their larger DSLR's??......John
As good? Maybe. Better? Probably not. I think it's more of a take it or leave it marketing thing now. If m4/3 does well they will all be duplicated in that format eventually I would imagine.
A traditional DSLR/SLR is a camera design that usually follows along the lines of the 35mm or medium formats (full frame, cropped, four-thirds or otherwise), has an optical viewfinder of proper size and brightness (usually a pentaprism) and comes in a very wide variety of models that cover the full range of photographic needs and user types ... from amateur to full-time working professionals ... from fast action to static subject matter ... small hands to big hands ... ISO 50 to ISO 112,000 ... battery life for up to thousands of shots ... lens mounts that can handle the smallest to the largest, longest lenses, etc.
In other words, the main if not distinguishing feature of the traditional DSLR is the ability to scale the SLR design up or down depending on who the target customer is. I have yet to see a large, substantial piece of mirror-less gear that can shoot 10 frames per second and that can handle 800-1200mm lenses. Mirror-less does not scale up very well, and the EVFs on mirror-less ... as good as they are ... are no match for a properly designed OVF, particularly when shooting fast action.
Mirror-less has its place. SLRs have their place. Television did not replace movies. Vinyl did not replace leather. Instant coffee did not replace coffee beans. Mirror-less will not replace SLRs.
Craig from Nevada
Forum Pro
Sony is working hard on the problem. The Nex system is good and has a very good adapter that compensates for the dearth of E mount lenses. As with all things there are trade-offs
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With those definitions, I can understand your claim from one point of view. A mirrorless body to hold an 800-1200mm, NFL sidelines or PGA golf event style lens does seem sort of silly. Saving a few grams doesn't seem worth it if all you're going to do is tack on the same lenses anyways.
Smaller sensors enable smaller lenses. Instead of an 800-1200mm lens, one could work with a 400-600 mm lens that's half the weight, possibly faster focusing, lower cost. But someone has to build it, and until that someone is Canon or Nikon with the professional service organization ready to support top professionals, that may not happen. So yes, for those use cases dslr's could be here for a long time to come.
But for others, and I include myself among them, the extreme specifications are rather meaningless. I don't need ISO 112,000, a battery life measure in 1000's, or a 1200mm lens. For that group mirrorless may not only have a place, but ultimately provide a better result at a lower price. We'll see, probably sooner (i.e, next few years) rather than later.
Olymore
Senior Member
So the people that do need 1200mm lenses will have a few specialist cameras around that do that.
The 99% that don't will be using smaller cameras with smaller lenses and predominantly they will be mirrorless.
I used to shoot 6x6 and 6x4.5 film. I can still buy a digital medium format camera but it is a niche and expensive item.
It's the same with APSC and M43 sensor size. In ten years we will be having discussions about whether we need these when smaller 1 inch sensor cameras and lenses are good enough for most people (arguably they are already)
BTW there are already mirrorless cameras that can shoot 10fps. The Nikon1 I believe can exceed that.
The 99% that don't will be using smaller cameras with smaller lenses and predominantly they will be mirrorless.
I used to shoot 6x6 and 6x4.5 film. I can still buy a digital medium format camera but it is a niche and expensive item.
It's the same with APSC and M43 sensor size. In ten years we will be having discussions about whether we need these when smaller 1 inch sensor cameras and lenses are good enough for most people (arguably they are already)
BTW there are already mirrorless cameras that can shoot 10fps. The Nikon1 I believe can exceed that.
dave gaines
Veteran Member
You can't believe everything you read on the web. This article begins with a photo of the Nikon D6100. The author is not a professional photographer with formal training in art or camera technique. Reading the "About" section of his personal blogsite it's easy to see he's 26 and has been a photog full time for about a year and a half. Ming Thein resides in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, trained as a physicist, graduating from Oxford at 16. He's not your ordinary creative artistic mind. He worked in corporate M&A (managment and admiistration?) for 8 years, most notably, McDonalds, and eventually left that last year to pursue a passion for photography. He's a 20-something kid with a blog.
It's just an opinion from a wanna-be, wrapped in a blog, found on the web.
Yes, this thread title is misleading. The OP may have meant to stir up trouble where he/she has seen controversy over the m4/3 versus 4/3 camp.
It's just an opinion from a wanna-be, wrapped in a blog, found on the web.
Yes, this thread title is misleading. The OP may have meant to stir up trouble where he/she has seen controversy over the m4/3 versus 4/3 camp.
Craig from Nevada
Forum Pro
Other than the author's credentials, what do you think about his argument?
G
GeorgeH
Guest
Nah, I don't so think so. Just as a lot of things we might we thought was going to be dead, V8, medium format, etc. They continue to exist due to market demand. There will be a market for DSLR users as long as there are photographers who like big cameras.
M&A <=> Mergers and Acquisitions
Umm ... interesting credentials, are they not? Nothing wrong with a fresh perspective, especially when it is plausible, fact based, and rationally presented.
If anything, rather than too radical I think he may be too conservative. The commoditization of photography is only getting started.
For what it is worth, the only issue I'd have with this article is that it doesn't step back far enough to consider the overall commoditization of the camera industry. As gear heads hanging out on DPR, it's easy to loose sight of the fact that cameras most folks buy are highly sophisticated components being sold for less than $20 as part of their phones.
Whether or not its your cup of tea, photographically speaking, the fact remains that these devices can deliver acceptable quality photographs very, very cheaply. And that the software and operating systems for these devices are now in the hands of third party developers.
Sure, the very high end of photography will demand performance that can't be achieved on commodity devices. Just as there continues to be a market for mainframe computers decades after Intel became the dominant producer of computer processors. But that's a niche market. There is going to much more disruption of the mainstream camera industry before the dust has settled and the real winners and losers are known.
Whether or not its your cup of tea, photographically speaking, the fact remains that these devices can deliver acceptable quality photographs very, very cheaply. And that the software and operating systems for these devices are now in the hands of third party developers.
Sure, the very high end of photography will demand performance that can't be achieved on commodity devices. Just as there continues to be a market for mainframe computers decades after Intel became the dominant producer of computer processors. But that's a niche market. There is going to much more disruption of the mainstream camera industry before the dust has settled and the real winners and losers are known.
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