Interesting that a younger market should be thought to be a good area to explore.
When I was younger I had little spare money for use in buying optional luxury goods such as cameras. Far too committed to getting a career together, settling down, getting a roof over our heads and starting a family and all that this entailed - "a camera" meant "instamatic" (aka present day "mobile phone camera").
It was only after the financial hump that I explored a cheaper end slr body and a few lenses. It was then only years later with adult family self supporting that I crazy-dipped into the photography interest that I had always wanted to try but never had the money to properly do so.
Then I spent most money on 'proper cameras' (aka dslr kit) and it was only when I realised:
1) that the image is only possible if the camera is with you at the time; and
2) that the 4/3 sensor made quite good-enough images
~ when I finally realised that buying into the larger format 135 film format kit was not really necessary
~ what was once great for the film manufacturing industry was now great for the digital camera manufacturing industry as it was a good excuse to sell kit at premium prices.
M4/3 prices of course were generally quick to catch up for their own premium kit.
. Perhaps we are all doomed to go through a similar process?
I don't think later generations are or will be any different. By the time we have both time and financial capability to invest or children's inheritance in an optional, expensive, hobby such as photography we become this demographic.
We should always leave the door open for new blood but let's not think that there is a huge younger generation out there with significant spare money to invest in a photographic hobby that will save M4/3. They are all too busy keeping up their time payments on their mobile phones.
The time will come when they are older and have more uncommitted funds they might have more spare time to spend on forums such as this one.
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Tom Caldwell
