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The Photokina organizers had a meeting in Japan and DC.watch posted some of their slides. As you can see from these very interesting graphs the camera world is changing a lot! Not only do company have to face an economic crisis but there is also a change on the kind of devices used to take photographs. The graph do show us that:
– Non Pure Photographic devices are selling more while the classic camera sales are dropping
– DSLR sales will remain stable while there is a small growth expected from the mirrorless system camera sales for 2014.
– A small surprise is the huge increase of the premium compact camera market
– The compact camera market is dramatically shrinking
And there are still so many changes about to happen. For example how much impact on the camera market will devices like Google Glass have?
24 Responses
Good to see the growth in the Premium Fixed lens segment. For many applications, there’s a lot to be said for the greater DOF given by a smaller sensor, and of course the greater zoom range available in a compact package. With the “death” of the compact segment, it would be easy for IQ to remain staic in the smaller sensors, which would be a shame.
I think that the Sony R100/R10 models based on their 1″ sensor are a good
compromise between larger sensor quality and smaller sensor convenience. I must
say as a mFT user { E-M1/GX7} at low ISO [ under 800ISO] which makes up most of
my shooting , the RX10 delivers excellent results. To be honest I probably use
it more than my mFT gear , mFT wins for low light when I want faster lenses and
for macro. The rx10 is quite large I wonder if they could have an even faster
lens covering a narrower focal range, a nice 24-80mm { EQUIV} F2 , would be a
sweet option.
The 1” sensor is large enough to give decent results { at lower ISO } while being small enough to allow for some interesting fixed lens options.
Yes, people tend to obsess about sensor sizes but if you really compare the outputs the differences are minor. You are far more likely to ruin your shot with bad focus than using a 1″ sensor. Another thing to consider is the output medium – pictures are likely to end up down-sampled on Facebook or Flickr anyway, therefore obsessing about “micro contract” is useless. So, the real question is the balance of flexibility, portability and price. I like the flexibility of the interchangeable lens camera, on the other hand, I’ve missed many shots twiddling with it and pulling it from my bag.
I’m looking at an A2 sized print on my wall (24″ on the long size), taken with a Panny superzoom (1/2.3″ sensor). I think it was an 8MP camera (lost in 2009). I couldn’t ask for more from the print, and it’s of a very busy woodland scene. Most of the things we need from cameras were available some time ago.
well Don people have different tolerances of what is good enough. Sure if you stick to base ISO, in decent light it is posssible to get a good final print from even a 1/2.3″. Deviate from that and you struggle with poorer noise, poorer DR , lower resolution etc etc
Photographers need proper devices, kids need compact superzooms – agreed. M43 has no place in between, especially at those prices.
There are wonderful images made with every kind of camera from p&s to MF , A look through any major photo sharing site will clearly demonstrate this. Unless you shoot in very specific niches { low light sport ?, ultra large prints etc} , one can achieve excellent results from any mFT camera, there are areas where mFT out does larger sensor cameras notably video. It is an expoensive and bulky endeavor to outperform the best Panasonic mFT models for video.
Some more nonsense from our “DonTom”. Buy a compact superzoom, then come back and lecture us on “the right tool for the job”. Particularly, you can lecture us on tools LOL.
It seems like people who used compact fixed lens cameras has decided to move to premium fixed lens cameras (not mirrorless at this time).
I think this is a reason why Panasonic has tried very hard on the GM camera, and they also provide the small but high quality like Leica 15mm/1.7.
very interesting
I see a number of people who use mirrorless or DSLR buying premium fixed lens cameras, mostly as second cameras or out of curiousity, but a few moving that way as their main camera. After all, premium fixed lens cameras offer very much the same thing that attracted many mirrorless buyers – high image quality from a compact, highly portable system.
The graphs show at best microscopic growth in mirrorless , the ever optimistic/unrealistic posts by admin get a tad tedious.
The relative growth is quite important while the absolute one is not really there.
He probably comes across as overly positive, but he needs to create interest, after all.
As far as unrealistic, how so? The mirror is going the way of the dinosaur if you ask me, its only a matter of time. I think we will essentially be left with cell phones for casual snappers, and mirrorless for photo buffs. The question will be which type of mirrorless you prefer- high IQ fixed lens, or interchangeable lens mirrorless.
i have no doubt that long term , mirrorless will replace the DSLR . But based on actual data fulll year 2013 { http://www.cipa.jp/stats/documents/e/d-2013_e.pdf }. We are no where near that , in fact last year approx 80.8% of shipments were DSLR’s, that is actually a small increase in DSLR market share in 2012 { http://www.cipa.jp/stats/documents/e/d_2012_e.pdf }
However I seriously doubt that it is mFT that will inherit the earth. In the end it does not have a large enough sensor to win the image quality race. Nor, does it have a small enough sensor to make anything but slow kit zooms or a pancake prime truly compact.. I can honestly see the Sony 1″ sensor taking a larger chunk of the market, considering that the Sony 20MP 1″ is just its first gen sensor it is as good as the best mFT regarding , colour depth and DR and less than a stop behind the E-M1 at high ISO.
What is this constant compulsion by some mirrorless fans to declare the death of the DSLR? After six years the DSLR companies are still the only ones profitable. You’d think there’d be a sign by now.
Who cares? May all cameras survive.
This constant declaration of Death smacks of desperation, smacks of Cultishness.
it is the situation nOT TO MOVE NOWHERE……
2014 the hypa hypa mass hsyteria 4k runns full, so you get
the Panasonic g6 for 300,-$ in shops…. hm?
Its only a forecast (the part of the graph which concerns 2014). What will actually happen is really unpredictable….
So, some clueless kid made a chart, and some even stupider kid took a bad picture of it. I am still not going to buy M43, it is crap. You non-photographing guys go ahead, buy more of these toys…
Stupid cretin of a troll. Why do you not piss off and post your crap elsewhere.
Throughout my life, I have never come across anyone who has made such statements and excelled at their chosen specialty, profession, or chosen artistic outlet. My guess is that you just suck at photography as an art form. But you excel at taking boring un artistic and technically better images. I know, I know….you think you are an undiscovered genius and your ego says otherwise but no….you suck.
Steady shipments of SLRs consistent growth of MILCs…. Shrinking P&S sales as many users migrate to fixed lens specialty cameras (read underwater/superzoom) or just use their phones … No surprises here.
I’m not surprised the premium compacts’ share is growing since it’s the only camera format where the point and shoot concept can survive by outclassing smartphones yet offering a meaningful utility advantage over interchangeable lenses.
If Canon were to make a 7D with a hybrid VF like the X100/s, that would be the Number One selling camera. I would buy one.
And Mirrorless may make improvements, but I think it’s mostly Fuji and Sony, not Olympus and Panasonic. The X-T1 is still hard to find and the A6000 is very affordable and Sony is king of mirrorless in the States, with Fuji making a run for the lead.
M43 needs to lower it’s price in order to survive. It’s asking for a lot, really. Drop the overall prices of M43 AND spend Millions on Marketing. It’s very difficult.
What is premium fixed lens high zoom. Is that like Sony RX1 ? No zoom ?