Well, the big players Canon and Nikon keep showing their back to the mirrorless world. Imaging Resource received a message from Canon USA confirming that they do “not have plans to sell the EOS M2 (in US) at this time“.
I believe Canon and Nikon will bring serious mirrorless cameras only if Sony and Fuji will manage to erode some of their DSLR market shares. And this is not happening yet.
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The erosion process may have already started this year with the fuji xt1 the highest ranked camera priced above $650 on Amazon. Ranked 29 it sits above canon 70D (41) and canon 6d (48) the only other high end cameras in the top 60.
True, and I think that sony a6000, with its super-fast af and it’s aggressive pricing, will also fare well. Both fuji and sony are going the right route: high iq, very fast af, big buffer, light and small bodies.
Amazon rankings are as fleeting as the wind. If the X-T1 still outranks the 70D et al once it’s been in the market as long as the others have, then we’re talking. Until then, it’s like dpreview’s top camera list: dominated by hype, mostly.
Canon and Nikon have invested so big into DSLR’s and they are large oil tankers very hard to move – Top heavy as well – they rather dictate what people get rather then what people want –
Eventually they will have to do something – Nikon tried with the J series and Canon with the EOS-M1 – the EOS-M1 was in my eyes a disaster, AF was terrible and no manual controls –
The Fuji X-T1 proves the point that people want manual controls – at least those who are a bit more than beginners – Those who are happy with the Green Auto button and want something better than a point and shoot have flocked to Sony 3&5&6 – which provide good image quality hand have had decent focus speed –
However Sony has not produced any fast Zooms showing they are not marketing to more than beginners and and intermediate users – their new A6000 at $800 with a kit lens will continue where the NEX6 left of – a solid seller for that market –
So Canon is still not listening to what users want – the Canon EOS-M2 has faster auto focus but still no manual controls – so I guess intended for beginners and in no way a statement that Canon wants to compete in the upper mirror-less market.
So Canon managers are telling their upper management that the sales of the EOS-M1 just proves that people are not interested in lighter and smaller cameras that still have APS-C sensors – which is bogus.
I do think that there are many beginners and intermediate users that would rather buy say a Panasonic GX7 or Olympus OMD-em10 or the Sony A6000 or Fuji X-a/m series – over the larger Rebel’s for example if they just where introduced to them – and they are all sub $1000 – that market still thinks that size matters –
The more advanced users and semi pros and pros do not need as much convincing or introduction and they are the once flocking to the system camera or mirror-less market –
I have been using DSLR’s for years and I am so glad I discovered mirror-less cameras – although I started out with a Sony NEX5n – which has nice IQ and was so light and small but no manual controls – so I got the Sony NEX7 and thought it would be better with the controls, yes and no, Tri Navi but still horrible menu system and no Touch LCD – but then I discovered OMD-Em5 and later Panasonic GX7 which is my favorite camera to use –
So little by little I think mirror-less will gain more popularity – so we are OK as long as Fuji and Olympus and Panasonic do not go under –
Exactly. The Fuji is overpriced in a world where you can buy DSLRs plus a zoom lens- a DSLR with a larger format, more megapixels, faster operation, better image quality with greater resolution and dynamic range, better battery life, superior viewing, for less than a third of the price of the great Fuji X-T1 body alone.
With this fact alone even a caveman can tell which the way winds will blow.
>>>not have plans to sell the EOS M2 (in US) at this time
do not have plan … not equal to never…… if Canon was closed or etc… then it will be true NEVER…
also…. You may have some parallel import goods…. From e-bay etc….
Ha – Fuji has “eroded” my Nikon shares! When I got my X-E1, I feared my Nikon days were numbered. Three Fuji primes and an X-T1 later, and the last bit of Nikon gear is going as soon as Fuji’s 50-140 ships. Hanging on to my D700 and 70-200 for a little tele work during soccer matches, and then it’s outta here.
Canon are having problems with their under US$3000 bodies. Other than selling accessories for the under US$1000 bodies, they don’t make any money from that group.
They tried to make a lot of money with the EOS-M and people saw through it and only bought it at US$300 instead of US$800. They won’t try that again. I doubt most anyone will miss it when Fuji, Olympus, and Panasonic have interesting, good equipment.
Canon is a profitable company and is making money selling photo equipment. Its strategy is working and it shows good potential for being around selling cameras for the long haul. Unfortunately, Olympus, Panasonic, Fuji are losing money because people just are not buying their equipment. It’s a matter of time until they fade away, unless something changes drastically. If it does, we are not seeing it yet. The popularity of Canon among consumers just blows them away.
Canon’s mirrorless is doing well in some markets. Arguably better than Panasonic or Fuji.
Ditto with Nikon, who remains profitable. The difference is that Nikon’s mirrorless is doing better than Canon, Panasonic, and Fuji. Heck, Samsung may be selling more mirrorless than Panasonic and Fuji.
At this rate, within two years the remaining mirrorless vendors will be Sony, Canon, Nikon, possibly Samsung.
Anyone interested in where Canon, Nikon and the rest are going should read Michael Reichmann’s article in Luminous Landscape – http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/nobody_knows_anything.shtml. Not only has he put into print much of what I have been thinking, but his view of the overall New vs. Old technology is both insightful and prophetic.
Apologies – Reichmann’s article is entitled “Nobody knows anything”…….!
Really interesting article and think it’s right on.
Really interesting article and think it’s right on.
I’m curious what language on this planet can equate the quote:
“not have plans to sell the EOS M2 (in US) at this time”.
and come up with a statement of:
“Canon EOS M-2 will never be sold in USA!”