Are DSLR cameras going extinct

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Tdarcos
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Are DSLR cameras going extinct

Post by Tdarcos »

Not seeing a base covering photography, and knowing Jonsey's (and other people here) love of photography, I thought I'd pass on this article I stumbled upon, recommended by Pocket on the startup screen of Firefox.

Are DSLR Cameras Going Extinct?
Amid rumors that Nikon is joining Canon in winding down development and production of DSLR cameras, a look back at the history and impact of the DLSR—and where it’s headed.

July 30, 2022 - by Christina Cacouris
Last December, Canon announced that they would be shuttering development and production of the DSLR sometime in the next few years. “The market needs are acceleratingly shifting to mirrorless cameras,” Canon’s CEO and Chairman Fujio Mitarai explained in an interview. As the largest producer of digital cameras, Canon’s announcement sent a shockwave through the industry—and this July, rumors began to swirl that Nikon would soon be following Canon’s lead, and similarly discontinuing their DSLRs.

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Tdarcos
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Re: Are DSLR cameras going extinct

Post by Tdarcos »

Oops, accidentally posted before editing.

Full article: https://www.blind-magazine.com/stories/ ... ket-newtab

My own opinion:
When you can buy a video camera that does 4K video, or multi-million pixel still images, for around $120, it makes little sense to try to sell a camera that really can't provide a better image for $500 and up.
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Flack
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Re: Are DSLR cameras going extinct

Post by Flack »

I wrote about this at length somewhere a few months ago, but can't remember where.

My college journalism professor once said something about photography that I quote every time the subject comes up. "The best camera is the one you have with you." There's no arguing that DSLR (and analog) cameras can produce stunning results, but the average person doesn't carry one of those around with them all the time.

It is inevitable that the quality of cell phone camera lenses will bypass what is found in DSLR cameras. In 5-10 years, people using DSLR/film cameras will be viewed the same as those who listen to vinyl albums and grind their own coffee beans.
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Re: Are DSLR cameras going extinct

Post by AArdvark »

I miss having a viewfinder and being able to change lenses. The current method is generally aim in the direction while squinting at the subject ( because it's too bright to see the screen and the eyes aren't what they used to be) and take a half dozen shots. Then fix everything in post-production and pretend it was as satisfying as composing a shot the old way

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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Re: Are DSLR cameras going extinct

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Tdarcos wrote: Sat Sep 24, 2022 5:02 am When you can buy a video camera that does 4K video, or multi-million pixel still images, for around $120, it makes little sense to try to sell a camera that really can't provide a better image for $500 and up.
I think DSLR cameras will go extinct because mirrorless ones are where we are headed, but I understand that Canon and whoever still support a range of lenses? One thing I know is that the amazing lenses made in the last 5 years will never become affordable. The gorgeous 1500 ones and up will never, ever lose value because that is how the world works, unfortunately. (Although they won't lose value if sold to me, if I try to sell a lens the bottom suddenly falls out.)

So one thing that is being sold is the mirrorless camera, which still does use a variety of lenses. That's a change analogous to when people stopped using film to "write" the images and used SD cards. If I continue with photography for another 10 years, I'll probably have to ask if I want to pony up for the new mirrorless hotness with lenses or what.

I can't see people coming to photography meetups or shoots with phones though. I just can't. There is an expectation problem there. I'm trying to think if other industries have it - not sure. If I hired a producer for my band's music and I didn't get an album, I'd be ok with it, right? So perhaps this is unique to photography. If a bride and groom spend thousands of dollars on a wedding photographer, that photographer can't show up with just an iPhone. There is no way to look professional throwing around a Samsung 10 or whatever.
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AArdvark
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Re: Are DSLR cameras going extinct

Post by AArdvark »

It would be cool to have some kind of blank camera body that Bluetooths to your phone so all you have is an eyepiece and lenses. The photos would just go into your phone.

Hmmm, I bet they have this already ( no google)

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Re: Are DSLR cameras going extinct

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

AArdvark wrote: Sat Sep 24, 2022 1:59 pm It would be cool to have some kind of blank camera body that Bluetooths to your phone so all you have is an eyepiece and lenses. The photos would just go into your phone.

Hmmm, I bet they have this already ( no google)
Canon had a way to wirelessly connect a phone to the camera I have. I think I used it when I was in Milwaukee with Roody, that was the only time. It has the typical problems with software and hardware that everything else does - download an app for your phone, create an account, oops your password isn't long enough oops your password needs a special character, now go to your email to confirm your registration, find the spot on the camera where you turn the Bluetooth connectivity on, no that's not in, that's not it, go to the website to see what menu it's on, what's my model number for my camera, oops I was looking at the menu for the wrong camera, put the camera in connection made, back to the phone, spend 20 minutes trying to get it to connect with the camera sitting right there, oops gotta shoot RAW and JPG for this to work, etc.

Bluetooth is fine when it works, but it should have been a hardware toggle switch for on and off.
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Re: Are DSLR cameras going extinct

Post by Flack »

Going back for a minute, the article I read said that cell phone cameras aren't as good as DSLR cameras because they can't take in as much light due to their smaller size, and that someone figured out a way to artificially amplify the light in these smaller lenses and once that's affordable technology it's game over.

Last week I watched two different films (I'm sure there are countless examples) where one of the major plot points involved people waiting around for a picture to be developed. Hollywood's going to have to update their schtick.
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Ice Cream Jonsey
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Re: Are DSLR cameras going extinct

Post by Ice Cream Jonsey »

Flack wrote: Sat Sep 24, 2022 9:42 pm Going back for a minute, the article I read said that cell phone cameras aren't as good as DSLR cameras because they can't take in as much light due to their smaller size, and that someone figured out a way to artificially amplify the light in these smaller lenses and once that's affordable technology it's game over.
You still need a lens if you want to control the elements of the exposure triangle, though, right? I guess I need to read the article. Because "artificially creating light" is what Paul thinks God did, because Paul revealed himself to be our most superstitious member.

You can create a light source for more light. Well, that's a flash.

You can gather more light. Well, that's shutter speed. Also, don't jiggle your phone, but I guess "software" could account for that.

You can change the ISO. But you get grain. I guess "software" could account for that.

I dunno man. I will go read the article because artificially creating light doesn't seem, er, possible unless you are Dazzler.
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Flack
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Re: Are DSLR cameras going extinct

Post by Flack »

I don't know if this is the exact article (this was all announced last summer) but this is the gist of it.

Sony: Smartphone photo quality will overtake DSLR cameras in 2024
https://www.hardwarezone.com.sg/tech-ne ... meras-2024
"Further backing the claim of smartphone imaging overtaking DSLRs is a new “two-layer transistor pixel” breakthrough for CMOS sensors. Instead of manufacturing the photodiode and transistor layers on the same wafer, the new manufacturing process separates those structures to allow more light captured (when compared to conventional back-illuminated image sensors), said Android Authority."
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nessman
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Re: Are DSLR cameras going extinct

Post by nessman »

We took a trip out west this summer and I had both my DSLR with 10-20mm, 18-555mm and 70-300mm lenses. I also have a Google Pixel 6 Pro phone.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1dGWXRZjbr4g8kyr6

Open up the info on the pictures and you can see what I shot with what (the stuff lifted off FB was from my GF's iPhone) with some limited EXIF metadata.

I probably took half the pictures with the DSLR and the other half with the phone. Photo quality wise, they're head to head.

The differences are the DSLR is great for when you want to shoot manual with nice long or wide angle lenses - and I do dig the 10-20mm wide angle lens for the scenery/landscapes. But these days - the cameras in the phones are fantastic point and shooters, and the 4x optical zoom on the Pixel 6 Pro is pretty impressive... but you'll never get the 'control' with your pictures that you can with a DSLR.

Put a Google Pixel camera in a DSLR body with good manual controls to override all the auto this and that, and well, TAKE MY MONEY!

I haven't delved into the mirrorless world - other than some decent Panasonic Lumix cameras with Leica lenses - but they're not interchangeable. I still prefer the standard DSLR/SLR look/feel - but that's simply what I'm used to.
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