What lens mounts will survive?

dansamy · 12-23-2013, 02:36 PM

With all the recent talk about impending doom & smartphones obliterating the compact digicam market, what lens mounts do you think will survive the inevitable market contraction of interchangeable lens cameras?

aoeu · 12-23-2013, 02:41 PM

All of them. They all fit Micro 4/3.

As far as third party makers are concerned the native 4/3 are at risk.

**jatrax** · 12-23-2013, 02:43 PM - **1 Like**

M42?

dansamy · 12-23-2013, 02:47 PM

By survive, I guess I should clarify that I mean continue to be in production.

**boriscleto** · 12-23-2013, 03:12 PM

With the release of the A7 & A7R I think the writing is on the wall for the α mount.

Eulogy · 12-23-2013, 03:31 PM

EOS, F, K, Alpha and M4/3 - These are the ones I see making it more than a decade. Q, Nikon 1 and EOS-M mounts seem...dismal.

philbaum · 12-23-2013, 04:06 PM

Here's a listing of all the mounts out there:

Lens mount - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Noone's mentioned the e-mount, Samsung or Fuji mounts. How about medium format cameras. I have no idea.

dansamy · 12-23-2013, 04:08 PM

Eulogy, I thought Sony was moving more towards the E mount, not the A mount. Either way, I see Sony picking one & making a smart adapter for customers to still use the other mount on their new cameras.

TaoMaas · 12-23-2013, 04:23 PM

M43, Canon, Nikon. If there's any others, Kmount will be first.

**jatrax** · 12-23-2013, 04:29 PM

As far as 'survive' I have lenses made in the 1950's that work just fine. As far as stay in production? Who knows, look where we were 25 years ago. Where will we be in 25 more? Maybe none of the existing mounts will still be in production. Really depends on what technology is introduced.

Maybe a new sensor technology that eliminates the need for separate lenses. Maybe a new sensor that has better IQ than FF in a Q package. Or maybe a new EVF that is so clearly superior to OVF that the OVF and the mounts associated with it just die overnight.

Interesting to speculate.

I can say that the viability of K-mount is about 10x better than what it was in 2009 or so. I think the odds at that time on whether it would be around for 5 more years were about 50/50.

jogiba · 12-23-2013, 04:59 PM

Originally posted by dansamy

Eulogy, I thought Sony was moving more towards the E mount, not the A mount. Either way, I see Sony picking one & making a smart adapter for customers to still use the other mount on their new cameras.

There is no way to use E mount lenses on A mount bodies but the E mount works with 99% of the DSLR lenses out there using low cost adapters.

Action Jackson · 12-24-2013, 09:25 AM

All mounts should survive. Not impressed with cellphone "photography".

Clavius · 12-24-2013, 09:30 AM

Originally posted by Action Jackson

All mounts should survive. Not impressed with cellphone "photography".

I can't agree more. Even though I prefer some systems over the others, the more choice we as consumers have, the better. What I'm afraid is though, is that the "weakest" mount will perish. The third party manufacturers already seem to have made up their minds.

dansamy · 12-24-2013, 09:49 AM

That's what I'm concerned about. That the weakest, least popular mounts will cease to be produced and supported.

Clavius · 12-25-2013, 04:00 AM

But is the camera market really that bad? All I know is that more people own interchangeable lens camera's then ever before. The booming growth might have slowed down a bit, but thanks the extent of the doom.

12-23-2013, 02:36 PM	#1
dansamy Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,450	What lens mounts will survive? With all the recent talk about impending doom & smartphones obliterating the compact digicam market, what lens mounts do you think will survive the inevitable market contraction of interchangeable lens cameras?

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12-23-2013, 02:41 PM	#2
aoeu Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 496	All of them. They all fit Micro 4/3. As far as third party makers are concerned the native 4/3 are at risk.

12-23-2013, 02:43 PM - 1 Like	#3
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	M42?

12-23-2013, 02:47 PM	#4
dansamy Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,450 Original Poster	By survive, I guess I should clarify that I mean continue to be in production.

12-23-2013, 03:12 PM	#5
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,473	With the release of the A7 & A7R I think the writing is on the wall for the α mount.

12-23-2013, 03:31 PM	#6
Eulogy Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick Photos: Gallery Posts: 632	EOS, F, K, Alpha and M4/3 - These are the ones I see making it more than a decade. Q, Nikon 1 and EOS-M mounts seem...dismal.

12-23-2013, 04:06 PM	#7
philbaum Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Port Townsend, Washington State, USA Posts: 3,659	Here's a listing of all the mounts out there: Lens mount - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Noone's mentioned the e-mount, Samsung or Fuji mounts. How about medium format cameras. I have no idea.

12-23-2013, 04:08 PM	#8
dansamy Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,450 Original Poster	Eulogy, I thought Sony was moving more towards the E mount, not the A mount. Either way, I see Sony picking one & making a smart adapter for customers to still use the other mount on their new cameras.

12-23-2013, 04:23 PM	#9
TaoMaas Pentaxian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oklahoma City Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,574	M43, Canon, Nikon. If there's any others, Kmount will be first.

12-23-2013, 04:29 PM	#10
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	As far as 'survive' I have lenses made in the 1950's that work just fine. As far as stay in production? Who knows, look where we were 25 years ago. Where will we be in 25 more? Maybe none of the existing mounts will still be in production. Really depends on what technology is introduced. Maybe a new sensor technology that eliminates the need for separate lenses. Maybe a new sensor that has better IQ than FF in a Q package. Or maybe a new EVF that is so clearly superior to OVF that the OVF and the mounts associated with it just die overnight. Interesting to speculate. I can say that the viability of K-mount is about 10x better than what it was in 2009 or so. I think the odds at that time on whether it would be around for 5 more years were about 50/50.

12-23-2013, 04:59 PM	#11
jogiba Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Millstone,NJ Posts: 6,491	Originally posted by dansamy Eulogy, I thought Sony was moving more towards the E mount, not the A mount. Either way, I see Sony picking one & making a smart adapter for customers to still use the other mount on their new cameras. There is no way to use E mount lenses on A mount bodies but the E mount works with 99% of the DSLR lenses out there using low cost adapters.

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12-24-2013, 09:25 AM	#12
Action Jackson Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Markham, Ontario, CANADA Posts: 243	All mounts should survive. Not impressed with cellphone "photography".

12-24-2013, 09:30 AM	#13
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	Originally posted by Action Jackson All mounts should survive. Not impressed with cellphone "photography". I can't agree more. Even though I prefer some systems over the others, the more choice we as consumers have, the better. What I'm afraid is though, is that the "weakest" mount will perish. The third party manufacturers already seem to have made up their minds.

12-24-2013, 09:49 AM	#14
dansamy Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,450 Original Poster	That's what I'm concerned about. That the weakest, least popular mounts will cease to be produced and supported.

12-25-2013, 04:00 AM	#15
Clavius Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: De Klundert Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,150	But is the camera market really that bad? All I know is that more people own interchangeable lens camera's then ever before. The booming growth might have slowed down a bit, but thanks the extent of the doom.