[Winder]

More Doom and Gloom | byThom | Thom Hogan

[Docrwm]

So the sky isn't just falling in Pentax-land?

[LensBeginner]

So bottom line is "consumers don't need a new camera every year and the market is gonna take a hit because of that"?
Glad someone figured it out already! )

[Winder]

So bottom line is "consumers don't need a new camera every year and the market is gonna take a hit because of that"?
Glad someone figured it out already! )

It has never really been about people buying a new camera every year. The average ILC buyer in the past bought one or two cameras and a kit lens in their lifetime. The market has always been about NEW customers entering the market. The shift has been in new buyers deciding that their iPhone was good enough and not buying a separate camera body. Mobility and connectivity are driving the market.

[LensBeginner]

It has never really been about people buying a new camera every year. The average ILC buyer in the past bought one or two cameras and a kit lens in their lifetime. The market has always been about NEW customers entering the market. The shift has been in new buyers deciding that their iPhone was good enough and not buying a separate camera body. Mobility and connectivity are driving the market.

Yet every single manufacturer is still on a 1-year release cycle for most of their models...
Maybe they keep them in their catalog longer than that, but they are still pushing a new model out.

[osv]

that article is based on obsolete 2013 cipa data, among other things.

we already proved that the sony imaging division is profitable, and that while mirrorless has been declining along with the dslr market overall, mirrorless is the only part of the market that has positive growth.

the best way to handle thom hogan is to ignore him.

[bossa]

Based on that graphic and Thom's analysis it would seem Pentax has done the right thing with the 645Z. That will always be a niche product due to it's initial high price when compared to a FF or APS-C camera.

Most people shoot snapshots and so a phone or Tablet is probably good enough for their purposes. I've seen people holding up iPads to take pictures and it looks ridiculous. If someone is prepared to drag one of those things around then why not a decent small camera?

Which ever camera maker can hang on will likely be the winner in this game, regardless of current market share. Once the number of competitors has greatly diminished, to perhaps two or three, the market should appear a lot healthier than it is right now.