[ENicolas]

It might be worse than that, Kunzite. Here's a clip from an article I wrote:

Ultimately I think the camera body will shrink and shrink until it disappears, and we will end-up with lenses that take the picture and wirelessly transmit it to any device we choose. Check-out the WVIL camera prototype for a peek at this. The camera “body” is just a remote control with an LCD screen on it. Imagine having a lens on a tripod, and the “camera” in your hand. If you want you will sit down and take pictures, because I also think servo-controlled tripods will one day make it possible to control the lens attitude by remote control, much like telescope and high-end video mounts do now, but cheaper and faster.

Who knows, maybe tripods will eventually be able to use their legs to walk, and we won’t have to carry them anymore – or even leave the house. We’ll just send our tripod robots out to the places where the great pictures are to be had, and monitor them from our screens as we sit in a tub of hot water and sip margaritas.

[parsons]

All aboard the crazy train!

[Kunzite]

Fortunately, it sounds similar to the highly convenient flying cars

[gazonk]

All aboard the crazy train!

Looking a bit further into the future, we will have displays and cameras integrated with our eyes - we'll see everything as augmented reality whenever we want to. And everything we see will be recorded continuously - still photography will be something you do at home - picking out frames from your recorded feed.

[Fontan]

It might be worse than that, Kunzite. Here's a clip from an article I wrote:

Ultimately I think the camera body will shrink and shrink until it disappears, and we will end-up with lenses that take the picture and wirelessly transmit it to any device we choose. Check-out the WVIL camera prototype for a peek at this. The camera “body” is just a remote control with an LCD screen on it. Imagine having a lens on a tripod, and the “camera” in your hand. If you want you will sit down and take pictures, because I also think servo-controlled tripods will one day make it possible to control the lens attitude by remote control, much like telescope and high-end video mounts do now, but cheaper and faster.

Who knows, maybe tripods will eventually be able to use their legs to walk, and we won’t have to carry them anymore – or even leave the house. We’ll just send our tripod robots out to the places where the great pictures are to be had, and monitor them from our screens as we sit in a tub of hot water and sip margaritas.

I do think that there are mirrorless interchangeables that accept smartphone as on the back end as a LCD monitor are on their way, perhaps in variety of mounts. Apple just may do it with Canikony mounts.

[Blue]

EVF coming very close to optical viewfinders... shorter, soon enough - means decades, yes?

I sort of imagine myself working with one of those slim mirrorless wonders. Giving up on the optical viewfinder. Giving up on using a real flash (NEX series, except the 7) or on a very good sensor (all the others). Looking ridiculous if I would put a non-pancake lens on it. Still not having anything even remotely pocketable, but cramps in my fingers.
No, thanks - I'll stay with DSLRs.

Optical veiwfinders will always have a purpose and advantage in certain situations.

[riff]

because of this...

trends show that SLRs are going to get replaced by MILCs by many people - it will take several more years for this to happen, no doubt, but the trend is pretty clear.

"soon enough" can be pretty soon, or further off, but eventually yes, if the trend above continues. SLRs may persist, but the mainstream mount has to adjust to the needs of the times. If not, then there should still be screwmount cameras still in production today, right?

LC is probably not the best guy to quote to me.

So we have an unreferenced trend that will take several years but the unreferenced trend is pretty clear!
And "soon enough" can be "pretty soon" or "further off" "but eventually" if the unreferenced trend continues.

OK I was unsure but now I'm convinced, it's a sure thing, a done deal!

In any case if this brave new world you propose comes to be, by your logic all SLR mounts will be obsolete not just Pentax, what a joyous day in photography that will be.

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

Does a sub $1800 mirror less qualify?
That would tick both boxes...

Not when you can get other MILCs for under $500.

Only if the current assumption that removing the mirrorbox must translate into a pocketable camera with a register distance shorter than 45.46mm.

I think the main benefit MILCs offer is in providing access to smaller lenses. Bodies can be made in a variety of sizes and shapes to suit everyone's preferences - the E-M5 is larger than the Pen, Panasonic makes bodies with SLR styling as well as flat P&S kind of bodies (Samsung did too) - there is enough variety already. But the lenses will generally be lighter and more compact, making the systems more portable than an SLR (not pocketable).

EVF coming very close to optical viewfinders... shorter, soon enough - means decades, yes?

I think it is happening already. You may never be happy with them, but most of the customers will be.

[ibkc]

So I won't be able to hold a camera in my hands? Look through a viewfinder? Compose an image? Every image will be 1/60? Photography as an art will be dead, replaced by gadgetry?
I'd rather prefer end-of-the-world scenarios that involves brain-eating zombies

I'm with you on that. While I like gadgetry, I also love cameras of all types. I actually just bought a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye Flash with full intentions of using it (those old bakelite cheapies actually take wonderful, dreamy images.)

Boutique companies will be producing film for a few more decades and I will be one of those giving them my business.

[Edvinas]

EVF coming very close to optical viewfinders... shorter, soon enough - means decades, yes?

I've got a chance to use NEX7 for a while. I could not believe that it's EVF is considered one of the best out there. Because it is simply hopeless compared to the optical one. Lag, huge motion blur, washed out colors. One word can summarise it: TERRIBLE.

[Docrwm]

I've got a chance to use NEX7 for a while. I could not believe that it's EVF is considered one of the best out there. Because it is simply hopeless compared to the optical one. Lag, huge motion blur, washed out colors. One work can summarise it: TERRIBLE.

That's a shame. I thought I had read several reviews that the EVF in the 7 model was a generation ahead of other EVFs. If its as bad as you say, and I am not questioning you, that says a LOT about the ones that pale when compared to it.

[Alizarine]

LC is probably not the best guy to quote to me. So we have an unreferenced trend that will take several years but the unreferenced trend is pretty clear! And "soon enough" can be "pretty soon" or "further off" "but eventually" if the unreferenced trend continues. OK I was unsure but now I'm convinced, it's a sure thing, a done deal! In any case if this brave new world you propose comes to be, by your logic all SLR mounts will be obsolete not just Pentax, what a joyous day in photography that will be.

While LC may not be the most credible figure to quote for you, I do believe his post has a point. Thank you also for keeping in check how I post opinions, I'll be more careful next time.
www.dpreview.com/news/2012/02/15/Cipa_publishes_mirrorless_sales_and_shipments this news article from DPReview might also not be the most credible one out there, but at least it gives us a hint (from figures made by CIPA) that the popularity of mirrorless cameras is growing.

Ultimately, though, a big factor in mirrorless sales is that the technology is maturing and most of the big players have products available.

DPR says. It's not compulsory to believe, anyone can argue mirrorless success.

Well we can't conclude from just those figures that SLRs will "end", but they sure present a growing threat to mirrored cameras. Though of course, like Blue mentioned, OVFs will certainly have advantages in certain situations. EVF technology is still in its infancy, but if demand grows, then its development will probably be accelerated too. Personally I don't see myself jumping to MILCs even in the future as long as my SLRs work, but for young new customers who came to discover photography just recently or in the future, the option of the less-bulkier mirrorless will present itself as an alternative.

And lastly, I'm not stating the future, just my opinion on how things may turn out. And while current technology is offering us its best, new ones will come out that we might not like, but others will, and if theirs become the majority, then the change happens.

[riff]

I'm not stating the future, just my opinion on how things may turn out.

Understood and you're probably right that mirrors will disappear I don't thing that will signal the end of the K mount or other's SLR mounts. Considering what Pentax did with the K-01 I think they agree. FWIW I probably shoot about 50% with live view these days.

[kenafein]

That's a shame. I thought I had read several reviews that the EVF in the 7 model was a generation ahead of other EVFs. If its as bad as you say, and I am not questioning you, that says a LOT about the ones that pale when compared to it.

It is not very good. The image is really artificial looking and the colors are off. It is much worse than an LCD. The overlays are good though, makes me feel like a Terminator.

I still love the camera.

[Docrwm]

It is not very good. The image is really artificial looking and the colors are off. It is much worse than an LCD. The overlays are good though, makes me feel like a Terminator.

I still love the camera.

I'm not as worried about the colors as the lag, flicker, and cycling issues with an EVF. Those can be REALLY hard on someone with neurological issues like seizures, migraine, etc.