Originally posted by Aristophanes ......
The home PC and pro photo apps are not going anywhere. They just aren't main drivers of the volume of sales despite what many hobbyists here think.
This phrase has been around in American justice discussions for a long time. It conveys the observation that minority populations often suffer things like employment discrimination because they don't belong to the majority tribe.
Well it also happens in the marketplace. Some of the niche customers can lose access to desired products when the majority decides they want something else.
But I agree with Aristophanes statement entirely. Folks that are really enthusiasts or are professionals in photography, are willing to spend a lot of money to buy equipment and software to continue their art or profession. Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax and others all seem convinced that the most lucrative part of the camera market are the expensive DSLRs.
Cagey manufacturers try to build products that will appeal not only to the majority users, but niche markets that are more discerning/specialized as well. At least thats what i hope will continue to happen. The more niche consumer groups that one can sell to, the lower the prices are for that product since the overhead costs can be spread over a larger number of consumers. And the converse is true - higher prices for a more specialized camera, i.e, the Sony RX-1 is one example - FF camera that has one fixed lens.
As to RAW, it was obvious to me with the K10 and even the K20, that when one started using the software control sliders to adjust an image, that noise artifacts quickly limited the amount of adjustment possible. When the Sony exmor sensors started to appear, as in the K5, suddenly, the same software controls could be used to a greater degree. The appeal of firmware presets in camera bodies, is that the manufacturer can remove post processing frustrations away from the consumer and allow quick image adjustments. I think we can expect to see more of this in-camera stuff. Not that i like it - I don't. I'd much rather see more flexibility by software out of the camera. But i can deal with it as along as manufacturers allow enthusiasts to take a different course.
All in all an interesting discussion - not that i agree with it entirely, but somewhat - yes.