Originally posted by biz-engineer I know you interpret in some ways... Ok. Very seriously, there is a cost reduction on retailer side for Canon as well. Sure they roll out new stuff, but they also said themselves that they expect the market reduced in half.
Ricoh doesn't invest in Pentax anymore, no serious investment, unless they are holding back on the K mount lenses and bodies because they also invest in a new mount.
You also don't know how much of the mirrorless they will actually sell. I haven't seen any EOS R or Z7 users yet. Panasonic took a lot of risk with the S1 and S1R, they don't have any legacy full frame glass like Canon and Nikon, so it is not to be excluded that Panasonic will have to take their losses.
If every camera model would sell in high quantity regardless of the number of potential buyers, that would be easy. Canon can release 1,2,3, 5 or 10 mirrorless models, and Nikon also 10 models, it make Pentax look dumb... but the more model they release, the less likely they are to turn a profit...
But, please go ahead, buy yourself an Sony A7rII, Sony A9, Canon EOS R, Canon EOS RP, Nikon Z6, Nikon Z7, Panasonic S1, Panasonic S1R... go ahead, you'll be the only one.
You really should look at some numbers...
thanks to PhotoRumors.com we have these nice infographics they released on Monday (they arn't the only ones who do this every year)
what-happened-to-the-camera-industry-in-2018
we are basically at 40/60 split now in terms of what is being built mirrorless/mirrored.
if you do the math on this for 2017-18 mirrorless has a massive 34.14% increase in one year. 2016-17 was a 26.15%. Now you do see a tip up in DSLR sales but look at the next one...
the camera market is down as a whole because everyone has whats "good enough" in their pocket.
I work at Disney World and handle 100+ guest cameras a day and when it comes to "new" cameras guests have, they are almost always mirrorless, mostly Sony and Fuji. If I am handed a DSLR its almost always some old Cannon Ti-something that you can tell has never had the lens removed from it and its on the best settings ever "Auto+"; whats really weird tho is that usually there is some old point-&-shoot and a modern cell phone being thrown at you and they want the same photo taken on all devices.
Typically the younger the family the more likely they are to have a mirroless or just their cell phone. Also you completely missed the Sony a6X00 series, which hands down is what I see the most. APSC with great options, better RAWs than Cannon, can fit into a purse, and has adapters for almost every lens ever made. whats not to like?
to go even a step further I will shamelessly quote myself taking about where Pentax should go almost 5 years ago.
what-should-pentax-do-49#post3071482 Originally posted by Nebulous the way I look at it going forward the first company to make a truly professional mirror-less will cause a shift (one could argue that RED has already done this)
But if it was me I would actually go in the direction of more accessories, less on the body its self.
make two simple very rugged bodies one with a shutter, one mirrorless.
make them fully controllable with a smartphone/tablet and wireless live view
have a "stills" specific grip and a "video" specific grip.
this would give Pentax the ability to fine tune the cameras to certain users with out having to build each a camera.
Also if you mostly shoot stills but occasionally shoot video then you can have the video grip for when you need the better I/O or what ever
also if the accessories are compatible through model generations then you might only have to upgrade part of your gear at a time
The GH4 has an optional video grip that outputs 4k over 4x 3G-SDI and adds some other I/O options but it doubles the price of the camera (if not more) which makes it kind of impractical as well as its pretty much just an I/O.
but ill just be happy when i have something to use all my FF glass with (that isnt a cannon with an adapter)
While I suggested they would do one sensor two avenues, every one went two and two. Nikon Z6/Z7, Cannon EOS R/RP, Panasonic S1/S1R GH5s/GH5, Sony A7III/A7IIIR. All of these cameras are very similar is some sense but in the end one is for video the other for stills.
Something else i didnt know when i wrote that post was that getting rid of the mirror in the body make the lenses less complicated internally; hence the Nikon 58mm F0.95. Another reason to usher in the mirrorless world.
While I don't care if you personally like mirrorless cameras the math dose not match your assessment and personal observations, as they sell VERY well.
I still don't think the full professional mirrorless is there but i think Nikon is the one on the right track.
Sadly however, I feel you are right that Ricoh will not be investing the same in Pentax. They are looking at the numbers too and seeing the same things; cameras don't make money anymore. You use the thing in your pocket and if your interested you turn it in to a hobby and a few into a profession, but thats just a few. Also I feel they will always look at the K-01 numbers and forget they were just a little too early with that one (i know it was Hoya but still).
Sorry you got me at the wrong time but, all of the mirrorless bashing is just straight ignorant. When we go to mirrorless cameras their sensors become like film stock and then i can use the glass i love on what ever stock I want! want x-tans go Fuji want RAW high speed motion for CGI shoot RED ,want super soft fall off and rich skin tones Arri, have some random old glass just sitting there, mirrorless makes it an adapter away versus a body or camera system away.
For me unless im shooting high speed action i just don't see the need for the mirror and prism anymore.