LaForet: Dedicated Cameras are Coming to an End for all but PROS

evoWALO

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I am sharing this on every photo forum I am a member of as we are either working or hobbyist photographer who have probably bought a mirrorless/SLR camera. I find it a fun topic to talk about, assuming you aren't selling these still cameras.

Vincent LaForet was the first to promote the coming of HD video onto SLRs making his thoughts on the ongoing decline of still cameras have weight.

Without further adieu read this blog post below.

Prediction: The Age of the Standalone Still Camera is Coming to an End for all but PROS Vincent Laforet's Blog

Note to Vincent: Get someone to proof read for you. ;)

This video below expounds LaForet's thoughts with some rounded numbers

http://youtu.be/bfCJDIf-NeA

Here are some more precise numbers to supplement the blog and video.

http://lensvid.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Infographic-1920-1200-ver-2-0.jpg

Source: LensVid Exclusive: What Happened to the Photography Industry in 2013? - LensVid.comLensVid.com

Production, Shipment of Digital Still Cameras in 2014

42.8 million - still cameras covering point & shoots, mirrorless and SLRs
- 29.28 million point & shoots
- 3.17 million mirrorless
- 10.32 million SLRs

Production, Shipment of Digital Still Cameras in 2013

61.0 million - still cameras covering point & shoots, mirrorless and SLRs
- 44.19 million point & shoots
- 3.18 million mirrorless
- 13.64 million SLRs

Production, Shipment of Interchangeable Lenses in 2014

22.3 million lenses covering crop & full frame
- 5.7 million full frame lenses
- 16.6 million crop lenses

Production, Shipment of Interchangeable Lenses in 2013

25.88 million22.3 million lenses covering crop & full frame
- 6.01 million full frame lenses
- 19.87 million crop lenses

vs

1.3 billion smartphones shipped in 2014

Of which 1 billion are Android and 193 million are iPhones

Makes me wish I used all the money I spent on Canon & Apple gear went into Apple stock at $7.00/share in 2002.

What makes the smartphone market so big is that a sizeable chunk of smartphone users are on contract so they get upgraded phones every 12, 24 or 36 months. These upgrades are "pushed" on them rather than us working/hobbyist photographers "pulling" these upgrades with our still cameras.

I also think just like the PC shipping figures still cameras are either abandoned in favor of smartphones/tablets or upgraded based on need (the subject they're photographing needs XYZ feature or the camera broken down and isn't worth repairing).

Less than 1% of those buying a still camera of any sort buys a SLR. The 1% of the 1% of SLR buyers buys a double grip pro body like a Canon 1D X or Nikon D4S.

It puts into perspective where/who we are today. Doesn't it?

With this in mind do you find yourself thinking perhaps the next upgrade you will skip all together?
 
Isn't everyone who owns a DSLR a pro anyway these days?

I believe that the hobby of photography in general is still based around the features of a dedicated stills camera with manual controls, so I imagine that with DSLRs being so cheap these days there's a certain amount of market saturation going on.
 
Why would I skip the next upgrade because of someone's statistical opinion? I base my needs and wants based on my needs and wants. I agree sales on still cameras will continue decline, but, I disagree still cameras will only be limited to Pros. You don't have to be a pro to want quality images and versatility.
 
Why would I skip the next upgrade because of someone's statistical opinion? I base my needs and wants based on my needs and wants. I agree sales on still cameras will continue decline, but, I disagree still cameras will only be limited to Pros. You don't have to be a pro to want quality images and versatility.

Are you saying you will just move on with your life and ignore the subjective opinion of VINCENT LAFORET: EXPLORER OF LIGHT?

Madness! Inconceivable!
 
It seems like "pros" should be more like "enthusiasts." As a non-enthusiast I can say that I haven't felt the need for a dedicated camera for a long time. But as a gamer I have a desktop PC, which non-enthusiasts would find pointlessly inconvenient.
 
This guys is called LaForet!

I can't argue with that!
 
Considering you can use an iPhone to do stuff like this...

It seems like "pros" should be more like "enthusiasts." As a non-enthusiast I can say that I haven't felt the need for a dedicated camera for a long time. But as a gamer I have a desktop PC, which non-enthusiasts would find pointlessly inconvenient.

I admit I made my previous comment without reading the article, and I must say that now that I read it, I agree with most of it.
 
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